Times of Oman

Middle East and Africa drives future of connectivi­ty

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Times News Service

MUSCAT: The gap between what’s technologi­cally possible and how organisati­ons are leveraging technology continues to grow. As the Middle East and Africa region reduces dependence on oil and diversifie­s revenue streams, investment in the digital economy is paving the way for a future of connectivi­ty.

“Our customers across the Middle East and Africa are seeing an appetite for unlimited network capacity across healthcare, constructi­on, tourism, high tech and education as people are creating more data today than we have in human history,” said Ehab Kanary, vice president of Enterprise for the Middle East and Africa, CommScope.

“Whether it’s improving capacity, finding ways to decrease latency or creating connectivi­ty, fibre is the foundation for networks in the future,” he added.

Increased use of consumer technology is driving the need for bandwidth: The last few years have been game-changing with regards to video on demand for the UAE and the region .

Mobile devices

In addition to watching programmes on their mobile devices, consumers are buying 4K television­s to stream Internet-based programmes which are including more local content.

Revenues for virtual and augmented reality devices are expected to grow while smart home technologi­es like video security, front-door access and mood lighting are being developed to help consumers save money .

Cities are being built from the ground up: The Middle East and Africa is driving innovation around the future of urbanism.

Quality of life

Abu Dhabi and Dubai are among those cities seeking creative ways to use data to improve services and quality of life around healthcare, security, mobility, economic developmen­t and housing . Saudi is building four new cities by 2020, which meansfibre can be laid everywhere without disruption to traffic and businesses.

Smart City project

The UAE’s Smart City project is uncovering ways to improve traffic and energy networks across the globe .

The region is focused on homegrown innovation: The region’s start up community is booming while entreprene­urs are creating Arab-specific mobile technologi­es which cater to education, logistics, design, finance and art, among other industries . Dubai’s strategy to build the world’s most advanced artificial intelligen­ce ecosystem coupled with creative hubs like the Dubai Design District are underpinni­ng digital transforma­tion across industries.

During Gitex Technology Week 2018, CommScope will highlight its latest solutions to meet the continuous growth of bandwidth needs impacted by these trends.

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