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Dubai: Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), an integrated technology park, has begun construction of 1,047 villas at a cost of Dh1.55 billion (Dh5.7 billion).

The development will provide housing for staff of companies located at DSO, as well as outside DSO.

The first phase of housing is expected to complete in the first half of 2010. The development will be completed in three phases.

"We are getting more and more engineers and we need to provide them with residences," said Jihad Kiwan, executive director of technology and investment generation at DSO.

Dubai Circuit Design Centre, part of DSO, has delivered their first project of encryption and decryption engine - a chip used for secure data transfer.

"This is the first of its kind technology designed in the Arab world," Kiwan said. The centre has also started work on an analog chip and is looking forward to integrate the digital and analog aspects in one chip.

About 160 regional and international companies have hired space in the main headquarter building at DSO. The 7.2 million square foot technology park was launched in 2004 as a hub for high-tech industries.