Page 21 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Batelco to Shut Down 2G Network

Batelco has informed customers that capacity for the deployment of 5G mobile their devices and replace their SIM cards
its 2G network will be phased out by 31 technology and enable it to meet the rapidly to support 3G/4G networks.
December 2019. The company notes growing demands of its customers. All 2G
the move is intended to free up network device users have been urged to upgrade

du, Wipro Partner Up to Launch IoT Security
Platform in UAE

du, from Emirates Integrated the UAE by helping enterprises to maintain and identity management at the center
Telecommunications Company (EITC), integrity, privacy, and compliance, ensuring of their operations. Wipro’s technology
announced it has entered a partnership that their data is safe and secure while expertise and understanding of domain-
with Wipro Limited, a leading global enabling efficiencies. Bharat Raigangar, specific business challenges coupled
information technology, consulting and regional head and business partner (IMEA) with du’s capabilities will allow us to
business process services company, - Cybersecurity & Risk at Wipro Limited create modern IT infrastructure solutions.”
to roll out their purpose-built Internet said: “We are excited to partner with du to This partnership was announced on the
of Things (IoT) Identity and Access offer an Identity and Access Management sidelines of du’s participation at GITEX
Management platform for the UAE. The platform (IAM) for IoT. It will deliver secure Technology Week taking place in Dubai
IoT security platform aims at addressing outcomes for businesses needing trust until Thursday, 10 October 2019.
potential threats and securing devices
and information, as well as adding policy-
driven credential management and end-
to-end data encryption, while enabling
prompt integration and interoperability,
according to a press release. Andrew
Ward, Senior Vice President ICT Products
at du, said: “As the world is becoming
more connected, it’s our responsibility to
offer innovative secure solutions to better
manage IoT environments. In partnership
with Wipro, we can now enable businesses
across the UAE with a robust, device-
centric Identity and Access Management
platform to ensure trust, privacy and
security of data.” This IoT innovation will
play a key role across major industries in

du Satisfied with Huawei 5G Security

UAE-based operator du became the in 5G”, the news agency stated. He added Malaysian operator Maxis and Russia-
latest to back Huawei, with CTO Saleem du is concerned with US pressure around based MTS, Arab News reported. The
Albalooshi stating the company has the use of Huawei equipment, specifically vendor reportedly also gained backing
no concerns over the security of the threats by the nation to suspend the sharing from Norwegian cabinet minister Nikolai
Chinese vendor’s kit, Reuters reported. of information by intelligence services. Astrup, who told Reuters the country wasn’t
Albalooshi explained Huawei is deploying However, the company’s approach will planning to block Huawei from working
5G equipment for the operator and its be guided by the UAE government and on 5G networks. Huawei has repeatedly
research had not uncovered any “security regulations, he explained. du’s backing denied its equipment is a security threat.
holes” with the vendor’s gear, “specifically adds to support Huawei gleaned from

21 OCTOBER 2019