The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and Smart Dubai Office just recently took part in the Study Group 5 meeting under the standardization sector of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). It motivated stakeholders to embrace the most current solutions for taking advantage of smart, innovative and sustainable tools to serve humanity.

Mr. Mohamad Ali Hanafiah Mohamad Yunus, Chief Officer for Content, Security and Innovation at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, opened the seminar in the presence of Mr. Chaesub Lee, Director of ITU's Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (TSB), and Mr. Dato' Johari, Deputy Minister of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission. Four sessions were held later on, the first focusing on the role of policies and requirements for managing electromagnetic fields and the 2nd discussing the best ways to protect telecommunication devices from catastrophes such as lightning strikes. The third session was headed by the TRA as represented by Eng. Nasser Al Marzouqi, the UAE's representative to the ITU in Geneva and Vice Chairman of Study Group 5, and concentrated on ITU activities geared to development and sustainability goals. The 4th session discussed ways to achieve environmental sustainability and Noora Al Suwaidi, Head of Strategy and Performance Management at Smart Dubai Office, was a speaker in this session and she presented H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, effort to change Dubai into a 'smartcity.' She shared Smart Dubai's strategies and goals as well.

More than 150 entities from ITU member countries, scholastic companies, sector members and associated regional and worldwide entities participated in the Study Group 5 meeting where more than 105 contributions were presented. The conference was chaired by Mr. Ahmed Zeddam, Chairaman of ITU-T Study Group 5.

ITU-T Study Group 5 (SG5) is responsible for studies on approaches for evaluating ICT's impacts on climate change and for releasing standards on the use usage of ICT. As part of its environmental mandate, SG5 is likewise responsible for studying design methodologies for reducing the adverse ecological effects of ICTs through recycling of ICT facilities and equipment.

ITU-T SG5 has four primary objectives. The first is to safeguard telecom equipment and setups versus damage and malfunction due to electro-magnetic disruptions, while the 2nd is to make sure the safety of personnel and users of networks versus the present and voltages present in telecommunication networks. The 3rd is to avoid health dangers from electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produced by telecommunication gadgets and installations, and the 4th is to ensure good quality of service (QoS) for high-speed data services by following the requirements for copper cable characteristics and the coexistence of services provided by various suppliers.