The ninth annual GSM in the Middle East, Gulf and North Africa conference and exhibition is due to take place 5-6 October 2004, at the JW Marriott Hotel, Dubai, UAE.
Organized by IBC Global Conferences the event will showcase the latest in GSM technology, solutions and services.
Endorsed by the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation - Etisalat and sponsored by the world’s leading GSM technology providers, including Huawei Technologies, Ericsson, Siemens mobile, Convergys, LogicaCMG, Metrica, Gemplus, Intext Telecom Systems, and Giesecke & Devrient, the GSM in the Middle East, Gulf and North Africa exhibition will demonstrate the latest in GSM technology, services and solutions.
Other exhibiting companies include Subex Systems Ltd, Orga Kartensysteme, SchlumbergerSema, I-mate, Capecon, CSG Systems, LeBLANC Telecommunication Systems, Brighpoint, Telenity, Portal Software, Acotel Group SPA, AXALTO, Consistel Singapore Pte.ltd, Actix, Tecore, Evistel, Ferma, PCC, Intelsat, ADC, ip.access ltd, Ericsson, Lifetree Convergence Ltd, Comptel, CISCOM, and Teligent.
The coverage will see operators attending from countries including Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE and Yemen.
“Participants have the opportunity to catch up on critical global and regional GSM trends through a conference program of operator case studies covering all the critical business, strategy and technical issues facing the region,” said Fiona Loud, marketing manager, IBC Global Conferences.
The interest shown in GSM in the Middle East, Gulf and North Africa is indicative of the region's GSM potential, and its proven record of rapid growth. Mobile subscribers in the Middle East and North Africa grew to 38.8 million at the end of 2003, an increase of 40.1% on 2002. This figure is forecast to rise to 51.9 million by the end of 2004, fuelled in particular by rapid subscriber growth in the North African markets of Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria.
In addition there are exciting developments in particular markets that promise sustained high rates of growth in the region. 2004 has so far witnessed the liberalisation of the region's two largest markets, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Combined with prospective new GSM operators in Yemen, Jordan and Oman, subscriber numbers are forecast to grow by 34.3% in the region in 2005.
GSM in the Middle East, Gulf and North Africa also comes in a year that has seen the launch of the region's first 3G networks, by MTC-Vodafone Bahrain and the UAE's Etisalat, with Q-Tel due to launch 3G in Qatar in late 2005. EMC forecasts 38,500 3G subscribers in the region by the end of 2004, with cheaper and more attractive handsets and the further introduction of 3G services spurring subscriber growth. (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
