Consumers in the Middle East move towards a wireless age with adoption of multi-functional mobile phones

With the introduction and increasing adoption of a new breed of multi-functional mobile phones, a growing number of consumers in the region are using their mobile phones as a wireless PC.

According to recent research conducted by Info2cell.com there are over 3 million mobile phone users currently in the UAE, indicating 111% per cent penetration of mobile phones use amongst the country's residents. The numbers are growing at an average rate of 10 per cent each year. Amongst the mobile phone users, there are 250,000 MMS subscribers and more than 2000 subscribers to the recently launched 3G (third generation) mobile service.

Info2cell.com research further indicates that there were more than 24 million mobile phone subscribers in the Arab world at the end of 2003. The growth rate for the whole year was 69 per cent.

Bashar Dahabra, Founder and General Manager of Info2cell.com stated, "With the rapid developments in technology and the introduction of mobiles devices with advanced features, the mobile phone has emerged as an ideal vehicle for delivery of information in the Middle East. Mobile phones, handhelds and PDAs (personal digital assistants) are currently designed to perform like wireless PCs. Users can exchange textual and graphic content through SMS (short message service) and MMS (multimedia messaging service), schedule appointments, undertake voice recording, surf the web, send emails, download pictures and play MP3 files."

"The advent of 3G technology has brought about the progressive migration of the communications industry from voice communication to text and MMS. 3G allows users to video conference with friends, watch live video streams, or surf the Internet, simultaneously, all from one portable multimedia device. Mobile users in the Middle East have converted rapidly to this new trend, owing to the mobility and ease of use mobile phones provide. It is our estimate that more than 2 Million text messages are exchanged everyday in the UAE alone. There is also a growing convergence between mobile phone and Internet users," added Dahabra.

The trend of mobile phones and PDAs is projected to increase in the coming years in the Middle East. The market for these devices is multiplying across the world, especially in the Middle East, where the number of mobile phone users marginally exceeds fixed landline subscribers.

"The mobile device has evolved from being a mere communication device to becoming a news and information provider, as well as a tool for entertainment. We have realized the need to tap the potential for raising revenues by introducing new methods of relaying information and entertainment over the mobile device. At the same time, consumers are becoming more selective about the type and quality of information received over the Internet and through the mobile phone. We offer our customers the options of selecting the content and frequency of information as and when they need it", added Dahabra.

Info2cell's range of Mass Market Content services via MMS can easily be downloaded to mobile terminals or PDAs as they are extremely light, ranging from 15 kb to 100 Kb. Through Acotel's digital sequence, Info2cell.com can deliver soccer match relays to subscribers on their cell phone or PDAs. All the action taking place on the soccer field is delivered live as it happens in a digital sequence that appears on the mobile's display. Depending on the mobile terminal, users can view different grades of definition and colour. Info2cell.com also offers dynamic MMS-based services like breaking news, notification of emails, traffic updates, greeting cards, movie updates, banking news, changes in flight schedules, financial stock and sports updates, mshots and cartoons, in English or Arabic, over GPRS networks.

"These services have been well received by the Middle East market. We have extensive experience in creating wireless content solutions in the region based on successful launch of such services with Fastlink in Jordan, Wataniya in Kuwait and Etisalat in the UAE as well as our extensive experiences in Italy, Ireland, Holland, Belgium and Sweden. As more people are converting to these specialized services, operators will be able to offer extremely cost-effective services to consumers, signifying a new revolution in wireless communication," added Dahabra.