Opportunities and threats of telecoms liberalisation on the line

A debate on the effects of the liberalising Middle East telecommunications sector, is to be examined at the Connect: Strategic Telecoms Summit which takes place from 25 - 29 May 2008 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the conference runs alongside the Middle East Communications Exhibition (MECOM), the region's premier dedicated trade exhibition for the telecoms industry.

"The telecoms market in the Middle East has some of the highest growth rates worldwide. As liberalisation has spread throughout the region, the environment is ripe for investment, innovation, and higher adaptation and usage rates," commented conference manager, Annemarie Franssen, for MECOM organisers, IIR Middle East.
"However with so much anticipated growth, coupled with intensified competition, operators and investors need to consider the opportunities as well as the threats the regional telecoms landscape will present in the near future," added Franssen.

Apart from liberalisation issues the forum will also discuss the latest trends shaping the industry, the prospects for future market growth, investment opportunities and the expectations for regional uptake of 3G and WiMax.

The Summit has attracted key regional and global players including Mohammad Hassan Omran, Chairman of Etisalat, UAE; Osman Sultan, CEO of du, UAE; Akil Beshir, Chairman and CEO of Telecom Egypt; Alan Horne, Director General of the Telecoms Regulatory Authority, Bahrain; Ismael Fikree, Chief Technology Officer, MTC Zain, Saudi Arabia; and Mickael Ghossein, CEO of the Jordan Telecom Group.

Now in its second year, MECOM will showcase the latest in hardware, software and services related to mobile, Internet, satellite, fixed line, enterprise communication and communication content sectors.

This year's event will also see the launch of MECOM TV allowing companies to present visually dynamic programmes to MECOM participants in broadcast quality with professional programming and field producers, multiple cameras and crews.

MECOM 2008 has attracted the support of key industry players such as Platinum sponsors Etisalat, a telecoms service provider in the UAE since 1976, du, the latest UAE telecoms service provider, and the Information and Communication Technology Fund (ICT). Mobile pioneer Ericsson has taken Gold sponsorship and MECOM is also officially supported by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the UAE and Dubai Internet City.