Sustainability has taken center stage in the minds of UAE consumers when it comes to their broadband connectivity.
In fact, a whopping 90 percent of consumers in the country expressed their willingness to shell out extra bucks for sustainable broadband services, according to a recent report by Cisco.
This growing concern about the carbon footprint associated with internet usage was unveiled through a survey encompassing more than 21,000 individuals across 12 countries, including 1,000 participants from the UAE.
The study delved into how consumers utilise broadband internet and the expectations they hold in terms of connectivity, sustainability, and the facilitation of their digital lives. The findings pointed to an escalating demand for sustainable broadband, particularly within the UAE. It’s worth mentioning that this surge aligns perfectly with the upcoming UN climate conference COP28, which is scheduled to be hosted in the UAE this November.
The survey not only shed light on the increasing interest in sustainable solutions but also highlighted the enhanced environmental consciousness among UAE residents. Of those surveyed, a noteworthy 61 percent indicated their awareness of the internet’s carbon dioxide footprint. Furthermore, a significant 77 percent expressed their concern about this issue, showcasing the growing desire for eco-friendly internet options.
“While digitisation has already contributed to substantial improvements in access to public services and economic opportunities for millions of people in the world, improved and widespread connectivity remains a prerequisite for digital transformation,” says Abdelilah Nejjari, Managing Director, Cisco – Gulf region.
He says, “The UAE has made many notable strides towards building its resilient digital economy, supported by having one of the highest Internet penetration rates in the world. The country intends to double its digital economy contribution to the national GDP from 9.7 percent (2022) to over 20 percent by 2031. And superior broadband connectivity has been an integral pillar in progressing the nation’s ability to stay ahead of rapid technology trends, while providing a competitive environment conducive to doing business.”
In the realm of digital infrastructure, the issue of energy consumption looms large, raising the question of how organisations such as Cisco and their partners take strides towards optimising energy efficiency in network equipment and data centres to mitigate the environmental repercussions of connectivity.
“Data centre servers and switches draw up to two percent of all electricity in the United States alone, and energy consumption can represent up to 30 percent of data centre costs,” says Nejjari.
“Optimising energy usage is a major concern for all forward-looking organisations and capturing insights into the functions and efficiency of data centres is a critical first step. To that end, at Cisco we have some important innovations centered around the Cisco Nexus Dashboard and Webex Control Hub.”
Cisco Nexus Dashboard serves as an intuitive interface for cloud and data-center networks, offering crucial visibility to monitor, optimise, and secure complex networking environments. In the future, this visibility will expand to include energy management within the Cisco Networking Cloud. Users will gain real-time and historical insights into energy consumption, costs, and greenhouse-gas emissions of Cisco Nexus switches and other IT equipment in data centers. The dashboard will also monitor ambient temperature to enhance cooling efficiency.
Furthermore, Cisco’s collaboration platform, Webex, connects millions of users worldwide, but its usage impacts data center energy demands. To address this, Cisco announced the integration of Carbon Emission Insights into Webex Control Hub. This feature enables monitoring of energy usage from Webex devices and extends to assessing the impact on data centers caused by Webex services such as meetings, messaging, and video. These initiatives aim to optimise energy usage, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainability within the realm of digital infrastructure.
More than the environment, connectivity plays a vital role in enabling digital inclusion – a crucial element of sustainability. To bridge the digital divide and achieve universal connectivity, certain steps need to be taken. Moreover, the role of private-public sector partnerships is essential in addressing this issue effectively.
The quality of education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and access to public services greatly relies on the availability and speed of internet connectivity for individuals and households. The recent findings of the Cisco Broadband Survey in the UAE revealed that 81 percent of respondents consider broadband as a vital national infrastructure, comparable to access to water and electricity.
Despite the progress made, a significant portion of the global population, nearly half, remains unconnected. This indicates that there is still much work to be done in achieving universal connectivity. While the UAE has made advancements in this area, it’s important to recognize that connectivity is not evenly distributed worldwide.
To bridge the digital divide, it is necessary to take steps such as expanding infrastructure in underserved areas, implementing affordable internet access programs, and providing digital literacy training. Additionally, fostering private-public sector partnerships is crucial. Collaboration between these sectors can leverage resources, expertise, and innovation to address connectivity gaps effectively and ensure that digital inclusion becomes a reality for all.
“Cisco considers Internet connectivity to be a fundamental human right in today’s digital age. For this reason, I am very proud of our initiatives like Cisco Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme – where we collaborate with national leadership, industry, and academia in countries to unlock the value of digitization, including bridging the digital divide,” explains Nejjari.
He adds: “The program is currently active in 50 countries around the world with over 1,500 active or completed projects on infrastructure development, smarter transport, smart cities, eHealth, cybersecurity, education, and other digital priorities. It is focused on understanding country-specific priorities and needs, and then creating proofs-of-concept aligned to digital agendas.”
Cybersecurity remains a concern as hybrid work becomes mainstream
The Cisco Broadband Survey also revealed several noteworthy trends including the sustained growth of remote and hybrid working models, reflecting the evolving nature of employment. Additionally, the survey highlighted the widespread embrace of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as wearables and smart home technologies, as individuals seek to enhance their daily lives with connected experiences. Furthermore, the survey underscored the pressing necessity to bolster home internet security.
“We also believe that green and digital is a twin transition. Whether it’s smart buildings that help make our cities more energy efficient and liveable, hybrid work that contributes to reducing commuting and travel, AI-driven data processing that enables more informed decisions, or digital twins that virtually model objects and processes without the need to physically build them – all of these are based on a broadband infrastructure as foundation,” says Nejjari.
The survey further underscored the pressing necessity to bolster home internet security, highlighting the critical importance of protecting personal information and digital assets in an increasingly interconnected world.
“Last year, we conducted a study which found that nearly 90 percent of UAE employees want to work either in a hybrid or fully remote working model in the future. Today, as we look around, we can see this reality coming into play.
“To manage the risks posed by highly distributed teams, security must be built in, not bolted on as an afterthought.
“While organisations cannot erase human error, they can certainly mitigate it. Businesses should also be holding data securely in the cloud and allowing access based on zero–trust principles – aligning all access with individual needs and contexts,” says Nejjari.
Nejjari further notes that Cisco supports businesses in the UAE and the wider region in shifting their mindset from a reactive approach to a proactive one. This involves anticipating threats, drawing insights from past experiences, and continuously evolving to enhance their security resilience.
Crucially, fostering awareness is paramount. Security cannot be solely entrusted to the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or IT manager; it requires a collective effort. It is vital to consistently build awareness and provide training to everyone involved, particularly as threats become more intricate and sophisticated.
