ICT
From The Report: Kuwait 2019
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With Kuwait’s national strategy focused on establishing the country as a global and regional knowledge and communications hub, ICT development has gained significance in the country’s shift away from an economy based on hydrocarbons. The adoption of 5G technology has been key to achieving these goals, as is the earmarking of financial and human resources to create a wider and deeper IT ecosystem. Technology start-ups are being encouraged, and private sector jobs and initiatives are seen by the government as an important part of the drive to diversify the economy while attracting higher levels of international investment. This chapter contains an interview with Salim Al Ozainah, Chairman and CEO, Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Expanded service: Providers diversify offerings to increase their revenue and customer base
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With Kuwait’s national strategy focused on establishing the country as a global and regional knowledge and communications centre, ICT development has gained significance in the country’s shift away from an economy based on hydrocarbons. The adoption of 5G technology has been key to achieving these goals, as is the earmarking of financial and human resources to create a wider and deeper IT ecosystem. Technology start-ups are being encouraged in the country, and private sector jobs and…

Interview

Digital drive: Salim Al Ozainah, Chairman and CEO, Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA), on diversifying sources of connectivity and mitigating risks
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Interview:Salim Al Ozainah How is the government encouraging Kuwait’s digital transformation, and what benefits can citizens expect to see from these efforts? SALIM AL OZAINAH: The overarching aims of the New Kuwait 2035 vision is to transform the country into an international commercial and trade hub, and help meet the goal of sustainable development with digital transformation at the heart of this strategy. Kuwait is exerting great effort in this regard on all fronts, including by adopting…

Analysis

Come on-line: Investment in next-generation technology has been improving communication speed and capacity
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In June 2019 Zain Kuwait launched the country’s first fully integrated 5G mobile internet service. Speaking at the launch, Nawaf Al Gharabally, chief technology officer at Zain, told local press that telecommunications services are key to accelerating economic growth and boosting trade. “Obviously, existing mobile networks will not be able to satisfy the future needs of the telecoms sector,” Al Gharabally said. “5G will contribute to the digital transformation and prosperity of Kuwait.”…