ABU DHABI // Ultra-fast internet connections that carry data at the speed of light directly into homes and offices will be the focus of a two-day conference beginning today in Dubai.
Although fibre-optic internet connections have made their way into homes in hi-tech economies such as Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea for many years, they still represent a long-term dream for most countries.
The cost of bringing fibre to homes is high, and can be hard to justify for operators in mature markets. The UK's BT, which was the former telecommunications monopoly, will invest US$20 billion (Dh73.47bn) to $25bn in the coming years rolling out a national fibre network.
But when choosing a foundation technology to start with from scratch, fibre systems are a good choice, according to Milan Sallaba, a partner at the management consultancy Oliver Wyman.
"While thousands of new houses and whole new cities are springing up, it makes sense," he said. "It's not as if there is some other new technology around the corner - if you have the choice today, you choose fibre."
Those living in a home connected to a fibre network enjoy internet access more than 10 times faster than current high-speed packages. In the UAE, both Etisalat and du are rolling out such a system, with Etisalat building a national network that it says will begin reaching customers by the end of the year.
These systems, know as "fibre to the home" (FTTH), will be a key point of discussion at the FTTX conference beginning today. The X in the title refers to anything from homes and offices to schools or hospitals.
"It is all about bandwidth, delivering huge amounts of bandwidth to the end user," said Ihab Ghattas, the assistant president for the Middle East at Huawei Technologies, the Chinese telecommunications company that is working with Etisalat on the UAE fibre project. "It opens the door to a lot of very exciting new services."
Optic fibre transmits information as beams of light rather than electrical charges. Its massive capacity means it is used as the backbone of global communications networks.
But the "last mile" that connects most homes and businesses to these networks is typically made of copper, a low-bandwidth medium. An FTTH system removes this bottleneck, letting the river of data surge directly to the end user.
Interest in FTTH networks has spiked in recent years as the popularity of bandwidth-hungry services such as streaming online television and peer-to-peer file sharing put enormous strain on traditional networks and boosted demand for faster connections.
The fastest internet currently available to UAE residential users is a package from du offering download speeds of up to 12 megabits per second (Mbps). In Japan, where more than 40 per cent of the population are reached by FTTH networks, the average download speed is 93 Mbps, with one operator offering a 1024 Mbps package.
tgara@thenational.ae
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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The biog
Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates
Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.
Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.
Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.
Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile
Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran
Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
THE%20SPECS
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Results
5pm: Wadi Nagab – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Al Falaq, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ahmed Al Shemaili (trainer)
5.30pm: Wadi Sidr – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Fakhama, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
6.30pm: Wadi Shees – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Mutaqadim, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 – Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Bahar Muscat, Antonio Fresu, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Wadi Tayyibah – Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Poster Paint, Patrick Cosgrave, Bhupat Seemar
RESULTS - ELITE MEN
1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
RESULTS
Cagliari 5-2 Fiorentina
Udinese 0-0 SPAL
Sampdoria 0-0 Atalanta
Lazio 4-2 Lecce
Parma 2-0 Roma
Juventus 1-0 AC Milan
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed