NEWS
e & powers Burj Khalifa with 5.5G
Abdul Rahman Al Humaidan, Senior Vice President of Access Network Development at e & UAE
e
& UAE, a flagship telecoms arm of global technology group e &, has announced the successful deployment of 5G-Advanced( 5.5G) connectivity at the world’ s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
As part of the project, e & UAE collaborated with PROSE Technologies, a global wireless solutions specialist, to deploy an advanced lift-coverage system engineered for rapid vertical mobility, harsh radio conditions and limited installation space.
This will deliver exceptional download and upload speeds to the highest observation deck in the world and throughout the tower’ s high-speed lifts.
The upgrade sets a new benchmark for network performance in one of the world’ s most challenging indoor environments, reinforcing the UAE’ s leadership in next-generation connectivity and smart infrastructure.
Abdul Rahman Al Humaidan, Senior Vice President of Access Network Development at e & UAE, said:“ e & UAE is committed to technology leadership and setting global benchmarks. This milestone demonstrates our dedication to innovation and technology excellence. In partnership with PROSE, we have achieved seamless 5.5G connectivity in the Burj Khalifa lifts, establishing a new standard for network performance and reliability in one of the most demanding indoor environments.”
Aili Liu, Global CEO at PROSE, said:“ Being involved in the 5.5G transformation of the world’ s tallest building is not only a tremendous honour but also a clear demonstration of the strength and reliability of our solutions. We appreciate the trust of e & UAE and the dedication of the teams who brought this complex rollout to life.”
Endava research warns CIOs of growing readiness gap as UAE and Saudi organisations race toward AI-native operating models
CIOs across the UAE and Saudi Arabia are facing a widening readiness gap as organisations push towards AI-native futures,
according to new research from Endava.
New research from Endava shows that organisations across the UAE and Saudi Arabia increasingly recognise the strategic importance of becoming AI-native yet many still lack the operational foundations required to get there.
The findings, drawn from senior business leaders across both markets, indicate that organisations are keen to capture the benefits of Agentic AI but are being held back by earlystage adoption, funding delays and concerns around responsible implementation.
Across the region, there is broad alignment on the direction of travel. More than nine
in 10 respondents believe that becoming AI-native is essential to maintaining a competitive edge and many organisations have already mapped out how they intend to evolve.
However, a significant proportion remain stuck in the planning phase with over a third reporting that while an AI-native strategy exists, the budget to execute it has not yet been secured. Despite this, confidence remains high and most leaders( 75 %) expect their organisations to reach an AI-native operating model by 2028, signalling an accelerated shift over the next three years.
The research highlights that adoption of Agentic AI is already reshaping how innovation takes place across the Gulf. A growing majority( 73 %) report that traditional agile methodologies are losing relevance as firms move towards autonomous, self-improving systems capable of managing complex processes in real time.
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