Page 65 - SAMENA Trends - Jan-Mar 2024

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

REGIONAL NEWS

UAE Ranks First Globally in 5G Speed

The adoption rate of the sixth version of the the developments in digital infrastructure future, enhancing the UAE’s leadership
Internet Protocol (IPv6) in the UAE reached development in the country, and the level and global competitiveness in various
50.7 per cent in January 2024, and the level of adoption of technological solutions, fields. He was speaking at the meeting
of mobile network coverage continued which have significantly increased in of the UAE Council for Digital Economy,
to be 100 per cent, according to the UAE recent months. Omar Sultan Al Olama, which is responsible for implementing the
Digital Economy Council. The UAE ranks Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, digital economy agenda. The meeting was
first in the Middle East in Internet exchange Digital Economy, and Remote Work held at the Securities and Commodities
traffic and the first position globally in Applications, said the UAE government Authority in Dubai. The council reviewed
fifth-generation network speeds in 2023, adopts a proactive approach based on the updates regarding several strategic
according to the council. The UAE was designing visions and goals, as well as initiatives aimed at supporting and
the fastest 5G market globally in Q2 2023 developing and implementing initiatives accelerating the implementation of the
according to Ookla Speedtest Intelligence and projects that lay the foundations of a UAE's strategic objectives for the digital
data, with growing competition between the pioneering digital economy. “This economy economy, in areas such as infrastructure,
nation’s two network operators helping to combines national skills and technological digital transactions, e-commerce, financial
drive overall performance in the market to solutions, forming an advanced model technologies, stimulating investment in
reach a median download speed of 557.63 that contributes to achieving the targets digital sectors, attracting and developing
Mbps. etisalat by e& was the fastest 5G of the national strategy for the digital digital skills, supporting SMEs and the
operator globally with a median download economy, by multiplying the contribution latest developments in digital economy
speed of 680.73 Mbps. The adoption of of the digital economy to non-oil GDP statistics gathering and the annual
the use of digital signatures increased over the next decade,” he said. Al Olama report on measuring the digital economy,
by 216 per cent in 2023, while blockchain said the UAE government is intensifying prepared in cooperation with the Federal
was used as well, involving nine banks, efforts to accelerate the adoption of digital Competitiveness and Statistics Center.
six exchange houses, and three insurance solutions, aiming through its initiatives and The council further reviewed digital
companies. The council reviewed as well projects to envision and shape the digital services in the federal network, which were
launched to include voice-to-text and text-
to-voice conversion, translation, analysis
of different emotions, extraction of key
phrases, language analysis, and services
suitable for accessing high-performance
computing resources for machine learning,
deep learning, and other applications.
The council discussed topics such as
the government service level policy, data
center distribution, and cloud computing
deployment in Gulf countries, cloud
computing companies in the UAE, as well
as the latest Internet network indicators
and the performance and coverage of the
fifth-generation network in the country.

CST Governor Chaired the Saudi Delegation at the Mobile World Congress 2024

H.E. Dr. Mohammed Altamimi, the Governor This participation aimed at highlighting the conference, H.E. Altamimi attended
of the Communications, Space and the Kingdom’s visions and initiatives in the the ministerial program which brought
Technology Commission (CST), has chaired global telecom sector, and promoting the together high-level government officials
the Saudi delegation at the Mobile World Kingdom’s continuous collaborations and and CEOs of global companies to discuss
Congress 2024 (MWC) held in Barcelona. goals with international institutions. During challenges and opportunities in the sector.

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