Hong Kong – du, the growing telecommunications operator in the United Arab Emirates, and PCCW Global, the international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider, have jointly announced a new collaboration to offer Smart Home services across the UAE. The announcement was made during GITEX Technology Week 2014.
Collaboration with PCCW Global will enable du to implement a strategy of integrating third party smart and connected devices into UAE households. In line with evolving trends, this initiative will bring innovative technologies to homes across the UAE, ensuring that they are well and truly integrated into the nation’s evolving Smart City future.
du collaborates with PCCW Global
Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Commercial Officer, du, said, “The UAE is in the midst of a Smart evolution and through the relationship with HKT and PCCW Global we are empowering our community to reap the full benefits of this tech-powered society from within their homes. A Smart Home combines convenience with simple to operate, yet powerful innovation, bringing the connected world into every aspect of our lives.”
“Based within the concept of the Smart City and drawing on the increased mobility of the UAE’s community, du’s Smart Home services offerings will enhance customers’ lives further, ultimately leading to an integrated experience,” he said.
The relationship will focus on five main pillars – home networking, including Wi-Fi and cloud services; home automation and control, including home appliance connectivity; home entertainment, including AV and TV services; surveillance and monitoring, including home security, intercom, home monitoring and cameras; and Do It Yourself Retail, including value added services, devices, gadgets and consoles.
The integration of all of these devices from multiple manufacturers to implement the Smart Home is an example of the growth and the complexity of Machine to Machine (M2M) connectivity. The Middle East is the second fastest growing region for M2M connections in the world, with only Asia growing faster, according to GSMA Intelligence, which also states that the number of M2M connections is expected to reach a quarter of a billion this year, with China at the forefront of this growth with 50 million connections. Grand View Research indicates that the value of the global Smart Home market was US$13.07 billion in 2013. With a compounded annual growth rate of 20.3 percent, it is projected to reach US$47.61 billion by 2020.
Lindsay Servian, Head of HKT Premier, said, “We are excited by the opportunity to work with du to make Smart Home a reality in the UAE. We are confident that the experience that we have in delivering these innovative solutions in Hong Kong, in a way which makes them both easy and enjoyable to use, will prove to be important in helping du to make Smart Home a success in the markets it serves. We are excited and privileged to have been chosen by du to work together on this ground-breaking project.”
