du Selects Affirmed Networks Virtualized NB-IoT Mobile Core to support smart city IoT use cases

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Affirmed Networks, the leader in virtualized mobile networks, today announced that UAE-based telecommunications service provider du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has selected Affirmed's Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Narrow Band IoT (NB-IoT) mobile core to provide an industry-leading 3GPP core network for IoT use cases, enabling a wide range of smart city use cases. Affirmed Networks' NB-IoT solution is deployed on du's fully virtualized native cloud open-stack environment as one of the first in the Middle East. du will also be using Affirmed's Virtualized Mobile Core, which includes a virtualized WiFi Gateway, to deliver VoWiFi and Fixed Wireless services.  This state of the art deployment is 5G-ready with network slicing capability to support du's vision of a fully virtualized and software defined native cloud core network. The announcement was made to coincide with Mobile World Congress 2018, being held during 26 February and 1 March this year.

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is the foundation for achieving efficient carrier-grade solutions. A software-based platform running on standard multi-core hardware, NFV plays an important role in achieving high availability, flexibility and service agility. It represents a key technology allowing telecom operators to move towards 5G with core and edge cloud computing and network slicing, and offers an agile, fast and more efficient model that best serves the operators' subscribers.

Saleem AlBlooshi, Chief Infrastructure Officer, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du), said: "We are excited to partner with Affirmed Networks, a leader in native virtualized core network solutions."

He continued: "Adopting Affirmed Networks NB-IoT core will ensure we have state-of-the-art 5G ready core network with slicing to serve enterprise as well as consumer use cases. Also, the cooperation in 5G and IoT development is essential to realize UAE leaders' vision to build the smartest city and to be on top of the technological evolution."

"As one of the innovative operators in the Middle East, du has realized how a virtualized network can dramatically improve both their network economics and service agility," said Mohammed Shanableh, Affirmed Networks' Vice President, Global Operations.  "By embracing new technologies such as NB-IoT, VoWiFi and Fixed LTE, they are now able to add new revenue generating services, while at the same time achieving better network utilization and improving customer quality of experience.  We look forward to continue our work with du as they transform their network toward 5G."

About du
du is a vibrant and multiple award-winning telecommunications service provider serving 9 million individual customers with its mobile, fixedline, broadband internet, and Home services over its 4G LTE network. du also caters to over 100,000 UAE businesses with its vast range of ICT and managed services. Since its launch in 2007, du has many UAE firsts to its credit, including introduction of Pay by the Second® billing system, IPTV and self-service portal.

du is ideally placed to support the realisation of UAE Vision 2021 and transformation of Dubai into a Smart City. du is also the official strategic partner of the Smart Dubai Office and the platform provider for Smart Dubai. Following the successful testing of the Middle East's first Internet of Things (IoT) network, du is on course to complete deployment of its IoT network in 2016.

Brand Finance ranked du as the 12th most valuable brand in the Middle East in 2016. du previously won the coveted Brand of the year title by Superbrands Middle East in 2013. The company has been recognised with several other awards such as ISO 27001 certification of Managed Security Services and having the distinction of opening UAE's first LEED Platinum Certified Green Shop. du also has the unique distinction of the first telecom in the world to release Sustainability Report based  on GRI-G4 guidelines in 2014. du is also credited with du's world-class teleport is the largest of its kind in the Middle East and ranked among the top teleports in the world by World teleport Association.

du is 39.5 percent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 19.75 percent by Mubadala Development Company PJSC, 19.5 percent by Emirates Communications and Technology LLC and the remaining by public shareholders. Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), the company trades under the name 'du'.

About Affirmed Networks, Inc.
Affirmed Networks has achieved significant attention as its Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) solution has become the standard for the world's top mobile operators. Currently, the company has been deployed commercially, including in Tier 1 and Tier 2 mobile networks, and is engaged in many trials worldwide. For more information, please visit: www.affirmednetworks.com.

SOURCE Affirmed Networks

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