Page 27 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

era of commercial use cases with a multi- experience futuristic technologies like different customers based on their needs.
vendor 5G Dual Mode network to enhance Virtual Reality (VR) and cloud gaming. It allows for greater efficiency and flexibility
the broadband offering to customers. The The technology also has high-security in the deployment of 5G networks. Edge
technology of 5G SA will enable subscribers levels that utilise best industry practices computing is a way of bringing computing
to enjoy higher uplink bandwidth with to maintain a robust network.The solution resources closer to the users, reducing
special case scenarios for enterprise is further enriched with network exposure, latency and improving the performance
applications where uplink throughput is slicing, edge computing and orchestration. of applications. The 5G SA will co-
equally important as downlink. In other Network slicing is a way of virtualising the exist efficiently with existing networks
cases, requiring lower user-traffic latency, 5G network, allowing it to be partitioned using dual-mode 5G core technology.
it will address critical gaming issues and into multiple, logically isolated networks for

e& Successfully Completes the Acquisition of ServiceMarket to Expand

Range of Digital Services in Smiles Online Marketplace

Etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, ambitions by providing best-in-class convenient range of services, within the
has completed the acquisition of Service innovative solutions and harness advanced Smiles ecosystem and drive diversification
Souk DMCC “ServiceMarket”, acquiring technologies, increasing penetration of of our business.” Bana Shomali, Chief
100 percent of shareholding of the online digital services, this acquisition contributes Executive Officer of ServiceMarket said:
marketplace. This acquisition is in line with to the growth of the country’s ambitions “We are excited to join the etisalat by e&
the Group’s strategy to empower consumers, of becoming a digital economy. Khaled family which will enable ServiceMarket
strengthen Smiles online marketplace ElKhouly, Chief Consumer Officer of etisalat to leverage e&’s digital capabilities and
presence and drive diversification of our by e& said: “The online household services customer base to accelerate our growth
business. ServiceMarket is a leading online market has demonstrated strong growth and unlock significant synergies. As
marketplace for household services. It over the past few years with an increasing part of the Smiles ecosystem, we will
currently offers more than 40 services number of consumers preferring to access continue to provide best-in-class services
under several segments across the UAE. a broad range of services at the comfort of to consumers in the UAE and enrich our
It enjoys a strong market position that their homes, and through digital platforms portfolio with new services to offer greater
will complement etisalat by e&’s existing they can trust. As a pioneer in the digital convenience every day.” Etisalat Group has
marketplace services under the brand transformation journey for all UAE citizens, changed its brand identity to e&, effective
‘Smiles’ which already includes online food we have been expanding our portfolio of on February 2022. Its strategy aims to
and grocery delivery, lifestyle offers and the lifestyle services on the Smiles platform, accelerate growth through the creation of
ability to earn and redeem points at more including the recent addition of food and a resilient business model represented by
than 10,000 outlets across the UAE. etisalat grocery delivery services. This acquisition Group’s main business pillars. The telecoms
by e&’s commitment has always been to is in line with our strategy to continue business currently continues to be led by
stay aligned with the UAE’s digitalization enriching the lives of our customers with etisalat by e& in the Group’s home market
and e& international markets, upholding the
Group’s rich telecoms heritage, bolstering
the strong telecoms network and
maximizing value for the Group’s various
customer segments. Ramping up the
digital services for individuals to elevate
their digital-driven lifestyle, e& life brings
next-generation technologies through
smart platforms in entertainment, retail and
financial technology. e& enterprise focuses
on maximizing value through its end-to-end
solutions in cybersecurity, cloud, Internet of
Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI),
as well as deploying mega projects, in order
to enable the digital transformation of
governments, large-scale enterprises and
corporates. e& capital allows the Group to
focus its efforts on driving new investments
while maximizing shareholder value and
strengthening the Group’s global presence.

27 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023