Expo 2020 Dubai becomes first 5G customer in region

Etisalat connected Expo 2020 Dubai to its 5G network, making the site of the next World Expo the first commercial location in the Measa region to experience 5G.

Expo 2020 Dubai on Tuesday announced that it has become the first major commercial customer in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (Measa) region to access 5G services, through its partnership with Etisalat.
Etisalat connected Expo 2020 Dubai to its 5G network, making the site of the next World Expo the first commercial location in the Measa region to experience 5G. Etisalat's network will provide the most advanced digital and telecom services to Expo 2020 Dubai and its millions of visitors, supporting an expected 300,000 users on peak days.
"We are here to create the most exciting event in the world," Mohammed Alhashmi, senior vice president, Innovation and Future Technology at Expo 2020 Dubai, told reporters at a media roundtable. "One of the main themes of the Expo 2020 is connectivity, and there is no question that technology is an enabler. We have been working with Etisalat since 2016, when we first announced our partnership. We always knew that we would have 5G for the Expo; there was no question about it."
Highlighting the various technologies that will be able to function seamlessly on the 5G network, he pointed to virtual reality, augmented reality, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, and blockchain. Many of these will be available to visitors through an app on their smartphones. "How will you arrive in Dubai, which hotel you will book, how will you get into the Expo site, finding your way around, looking for information on F&B and entertainment; all of this, and more, will be easily available to you thanks to the connected digital network. In addition, Wi-Fi will be free for visitors."
"We will be the most connected site," Alhashmi added. "We have more than 200km of fiber underground; we have 8,500 Wi-Fi access points on this site; more than 2,000 5G antennas indoors and more than 2,500 4G indoor antennas. We know that not everyone will have 5G connectivity devices, so it is important for us to make sure that everyone has access.
Saeed Al Zarouni, senior vice president, Mobile Network at Etisalat, noted that experts at Etisalat would be working very closely with the different teams at Expo 2020 Dubai to ensure that everything was ready for visitors and participants in time for the event. He further revealed that at around 20 times faster than 4G and with ultra-low latency, 5G technology will enable users to stream live 4K resolution video anywhere at any time, with virtually no lag.
"Right now the latency for 4G is between 10-15 milliseconds; the latency for 5G will be one millisecond," he said, adding that 5G services will be available for consumers in the UAE by the end of this year.
"Currently, we are deploying the network in phases, and adding more sites," he said. "Our ability to provide 5G services to Expo 2020 is only possible due to our commitment to invest in line with our strategy to drive the digital future to empower the society with solutions and services that are at the forefront of the digital journey."
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com

Rohma Sadaqat

rohma@khaleejtimes.com