An increasing number of mobile phone subscribers in the Arab World will start using phones incorporating the Third Generation or 3G technology which enables handsets to exchange voice and data quicker than current networks, and makes it possible for users to participate in video conferencing, watch television and play hi-tech games on their mobiles, said Bashar Dahabra, Founder and General Manager, Info2cell.com and an ICT expert from the region.
Dahabra was addressing the "3G World Congress & Exhibition 2004", the 9th annual global wireless business event, held in Hong Kong recently.
Participating in a session on developing and delivering compelling value-added infotainment services for consumers and businesses, Dahabra outlined how the Middle East with over 38 million mobile phone subscribers was growing at a rapid pace and showing increasing interest in 3G services.
Info2cell.com today delivers soccer match relays to subscribers on their cell phone or PDAs. Depending on the mobile terminal, users can view different grades of definition and colour. Info2cell.com also offers dynamic MMS message like breaking news, greeting cards, movie updates, mshots or cartoons, in English or Arabic, over the GPRS network.
"Mobile phone subscribers currently outnumber fixed line telephone users in the Arab world. When 3G makes its entry in the Middle East, we expect a huge demand because there is a mature market of mobile phone users," added Dahabra. "As a 3G phone is 30 times faster than a GPRS phone, it is something that most mobile users would want to be part of. In addition, 3G allows download and sharing of video footage, playing exciting games, location services and, above all, watch television on mobile phones."
Dahabra said 3G technology would boost interactive services which were recently launched by Info2cell.com on LBC channel, allowing viewers to vote for their favourite candidate for Miss Lebanon title and see their votes translated instantly into data. The company's Interactive Mobile services are also being used in various programmes of Mazzika TV, the Egypt based satellite television channel. (menareport.com)
