Etisalat partners Microsoft for cloud-based edge initiative
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Etisalat partners Microsoft for cloud-based edge initiative

Saeed Al Zarouni Etisalat.png

Etisalat and Microsoft have entered into a multi-year partnership to create a public cloud first strategy through a digital transformation programme.

Through the collaboration Etisalat will be able to build a digital platform that features automation and AI delivering a simplified network architecture and operations resulting in better performance for its subscribers and improved customer experience.

“Today, Etisalat and Microsoft embark together on a bold new digital transformation journey that will allow us to leverage our industry expertise to deliver the next generation of networks,” said Saeed Al Zarouni (pictured), senior vice president, of mobile networks at Etisalat. “Keeping in line with our overall strategy and vision of Driving the Digital Future to Empower Societies, we at Etisalat are committed to nothing less than the total transformation of the consumer and business customer experiences. Etisalat today has transitioned to a digital service provider – the provider of choice for digital services among enterprises and SMB customers, supporting them to monetise services to generate new revenue streams. Together with Microsoft, we are building the communications network of the future.”

Microsoft Azure will power the integration of AI capabilities into Etisalat’s network by expanding its solutions across the company’s products, including Etisalat’s new technologies like Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) and Network Edge Computing (NEC). These will speed up computing at the edge, which combined with 5G, will enable new types of applications related to smart cities, autonomous systems, gaming, AR/VR, IoT, and vision computing solutions.

“Our partnership with Etisalat is further demonstration of the trust regional enterprises place in the intelligent Microsoft Cloud,” said Sayed Hashish, general manager of Microsoft UAE. “Our mission is to empower every individual and organisation on the planet to achieve more. Etisalat’s digital transformation journey centres on a public-cloud-first strategy including network workloads. Its partnership with Microsoft is designed to merge its telecommunications capabilities with our intelligent cloud solutions, including artificial intelligence and self-healing networks.”

Last month, Etisalat requested $525 million be cut from its $800 million debt it owes the government of Pakistan for its stake in operator PTCL.

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