UAE telecom leaders Etisalat and du have launched a joint initiative to support the development of smart infrastructure and giving customers an opportunity to select their operator of choice for telecom services.

Titled ‘Taawun’, the initiative will initially include more than 50 projects and will serve as the model for all new Greenfield areas in the country.

‘Taawun’ will establish a robust telecom infrastructure as a backbone for property developers, deploying advanced fibre-optic and passive telecom solutions that are best-in-class and future-proof – ready for the next generations of voice and data services.

It will also enhance the competitive landscape in the UAE allowing residents and businesses to select - and switch - between service providers of their choice. It aims to contribute to the UAE Vision 2021 to rank the nation among top ten globally in the overall ICT infrastructure, Online Services Index and the Network Readiness Index, in time for UAE’s celebration for 50 years since formation.

It also aligns with the UAE government’s ‘smart city’ initiative, enabling the country to become one of the world’s most connected and sustainable nations, with Dubai World Expo 2020 becoming the platform for unveiling this vision.

The first phase of the programme has been implemented at the upcoming Dubai Sustainable City, which is Dubai’s first sustainable city that will include an environmental sciences university, school, commercial centre, shopping mall and a deluxe sustainable hotel and resort with a world-class natural spa centre.  The operators have both installed passive fibre optic infrastructure connecting residential units within the community enabling residents to choose home telecom services from their preferred operator.

According to the ‘Global Report on Information Technologies 2014’ by the World Economic Forum, the UAE ranks 23rd in the network readiness index, as compared to the 24th position the previous year. The report assesses countries based on its economic capabilities in utilising technologies to support the growth and welfare of its citizens.

Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO of Etisalat UAE said: “Customer choices will be key to the development of new telecom infrastructure in the UAE, embodied by the Taawun initiative, which is of strategic importance to the country’s telecom industry as well as the real estate sector. Etisalat is keen on this initiative, which aligns with our commitment to support the government’s smart vision and development of a smart environment across the country.

“It will ensure that the newly developed infrastructure will meet the current and future connectivity requirements of smart homes and systems in new property developments. Such initiatives are vital in positioning the UAE on the global map as a leader with a futuristic outlook in telecom and technology.”

Osman Sultan, CEO of du, said: “Taawun marks a major milestone in our progress towards a fully competitive telecommunications market in the UAE.”

“I am extremely pleased that, through Taawun, all new real estate developments across the UAE will be served by competitive state-of-the-art passive infrastructure and residents of these new development projects will now be able to make a choice between operators. This strategic initiative will enable realisation of the UAE’s Smart Cities’ vision and will further strengthen the UAE’s positioning as a global leader in the telecommunications sector,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service