Qualcomm Incorporated, a developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies, products and services and the Etisalat Academy, the largest single source provider of business and telecommunications training in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, are cooperating to train Etisalat engineers and managers through a series of 3G optimisation workshops.

In the UAE, Etisalat is offering the fastest mobile broadband experience possible across a nationwide fiber-optic network with speeds of up to 14.4 Megabits per second (Mbps).

Ali Al Sharid, CEO, Etisalat Services Holding, responded in support of this relationship, which will have a strategic impact on operations in the medium- to long-term, 'Etisalat Services Holding prides itself upon its collaborations with world leading organisations. This is an excellent example and we see many future opportunities for Qualcomm and the Etisalat Academy to work together.'

The Qualcomm-led sessions will cover theoretical and practical aspects of the 3G-radio air interface procedures and protocols, as well as radio network planning. It will include training on advanced wireless telecommunications technologies, including HSDPA, HSUPA and HSPA+. In addition, the workshops will provide Etisalat engineers with the opportunity to gain invaluable practical experience.

Commenting on the workshops, Jay Srage, Vice President for Qualcomm Middle East and North Africa, said: "Qualcomm is proud to assist Etisalat by delivering cutting-edge expertise and training to its engineers to facilitate the management of advanced networks. We are pleased that Qualcomm Corporate Engineering Services has been chosen to deliver this knowledge. Our work with the Etisalat Academy, based out of Qualcomm's Dubai office, is an important part of Qualcomm's collaborative efforts to advance mobile data services in the Middle East."

These sessions aim to provide Etisalat managers and engineers with comprehensive knowledge of 3G technology features, enabling them to test the performance of the network and troubleshoot anomalies. At the end of the sessions, participants should be able to specify Etisalat's mobile wireless network requirements working with different technology vendors.

David Brennan, General Manager at the Etisalat Academy affirmed, 'The Etisalat Academy is an innovative organisation, and therefore we are proud to be collaborating with one of the world's most innovative companies in the mobile technology/3G space. Qualcomm Corporate Engineering Services has considerable experience with the latest mobile technologies and in optimising large-scale networks.'