Public Affairs

RISE Center at the American University of Kuwait Holds Lecture Entitled, "The Way to 5G: Live Demo by Zain"

09th May 2016 | by the Department of PR & Marketing

As part of its mission to establish connections with the industry, the Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences and Engineering (RISE) at AUK organized a lecture entitled "The Way to 5G: Live Demo by Zain" in April. The event incorporated a practical field test of the yet-to-be-released fifth generation of mobile network technology. The lecture was conducted by Zain's Operation Center Department Manager, Mr. Muhammad Al Ruwayeh; and Access Planning Engineer, Mr. Khaled Al Saleh. The demo featured free trial of the 5G technology on-campus to members of the AUK community and the public.

"This practical testing made it possible for members of the audience to dabble with the prospects of such breakthrough firsthand. To offer this experience, Zain has been working with us on the installations for the past 4 weeks. We really appreciate their time and efforts to bring this to life" RISE Director, Dr. Amir Zeid, said of the event, "Having an established industry player give us a glimpse of where the technology is currently at is a rare opportunity we are pleased we could offer."

5G networks will offer a significant increase in speed than what was available in previous generations, according to Al Ruwayeh. "It's going to be exceedingly rapider than what is now available. The difference would be revolutionary," he noted.

In addition to raw speed, other main benefits will include low latency and high capacity. "Not only will download and upload speeds be staggeringly quicker, but the response times of initiating such data transfers will correspond to that snappy speed," Al Saleh said. "To rephrase that, you would experience a significantly less of a pause between hitting play on a heavy video content and that crisp load starting to actually stream on your device," he explained. The groundbreaking upgrade is also expected to put a spin on current mobile network inadequacies, namely the critical lack of bandwidth. The 3G and 4G networks currently operate on radio frequencies that are considered "overcrowded," an issue that is subject to significant development under the novel technology, Al Saleh added.

About RISE:

The AUK Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences, and Engineering (RISE) serves as AUK's primary source for research and development activities, a bridge to industry, and an important venue for community outreach. RISE adapts an integrative model by forging connections between academic disciplines, local & international innovators, academia & industry, as well as technology & society.

About Zain Kuwait:

Mobile Telecommunications Company "Zain" was founded in 1983 in Kuwait as the first mobile telecommunications company in the Middle East and Africa. The Group's flagship operation has enjoyed a proud history of achievements since then, including becoming the first telecom operator to launch a commercial GSM service in the region in 1994, as well as becoming the first telecom company in Kuwait to launch nationwide 4G LTE Internet services in 2012.

Looking ahead, Zain is following several strategic objectives, namely to consistently exceed customer expectations and maintain its leadership position by launching promotions and services that meet customers’ needs as per the highest quality standards through its largest network of branches and its dedicated call center (107).

As a main partner of the community in which it operates, Zain is keen on delivering its Corporate Sustainability and Social Responsibility through investing in and launching several sustainable initiatives that cater to education, health, environment, youth, sports, and other essential sectors. Zain believes that it has a responsibility to lead in the promotion of positive behavioral change within the community, and will continue to find ways to inspire and motivate people in leading humanitarian initiatives so as to foster a better world for everyone.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 11th May 2016

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016