Mobile Telecommunications Company named Media Sponsor at Telecom Arabia 2005

The region's leading telecom group will occupy a 192 square-meter stand at the event, which runs from March 21-23 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre in the capital Manama.

MTC will be the exclusive Media Sponsor of the exhibition, providing journalists with laptop computers and 3G and Edge connection facilities.

Mijbil Al Ayoub, Corporate Communications and Relations Manager for MTC, said: "Telecom Arabia is being held for the first time in Bahrain, and so it was very important for MTC as a major investor in the island to demonstrate its total commitment to this year's exhibition and its support for the Bahrain authorities."

"This year's Telecom Arabia will be a great success, and another valuable chance to promote the many exciting opportunities the region's telecom sector has to offer."

Organizers are billing Telecom Arabia 2005 as the definitive exhibition and conference for telecom professionals dedicated to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.

The showcase is being held under the patronage of H.E Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa Salman Al Khalifa, Bahrain's Minister for Transportation. The Bahrain Ministry of Commerce, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Bahrain Convention and Exhibition Bureau are also supporting the key event.

MTC's five subsidiaries (MTC-Vodafone Kuwait, MTC-Vodafone Bahrain, Jordan's Fastlink, Iraq's Atheer and Lebanon's MTC Touch) will display a full bouquet of products and services at Telecom Arabia 2005. Senior company management will also participate in the Broadband Middle East Forum running alongside the exhibition, with MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) Chief Technology Officer Ismael Fikree delivering a paper titled 'Enabling Broadband in Rural Areas' on March 22nd.

Telecom Arabia 2005 also coincides with the 3rd Asia IT Minister Summit, which will bring together ICT ministers from 40 countries, including Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours; ITU Secretary General Yoshio Utsumi will also attend.

The two-day summit will close on March 22 with the Bahrain IT Declaration and an updated plan of action to ensure further progress in the integration of the Arab and Asian IT markets.

Mobile Telecommunications Company, MTC, was founded in Kuwait in 1983. MTC has a deserved reputation for pioneering new services in the Middle East and is committed to developing partnerships with global companies to bring the best products and services to the region. Besides more than two decades of industry experience, MTC boasts more than 3 million customers.