GVF Menasat summit to target satellite communications opportunities during key regional event in Dubai

Quoted in the announcement, Martin Jarrold, Chief of International Programme Development with the Global VSAT Forum (GVF), said of Satellite MENA "As the satellite sector has significantly grown, we are delighted that this exhibition, Satellite MENA, has been launched. Such a dedicated event will heighten awareness of the value of satellite solutions for Middle Eastern enterprises and consumers. GVF is proud to be a partner and welcomes this strategic development of the event."

As a Satellite MENA partner GVF will be organising the conference content of the show to complement the exhibition. The conference content will be MENASAT - the Middle East & North Africa Satellite Summit - taking place on 3-4 March (www.satellitemena.com).

Entitled 'Evolutionary Trends in MENA Broadband: The New Dynamics of Satellite & Terrestrial Wireless', the MENASAT Summit will comprise the Satellite MENA 'KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE' and will provide exhibition attendees with a value-added discussion forum within which key points on the Middle Eastern and North African satellite and broader telecommunications agenda will be investigated in depth.

Much of the value-added scope of the Summit dialogues will arise from the Summit Chairman's 'Call for Papers' to the satellite industry. Martin Jarrold, who, in his capacity of GVF Chief of International Programme Development will chair the two-day event, has further commented "In order to ensure that the very latest industry initiatives, featuring the most up-to-date and cutting-edge product provision and service delivery, are fully reflected in the Summit programme, we have this year decided that the MENASAT Summit programme will be built around a combination of GVF-Member topic offerings."

Mr. Jarrold continued:

"Like all GVF conference-type events, the MENASAT Summit is built on the dynamism of our Members. For example, we are very pleased to be working in association with Arabsat, and are grateful for their kind support of the event. Their contribution to the two-days of dialogue will be invaluable, as will the active participation of the other organisations which have already made a commitment to the Summit programme, including Arab Advisors Group, Northern Sky Research (NSR), Access Partnership, CET Teleport, Avanti Communications, MENANETS, and Hughes Network Systems."

In order to facilitate contributions to the programme of yet more organisations, Mr. Jarrold has today announced that the deadline for submission of topics for Summit presentations has been extended to 29th January 2009.

The themes of the Summit programme are intended to include examination of the unprecedented level of demand for IP-based services that is driving millions of potential end-users across the MENA region towards broadband communications solutions. Large-enterprise, SME, SOHO and residential users alike, continue to clamour for cost-effective access to reliable communications solutions which accelerate the accessibility of bandwidth-hungry interactive applications, and to meet this demand multiple delivery platforms and technologies, most notably satellite, must continue to be deployed around the Middle East & North Africa regions.

In the enterprise sector alone, a combination of the aforementioned pent-up demand for broadband access solutions and progressive satellite market liberalisation is driving business opportunity across the MENA region. From government networks to financial services, from oil & gas to the marine transportation environment, and from education to the health sector to, the international satellite communications industry is moving rapidly to address fixed satellite service (FSS) and mobile satellite service (MSS) requirements for bandwidth, hardware, and value-added services. And, more than ever before, the emphasis of the regional communications market agenda is on meeting demand for cross-border solutions.

The Summit will also address the very latest developments in the MENA satellite market including how many of the region's satellite operators are planning to transition existing FSS transponder capacity to BSS, simply because of the overwhelming demand for expanding broadcast services throughout the region.

With Satellite MENA 2009 being an ideal exhibition environment for meeting government leaders, project developers and potential joint venture partners, the GVF MENASAT 2009 Summit will bring together industry leaders to identify and discuss the development of new opportunities in satellite services and technologies. The emphasis in 2009 will be on discussion and the interactive exchange of ideas between delegates and representatives of satellite users, as well as operators, manufacturers and analysts, making this an unrivalled networking opportunity for the MENA region.

As indicated above, the Summit will be held in association with Arabsat as Diamond Sponsor, the premier sponsorship position. Commenting on Arabsat's Diamond sponsorship, Mohamed Youssif, Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer with Arabsat said "We are pleased to sponsor the first ever definitive event of its kind in the region, MENASAT @ Satellite MENA, which will serve broadcasters, commercial entities, telecoms operators, government, NGO's and military. Being held in conjunction with CABSAT MENA, both events will be a credible industry platform in the region that showcases latest in Satellite Communications Technology and Services, as well as great networking platforms to explore business opportunities."