ICT
From The Report: Dubai 2016
View in Online Reader

Over the past 15 years, Dubai has developed one of the most advanced IT sectors in the GCC region. As of early 2016 more than 90% of the UAE’s population reported using the internet on a regular basis. ICT is at the heart of the seven-year Dubai Plan 2021 (DP2021). DP2021 builds on more than 15 years of investment in advanced technology by the emirate’s leadership, in conjunction with a wide range of blue-chip private sector technology companies. Together, the government and the private sector have turned Dubai into a centre for technological innovation in the Middle East, with the Dubai Smart City (DSC) project a testament to the emirate’s ambitions.

This chapter contains interviews with Aisha bin Bishr, Director-General, Smart Dubai Office; and Osman Sultan, CEO, du.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

A new phase: Government-led initiatives are set to transform the sector
OBG
plus

Over the past 15 years, Dubai has developed one of the most advanced IT sectors in the GCC region. As of early 2016 more than 90% of the UAE’s population reported using the internet on a regular basis, according to the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO. Usage in Dubai, the country’s largest and most tech-savvy urban agglomeration, is likely even higher, though no city-level data is available. “Dubai’s vibrant multiculturalism presents more opportunities than challenges,…

Analysis

An idea machine: Dubai has invested heavily in innovation across a wide range of industries
OBG
plus

The UAE’s Cabinet declared 2015 the “year of innovation”. “We convene today in a 500-year-old castle,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and the prime minister of the UAE. “Our vision is setting the foundation to build a future that will be for hundreds of years to come.” The government has backed up this message with planning and investment. Under the UAE’s seven-year National Innovation Strategy (NIS), which was launched in October 2014, all UAE federal…

Analysis

To boldly go: A new state-led, UAE-based space agency aims to send an unmanned probe to Mars
OBG
plus

In July 2014 the UAE’s leaders announced the launch of a full-fledged space exploration programme. The establishment of the UAE Space Agency (UAESA) followed more than a decade of development activities in aerospace engineering and satellite communications, and is at the centre of a long-term plan to build Emirati capabilities “in the fields of aerospace and space exploration, to enter the space industry, and to make use of space technology in a way that enhances the country’s development plans”,…

Interview

Smart and smarter: OBG talks to Aisha bin Bishr, Director-General, Smart Dubai Office
OBG
plus

Interview:Aisha bin Bishr What role can public-private partnerships play in Dubai’s transformation into a smart city? AISHA BIN BISHR: Partnerships across all sectors are essential to achieving our “smart city” vision. Cooperating with the private sector, we are able to design a city that is responsive to the needs of its residents and visitors, rather than the other way around. Learning from and collaborating with private sector partners, we are able to build powerful, customer-centric…

Overview

New connections: With subscriber numbers growing, operators are investing in network technology
OBG
plus

Over the past decade and a half Dubai has become one of the Middle East’s leading telecoms markets. The emirate has two highly competitive mobile network operators (MNOs), advanced ICT infrastructure, high smartphone penetration rates and strong support from the government, which has put ICT at the centre of many of its development plans. The telecoms sector has seen steady expansion in recent years, driven by government spending and demand for the newest mobile handsets and other devices among…

Interview

Beyond connectivity: OBG talks to Osman Sultan, CEO, du
OBG
plus

Interview:Osman Sultan What are some of the main challenges facing ICT service providers in the sector? OSMAN SULTAN: The ICT sector is moving towards a more challenging environment and we are facing increased competition from non-traditional players all over the world. The margins on connectivity are going to be under more pressure, and investment in the sector will need to be increased in order to meet all the technological requirements of the “smarter” world. The main challenge for…

Analysis

Maximum velocity: The launch of new network technologies is set to deliver growth
OBG
plus

Mobile data speeds in Dubai have increased rapidly in recent years, as the UAE’s two mobile network operators have ramped up spending on telecoms technologies and infrastructure. This is part of an ongoing effort to prepare the UAE for a future in which it is less dependent upon oil. A Cabinet reshuffle in early 2016 was a key step, following longer-term efforts by telecoms firms that were already under way. Launches In late 2014 and the first three quarters of 2015 both the Emirates Telecommunications…