GITEX 2025: Chip Strange on Ookla and e& UAE’s Record-Breaking Connectivity

At GITEX 2025, Entrepreneur Middle East spoke with Chip Strange, Chief Strategy Officer at Ookla, about e& UAE’s historic recognition as the World’s Fastest Mobile Network for 2025, the first network globally to achieve this four times. Strange highlighted how this award, along with e&’s fastest 5G and fixed broadband networks, underscores the UAE’s leadership in reliable, high-speed connectivity that empowers businesses, education, and communities.

By Mina Vucic | Oct 17, 2025
GITEX 2025
Chip Strange, CSO, Ookla at Gitex Global

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At GITEX 2025, the buzz wasn’t just about futuristic tech — it was about moments that connect people, businesses, and ideas. Entrepreneur Middle East sat down with Chip Strange, Chief Strategy Officer at Ookla, to explore the story behind e& UAE’s historic recognition as the World’s Fastest Mobile Network for 2025, a remarkable achievement marking the first and only network globally to win this honor four times.

This “Fantastic-4” milestone is more than a trophy; it’s a testament to the vision, speed, reliability, and relentless drive behind e& UAE’s network. Beyond mobile connectivity, the company has also been recognized as the World’s Fastest 5G Network and the GCC’s Fastest Fixed Broadband Network, setting new standards for performance in the region.

For Strange, these achievements are about more than technology — they are about enabling opportunities and breaking barriers. Fast, reliable networks turn local entrepreneurs into global contenders, open doors to learning where none existed before, and bring people closer together, weaving connectivity into the fabric of everyday life.

Such moments don’t happen by chance. They are the result of a collective effort — engineers, innovators, colleagues, and the customers who trust e& to power their most important connections. From the lab to the classroom, the office to the home, every click, call, and download reflects a commitment to going further, faster, and smarter.

At GITEX, as the UAE showcases itself as a global hub for digital innovation, Ookla’s recognition of e& UAE is a reminder that connectivity isn’t just about speed — it’s about impact, opportunity, and transformation.

At GITEX 2025, the buzz wasn’t just about futuristic tech — it was about moments that connect people, businesses, and ideas. Entrepreneur Middle East sat down with Chip Strange, Chief Strategy Officer at Ookla, to explore the story behind e& UAE’s historic recognition as the World’s Fastest Mobile Network for 2025, a remarkable achievement marking the first and only network globally to win this honor four times.

This “Fantastic-4” milestone is more than a trophy; it’s a testament to the vision, speed, reliability, and relentless drive behind e& UAE’s network. Beyond mobile connectivity, the company has also been recognized as the World’s Fastest 5G Network and the GCC’s Fastest Fixed Broadband Network, setting new standards for performance in the region.

For Strange, these achievements are about more than technology — they are about enabling opportunities and breaking barriers. Fast, reliable networks turn local entrepreneurs into global contenders, open doors to learning where none existed before, and bring people closer together, weaving connectivity into the fabric of everyday life.

Mina Vucic

Director of Production and Multimedia, BNC Publishing
Entrepreneur Staff
Mina Vucic is the Director of Production and Multimedia at BNC Publishing, the media house behind Entrepreneur Middle East.

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