Dubai: In a year, etisalat UAE, branded as etisalat by e&, will be able to assist massive industrial enterprises in the country to build their own Metaverse ecosystems, a senior leader with the company said.
In partnership with several local and global technology enterprises, etisalat by e& will be able to ‘visualise and virtualise’ a company’s infrastructure and physical presence and create its digital twins.
Ragy Magdy, Senior Vice President, Enterprise Sales, etisalat by e& told Gulf News: “The project has completed the trial phase and will be ready to be rolled out by next year.”
“The Metaverse is still an unidentified target. Everyone is trying to improvise and sketch their ideas, their strategies for funding the Metaverse.”
Magdy said large enterprises, manufacturing hubs and industries entering the Metaverse is inevitable. “For example, none of the factories or energy companies have a full map or digital plan of their pipes, their electric work… No one has it. The Metaverse will help them visualise their infrastructure by creating a virtual environment,” he stated.
Magdy said etisalat by e& plans to create virtual realms for manufacturing, oil and energy companies, education, healthcare providers, and utility providers, for example.
“We will be able to provide the service by next year, and we have a lot of interest from oil companies and large manufacturing powerhouses, and we’re ready to move to the contractual phase,” he added.
Magdy said the company would be using lidar scanners to build replicas of the buildings, which can be customised to suit the needs of the enterprise. Magdy was speaking on the sidelines of the company’s flagship event Etisalat Connect for large enterprise customers from private, government and top businesses. During the event, senior etisalat by e& leaders released the company’s go-to-market strategy for 2023.
What’s next for etisalat?
Magdy said that while telco represents 70 to 80 per cent of the company’s current top-line revenue, he expects it to come down to 30 to 40 per cent in the years as the company plans to diversify in the ICT area and other areas of investment.
Meanwhile, Abdulla Al Ahmed, Senior Vice President Government Sales, etisalat by e&, said: “We are adapting ourselves to the government’s objectives, and we are developing solutions for issues in the future.” Abdulla added there would be heavy investment in cyber and data security, AI, machine learning and intelligent insights. He stated that the company had already invested billions into its infrastructure to provide its clients with robust solutions following the Covid pandemic.
A considerable focus would also be put into developing customer service solutions. “The UAE has grown too fast, and many organisations don’t have enough customer-centricity. For example, you have an 8pm delivery of your debit card, and you’re not at home,” he said.
“Now, he cannot leave it at your doorstep, and he is forced to come back another day till he finds you at home. With the development of CX platforms, we can build engagement platforms that assist e-commerce and banks, which can help consumers communicate with banks or the service provider,” said Abdulla.
