2007
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Bill Gates set for Dubai
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates is to give the keynote speech at Microsoft's Government Leaders Forum Arabia 2008 which is set to take place in Dubai early next year, reported Gulf News. The speech will be Gates' first in the city and details of his visit to the UAE are currently being mapped out. Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer spoke at the event in 2005.
DubaiSat-1 to launch in 2008
The Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), a Dubai government organisation, has unveiled the various phases of its first satellite project, DubaiSat-1. The satellite will be blasted off into space late next year and will be used to aid urban and transport planning, as well as mapping, monitoring pollution and tracking oil spills. The satellite will be launched by Russia's international space company (ISC), Kosmotras.
du racks up 850,000
Osman Sultan, the CEO of telco outfit du, has said his firm has racked up 850,000 subscriptions in its first seven months of business, reported Gulf News. The figures suggest that du receives, on average, 4,000 new customers per day, although it is thought to have handed out a number of complimentary subscriptions at its launch. Rival UAE operator Etisalat has a total of around 6m mobile subscriptions.
Umniah opts for Eskadenia
Jordanian telco operator Umniah has selected Eskadenia's software for content delivery platform to support its control and publication of different types of content including text, ring tones and videos. The platform features will be provided through a bilingual web interface covering operation, administration and maintenance (OAM), content management, provisioning, content broadcasting and charging. The OAM tool will support the management of promotions, channels, workflow, alerts, configurations, reports and statistics.
Zain nears HQ decision
Zain, formerly the MTC Group, is edging closer to deciding where to base its new headquarters, reported the Gulf Daily News. At the end of August, it was revealed the firm would leave Kuwait due to strict local investment regulations and was considering Amsterdam, Dubai or Bahrain. Group CEO Dr Saad Al Barrak said Amsterdam had been ruled out and a decision would be made by the end of October.
Vivendi nears 33% of Oger
Paris based media group Vivendi is seeking to acquire as much as 33% of Dubai's Oger Telecom, reported Reuters citing an un-named source close to the deal. It was reported yesterday, Saturday, that Vivendi was one of several firms interested in an unspecified minority stake in Oger but an agreement with the French outfit is apparently close with talks 'at an advanced stage'.
Maltese PM at DMC, DIC
A high ranking Maltese delegation, including Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, has inspected Tecom Investment's Dubai Media City and Dubai Internet City. The visit follows the announcement at last week's Gitex event of the SmartCity Malta project which will be a partnership between the Maltese government and SmartCity, a UAE based joint venture between Tecom Investments and Sama Dubai.
Atlas to the DSO
Abu Dhabi's Atlas Telecoms is to establish a $35.4m complex at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO). The facility, which is expected to be completed in Q4 2008, will include an advanced system integration service centre, an assembly centre for tetra modems and electronics, a command control centre as well as a customer training centre.
Vivendi eyes Oger
Saudi Oger has revealed that French media group Vivendi is in talks to buy a minority stake in Oger Telecom, reported Reuters. Saudi Oger also stated that Vivendi is just one of several firms seeking to acquire a holding in the Dubai based telco firm. No details as to the size or value of the proposed stake were given.
Mobily signs NCB deal
Saudi telco operator Mobily has tied up a deal with the National Commercial Bank (NCB) in order to facilitate the transfer of subscribers over to its network, while enabling them to retain their current phone number, reported Arab News. The NCB will support Mobily by aiding customers with closing down their old accounts and paying their final bills. To change networks, customers need to visit one of Mobily's 110 outlets.
Globitel eyes Mena offices
Jordanian telecommunications solutions provider Globitel is looking to increase its number of support offices in the Mena region and may do so in the next year, according to Managing Partner Nael Halawa, speaking to AME Info at this week's Gitex event in Dubai. Globitel already has one support base in Riyadh but the firm wants to open a second office in the Gulf region with another located in North Africa.
Emirates Computers enters Saudi
Emirates Computers said it will provide IT and related services in Saudi Arabia as part of its expansion plans. The firm is partnering with Alesayi Communications to launch e-Enterprises (e2), which will have offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar. Emirates' President and CEO Hani Harik said Saudi accounts for almost 50% of the region's IT spending and demand is growing rapidly.
UAE has Dhs200m fund to sponsor IT
A new UAE government fund to sponsor new IT business proposals and post-graduate studies already has a war chest of more than Dhs200m, reported Gulf News. The Information and Communications Technology Fund was formed in April and promised a yearly funding of 1% of the turnover of the UAE's licensed telecom operators. By 2008 the fund could reach between Dhs400m and Dhs500m per year, said the fund's chairman, Ahmad Humaid Al Mazrouie.
Etisilat offers hi-tech Zakat tool
Etisalat and the UAE Zakat Fund, an independent federal entity in the UAE, have teamed up to launch a new free service that helps customers calculate and pay their 'Zakat' amounts using their mobile phones. Customers are now able to calculate their Zakat simply by accessing the menu from their mobiles at *123#. They can also instantly make their Zakat payments using their mobiles' online payment option.
Umniah achieves 1m subscribers
Umniah, Jordan's latest mobile operator and a subsidiary of Batelco Group, has achieved one million subscribers, reported Jordan Times citing a company announcement. The accomplishment was realised within two years at a time when competition is rapidly increasing in the Jordanian telecom market, the company noted. It claims to be the most popular youth operator in the Kingdom.
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