For du, its 5G-enabled numbers are starting to look quite good
du plans 'use cases' to rope in more corporate subscribers to 5G, says Fahad Al Hassawi
Dubai: Get more from postpaid plans and subscribers – for UAE telco du that would be the ticket to keep winning those high growth numbers. Based on its second-quarter results, du is doing just that.
Because it’s on the postpaid where subscriber ‘stickiness’ comes into play and gives du the opportunity to upsell packages. It’s also where margins are better in the telecom space. du managed to raise its postpaid subscriber base higher for another quarter, and which is why the latest financials a platform to build on.
But it will be in the 5G space where telcos need their biggest momentum. Fahad Al Hassawi, the du CEO, spells out how far progress has been made on 5G and beyond.
The 5G rollout - where exactly is du on this point? And current take up rates?
Our traffic is increasing as a direct result of the expanding adoption of 5G devices. This surge is happening on-the-go as demand for next-generation connectivity continues to grow. We expect more traffic across both business and consumer segments.
The deployment of 5G networks is expected to progress at the fastest rate. It all began in 2019, when we initiated our very ambitious 5G deployment plan to be at the forefront of technological evolution. Just last year, we reached above 90 per cent nationwide population 5G coverage.
It was said that when 5G was being rolled out, businesses would be the first to adopt. Is this happening?
5G is fundamental for enhancing the telecom sector and raising the country’s global competitiveness, with sustainable infrastructure advancements and world-class connectivity for all topmost priorities. du introduced 5G innovations that empower key government entities in their respective digital transformation journeys and improve national infrastructure, and support the National Agenda and other strategic roadmaps such as UAE Digital Government Strategy 2025.
In fact, the government segment has the highest 5G penetration in du which indicates that business was faster to adopt 5G services, specifically government and strategic accounts.
Additionally, we are working on identifying and develop new 5G use cases for enterprises. These use cases will focus on improving operational and cost efficiency through digital transformation for various industrial sectors including manufacturing, transport, shipping, aviation, energy and health across the UAE.
This is how we are accelerating enterprise 5G use case development and enabling UAE enterprises to experience the future on our 5G network.
We have improved our offer providing higher speeds and greater data allowances and we continue to serve our clients with the highest level of engagement and dedication. We have also accelerated our digitalization efforts in several areas which has garnered results in terms of subscriber base.
How and where exactly are businesses benefitting from 5G? Apart from the speed of the network?
du’s 5G offering caters to every need and expectation of businesses, serving as a unique gateway to the world of 5G with newfound simplicity, greater reliability, lower response times, higher capacity, and industry-leading speeds of up to 1Gbps commercially available - and free - for everyone using a 5G device.
5G has brought advancements in connectivity allowing customers to be connected with du home/business services even in out-of-zone areas. We launched 5G home wireless plan with 5G business starter plan set to launch later this year.
We will continue to delight customers through world-class connectivity experiences, ensuring that they have access to enhanced service options that deliver even greater value.
The shift from voice to app-based calls persists, thus putting our revenues under continuous pressure. Which surely will affect our ability to invest in the future infrastructure to enable innovation like 5G