Commscope, a leader in building data networks, will be shedding light on the trends that will shape the transformation of networking across the Middle East besides showcasing its expertise and solutions at its stand at Gitex Technology Week 2016.

The premier information technology exhibition is being held in Dubai, UAE, this month (October 16 to 20) at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

“We are in the early stages of what may be the greatest transformation of networking yet, driven by mobility, video consumption and cloud. These consumer behaviours and technology trends are straining networks globally and require new thinking regarding infrastructure requirements of the future,” says Ehab Kanary, vice-president of Enterprise, CommScope, Middle East and Africa.

“The new CommScope is well-positioned to address bandwidth needs through a convergence of network technology, including outdoor cellular infrastructure, small cells, distributed antenna systems, fibre-optic connectivity and data centre infrastructure.”

Kanary outlines four key trends in the Middle East based on insight from customers and partners:

• Tomorrow’s data centre: With the evolution of smart cities, cloud technologies and IoT (Internet of Things) applications, the landscape is changing and the need for bandwidth and connectivity will only continue to grow, he says. “Consumers’ expectation for anytime, anywhere connectivity with the device of their choice has driven banks, service providers, universities, and hospitals to re-engineer their services at the front end to deliver those experiences, which then drives them to re-engineer their back office processes to manage the avalanche of big data that is a result of all this demand,” he says.

High-speed fibre networks will support the demands of the future’s mobile population. Wideband multimode fibre (WBMMF) could contribute to the next-generation data centres, considering it fits the requirements of 100G and 400G and extends the adaptability of multimode data centres. 

• Smart buildings: Dubai, a leading Middle Eastern business and tourist hub which will host Expo 2020, is among those embracing ambitious smart-city goals, aiming to become the world’s smartest city by 2017. Buildings and large venues will continue to be designed to the standards of the smartest of cities, according to Kanary.

“For example, stadiums will resemble a microcosm of a community – with solid transportation infrastructure, amenities, sustainable energy systems like solar and water reclamation, and data security and communications. Buildings will serve as venues where employees can collaborate at any time. With CommScope’s Intelligent Buildings Solutions and Indoor Solutions for large venues, organisations can plan, design, build and maintain their building’s communication network,” he says.

• Millennials driving changes: Millennials are so accustomed to the Internet that they would rather give up plumbing, heating and air-conditioning, personal transportation and cable TV before they would go without connectivity and the electricity needed to power their devices.

Seventy-six per cent of millennials spend up to two hours per day on video platforms such as Netflix and YouTube, according to a recent survey conducted by CommScope. These trends are similar in the Middle East.

• Fibre for tomorrow’s needs: Fibre is the most efficient technology to transport large amounts of data quickly and reliably, according to Kanary. Given the region’s future plans to enter the Gigabit race with the highest speed available reaching 500 Mbps in the UAE, there will be an increased uptake in Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) technology, considered the fastest and most reliable way to access the Internet, he says.

“Operators and enterprises across the Middle East are implementing the technology necessary to compete internationally and locally. They expect to collaborate, create and connect at any time. CommScope is taking the complexity out of managing networks that are changing faster than ever before,” says Joseph Habib, vice-president of CommScope, Middle East and Africa.

“Video-on-demand, online gaming, teleworking and e-Health services will undergo increased reliability as telecommunications companies invest in improving their networks’ capability of carrying large amounts of data,” he adds.

CommScope helps companies around the world design, build and manage their wired and wireless networks. Its vast portfolio of network infrastructure includes some of the world’s most robust and innovative wireless and fibre optic solutions. 

CommScope’s talented and experienced global team is driven to help customers increase bandwidth; maximise existing capacity; improve network performance and availability; increase energy efficiency; and simplify technology migration.

Its solutions can be found in the largest buildings, venues and outdoor spaces; in data centres and buildings of all shapes, sizes and complexity; at wireless cell sites; in telecom central offices and cable headends; in FTTx deployments; and in airports, trains, and tunnels. Vital networks around the world run on CommScope solutions.