du set to host the third annual edition of the GCF 5G MENA Conference

du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has announced that preparations have been finalized ahead of the third annual GCF 5G Mena Conference in cooperation with the Global Certification Forum (GCF), which is taking place exclusively online over two days on November 23-24. The invitation-only event will once again serve as a unique platform where attendees will gain fascinating insights from an exceptional range of guests speakers, investigate how 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and internet of things (IoT) are shaping the world, and learn about upcoming opportunities and what they expect next. 

Alongside GCF, du launched the initiative in 2018 as part of preparations for the 5G rollout across the region, becoming a national and regional standardization lead in the adoption of 5G. In the two years since, the conference has continued to gain greater momentum and popularity, now serving as an invaluable event that contributes to the increasing demand to build a sustainable 5G ecosystem. The MENA region has emerged at the forefront of emerging technologies and use cases within this timeframe, and there are many 5G use cases driving the region’s new industrial revolution. As such, an ecosystem that enables the quick adoption of services, ensures a return on investment for all concerned parties, and accelerates technology development across the UAE and wider region has become a priority. 

Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Technology Officer, du, said: “At du, our mission has always been to create optimal value for our shareholders through business excellence and innovation, and proudly contribute to the transformation of our community. The GCF 5G MENA Conference has evolved to play a fundamental role in our efforts in this direction, and we are delighted that our vision to provide a platform through which all telecommunications industry stakeholders can excel, has come to fruition. Following the success of this year’s third edition, it is our hope that every operator will be even better positioned to succeed in the new digital landscape and deliver new meaningful experiences to partners, customers, and the local community.”

This year’s GCF 5G MENA Conference will welcome 20 guests speakers, including three from du. On the first day, du’s Chief Technology Officer, Saleem AlBlooshi, will begin proceedings with his opening remarks, before the company’s Head of Technology & IT Strategy, Dr. Mahmoud Sherif, delivers a talk titled, ‘5G is Live – What is Next?’. On the second day, du’s Director for CE & Digitalization - Mass Segment, Dr. Emmanuel Manyonganise, will also speak to the attendees, as he heads a discussion titled, ‘5G brings exciting opportunities but also major challenges to deliver memorable customers experience for telcos.’ Other speakers at the event are from leading enterprises and entitles, which include the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Cisco, ZTE, Huawei, Ookla, Nokia, GCF and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to name a few.

In line with the success of the previous GCF 5G MENA Conference editions, du has increased the coverage and scope of this year event, with organizations including ITU, IEE, GSMA, TRA, RTA, Smart Dubai, Etisalat, STC,  Deutsche Telekom, China Mobile, Orange, and Vodafone all confirmed to attend.