Being innovative and decisive: The keys to capturing the growing telecommunications market in the MENA region (page 2 of 2)

4. Content is another general requirement playing a growing role in the communications habits of customers. As such, telecommunications operators are pursuing various partnership and alliance models with content companies, to develop a desirable service offering to users that is localized, geared to users' individual tastes and part of an attractive package.

5. New and next generation technologies, the summit agreed, will allow operators to provide operational excellence and garner cost benefits, as well as unlock the potential of new revenue streams built around content and a closer relationship with subscribers. There is increasing evidence that the telecommunications industry will shift from one focused on infrastructure, to one focused on building the brand and services, accompanied by operational excellence.

6. Synergies from regional and international expansions are achievable through proper leadership and management, and with a consistency in the operational processes. Such expansions are also considered by telecommunications operators as a springboard to develop the next generation of managers and leaders among nationals, by strengthening their local market.

7. Developing and nurturing human capital is a key priority for all operators, in addition to instilling a cohesive and inspirational working culture. This development must be backed by a proper investment in technology, to ensure that operational excellence, alongside efficiently working resources, can be achieved.

8. Dealing effectively with regulatory regimes is a key challenge, as regulations in the industry are evolving at a rapid pace and creating considerable challenges and evolutions in the industry. MENA operators are often called to deal with new regulatory environments that are introduced in a 2-3 year window, while comparable regulatory changes in Western markets are often given much longer lead-times.

9. Another significant challenge is the increased competition in the industry. This competitive pressure will require operators to effectively adapt their operating models to take advantage of new revenue streams and drive cost efficiencies for success.

Conclusion

Participants in the summit agreed that the industry is continuing to evolve at a very fast pace, which throws up a number of challenges, much faster than is often anticipated, but also offers a number of significant opportunities.

In order to capitalize on the opportunities in the changing industry, telecommunications operators must continue to innovate, take an early lead in their service offerings and be decisive. The outlook in the MENA region continues to be strong, and growth will be achieved through gaining new customers, offering new services, and in general capitalizing on the growing role of telecommunications in people's everyday lives.

Among the regional attendees to the event were Mohammed Omran - Etisalat Chairman, Osman Sultan - du Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mohammed Al Wahaibi - Omantel Chief Executive Officer, Peter Kaliaropoulos - Batelco Chief Executive Officer, Deepak Padmanabhan - Emirates International Telecommunications Chief Executive Officer, Jassem Al Zaabi - Yahsat Chief Executive Officer, Jameel Abdullah Al-Molhem - Saudi Telecom Vice President and Head of Mobile Business Unit.

The event also included industry leaders from Europe namely Kaj Uwe Ricke - ex CEO of Deutsche Telekom and Supervisory Board Member of Generali/Telekom Italia, Anne Bouverot - Senior Vice President International Development France Telecom Group, Dr. Erich Gnad - Director of Mergers and Acquisitions, Telekom Austria, and Hatem Dovidar - Chief Executive Officer Vodafone Partner Markets.