Page 127 - SAMENA Trends - September-October 2020

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

infrastructure and raise the efficiency of its national resources. goals." (September 15, 2020) wam.ae
He added, “We spare no effort to develop the telecommunications
sector and achieve equitable access to the required resources The UAE maintained its Arab and regional leadership in a number
of the frequency spectrum, to promote the deployment of 5G in of ICT related indicators, according to the Global Innovation
the UAE, and thus develop smart services, accelerate the process Index Report 2020, which included results related to Global
of digital transformation and achieve sustainable development Competitiveness indicators for ICT sector. According to the report,
goals.” The UAE strategy for 5G and beyond (2020-2025) focuses the UAE ranked first on the Arab and regional level in Information
on 5G deployment and coverage, as well as the establishment & communication technologies (ICTs) Pillar, ICT Access indicator,
of leading partnerships to support a diverse ecosystem. It also and ICT Use Indicator. These indicators measure the progress and
enhances cooperation between telecom service providers and development of the Telecommunications infrastructure globally
vertical sectors in the UAE that wish to benefit from 5G. as a main enabler for innovation and a major element in creating
(September 25, 2020) tra.gov.ae an innovative environment. The UAE also ranked first in the Arab
region in Generic top-level domains (gTLDs), and in Country-code
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, TRA, announced top-level domains (ccTLDs) (.ae). These indicators measure the
the allocation of a new frequency band that allows UAE telecom percentage of domain registration globally, and show the volume
operators to expand the application of 5G, in line with the decisions of movement and technological interaction in the countries, which
of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2019, WRC-19. enhance online creativity. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA Director
Frequencies in the millimeter wave range between 24.25 - 27.5 General, said: “The UAE continues its global leadership in the
GHz have been allocated to the development of 5G networks, ICT sector by achieving advanced positions in competitiveness
which strengthens the UAE’s leading position in the region, as the indicators that measure the progress and development of the
first in the Middle East and North Africa to allocate this range. sector’s infrastructure. “Recently, we have witnessed the results of
The band will be allocated in two phases based on the equipment many years of cumulative work to develop the sector and raise its
availability. The first phase has already started on 1st September readiness for the future, in cooperation with our strategic partners.
2020, in which the frequency band 26.5-27.5 GHz was allocated The UAE experience in overcoming the current situation has been
to the operators. The second phase will start in the third quarter a clear evidence of its leadership and excellence represented by
of 2021, through which 1 GHz will be allocated per operator in the a smooth transition to virtual activities such as remote work,
(25.5 - 27.5 GHz) range. The new 1 GHz bandwidth will provide distance learning, e-commerce and digital government services,
each of the mobile operators with an opportunity to enhance and thus the continuation of the work of many vital sectors in the
develop wireless broadband services using 5G technologies in country.” Al Mansoori affirmed that TRA, under the guidance of
terms of speed and data volume compared to 4G. It will also provide the wise leadership, has worked to develop plans and strategies
other additional features such as higher rates to transfer data for the development of the ICT sector and to achieve leadership
per second and enhanced communications capacity per square in this key sector. “Our wise leadership and its insightful vision
kilometer, while ensuring the quality of services and increasing realized the importance of ICTs, and therefore its directives
performance efficiency compared to previous generations. TRA were clear to develop and support this sector, so the UAE was a
also confirmed that 5G deployment in the UAE by the licensees pioneer in all stages of work across successive generations from
complies with Guidelines on Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic communications systems to 5G that are being deployed to be an
Fields approved by recognized international organizations entry point to the era of the smart city and the Fourth Industrial
such as the World Health Organization, WHO, the International Revolution. TRA has been keen on extending Internet networks
Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, ICNIRP, and to all regions of the UAE, to ensure that everyone has access
the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE, and in to communication services, Internet, and electronic and smart
line with TRA’s framework for Non-Ionizing Radiation Limits for services,” he added. These results are a continuation of a series
Telecommunication Networks. Commenting on this decision, of positive results achieved by the telecommunications sector in
Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, TRA Director-General, said, "This the UAE, confirming the UAE global leadership in the pursuit of
decision comes in line with the UAE Strategy for 5G and beyond digital transformation and entering the era of the Fourth Industrial
(2020-2025), as the provision of the frequency spectrum for 5G Revolution, artificial intelligence and the Internet of things. The
contributes to building a high-standard global communication UAE ranked first in the Arab region and fourth globally in launching
platform and enabling the UAE to use and apply the latest ICT, and using 5G networks, according to the Global Connectivity
to provide global standards services, achieve long-term social Index. TRA began implementing and using IMT2020 technology,
and economic benefits in various areas such as manufacturing, known as 5G, at the end of 2017. The UAE has also ranked first
transportation, healthcare, and education. Moreover, this initiative in the Middle East region in transitioning to IPv6, according to
comes as a result of international coordination and technical the statistics issued by Ripe NCC, Akamai Technologies, and
studies that have lasted more than 4 years, which highlights Google. The transition to IPv6 supports Internet service providers
the importance of international coordination and harmony in in providing services, in addition to its significant positive impact
providing access to this important part of the spectrum." He on the implementation of 5G, and the digital transformation in the
added, "We spare no effort to develop the telecommunications country. The importance of implementing IPv6 comes as a result
sector and achieve equitable access to the required resources of the great scarcity of Internet protocols, and the inability of IPv4
of the frequency spectrum, to promote the deployment of 5G in to meet the increasing demand in light of the rapid growth of the
the UAE, and thus develop smart services, accelerate the process Internet. (September 13, 2020) tradearabia.com
of digital transformation and achieve sustainable development
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