Barcelona, Spain: UAE-based telecommunications service provider ‘du’ - from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), today announced it has selected Huawei to upgrade its existing data core network using Huawei’s Cloud Packet Core (CloudEPC & CloudPCRF) to meet the growing data demands of its customers. Also, this cloud-native and distributed solution by Huawei will provide du data core network with the capability to be able to seamlessly evolve to 5G core. The announcement was made to coincide with Mobile World Congress 2018, being held during 26 February and 1 March this year.

Under this collaboration, Huawei will cloudify, modernise, expand and upgrade du’s existing mobile data core infrastructure through Huawei’s cloud native data core solution, which provides capability to carry out carrier-grade graceful scale in and scale out on demand. The solution will enable du to provide seamless data services across different verticals from consumer to enterprise customers to being also able to gear up to provide data services over the bespoke cloud across the UAE, with support of edge cloud computing capability.

The solution is able to carry all major 2G/3G/LTE and M2M traffic through a unified cloud mobile data core. In addition, this cloud-native data core will smoothly evolve to 5G to allow du to maximise its potential.

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is the foundation for achieving du’s business objectives and what customers have come to expect from du as an innovator in the UAE market. It is a key technology allowing telecom operators like du to move towards 5G with core and edge cloud computing to support Ultra-Reliable and Low-Latency Communication (URLLC) and network slicing offering an agile, fast and more efficient model.

Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Infrastructure Officer, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du), said: “Huawei has been a long term strategic partner for du providing the existing evolved packet core. We are delighted to continue this relationship and extend it through this initiative”

He added: “Huawei will provide us with cloud native virtualized packet core network thus gearing du to be ready for the state-of-the-art 5G core network with network slicing to serve enterprise verticals as well as consumers. This will enable du to have a flexible and automated core network thus adding resilience to the network and reducing time-to-market for new services.”

Add Chen Zhou, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Solution Marketing and Solution Sales:” As a long-term strategic partner of du, Huawei is offering state of art cloud core solution to enhance network elasticity and agility, and help du accelerate future 5G processes. Through CloudEPC and CloudPCRF quickly launch experience, du can easily build multiple cloud scenarios and vertical services.”

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About du

du is a vibrant and multiple award-winning telecommunications service provider serving 9 million individual customers with its mobile, fixedline, broadband internet, and Home services over its 4G LTE network. du also caters to over 100,000 UAE businesses with its vast range of ICT and managed services. Since its launch in 2007, du has many UAE firsts to its credit, including introduction of Pay by the Second® billing system, IPTV and self-service portal.

du is ideally placed to support the realisation of UAE Vision 2021 and transformation of Dubai into a Smart City. du is also the official strategic partner of the Smart Dubai Office and the platform provider for Smart Dubai. Following the successful testing of the Middle East’s first Internet of Things (IoT) network, du is on course to complete deployment of its IoT network in 2016.

Brand Finance ranked du as the 12th most valuable brand in the Middle East in 2016. du previously won the coveted Brand of the year title by Superbrands Middle East in 2013. The company has been recognised with several other awards such as ISO 27001 certification of Managed Security Services and having the distinction of opening UAE’s first LEED Platinum Certified Green Shop. du also has the unique distinction of the first telecom in the world to release Sustainability Report based  on GRI-G4 guidelines in 2014. du is also credited with du’s world-class teleport is the largest of its kind in the Middle East and ranked among the top teleports in the world by World teleport Association.

du is 39.5 percent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 19.75 percent by Mubadala Development Company PJSC, 19.5 percent by Emirates Communications and Technology LLC and the remaining by public shareholders. Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), the company trades under the name ‘du’.

About Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company PJSC (EITC)

The Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) was founded in 2005 as the UAE’s second licensed telecommunications provider. EITC is 39.5 percent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 19.75 percent by Mubadala Investment Company PJSC, 19.5 percent by Emirates Communications and Technology LLC and the remaining by public shareholders. Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), the company trades under the name ‘du’.

Saugat Chatterjee
PR Lead (B2B) Commercial
du
Mobile: +971 55 936 7045
Email: saugat.chatterjee@du.ae

Salma Chalak

Associate Communication Manager

MSLGROUP

M:+971 55 144 3109

Email: salma.chalak@mslgroup.com

© Press Release 2018