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Mohammed Al Ghanim
Director General, TRA |
Khalid Al Kaf
CEO Mobily, KSA |
Mikael Ghossein
CEO Orange, Jordan |
Dr. Amer Al Rawas
CEO Omantel, Oman |
Dr. Grahame Maher
CEO Vodafone. Qatar |
Dr. Alan Horne
General Director TRA, Bahrain |
CEOs arrived from Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, India, Nigeria, Uganda, Sudan, Kuwait and Egypt, as well as the UAE representing Vodafone, Yahsat, Nawras, Majan, STC, Mobily, Orange, Omantel, Mobitel, Warid Telecom, MTN, the Arab League of Regulators, TRA and the GSM Association.
Addressing delegates during the opening ceremony H.E. Mohammed Nasser Al Ghanim, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) reiterated that the key to the future was next generation mobile broadband as well as integrating the parallel stream of wire-line and wireless technologies.
Khalifa Al Shamsi, VP Consumer Marketing at Etisalat, concurred with the TRA sentiment. “It is a major opportunity for us to differentiate ourselves by adding value for the customer and generating additional revenue”.
However, underscoring their commitment to broadband fixed lines in the UAE, he also announced that Abu Dhabi would be the first capital city in the world to be fully connected by fibre optic cables with plans to connect the entire country within three years.
On the consumer side, Germany-based Olaf Kroll, Director of Business Development Europe, Fox Interactive Media/MySpace.com stated that “In an average day an individual would spend approximately 20% of his/her time surfing the internet and accessing social networking sites.” Currently 50% of MySpace traffic data is via mobile devices, leading mobile profits from 8% to 35% in just 15 months time.
The summit concluded that with the mobile voice market in the Middle East approaching saturation, operators, with government support, now recognise that mobile broadband services hold massive potential. Network development right across the region will naturally open up endless opportunities.
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