Page 19 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Middle East and North Africa region cloud services technology firm to offer ‘Firstpass’ an
• Etisalat subscribers can now access • Etisalat and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) innovative healthcare platform to its
5G fixed networks for the first time from partnered to deploy a cloud-based IoT customers in the region.
their homes in UAE Smart Building solution, providing FAB Chairman’s Statement:
• Etisalat in partnership with Ministry ‘anytime anywhere’ access and ease of H.E. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman
of Interior signs an MoU with Sheikh operations across its entire portfolio of Etisalat Group, said: “As we begin our
Zayed Housing Program to provide • Etisalat expands ‘SmartHub’ presence journey into a new digitally empowered
villas with the smart fire alarm solution with a Tier 3 data center facility at two future, 2020 was a true testimony to Etisalat
‘Hassantuk’ new locations in UAE Group’s resilience and agility. “Despite the
• Etisalat launched ‘Business Edge’, a new • Etisalat partnered with Alef Education, unprecedented global impact of the COVID
comprehensive platform offering a wide to enable both entities to collaborate on 19 pandemic, Etisalat demonstrated
range of services and solutions that a series of digital initiatives to empower robust financial performance, driven by
cater to Small and Medium Business the region’s education sector. our bold vision to constantly innovate
(SMB) customers • Etisalat partnered with Smartworld to while ensuring that communities we
• Etisalat teams up with BMW Group bring ‘Shahada’, a tamper proof digital serve remain connected, informed and
Middle East to power connected drive certificate platform for all educational productive. Across our footprint, we stood
services in UAE institutions in the region. for our communities and took immediate
• Dubai International Financial Centre • Etisalat loyalty program ‘Smiles’ steps to protect our teams and customers,
(DIFC) collaborated with Etisalat to launched UAE’s first ever blockchain- support critical verticals, and ensure the
deploy innovative technologies for an powered Rewards Exchange uninterrupted delivery of quality services.
advanced telecom infrastructure, high • Etisalat partnered with Department of We engaged heavily with governments
speed internet and superior mobile Health, the regulator of the healthcare and authorities while supporting the
connectivity sector in Abu Dhabi to launch the community with innovative offerings and
• Etisalat partnered with Microsoft to ‘Digital Healthcare’ Centre free initiatives that assisted students,
enhance its public cloud infused with • Etisalat launched first-of-it-kind tele- organizations, and societies as a whole.
automation and AI health service in the private sector as During the year, revenue and net profit
• Etisalat joined Amazon Web Services a continuation of its mission to provide growth were witnessed in our international
(AWS) Direct Connect Service Delivery clinical excellence to patients in need markets while the domestic market
Program to offer fast, private, and • Etisalat partnered with Vectramind, a experienced a decline in both due to the
secure connectivity for accessing AWS global healthcare and communications pandemic and market maturity.

Etisalat Grows its Subscriber Base to 154 Million, Following a Strong 2020

UAE based international telco, Etisalat, has H.E. Obaid Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of 2020, providing free internet access to
grown its international subscriber base Etisalat Group. “The telecom industry has families without connectivity at home
to 154 million as the company posted a proven to be the backbone of the new-norm to facilitate access to distance learning
strong set of financial figures for 2020. and a tool of empowerment. We take pride services during the Covid 19 pandemic.
This represented a 3.6% increase on its in our response that stood out amongst The company also provided more than
figures for 2019. In its home market of global peers across our footprint. Etisalat 10 million mobile subscribers with free
the UAE, Etisalat increased its number demonstrated strong commitment, swift browsing to over 800 websites related
of subscribers to 2.2 million. The news reactions, and readiness as a result of years to education, health and safety. Despite
came as Etisalat Group recorded a strong of adept planning of business continuity the challenges of an unprecedented year,
set of financials for the financial year and crisis management scenarios. We Etisalat was crowned as the ‘Strongest
2020. Consolidated net profits reached have also been in leading positions Brand’ in MEA region and ranked the most
AED 9.0 billion ($2.45 billion) a year on across several industry rankings. Years of valuable telecom portfolio brand in MEA
year increase of 3.8% increase, which the investments in infrastructure and digital for 5th year in a row. It was also recognized
company attributed to strong growth in the capabilities resulted in positioning Etisalat as the fastest mobile network in the
international operations that outweighed on global standings in ICT readiness and world by Ookla “Our journey in 2020 was
the decline in the UAE operations. The adoption, broadband subscriptions, fiber transformational with an unprecedented
company also recorded consolidated penetration and mobile coverage,” he pandemic that reshaped humanity, created
EBITDA of AED 26.4 billion ($7.18 billion), a added. Etisalat Group’s Board of Directors a new ‘irreversible’ normal, shattered the
year on year increase of 0.3% and resulting recommended a dividend payout of 40 digital adoption divide, and accelerated
in an EBITDA margin of 51.1%. “As we begin fils per share for the second half of 2020, the future. For Etisalat Group, it was a year
our journey into a new digitally empowered representing a total dividend payout of of resilience, agility, social responsibility,
future, 2020 was a true testimony to 80 fils for the full year. Etisalat undertook and in contrast to many businesses, great
Etisalat Group’s resilience and agility,” said a number of key community projects in results. A moment of truth that obliged

19 FEB-MAR 2021