Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 57 | Page 14

NEWS Omantel picks Ericsson for 5G network expansion Oman-based telco Omantel has selected Ericsson to support the Sultanate’s on-going 5G radio access network (RAN) deployment plans in a multiyear partnership. Oman unveils national project to strengthen digital economy Hardware and software products and solutions from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio, including Advanced Antenna Systems and 3GPP standards-based 5G New Radio (NR), will be deployed in Omantel’s network. Ericsson will also support Omantel’s commercial 5G deployment at key locations across Oman, including Salalah, Nizwa and Sur. According to Ericsson, its high-speed and low-latency 5G technology will allow Omantel to meet growing data traffic demands and deliver high-quality fixed wireless access, as well as enhanced mobile broadband experiences. Eng. Samy Ahmed Al Ghassany, Chief Operating Officer, Omantel, said: “We are constantly working to enhance the digital lives of people, enterprises and industries in Oman through the latest technology available. The deployment of 5G will enable Oman to be at the forefront of digitalisation, helping us transform both industry and infrastructure and turn the next generation of possibilities into reality. We value our long-standing relationship with Ericsson and their engagement during the 5G trials over the last three years. We are looking forward to further co-operation in the 5G era.” Technology powerhouse Oracle has announced that the government of the Sultanate of Oman has selected Oracle Dedicated Region Cloud@Customer to support its national initiative to accelerate Digital Transformation across more than 120 government and semi-government entities with an integrated government cloud (G-Cloud) platform. The initiative is led by the Oman Information and Communications Technology Group (OICTG), a new entity established by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA). Oracle Dedicated Region Cloud@ Customer provides the government with a fully-managed cloud region that brings all of Oracle’s second generation cloud services, including Autonomous Database, to the government’s data centres. Al Sayyid Kamil bin Fahad Al Said, Chairman, OICTG, said: “At OICTG, our aim is to design digital initiatives to strengthen the country’s digital economy in line with Oman’s Vision 2040 framework. We are working towards creating an integrated cloud-ready modern IT infrastructure that provides seamless scalability, agility and security with a compelling cost of ownership.” The co-operation with Oracle demonstrates OICTG’s focus on innovation andFourth Industrial Revolution trends which include migrating on-premises Oracle ERP and CRM applications to a cloud environment, developing customised cloud-native applications and exploring the implementation of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Big Data and highperformance computing (HPC). 14 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com