du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), is partnering with Masdar City, a global leader in sustainable innovation and development, to build a 5G Centre of Excellence in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at GITEX Global 2022, where du is presenting an innovative showcase under the theme ‘Powering governments, Shaping The Emirates Reality’.
As part of the agreement, du will work with Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s only planned and approved R&D cluster, to implement a Smart City Platform, which combines physical infrastructure, open and shared data, and smart applications to deliver unprecedented value. The project will also oversee the development of an advanced Command & Control Centre along with a 5G Centre of Excellence showcasing exponential technologies. This will enable operational efficiencies for Masdar City management and improve the daily quality of life for residents and tourists. The partnership spotlights du’s holistic approach to innovation in line with the UAE’s sustainability agenda and the Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative.
Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Executive Officer at du said: “Reinventing tomorrow is all about rethinking and rebuilding operating models for businesses and coming together to establish agile, innovative platforms to support our vision. We are excited to partner with Masdar to establish a 5G Center of Excellence to present exponential technologies and become part of the equation to deliver a strong, connected future through the Smart City project.”
The Smart City vision encompasses an integrated approach to champion disruption with scalable and phased implementation, and flexible frameworks and standards to achieve cost efficiency and agility. du will leverage world-class sustainable Internet of Things (IoT) technology to deliver a complete view on the sustainability of Masdar City’s assets while facilitating processes such as asset benchmarking, performance and predictive analytics, along with insights on digital operations. The partnership will facilitate seamless city operations, leading to optimized and improved services.
Ahmed Baghoum, Executive Director, Masdar City said: “We are delighted to welcome du to develop a 5G Center of Excellence in Masdar City. The CoE will bring du, partner organisations, and educational institutions together to create real world 5G applications. These applications will be tested at Masdar City, which is Abu Dhabi’s only planned and approved R&D cluster with a focus on innovative technologies, and further enhance its reputation as a Smart City. After proof of concept at Masdar City, these applications will be rolled out commercially across the UAE and beyond.”
In addition to Smart City, the Centre of Excellence will deliver transformative and disruptive technological innovations with a key focus on environment, social and governance factors. Through substantiating and implementing next-generation technologies, du and Masdar will embrace advanced innovation to position Masdar City as the first 5G-enabled sustainable city in the world and create an enhanced future for the UAE.
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