FOR RELEASE ON
January 26, 2007
Contact:
Nermeen Negm, Marketing Manager
Tel: 971.4.348.7473
E-mail: nnegm(a)samenacouncil.org
URL: www.samenacouncil.org
SAMENA'S BEYOND CONNECTIVITY CONFERENCE BRINGS LARGE TELECOM MANUFACTURERS TO SAMENA
DUBAI,
UAE — SAMENA Telecommunications Council has reported
major developments and success in its recently held annual conference,
“Beyond Conference”, in Dubai.
Organized to bring SAMENA Telecommunications Council’s Members together to discuss current telecommunications challenges and issues, Beyond Connectivity attracted a large audience of executive managers and decision makers, and some of the biggest names in the regional and global telecoms arena.
“Some of the major telecom manufacturers have interacted here with us and are convinced that SAMENA offers a platform that provides immense business development opportunities”, commented Mr. Asher Siddiqui, Vice President Network Operators Relations, SAMENA.
The event provided a solid platform to SAMENA Members to participate in and lead discussions on a multitude of areas, including broadband technology deployment issues, vertical market set ups, operator issues, revenue-generation opportunities, and regulatory challenges. Additionally, the conference provided prospective members to learn about SAMENA, what it aims to achieve in the SAMENA region, and the ways in which it can help operators and manufacturers in getting their interests and visions represented.
Some of the most notable developments of the Beyond Connectivity conference included an interconnection agreement between UAE’s du and Oman’s incumbent, Omantel. Further, globally renowned telecoms equipment manufacturer, Nokia, committed to joining SAMENA and being a valued addition the SAMENA Membership, which, in addition to a growing number of telecoms business companies and service providers, now also includes top manufacturers such as Huawei Technologies.
ZTE Corporation, China’s largest listed telecoms manufacturer and a strong name in the globe, has also joined SAMENA. The manufacturer’s current endeavors toward global expansion, and particularly in the SAMENA region, will now be better facilitated by joining a collaborative hand with SAMENA Telecommunications Council, which is committed to aiding innovative and collaborative expansion of telecommunications services throughout the region. ZTE’s strong presence will, in turn, add to the Council’s capabilities as the SAMENA region’s premier collaborative forum.
PTA’s Member Technical, Dr. Mohammad Yaseen, also participated in the conference and presented his views on the regulatory aspects of the telecommunications arena, and what the future holds for telecom sector of Pakistan. PTCL’s CEO, Mr. Mohamed Abdulla Ali Bamakhrama, member SAMENA’s Board of Directors, also participated in the conference and provided his insights during the conference’s CEO Live session.
About SAMENA
SAMENA Telecommunications Council is a tri-regional, non-profit telecommunications
association that embodies a community of South Asian, Middle Eastern,
and North African telecoms operators, manufacturers, regulatory authorities,
and academia. SAMENA aims to be the ultimate promoter of collaboration
and knowledge-sharing in the SAMENA region that spans 25 countries,
including Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United
Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The Council is driven by telecoms issues that operators in South Asia, the Middle East, and in North Africa face, and is determined in providing its advocacy expertise to help aid the incubation of novel approaches and ideas that would provide better means for the expansion and utilization of telecommunications in the region.
Headquartered in Dubai, SAMENA is chaired by Dr. Mohammed Ali Al Wohaibi, Executive President, Omantel and is directed by Mr. Thomas W. Wilson, CEO, Teralight.