NETGEAR Middle East records over US$ 2 million revenues in less than 6 months of operations

NETGEAR Middle East has registered revenues of US$ 2 million from its initial six months of operations, cementing its credentials as a major player in the IT market. The company has also announced its participation at GITEX Dubai 2006 for the first time where it will unveil the award-winning Skype Certified WiFi Phone (SPH101).

NETGEAR has aggressively expanded into the Middle East recording a strong presence in the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Lebanon and Egypt within six months of its launch. This growth has been possible due to the incomparable product quality and the strong chain of channel partners that the company has developed. The company expects 200 per cent growth for 2007 and as such NETGEAR is still looking to partner with experienced channel distributors across the region.

"The phenomenal growth of the wireless market in the region signifies the advanced level of technology use here in the Middle East. According to market analyst ABI Research, Wi-fi enabled consumer electronic devices are expected to grow to 249 million by 2011, up from 40 million this year,' said Ahmad Zeidan, Channel Sales Manager, NETGEAR Middle East. "We aim to leverage our presence in the Middle East as the number one Networking Products provider and are willing to join hands with experienced current and future channel partners to achieve our objective of 200 per cent growth for the coming year."

NETGEAR will be showcasing its complete range of products that cater to the SOHO segment at GITEX 2006. Leading the way is the award-winning Skype Certified WiFi Phone (SPH101), the first publicly announced device to enable consumers to make unlimited free domestic and international calls to other Skype users over a wireless network without being tied to a computer. The WiFi phone will work anywhere in the world a user has a secured or open access to a WiFi network—in any home, office, public hotspot, or municipal wireless access point that does not require browser-based authentication. Pre-loaded with Skype software and ready out-of-the-box to use with a wireless network, the user experience remains similar as currently enjoyed by millions of Skype users, who talk for free with their friends using Skype, or pay only a few cents per minute to connect with mobile or landline phones.

"GITEX is the region's largest IT expo and we are glad to bring the NETGEAR Wi-Fi phone for Skype to the region. Our phone is the ideal solution for die-hard Skype users who are now able to take advantage of NETGEAR's innovative wireless networking technology, and experience Skype in a truly mobile fashion, without a PC. With a proven track record in delivering cutting-edge technologies and affordable, easy-to-use solutions for residential and SMB markets, we have earned a reputation for ourselves as the preferred go-to partner worldwide and we intend to extend our leadership position and reputation in the UAE and the entire Middle East," added Zeidan.

Recently declared as the world's second leading networking company for shipments of gigabit Ethernet ports and Wi-Fi nodes, NETGEAR's affordable, easy-to-install security and software products combine reliability with high-performance in a diversity of environments. Its suite of approximately 100 products grouped under the Ethernet networking, broadband and wireless networking segments and comprising switches, adapters, wired and wireless routers, and gateways, enables users to share internet access, peripherals, files, digital multimedia content and applications among multiple personal computers and other Internet-enabled devices.