Nedaa and Nokia explore 5G network slicing for smart cities and public safety

Nokia announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nedaa, the Dubai government’s security network provider. The MoU will look into ways to upgrade Nedaa’s telecommunications network across RAN and core by combining 5G technology with Nokia’s innovative technologies. The deployment of a 5G network with end-to-end slicing functionality will enable Nedaa to provide improved public safety and smart city services to concerned organizations and citizens, as well as lay the groundwork for more advanced services such as metaverse.

H.E Mansoor Bu Osaiba at Nedaa, said: “Nokia is a global technology leader and our long-standing and trusted partner. We are now looking forward to leveraging Nokia’s proven 5G expertise to help us maximize the benefits of the technology upgradation and to provide innovative services to our users. Our efforts to upgrade our networks to next-generation network capabilities pave the way for futuristic services such as metaverse.”

Nedaa’s network already uses Nokia infrastructure and can meet many mission-critical network requirements. However, with the introduction of 5G, Nedaa will be able to support enhanced public safety and critical operations management services, such as immersive applications for first responders, connected and automated vehicles, video surveillance and remote control, as well as manage thousands of connected devices, sensors, and IoT applications.

The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a framework for upgrading existing network capabilities and introducing agile and advanced services to government organizations through secure and reliable networks. One of the key components is 5G network slicing, which will enable Nedaa to provide segment-specific solutions for various industries such as oil and gas, transportation, and other government organizations. The agreement also lays the groundwork for identifying the best 5G use cases for capturing new opportunities and monetization.

Kamal Ballout, Head of Enterprise, CHIMEA (China, India and MEA) at Nokia, said: “Security providers across the world are adopting 5G technology to improve their services. Network slicing is an exciting addition to the capabilities of 5G networks, enabling critical communication customers in different industry sectors to benefit from dedicated virtual network slices that enable secure, high-performance, private wireless connectivity. We are excited to continue our long-standing collaboration with Nedaa to help them leverage 5G technology for enhanced communication services and superior user experience.” 

Nokia will also implement a technology competence development program for Nedaa employees, including training and knowledge transfer. Nokia will expand its cutting-edge Integrated Operations Center (IOC) to serve as the integration and enablement layer for all 5G use cases, including Industry 4.0, smart cities, and public safety applications, with a path to future services such as metaverse and others.