Using common household LED light bulbs, Li-Fi transmits wireless communications at very high speeds

Dubai, UAE, 18 October 2016

UAE-based innovative telecom service provider, du, and its Li-Fi technology partner, Zero1, successfully demonstrated real life, real-time Light Fidelity (Li-Fi) practical use cases during GITEX technology week. Visitors had the opportunity to experience Li-Fi; this future technology is a visible light communication system that uses light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a medium to deliver network, mobile and high-speed communication in a similar manner as Wi-Fi but with clear line of site. The current and future growth of wireless data traffic will mean that the radio frequency spectrum will not provide sufficient resources by 2025. Li-Fi will complement Wi-Fi technology to ensure a broader spectrum for seamless communication in the smart city of tomorrow. Visitors were thrilled to experience Internet over Li-Fi, including video and music streaming and geo-location.

“Li-Fi creates incredible benefits for consumers and enterprises. Due to the efficient process of data stream generation, Li-Fi signals help achieve exponentially higher speeds, provide more bandwidth and are more secure than conventional Wi-Fi channels. Moreover, Li-Fi technology results in no radiation or external network interference and provides extremely high data ranges,” said Jihad Tayara, Vice President Business Development & Partnerships, du. “We were so pleased with the reaction from GITEX attendees regarding this new technology, which we believe will revolutionise communication in the smart city even further.”

Mark Fleschen, Chief Executive Officer, Zero.1, said: “We are honored to collaborate with du to develop multiple Li-Fi-enabled solutions which provide a variety of analytics, communication and management systems, and customer engagement solutions, Marc added. We are committed to establishing the UAE as the birth place of city-wide tangible and usable Li-Fi applications, and for it to be recognised as a regional and global hub for the early adoption of Li-Fi technology.”

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About du
du is a vibrant and multiple award-winning telecommunications service provider serving over 8 million individual customers with its mobile, fixedline, broadband internet, and Home services over its 4G LTE network. du also caters to over 80,000 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.

As an Emirati business, du is vested in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the UAE. The company has, on average, had an Emiratisation rate of 34% since 2013 across its entire business. Human capital is a key focus area for the company, and the company employs nearly 2000 people from over 60 nationalities. du has won Gallup Great Workplace Award for two consecutive years.

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’.

For more information visit www.du.ae

Media contacts:
Saugat Chatterjee
Brand & Communications
du
Mobile: +971559367045
Email: Saugat.Chatterjee@du.ae

Layal Dalal
Communications Manager
MSLGROUP
Email: layal.dalal@mslgroup.com

© Press Release 2016