4th annual North Africa Com conference and exhibition in Cairo announces key sponsor presentations

This year's conference is slated to be the most important yet, with key sponsors, such VNL, Nokia Siemens Networks, SmartTrust, Celcite Management Solutions and Huawei, showing their comprehensive support for North Africa Com.

"The market in North Africa is a key driver of growth for the whole of Africa. At the end of 2008, North Africa accounted for over 29% of total mobile subscriptions across the continent,"

says Emily Cottam, Senior Researcher for Informa Telecoms & Media, Informa Telecoms & Media's Marketing Executive of the Com World Series.

"The penetration rate in North Africa is set to grow further between 2009 and 2014 as Algeria, Egypt and Morocco continue to mature. Huge expansion in the Libyan market place is also expected," she adds.

Informa Telecoms & Media predicts that mobile subscriptions in North Africa will surpass the 192 million-mark by the end of 2014. This represents growth of more than 71% compared to 2008.

"With statistics like these, it's no surprise that the world's leading telecom giants are participating as sponsors at North Africa Com, offering a wide-ranging program to meet the varied needs of the industry," says Veronika Pete, Informa Telecoms & Media's Marketing Executive of the Com World Series.

VNL, a global leader in microtelecom solutions, will present how its WorldGSM technology can promote profitable business opportunities in difficult to reach, rural communities with low-ARPU usage. Fellow sponsor Nokia Siemens Networks, with offices around the world, plans to offer insight into its 3G program catering to emerging markets.

SmartTrust, a SIM card and device management company, will discuss its patented technology solutions to manage and secure SIM cards as well as present best-practices for roaming and service excellence. Celcite Management Solutions, founded in 2003, will share its experience providing wireless consulting services and customized network performance tools.

Finally, Huawei, a company that serves 36 of the world's 50 top telecom operators, will present its solutions to operating next generation mobile broadband with lower power consumption and higher bandwidth in emerging markets.

The conference, to be held at the JW Marriott hotel in New Cairo, also features a number of keynote speakers from the region who will share their companies' strategies to sustain growth in North Africa and present innovative technologies to improving operators' efficiency. These speakers include Tamer El Mahdi, CEO of Telecom Algeria (Djezzy), Dr Benhamadi Moussa, Chairman and CEO of Algerie Telecom Group, Joseph Ged, CEO of Wataniya Algeria (Nedjma) and many more.

The agenda comprises a mixture of presentations, case studies, interactive panel sessions and Q&A sessions under the theme 'Strengthening Operators' Positions in North Africa with New Technologies & Services' and is complimented by an exhibition showcasing 40 stands by leading international vendors and their newest solutions and technologies.

Over 800 senior-level representatives from mobile and fixed-line operators, Internet Service Providers and regulators to investors, telecoms solutions vendors and content providers are expected to attend.

The event is part of Informa Telecoms & Media's Com World Series, the longest-running annual series of telecommunication conferences and exhibitions focussing on emerging, high growth markets, providing a meeting point for mobile, fixed and integrated telecoms service providers and their suppliers.