Teletimes International announces its First Industry Excellence Awards

Interviews1424Reports & News2326"Intense competition affects the performanceof Turkcell positively..."CEO Sureyya Ciliv speaks to Teletimes InternationalCem Kivircik, special correspondnet at IstanbulSocial Media has become the fastest growingphenomena on the internetAyman Irshaid, Founder CEO - AreebaAreebaKhalid Athar"Take social media seriously or lose power" -CEO of CTO advises African leadersRumana BukhtOman setting up modem e-governmentTeletimes ReportIn this issue303941424549505354575960Women Gateway Portalgets Zain Bahrain supportSTC and Googleenter a new digital partnershipAkram AsadO3b SignedCapacity Deal with sky Fiber CorporationEtihad Rail, du join handsfor strategic collaborationCommScope to supplyHydrogen Fuel Cell Solution to SCTEPCCW Globaland Tinet bridge Ethernet servicesAndrea Dagan"Etisalat Zantel" and "EMS"to launch the first of its kind apps store in AfricaNahid Mudathir HassanHuawei inks its firstsport sponsorship deal as exclusive sponsor of the 2011 Italian supercoppaRiad SandakliThuraya beefs up regional officein Singapore to lead Asian OperationsReham BarakatDell & Mobilink bring Dell Streak 5 to PakistanKhurram ShahzadWorldCall Telecom and C-Cor BroadbandNajia QamarUSF project of optic fiber cables in unserved areas of BalochistanTahir Umarand much more ....144404 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

In this issue18Special Reports182144Research & Analyses11273247Teletimes International announces itsFirst Industry Excellence AwardsGulraiz KhalidSTC Group implements organizational structure byappointing qualified Saudi nationals to senior leadership positionsAkram AsadChairman PTA inauguratesP@SHA PKR. 20 million Social Innovation FundTeletimes ReportFinancial SecurityWhat's a sign that a mobile operator is serious aboutensuring profitability? It's doing content analysisM. J. RichterDomain name governanceYvonne Pah, senior associate at Al Tamimi & Co examining how once adomain name is secured it should be ....Avoiding the slippery slopeHow GCC telecom operators can improve profitabilityHilal Halaoui, Chady Smayra and Lancelot Sursock (booz&co)How to solvestorage issues in a data centerMuhammad Amir Malik4515Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com05

Letter to readersKhalid AtharChief EditorI am very honored today as TELETIMEShas touched yet another milestone onits road to success; The First TeletimesInternational Industry ExcellenceAwards. It was officially announcedlast year, during the seminar on “SocialImpact of USF initiatives” organizedby Teletimes International whereasthe idea was put to action by start ofthis year where we brought togethersome really senior personalities fromthe ICT sector along with experts fromConsultancy and Analyst firms to forman awards committee that focused onthe performances of many individualsand companies for a long period afterwhich the committee concluded theaward winners. I am absolutely surethat the winners declared by thecommittee have been chosen rightlyin accordance to their out standingperformance and services. I am verythankful to all the members of thecommittee and more importantly I amgreatly thankful to Allah Almighty onthis success for Teletimes International.A write-up about the awards andthe award winners is included in thisedition of Teletimes International.The ‘Teletimes Man of the year Award2011’ which is the most prestigiousaward amongst the Teletimes awards,will be announced by the end ofthis year. For this award, three greatindustry leaders from the Middle East,Asia and Africa region have been shortlisted,however obviously only onepersonality will be selected from thislist of three and therefore the awardscommittee has requested for somemore time in this regard. Insha’Allah,Teletimes Awards will take place as aregular annual feature from now on.Now I would like to talk about thisedition of Teletimes. The growingpopularity and importance of SocialMedia is obvious to everyone. A seniorand experienced Man from the IT andtelecom sector, Mr. Ayman Irshaid hasdone a great job by founding ‘AreebaAreeba’ in the social media sector. Inthis edition, you will find his interviewin which he talks in detail about‘Areeba Areeba’. The second interviewyou will find is of Sureyya Ciliv,CEO, Turkcell, done by the Teletimes’correspondent in Istanbul.An important research report by Booz& Co. titled “Avoiding the slipperyslope – How GCC telecom operatorscan improve profitability” is beingpublished in this edition which iscompiled by ‘Hilal Halaoui, ChadySumayra and Lancelot Sursock. Besidesthat, two very interesting articles titles,“Financial Security” and “Domain NameGovernance” are also being published.As usual, in this edition you will findmany different reports and newsregarding the performance and latestachievements of different organizationslike Etisalat, Thuraya, du, STC,Microsoft, Intel, HP, Dell, CommScope,PTA, PTCL, PCCW, USF, CTO, NSN,Inbox, Zain Bahrain and Huawei.I at Teletimes am thankful today toour supporters, sponsors, well-wishersand contributors for the success wehave achieved. I am also thankfulto our readers for their support andadvice throughout. We are alwayslooking forward to more suggestions forTeletimes so that we may guarantee theimprovement that shall be required.Please enjoy this edition of Teletimes.15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com07

M. J. RichterFinancial SecurityWhat’s a sign that a mobile operator is serious aboutensuring profitability? It’s doing content analysisMany operators worldwidecould see theirprofits completely evaporatesometime before mid-2015,if not sooner, according to anew Tellabs study based onindependent analyst data.To avoid that fate, operatorsmust create new revenuestreams, which will requiremore than just selling bandwidth.“Mobile operators can spendthemselves into a hole wellbefore users run out of hungerfor capacity,” said Rob Pullen,Tellabs president and CEO.“Our study shows that simplyadding capacity or ‘dumbpipes’ is an unsustainablebusiness.”A smarter alternative is toadd intelligence and analyticsso that networks can gatherinformation about their trafficand then act on what theyfind.“The combination of analyticsand intelligence producesinsights that improve performanceand generates newrevenue streams,” Pullen said.“The result is a more profitablebusiness, which is criticalto operators’ survival.”What’s Inside CountsMobile networks must besmart enough to optimizetraffic flows and help operatorsreduce CapEx and OpEx.However, networks also needto be smart enough to supporta new breed of services:ones so highly tailored to eachuser’s needs and wants thatthey can create new revenueopportunities.The source of all this intelligenceis “content awareness,”where a network device – suchas the Tellabs SmartCore®9100 Series – works withAs mobile data use skyrockets, particularly among younger demographics, operators need new options for monetizing that traffic. The TellabsSmartCore® 9100 Series, combined with Tellabs® Insight AnalyticsSM Services, meets that need by providing powerful new tools foranalyzing every packet and then applying policy decisions, all in real time.15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com11

Teletimes - You manageda brand like Microsoftin Turkey, quintupled itsturnover and was assigned tothe United States. Then, youbecame the general managerof Turkcell, about five monthsafter the resignation of MuzafferAkpinar and his team, asa result of agreement of threemajor partners. During yourfour-plus year’s management,what improvement did Turkcellmake?SÜREYYA CILIV - When I wasworking for Microsoft and alsowhen I am working for Turkcell,I always think what kindof a contribution I can maketo my country and I made mydecisions in this direction.When I returned to Turkeywith Microsoft, internetboomed. We reached to Van,Hakkari, Yüksekova. We triedhard to keep pace with theinformation age and we werealso successful in this regard.I think we have a similar missionin Turkcell and I see thatstory of 3G coming to Turkey isof critical importance. Becausewe continue our investments,while our competitors weresaying it is too early for Turkey,and we provided one ofthe world's best 3G infrastructuresto our country asTurkcell. My team and I desireto serve our country, and makeTurkcell a global player in communicationsand technology.Today Turkcell is a companyserving a population of 242million people in 9 countries,increasing its regional powerwith each passing day andalso the 3rd largest operatorin Europe in terms of thenumber of subscribers. We asa Turkcell team feel great prideand great pleasure because ofthe contributions of Turkcell toTurkey.TT - Is it true to say Turkcellis only a GSM operator today?What kind of a transformationdid Turkcell go through inthe meantime? What kind of acompany will Turkcell becomein the near future?SC - When I took office inTurkcell at the beginning of2007, I said that our primarygoal is to become one of aworld-class communicationsand technology company.Again we described our businessas communication andtechnology. We achieved allour goals and raise the bareven further, and we see ourselvesin the same track withthe industry's global giants.With broadband, we enter intoa period in which “Mobility,Internet and Convergence”based “New World” will be feltwith all its effects in informationand communication. Nowwe live in a world in whichinternet, communication,information and entertainmentare integrated. Now ourmobile phones become ourcomputer, wallet, television,health monitor, music playerand game console. Thanks toour investment and progressivevision, we as Turkcell havetaken very well position inthis new world. We as Turkcellare in an intense effort todevelop innovative productsand services that facilitate ourlives and provide them to ourcustomers. This is the trendin communication industry allover the world. We will focusmuch more on the needs ofour customers, develop mobilesolutions for their needs, offermore advantageous price andthe highest quality service,create equality of opportunitywith our social responsibilityprojects, and in this way ensureour customers to live lifefully, with better quality andmore free.TT - You as a Turkish brandhave subsidiaries and carry onbusiness in foreign markets.With your international experience,what do youthinkabout competitive environmentin Turkey? What are yourideas about the regulations?Do you have different expectationsand suggestions?SC - There is a very toughcompetition in the mobilemarket in Turkey. We lovecompetition and we think thatintense competition affectsthe performance of Turkcellpositively. What is importanthere is this: the demand formobile internet will boom incoming years both in the worldand in Turkey. At the MobileWorld Congress held in Februaryin Barcelona, all CEOs weretalking about this fact. Todaythe number of internet users isabout 1.5 billion, but this numberwill rise to 5 billion peoplein the next 4-5 years. Animportant part of this15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com15

increase will be in mobile. Tomeet this demand, all playersin the sector have to be readyto make large amounts ofinvestments continuously. It isimportant to consider regulationswithin the framework ofa sectoral policy.TT - Speaking of arrangements,you said that you couldnot reach the expected growthrate due to the regulation oninterconnection fees in the 4thQuarter Status Review Meeting.But, it is said that talktime has increased and it hasreflected to the income. Whatdo you think about it?SC - Yes, we had a growthtarget for 2010. We could notachieve the expected growthrate due to the new regulationsin interconnection fees.We as Turkcell always defendthat our customers shouldreach the best service, thenewest technologies with themost advantageous prices. Wecompleted the year 2010 witha 1% increase in revenue, as aresult of increasing usage ratesboth in volume and mobile internetin the past year. Pricesdropped dramatically, so thatour customers receive Turkcellquality and Turkcell advantageswith more reasonable prices.TT - In recent months, youhave shared good news ofyour operation in Germany.Deutsche Telekom is providingan infrastructure supportand you have also received apartnership proposal. How willyou evaluate this proposal?SC - We have initiated ouroperation in Germany in April,with Turkcell Europe, onehundred percent subsidiary ofTurkcell. We aim to meet allcommunications and technologyneeds of our citizens livingin Germany and people whohave intense relationships withTurkey, with the quality ofTurkcell. As we offer the bestquality and superior infrastructureto our subscribers inTurkey, we want to provide thebest services to our subscribersin Germany. For this purpose,we have signed a cooperationagreement with the mobileoperator that has the country'slargest and highest qualityinfrastructure.Regarding the other questionyou asked, I can say this:Thanks to its investments inrecent years, Turkcell’s infrastructureis better than theinfrastructures in many developedcountries. Our customersgoing abroad and foreigninvestors following Turkcell saythe same thing.TT - When we compare thenumber of subscribers andpopulation, do we reach to thepoint of satisfaction? Now, canwe say the communication ofobjects is new initiative? Especiallyconsidering your servicesabout lighthouses, when doyou think we will use SIM cardin our refrigerators?SC - Penetration rates are at85% level as a result of decreasein the use of dual SIMcard at the moment. Comparedto overseas examples, there isstill a significant potential fordevelopment. In particular thespread of telemetry applicationsis very important for oursector. Telemetry is among thetop 10 technology investmentlist of all great states. Currently,approximately 37.5million devices are being usedfor online communication in awireless environment aroundthe world. In other words, Ithink in near future we insertSIM cards into our refrigerators.We as Turkcell are readyfor telemetry revolution withour know-how and infrastructureand have very successfulpractices.TT - Data communication hasalso increased with smartphones. The same increase isalso seen in the income statementsof Turkcell. Turkcellhave made significant investmentsin the mobile broadband.When will its returntake place? Some operatorsare making LTE trials. What isyour approach to this issue?SC - Turkey is the 101st countrystarting to use 3G technology.So there was a significantdelay in this regard. Due to thisfact, we provide world's mostadvanced mobile broadbandinfrastructure to Turkey at arecord speed. A-type license,which we get by making thelargest investments, has alsoa significant impact on 3Gspeed and quality. Our peopleare adapting to this technologymore quickly than ourexpectations. Today, we areproud to be the leader in 3Gboth in terms of the numberof 3G customers and our speedand quality. Our mobile internetrevenue increased %74 in2010 and this trend continues.We as Turkcell always wantto offer the latest technologyto our customers. We are alsoworking on LTE technology.We carried out the first experimentsin Turkey in recentyears. But, the spread of LTEtechnology requires the spreadof LTE-compatible devices.There is not any movement inthis respect. By increasing thespeed of 3G technology in eachpassing day, it will take placein our lives in the near and mediumfuture, and will continueto change our lives. Turkcellwill continue to bring the newtechnologies to Turkey and offerthe highest quality serviceto its customers.16 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Teletimes International announces itsFirst Industry Excellence AwardsGulraiz KhalidGhassan HasbaniCEO, International Operations, STCMohammad OmranChairman EtisalatDr. Amer Al RawasCEO, OmantelIn reference to the officialannouncement madeearlier this year regarding“Teletimes InternationalIndustry Excellence Awards”.Teletimes has made a stepforward, where the awardscommittee after a longperiod of fair analysis, haschosen the award winnersin 17 different categoriesfor this year. The launch ofthe “Teletimes InternationalIndustry Excellence Awards”program marks the beginningof an industry recognitionprogram by one of the mostwidely-circulated publicationswithin the SAMENAregion.Teletimes team is confidentthat the awards committeehas been absolutely rightand fair in choosing theaward winners who are beingrewarded in respect, recognitionand due appreciation oftheir performance and theservices they have providedto the ICT sector over thepast years.Teletimes team would furtherlike to congratulate the winnerson this achievementand hope that these awardswill be motivational for themand others as well. We atTELETIMES International arehopeful that all of us will beworking even harder to caterto this ICT sector to whichwe all belong, so that wemay cherish the tech-savvyfuture we all look forward to.Walid M. IrshaidPresident & CEO, PTCLBabar Ali SyedCEO, WorldCall Telecom Ltd.Dr. Mohammed YaseenChairman, PTAAlan Wang, CEOHuawei Technologies Ltd.18 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Abdul AzizCEO, UfoneFan Yun JunCEO, CM PAK (Zong)Rashid KhanCEO, MobilinkKhurram RahatMD, TeradataIqtidar ZaidiPresident & CEO, TechaccessParvez IftikharCEO, USFArshad AliD.G. SEECS, NUSTMuhammad Amir MalikDirector ICT, PTARiaz Asher SiddiquiContry Director, NARUS Inc.Khalid Jameel ShamsiCEO, CRPL••••••••••••••••Teletimes Awards WinnerLeadership Award for Best Telecom InternationalOperations – Ghassan Hasbani, CEO, InternationalOperations, STC.Leadership Award for Best Telecom Services - Mr.Mohammad Omran, Chairman, EtisalatBest Emerging Investor Award - Dr. Amer bin Awadh AlRawas, CEO, Omantel Leadership Award for BestBroadband Services - Mr. Walid M. Irshaid, President &CEO, PTCLBest Converged Services Provider Award - Mr. Babar AliSyed, CEO, WorldCall Telecom Ltd.Best Regulatory Leadership Award - Dr. MohammadYaseen, Chairman, PTABest Telecom Solution Provider Award - Mr. Alan Wang,CEO, Huawei Technologies Ltd.Excellence Award for ICT services to the Corporate Sector- Mr. Khuram Rahat, M.D, TeradataExcellence Award for the most innovative mobile plan -Mr. Abdul Aziz, CEO, Ufone•• Best Regional Telecom Investor Award - Fan Yun Jun,CEO, CM PAK (Zong)•• Excellence Award for Best CSR Strategy - Mr. RashidKhan, CEO, Mobilink•• Leadership Award for Excellence in IT Enabled Services -Mr. Iqtidar Zaidi, President & CEO, Techaccess•• Best Telecom and IT Security Solution Provider Award -Mr. Riaz Asher Siddiqui, Country Director for Pakistan,NARUS Inc.•• Excellence Award for ICT promotion in under-developedareas - Mr. Parvez Iftikhar, CEO, USF•• Leadership Award for Academic Services to ICT - Dr.Arshad Ali, D.G, SEECS, NUST•• Best International Clearing House and MNP SolutionProvider Award - Mr. Khalid Jameel Shamsi, CEO, CRPLExcellence Award for Individual Contribution to Researchin ICT - Muhammad Amir Malik, Director – ICT, PTA.TELETIMES MAN OF THE YEAR AWARDTeletimes has also announced that the ‘TELETIMES Man of the Year Award” will be declared by the end of Novemberor the begining of December this year for which three top executives, who have done an immense amount of work forthe ICT sectors over the past years are being considered by the Awards Committee of TELETIMES International.T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com19

Akram AsadSTC Group implements organizationalstructure by appointing qualified Saudinationals to senior leadership positionsReinforcing its positionas the largest integratedtelecommunications providerin the Middle East that isready for more expansion inits home base and in its internationaloperations, STC announcedthe implementationof its organizational structurethat was approved by theGroup Board of Directors. Thestructure encompasses keyoperational sectors includingKSA Operations, Strategic Operations,and Technical Operations.And reinforcing its firmbelief in the capabilities of itsteam, the Group appointedkey qualified Saudi nationalsto senior leadership positionsincluding the following executives:Mr. Khaled AbdulrahmanAl Jasser, Group Vice Presidentfor Shared Services.Eng. Saad Dhafer Al Qahtani,Group CEO for StrategicOperations.Dr. Ziyad Thamer Al-Otaibi,Group CEO for TechnicalOperationsMr. Jameel Abdullah AlMolhem CEO of SaudiOperations.Commenting on the organizationalstructure, Eng. SaudAl Daweesh, STC Group CEOsaid “The new organizationalstructure for the Group falls inline with the “LEAD” strategywhich was developed to focusthe collective energy and effortsin capturing the emergingopportunities while managingoverall challenges over thecoming years.”Al Daweesh added, “Withinone decade STC has provedits pioneering leadership as alocal and international serviceoperator, providing integratedservices and becoming one ofthe largest integrated communicationcompanies in theworld. We intend to maintainthis stature and keep STCamong the world leaders inby continuously developingthe latest and most advancedservices, products and solutionsin order to keep thepromise we have made to ourcustomers and to maintainsustainable growth in the bestinterests of our shareholders.”Al Daweesh also indicatedthat STC Group is gettingready to enter a new era tomeet the enormous developmentof the telecommunicationsindustry and reinforceits role as an internationaloperator. It has witnessedsolid growth over the pastfew years growing revenuesfrom its international operationsand is expecting furthergrowth the coming years whileat the same time maintainingits leadership in the Saudimarket.And as part of its commitmentto benefit from Saudi qualifiedpersonnel within the Company,additional talent has beeninjected within the Grouporganizational structure inleadership positions including:Dr. Humood MohammedAl Kusayer, Vice PresidentWholesale.Mr. Amin Fahad Al Shiddi,Vice President Finance SaudiArabia.Eng. Omer Abdullah AlNomany, Vice President InformationalTechnology.Eng. Mazyad Nasser Al Harbi,Vice President Home Services.Eng. Bandar MohammedAl Gafari, Vice PresidentNetwork.Dr. Fahad Hussain Mushayt,Vice President for StrategicAffairs.Eng. Mohammed NasserAl Jasser, Vice PresidentEnterprise Services.Dr. Abdullah MohammedAl Humaidan, Vice PresidentHuman Capital.Dr. Mahmoud AbdulkarimAl Khatib, Vice PresidentRegulatory Affairs.Eng. Ibrahim AbdulrahmanAl Omar, Vice PresidentPersonal Services.It is worth mentioning thatSTC Group is the largest integratedtelecommunicationsGroup in the Middle East andNorth Africa and was recentlyranked in the top 20 mobilenetworks in the world. TheGroup owns and operates thelargest and most advancedmobile infrastructure andbroadband services in theMiddle East. In addition tothat, the Group has far reachinginvestments and globalreach in various continentsoperating in Turkey, Bahrain,Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan,India, Malaysia, Indonesia,and South Africa bringing itscustomer base to more than140 million worldwide. T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com21

African leaders have beeninvited to take socialmedia, such as YouTube, Facebook,Twitter, more seriously orpotentially lose power. This wasa view expressed by the CEOof the Commonwealth TelecommunicationsOrganisation(CTO), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah,at the recently- concluded UNworkshop on e-Leadership in Dares Salaam, Tanzania. The CTOHead cited how social medianetworks have played a role inNorth Africa and the MiddleEast in helping to overthrowgovernments and regimes. Heargued that if Africa is to makea quantum leap in progress andprosperity then it must havee-leaders and e-citizens who arewilling and passionate abouttransforming Africa.The UN workshop on e-Leadershipis part of a larger 2011United Nations and Africa PublicService Forum which broughttogether more than 10 ministers,members of parliaments andheads of public services fromvarious African countries andsome 200 delegates to discuss avariety of public service reformand e-empowerment issues.Organised from 20-24 June 2011,the main forum was officiallyopened on Monday, 20th June2011, by President Jakaya Kikweteof Tanzania.According to Dr. Spio-Garbrah,“One of the major factors thataccounts for Africa’s relativelylower levels of economicprogress is our relatively weakuptake of e-transformation,e-development, e-society,e-progress and e-prosperity.”He opined that, “If Africa is tomake a quantum leap in thelevels of its e-adoption ande-readiness, then there must bea new African e-leader capableof transformative change in hisor her country, taking the fullestadvantage of all the e-infrastructureand e-tools available today.”He bemoaned the fact thatmany African countries are stillbogged down by leaders whodo not know how to send anSMS, never send e-mails, havenot heard of Netlog, MySpaceor Second Life, and until someAfrican leaders were overthrownby popular uprisings in NorthAfrica, many had not takenseriously enough the power ofsuch social media networks asFacebook, Twitter or YouTube.“Now that social media, essentiallye-media have shown theirpower and capacity to overthrowgovernments, let us hope thatAfrican leaders are listening, andwill now take prompter actionin their own interest to harnessthese ICT services for development,”Dr. Spio-Garbrah said.The CTO Head explained thatalthough when discussions ofe-leadership take place in suchfora, most people’s minds immediatelyturn to political leaders- Presidents, Prime Ministersand Ministers, e-leadership atits heart is not about politicalleaders or public services. “Itis about empowering ordinarypeople to become e-citizens.E-leaders are those who empowerentire communities, majorcompanies, villages, micro-enterprises,traditional rulers, civilsociety, to become e-enabledand e-empowered, so that theycan maximise their God-givenpotentials in life while reducingtheir daily transaction costs,”said Dr. Spio-Garbrah.He noted that some of the elementsof what enables ordinarypeople to also become e-leadersare such simple policies andpractices as telecommuting,working electronically fromhome; policies and projects thatnetwork the branches of a largeorganisation, a bank or company;the more effective use ofe-applications; initiatives thatconnect rural communities; betteruse of social media networks;measures that ensure better andmore participatory interactionbetween various social actors,including government-to-government(G2G) communications,government-to-business (G2B),government-to-citizen (G2C),B2B, B2C, and C2G, and more. Heargued that if African countriescould become earlier adopters ofrelevant technology, it could bepossible for African countries to“cheater-pole-vault” rather thanmerely “leap-frog” the digitaldivide.D.r Spio-Garbrah recounted howthe CTO, over the last few years,has organised annual conferencesin Asia and in Africa on“Connecting Rural Communities”as well as forums in “e-Governance”in Africa and in Asia.Furthermore, recognising theconverging technology platformsthat make e-leadership possible,he said the CTO has organisedin Johannesburg each year, forthe past five years, conferenceson Digital Broadcasting. To helpmobilise international privatefunding to accelerate e-readinessin emerging markets, the CTORumana Bukht“Take social media seriously or lose power” –CEO of CTO advises African leadersChief cited its London globalconference on “ICT Finance inEmerging Markets.” Above all,to ensure that investments inICTs and in capacity building forquick e-enablement are secureand resilient, the CTO alsoorganises each year in London aconference on Cyber Security, toensure the sustainability of ICTservices.“Through our innovative researchfor UN agencies like UNICEF,we have uncovered unique waysin which mobile platforms couldbe used to advance the humancondition. With the ITU, weorganise periodic joint events onbroadband and standardisation,and the use of ICT to managethe negative impact of disasters.We have also collaborated withthe ITU’s in its leadership rolewithin the UN family for followupof the agenda and ActionPlan emanating from the WorldSummits on the InformationSociety”, he said.In concluding his address, theCEO Head stated that althoughin the telecom world, there areoften references to 3Gs or 4Gsas a spectrum or radio frequencyrange, the problem for manyAfrican countries was that thiscontent on 4G networks oftencomprise of “Girls, Games, Goofsand Gambling”. Dr. Spio-Garbrahopined that while citizens ofindustrial societies may be comfortablewith such unedifyingcontent, “e-leaders of developingcountries who seek the bestcontent for their citizens shouldcontinue to promote 4Es, i.e.Education, Employment, Enterpriseand Empowerment. Thisalso means that African countriesneeded to become creatorsof their own relevant contentand not just consumers of otherpeople’s irrelevant content.” T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com23

Khalid AtharSocial Media has become the fastestgrowing phenomena on the internetAyman IrshaidFounder CEO - AreebaAreebaspeaks to TeletimesAyman Irshaid, CEO of AreebaAreeba cameinto the social media business, as Founder ofAreebaAreeba, a very exciting social networkingwebsite that connects businesses andbusiness professionals around the world. Withbroad telecom and IT experience in the internationaland local marketplace, Ayman hasestablished an enviable record of providingthe Middle East region with the high quality oftelecom and media solutions and services. Hehas extensive experience and vast knowledgeof Telecom and Media services.His international experienceextends to Middle East, Africaand Europe. He is focusing on anambitious plan to transform thetraditional business conceptsand personal behaviour intomore productive, creativeand innovative approach.On the next page are thefew excerpts from a discussionwith Ayman.Areeba areeba24 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jun 15Jul -- 14Aug 14Jul 2011

AreebaAreeba is a socio-economic developmentplatform, fueled by social networkingtechnologies, nurtured by knowledgetransfer, enriched by many cultures,strengthened by professional growth, andsustained by common interests.AreebaAreeba is a first time initiative hasbeen created from the region East andgrowing rapidly and has become a potentialfor regional IT sector to innovate andengage in the development of new applicationsand APIs for AreebaAreeba platformwhich will increase the IT jobs opportunitiesand IT recourse.Teletimes - Please share withour readers some informationabout the background of AreebaAreebaand the story behindits formation.Ayman Irshaid - AreebaAreebais a professional social networkingwebsite that brings theworld closer by helping professionalsconnect and transferknowledge and recourse todevelop and grow your business,promote yourself andyour brand by using multimediacontent.TT - Our readers would like toknow about the benefits ofAreebaAreeba to its users?AI - As members, you areencouraged to connect withlike-minded professionals,associate with groups ofsimilar interests, blog andcontribute to the developmentof a specific sectorand stay up-to-datewith the latest news.TT - Please talk in detailabout your currentgoals and mission.AI - A Digital SilkRoad that VirtuallyBrings the world closerto the Middle East andthe Middle East closerto the world. To becomethe premiere SocialNetworking Platform aimingprimarily at providingour members with access toresources and knowledge todevelop and grow their business,promote themselves andtheir brand by using multimediacontent and by leveraging theAreebaAreeba professional communityworldwide.TT - Would you like to speakabout how social networkinghas become one of the fastestgrowing things on internetand how this can be directedtowards positive productivity?AI - Social media has becomethe fastest growing phenomenaon the internet and an integralpart of the way we live andwork. At the same time, it’s becominga hub for online marketersthat are takingadvantage of the socialmedia to reach out to their targetaudience. Companies needto design a policy framework onsocial media, which also requireeducation of employees on howto use social media sites in ameaningful way. AreebaAreebahas also become great tools forattraction, recruitment, communication,connection, engagementand create new businessopportunities. AreebaAreeba isa critical part of communicationand collaboration technologiesthat can help to make peoplemore productive. Clearly there isan opportunity for employeesto share ideas, replacing theold style suggestion boxeswith a more interactiveprocess, which is beingused by many forumsto collect views fromusers.TT - How do you seethe future of theregional IT sector andAreebaAreeba as apart of it?AI - AreebaAreeba is afirst time initiative hasbeen created from theregion East and growingrapidly and has becomea potential for regionalIT sector to innovate andengage in the development ofnew applications and APIs forAreebaAreeba platform whichwill increase the IT jobs opportunitiesand IT recourse.TT - Do you face any majorcompetition? From who if yes,and how do you manage toovercome it?AI - AreebaAreeba is a socioeconomicdevelopment platform,fueled by social networkingtechnologies, nurtured byknowledge transfer, enriched bymany cultures, strengthened byprofessional growth, and sustainedby common interests. T15Jun 15Jul -- 14Aug 14Jul 2011www.teletimesinternational.com25

Oman setting up modern e-governmentInformation TechnologyAuthority (ITA) organizeda seminar at Muscat IntercontinentalHotel on the ‘moderne-government‘ under the auspicesof Eng. Ali bin Masud alSunaidi, Sports Affairs Ministerand Chairman of the ITA. Theseminar targets directors generaland department heads incharge of e-government.In a statement, Eng. al Sunaidisaid that the organization ofthe seminar on the ‘moderne-government‘ aims atactivating the directives of HisMajesty Sultan Qaboos binSaid regarding the setting up ofspecialized departments for theservice of the public. These servicesare built on proper basesand always listen to the demandsby the public and followup the complaints submitted bythem and the services renderedto them. He added that today'smeeting will take the sector tothe next stage; activating thecurrently available technologiesto facilitate the service ofthe public. This will be carriedout with the participation of anumber of houses of expertisewho have practical applicationsin the field of moderne-government. He affirmed thatthe Sultanate now has goode-government technologies andhas completed the governmentalweb and informationsecurity system.He pointed out that as per therecent statistics; there are 4million mobile phone owners inthe Sultanate who log into theinternet. This means that thereare many means for communications,especially by thosewho require the services atreduced prices.Dr. Salim Bin Sultan al Ruzaiqi,ITA CEO delivered a speechwhere he said that the communicationwith individualswill be enhanced through themodern electronic solutionsthat provide interactive channelsbetween the governmentalinstitutions and the citizensand develop performance andservices in a way that meetsthe actual needs of the society.He added that availing50,000 jobs for job seekerswill enhance the professionalperformance at the institutionsDr. Salim Bin Sultan al RuzaiqiTeletimes Reportat which they will join. IAAtherefore thought of rehabilitatingthe youth cadres andprepare them in the specializedfields of IT. A panel discussionhas been already held with ITofficers at the governmentalinstitutions to study this issueand explore the best means toavail these training and rehabilitationcourses for the newemployees specialized in IT.He proposed to enroll the newemployees in the new communicationlinks set up at thegovernmental institutions inresponse to the royal directivesof His Majesty the Sultanso that they can contribute tomanaging the communicationlinks with the individuals byusing the modern technologies.He pointed out that the electronicsite for the governmentalinstitutions has become theinterface through which manycitizens can communicate withthe governmental institutions.He also pointed out that ITAhas signed a contract with theDanish Institute of Technologyduring the period from 2010to 2011 to provide the consultancyservices for the developmentof the e-government inthe Sultanate.After the speeches IT expertsfrom the Danish Institute ofTechnology presented workingpapers on the citizen focusedon 3-services, the electronicparticipation, the socialnetworks and their role in communicatingwith the citizen andthe easy use and borrowing.At the end of the seminar, participantssubmitted a numberof proposals and recommendationsto allow easy browsing ofthe internet and make betteruse of the available services.They also stressed the importanceof getting the confidenceof the users by integrating thesystem of the governmentalinstitutions. The seminar alsodiscussed the challenges facingthe provision of servicesand the practical solutions forthem.The seminar was attended bya number of undersecretaries,directors general and IT departmentheads at the governmentalinstitutions.26 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Domain name governanceYvonne Pah , senior associate at leading Middle East law firm AlTamimi & Company examining how once a domain name is securedit should be managed properlyRegistering a distinctivedomain name is only thefirst step in effective domainname governance. Like trademarks,domain names must beprotected.Once a domain name is secured,it should be managedand administered properly byensuring that selected individualswithin the organization aregiven access to the account withsuitable domain continuity plansin place. As this may pre-emptany abuse of account information.As an example, individualswith access to the account, mayleave the organization withouthanding over the administrativedetails for the domain names.These people could assumecontrol of the domain and mayunilaterally change details orinformation pertaining to thedomain name such as ownershiprights of the account which canresult in the company being held‘to ransom'.In as much as there is traditionaltrademark infringement wheretrademarks are used without authorizationby the owner, similarprinciples apply in respect ofdomain names. Third partiesunrelated to the owner of thewebsite could obtain registrationof a domain name whichis identical or similar to eithera domain name or trademarkbelonging to another party. Suchactivities are commonly referredto as ‘cyber squatting'.In addition to cyber squatting,there is also a risk of ‘phishing'.This is designed to steal identitieswhere users are deceivedinto disclosing personal datathrough websites, emails orphone calls. Where websitesare used, the domain names areoften similar to the legitimatewebsites, often incorporatingtrademarks belonging to thetrademark owner and informationfrom the legitimatewebsites.The end result is that the lookand feel of the deceptive websiteis similar to the legitimatewebsite. Once users are deceivedinto interacting on deceptivewebsites, personal informationis entered and disclosed into thesystem.E-commerce in the Middle East,including the United Arab Emirates,is growing rapidly. This isreflected in the increasing availabilityof Arabic domain namesin Saudi Arabia (.alsaudiah),UAE (.emarat), Egypt (.misr),Jordan (.alordon) and Palestine(.falasteen). The relevantauthorities in Saudi Arabia andthe UAE, SaudiNIC and .aeDA,are operating under the purviewof the Saudi Arabia Communicationand Information TechnologyCommission and UAE TelecommunicationsRegulatory Authority(TRA) respectively. TheUAE .aeda which regulates andoperates the .ae domain namesis also responsible for settingup and enforcing policies withregard to the operation of .aeccTLD. It also facilitates disputeson domain names.The choice of a domain nameoften takes into account owner-15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com27

ship of and reference to atrademark already in use.This is reflected in the generaleligibility criteria of the .aedomain name policy. Thepolicy states that the grant ofa domain name is not a grantfor any intellectual propertyrights which are proprietaryrights. Accordingly, the applicantfor the domain name hasto ensure they have the rightto use the domain name andthat it will not violate any 3rdparty intellectual propertyrights. Where the domainname sought is classified as‘restricted' such as ‘co.ae',‘net.ae', ‘org.ae', ‘sch.ae', ‘ac.ae', ‘gov.ae' and ‘mil.ae', thereis a positive requirement thatthe domain name should incorporateone of four criteria,a prior trademark registrationbeing one of them. Theexisting domain name policyrecognizes that trademarksare often taken into accountwhen domain names arechosen.The same principle is reflectedin the .aeDA dispute resolutionpolicy where recognitionis given to the proprietaryrights subsisting in a trademarkwhich, as mentioned, isnormally the element which abrand is built upon.The .aeDA policy mirrors theUniform Dispute ResolutionPolicy (UDRP) by ICANNwhere a third party, normallythe trademark owner, wouldraise certain grounds for hiscomplaint, for example suchas that the domain name isidentical or confusingly similarto his trademark in whichhe has rights, that the holderhas no rights or legitimateinterests in the name or thatthe name has been registeredand or used in bad faith.The .aeDA dispute resolutionpolicy provides instances ofwhat amounts to evidenceof registration or use in badfaith. For example where thedomain name holder securesthe name for the purposes ofselling, renting or transferringit to the trademark owner foran amount exceeding the costdirectly related to the name.The domain name is securedto prevent the trademarkowner from incorporating histrademark in a correspondingname.The domain name has beensecured primarily for thepurpose of disrupting thebusiness of a competitor, orwhere the domain name isused to divert users to thatwebsite by creating a likelihoodof confusion with thecomplainant's trademark interms of origins, affiliation orendorsement.The .aeDA dispute resolutionpolicy does not require thatthe complainant's trademarkbe registered. Howeverproof of registration of thetrademark in the UAE wouldbe cogent evidence of thecomplainant's proprietorshipin the trademark. This can beinferred from the evidencerequired of the domain nameholder where he may showhis organization is commonlyknown by the domain nameeven if he has not acquiredany rights in the trademarkwhich forms or is part of thedisputed domain name.Reference is made to adispute brought under theWIPO Arbitration and MediationCenter by the Abu DhabiFuture Energy Company PJSC,as the complainant against anindividual, John Pepin, in relationto the disputed domainnames masdarcity.com andmasdarcity.net. It was takeninto account by the panelthat both the registered andunregistered trademark rightsof the complainant whereregard was also had to thecommercial activities of thecomplainant upon which thetrademark MASDAR was usedin relation to. In particular,the panel held ‘A complainantmay assert unregisteredtrademark rights by showingthat the name has become adistinctive identifier associatedwith the complainantor its goods and services.Relevant evidence of such‘secondary meaning' mayinclude the nature and extentof advertising, consumer surveysand media recognition'.Given that the .aeDA disputeresolution policy is similar tothe UDRP, similar outcomescan be expected from similardisputes.The panel also made referenceto the common law trademarkrights, however, common lawis not applied in the UAE.It is suggested that a localpanel considers the statutoryprovisions under the CommercialTransaction Code whichprohibits unfair competitionwhere among others ‘a tradermay not disclose such mattersas are inconsistent with thereality regarding the origin ordescription of his goods, orany other matters pertainingto their nature'.. ‘nor may heresort to any other misleadingmeans, with the intentthereby to usurp the customersof a competitor trader;or else, he shall be liable forcompensation'.Trademark owners who havebuilt a brand around theirtrademarks are able to protectthese when used without authorizationby another partywithin the context of domainname registered or disputedin the UAE. However, organizationsshould ensure thattheir ‘house is in order' whenit comes to the administrationof domain names. In this way,your business can achieveeffective domain name governance.TNSNSignsBroadbandContractwithEVO.bgEVO Ltd, a leading regional InternetService Provider in Bulgaria,has started offering higherbandwidth and new, high-qualitydata services such as IPTV, to itscustomers. The service provider isupgrading its network to increasecapacity and provide improved services.Under a three-year contract,Nokia Siemens Networks is supplyingits Gigabit Passive OpticalNetwork (GPON) technology forthe upgrade.“Our goal is to improve the individualexperience and satisfactionof our subscribers by providingnew high-quality services, andincreasing network capacity,” saidRosen Velikov, CEO of EVO Ltd.Under the contract, Nokia SiemensNetworks is supplying the customerpremise equipment (CPE),providing EVO.bg subscribers theoption to connect Internet andIPTV as well as legacy telephoneservices simultaneously. NokiaSiemens Networks is also supplyingthe Optical Line TerminationUnit to consolidate all traffic fromthe CPEs and services such asinstallation and maintenance tothe Internet Service Provider forthe Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH)infrastructure. T28 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Women Gateway Portal gets Zain Bahrain supportAs part of its commitmentto supporting thestrengthening of women’scauses and initiatives, ZainBahrain has announced that itwill sponsor Bahrain BusinessWomen Society in thepopular women’s portal www.womengateway.com whichserves as an informationsearch engine that supportsthe women development inbusiness, social and health;and is a successful nationalproduct of Bahrain that woninternational and regionalawards for its contribution tothe empowerment of women;under the patronage of HRHPrincess Sabeeka bint EbrahimAl Khalifa, wife of HMKing Hamad and Chairpersonof the Supreme Council forWomen.This is the third consecutiveyear that Zain Bahrain issponsoring the portal whichpresents a positive pictureof Bahraini women and theirachievements to the world.“Women Gateway is doingpioneering work to disseminatenews of this great changein the perception of Bahrainiand Arab women to the worldin three languages; and ZainBahrain aims to contributetowards the cause taken upby HRH Princess Sabeekathrough this support.”Ghada Al Sayed the Head ofWomen Gateway and Boardmember of Bahrain BusinessWomen Society, praised theconsistent support of ZainBahrain and said the company’shelp went a long waytowards spreading the goodword about empowerment ofBahraini women.“Information is the currencyof the New Age and WomenGateway has been workingto depict the true picture ofBahraini women and theirachievements to the worldthrough a strong presence incyberspace. Zain Bahrain’ssupport is a great encouragementto us,” she said. "Informationis the currency of thenew age," she said.Company corporate communicationsmanager SamyaHussein said the pioneeringportal was providing news onperceptions of Bahraini andArab women to the world.She said Zain Bahrain aimedat contributing towards thecause through its support.These include offering addedvalue to society memberssuch as special Zain servicesand products, said Hussein.“Women in Bahrain are equalpartners in the task of nationbuildingand face modernchallenges and avail of advantagessuch as good educationand career opportunities,”Corporate CommunicationsManager Samya Hussein, said.“This year we will have addedvalue to the Bahrain BusinessWomen members suchas special Zain services andproducts that will be an addedfeature for them. We alsoaim to conduct social mediamanagement seminars at theirSociety to disseminate valuablemessages to the press.We will also be conductingTelecom Services Seminar atthe Society premises to addvalue to the message behindthis portal,” Samya Husseinadded.Zain Bahrain GM wins leadership recognitionMohammed Zainalabedin,general manager of telecomoperator Zain Bahrain, hasbeen selected by industry journalGlobal Telecoms Businessas a key industry trend-setterin the under-40 category.The prestigious list, whichtracks the most promisingexecutives around the world inthe global telecoms industry,has earlier featured Zainalabedinin 2009.He was commended for hisdynamism and his analyticalapproach to making ZainBahrain one of the technologyleaders in the region.“I am honoured and humbledby this inclusion in the circle of40 global telecoms executiveswho will change the industry inthe days ahead,” said Zainalabedin.“Much of the creditgoes to the Zain Group’s transparentand forward-thinkingleadership vision that drawsthe best from its managementteam.”“I would also like to credit mysuccess in no small measure tothe dynamism of Zain Bahrain’sstaff who has utilized the company’scutting-edge technologicaladvances to reposition thecompany as the key full-servicescompany in Bahrain, thanksto our innovative WiMAXservices,” he added.30 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Avoiding the slippery slopeHow GCC telecomoperators canimprove profitabilityEven though the worst of theglobal economic slowdownhas passed, telecom operatorsworldwide face a raft of challengesthat could impede theirpath to pre-recessionary growthlevels. With sky-high penetrationlevels in traditional businesses,operators no longer canassume steady revenue gains.Competition is heating up—notonly from other telecom operatorsbut also from new entrants,including Apple, Google, Skype,and Facebook. Meanwhile,consumers are becoming moredemanding and sophisticated,expecting operators to providean “all you can consume” Internetmodel via ubiquitous bandwidthand the latest services atlow flat rates.These trends are starting toemerge in the Gulf CooperationCouncil (GCC)1 region, withrevenue growth in the telecomsector slowing, competition rising,and consumers increasinglydemanding more services andbetter performance at reducedprices.The global operators hit hardestby these trends have undertakensubstantive measures to adaptstructurally to face these challenges.GCC operators also arestarting to respond to the trendsnow emerging in the regionthrough tactical, short-term costreductions. These moves willprove to be insufficient to mitigatethe full impact of the trendsaffecting the sector.By rigorously identifying andapplying relevant cost measures,telecom operators can positionthemselves to weather the ongoingindustry challenges and extractbenefits from leaner operations.There are three waves ofcost optimization that operatorsneed to consider: incrementalefficiency, process reengineering,and value chain restructuring.Deploying the right mix of theseinitiatives will enable operatorsto create—or sustain—value,out-perform their competitors,and secure their sustainability inchosen markets.Telecom operators face mountingpressuresTelecom operators worldwide areemerging from the global recession.At the same time, they arefacing increasing pressures onboth their top and bottom lines.In Europe, for example, revenuesof major incumbent operatorshave declined at a rate of 1.2percent annually over the pastfive years. Although revenuegrowth is still positive in theGCC region, it has begun to slowrecently. Average returns onassets have dropped by nearlyhalf over the past five years toHilal HalaouiChady SmayraLancelot Sursockapproximately 8 percent peryear, and appear headed toward5 percent, the level commonlyseen in saturated markets.Three key trends are convergingto pressure the profitabilityof the telecommunicationsmarket worldwide: stagnatinggrowth, increasing competitionand market fragmentation, andgrowing customer sophisticationand demand for services. Somemarkets, such as Europe and theU.S., are prone to all of thesepressures.The GCC region recently hasseen increases in competition32 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

and market fragmentation, aswell as a slowdown in growth.Based on the experiences inthe other more mature markets,it, too, will soon face addedpressure from consumers. Inresponse, operators will need toprepare for constrained growthand compensate by creatingleaner organizations.Stagnating GrowthThe global telecommunicationsmarket has been stagnatingas many markets approachtheir saturation point, a trendunderscored by high penetrationrates. In these markets, operatorsare experiencing slowing ordecreasing average revenues peruser (ARPU) and face the needto prepare for limited growthfrom traditional services (seeExhibit 1).The GCC has the highest mobilepenetration rate in the world,followed by Europe. Much ofthe reason for the high penetrationrates in the region is theabundance of customers whouse more than one SIM card; themulti-SIM factor exerts considerablepressure on revenues peruser, while pushing up costs.Still, regional telecom operatorsoverall continue to post revenuegains. However, the highpenetration rates show thatthe region is likely approachingsaturation levels, and revenuegrowth is slowing. In fiscal year2010, incumbent operators inSaudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar,and Bahrain began to experienceflat or decreasing revenuegrowth. As a result, operatorswill need to rely on efficiencygains rather than scale alone tomaintain their bottom lines.Increasing Competition andFragmentationGlobally, the increase in thenumber of operators has steadilyoutpaced that of market revenues.The number of telecomoperators has increased by 70percent since 2005, whereasindustry revenues increased byonly 45 percent over the sameperiod. Facility-based operatorshave grown by 6 percent peryear, while mobile virtual networkoperators (MVNOs) andInternet service providers havegrown at over 15 percent a year(see Exhibit 2).In addition, the emergence ofnontraditional competition fromthe likes of Google, Facebook,and Skype has put additionalpressure on industry pricing.Some nontraditional counterpartsnow offer free voice ormessaging services such as VoIP,video chat, and instant messagingto selected destinations.Some even offer ubiquitousonline phone numbers thatcould be used through multipledevices.The increasingly competitiveGCC telecom market appearsto be approaching the highfragmentation levels of someEuropean and North Americancountries. Saudi Arabia hasemerged as the most fragmentedmarket in the region (see Exhibit3). Fragmentation in regionaltelecom markets will likelyincrease as VNOs and brandedresellers proliferate across GCCmarkets. For example, in Oman,Friendi has been able to grab a4 percent share of the country’ssubscriber base in its first year.Increased fragmentation willlikely continue to strain profitability.Results from other highlyfragmented markets suggestthat incumbent operators’profitability will come underincreasing pressure—a one-toonelinear relationship betweenthe Herfindahl-Hirschman Index(HHI), which measures competitionwithin an industry, and theincumbent operators’ earningsbefore interest, taxes, depreciation,and amortization (EBITDA;see Exhibit 4).Sophistication of CustomerTastes and Expectations Changingconsumer trends is anotherarea in which GCC operators cansee the shape of what’s to come.In mature markets, the increasingsophistication of customers15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com33

coupled with new competitionfrom non- telecom players isratcheting up costs, as operatorsspend more to attract, acquire,serve, and retain customers.Depending on market maturity,telecom operators presently allocatebetween 5 and 10 percentof their operating expenses toattract customers; the moremature the market, the more itcosts to acquire a new customer.For some incumbents, subscriberacquisition costs have almostdoubled over the past five years,reaching six times monthlyARPU on average in Europecompared to around one timesthe monthly ARPU in emergingmarkets. In addition, operatorsare more likely to offer flatrate and converged packages tocustomers in mature markets—further crimping profits. As forretention, European operatorsredistribute up to 3 percent ofrevenues on retention effortssuch as loyalty programs. Theimplications are significant forGCC operators that will faceupward pressure on marketingexpenditures as their marketsreach maturity. These regionalincumbents will have to increasetheir marketing expendituresand, in turn, try to reduce manyother cost items both in absoluteand relative terms.In mature markets, operatorsmust also meet a marked rise inconsumer demand for ubiquitousaccess and bandwidth-hungryservices, which increases capitalexpenditure requirements—particularly on the fixednetwork side, with costs relatingto deploying fiber. In the U.S.,data traffic is nearly doublingevery year, and similar increasesin the GCC are likely to come.Booz & Company estimates thatthe number of fixed broadbandusers will double in the MENAregion within four years, whilethe number of mobile broadbandusers will increase an estimated10-fold over the same periodand exceed 100 million usersby 2014. Those rapid subscribergains indicate that regionaloperators will likely face thesame pressure to build up theirinfrastructure that operatorsin the U.S. and Europe experienced.Customer demand forubiquitous broadband dataaccess is prompting operatorsand governments to join forcesto deploy national broadbandnetworks—a costly project thatcould account for as much as 10times the EBITDA of an operator’snational business.A troubling trend from an operator’svantage point is that revenueis not increasing commensuratelywith data usage (seeExhibit 5). The limited revenueincrease for data usage indicatesthat customers do not pay moreas they use more bandwidth.What’s more, the decrease inbandwidth cost that will resultfrom the advent of LTE and fiberwill only partially compensatefor the increase in usage. Insome markets, the disconnectbetween usage and revenue ispressuring operators to abandonoffering unlimited data packages.For example, AT&T, O2 UK, andVodafone all have announcedshifts away from unlimited dataservice offerings toward tieredpricing, in which customers paymore for greater data usage.T-Mobile UK recently introduceda more stringent usage policy formobile data consumption. GCCoperators largely have not hadto abandon unlimited data packagesyet, but might soon haveto consider alternative plans asusage increases.Cost optimization: Riding threewaves to savingsRegional telecom operatorscan formulate a response tothese challenges by looking toglobal operators that have takenseveral steps to rein in costs.European incumbent operatorshave succeeded in bringingdown operating expenditure as apercentage of revenue by about2 percent per year over the pastdecade by engaging in a numberof cost optimization iterations.5For example, over the past decadeincumbent operators haveshed at least 15 percent and asmuch as 45 percent of their totalhead count, enabling productivityenhancements of approximately50 percent.In addition, operators havereduced capital expenditures:Ratios of CapEx to revenue havedecreased by one percentagepoint per year over the past fiveyears. Cuts in capital spendingon mobile operations have beenmore dramatic; operators haveslashed CapEx as a percentageof revenue by as much as 20 percentin markets such as Franceand the U.K. An increase in fixedline capital expenditures haspartially offset the drop in totalspending, driven by fiber andIPTV deployment in marketssuch as France and Portugal.Overall, operators have kept capitalspending in check throughsmarter procurement, scale efficiencies,group synergies, 6 andfocused deployment of fixed andmobile investments.This would be an ideal time forGCC operators to garner suchsavings, as they will likely haveto increase their spending oncustomer-facing areas, such asnew subscriber acquisition andretention incentives.34 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Fortunately, GCC operators havea lot of room for improvementin cost optimization. Becauserevenue growth has remainedstronger in the GCC than inother markets, regional operatorshave not focused on curbingexpenditures nearly as much ascounterparts in Europe and theU.S. Their efforts have mainlycentered on trimming budgetsand making limited head- countreductions. Most initiatives havebeen tactical and short term.Regional telecom operatorscan benefit by grouping costoptimization initiatives intothree waves. The first, incrementalefficiency, involves makinginformed decisions to reducecosts by shedding excessiveexpenditures through betterbudget allocation and use ofresources in ongoing activities.This usually yields rapid costreduction and helps maintaina healthy cost structure. The secondwave, process reengineering,is about changing the ways inwhich operators do their workand maximizing cross functionalefficiencies. Compared to Wave1, in which operators optimizespending in light of ongoingactivities, Wave 2 challenges theway operators run their businessand exposes new cost inefficienciesthat they can furtheroptimize. The final wave isvalue chain restructuring, whichencompasses sweeping initiativesthat redefine operators’business models to determineand reinforce their key capabilitiesand identify for divestmentthose activities that do not trulyreflect the business’s strengthsor long-term goals (see Exhibit6).These three waves are runconcurrently and iteratively, tostrike the needed balance amongthe choice of activities alongthe value chain, the processesin place, and the operationalefficiency and capital expenditureallocation. The applicationof the three waves is a virtuouscircle that allows operators to innovatecontinuously and expandtheir offerings while avoiding abuildup of layers of inefficientspending.In developed markets, operatorshave already embarked on costoptimization initiatives in allthree waves, trying to extract asmuch value as possible in termsof new revenues and lower costs,and thus improving the bottomline. GCC operators, however, areat earlier stages of this process,as they have yet to face thebrunt of the challenges facingthe industry worldwide. As aresult, they have only scratchedthe surface in terms of capturingincremental efficiencies and havenot ventured materially further.This means efforts to improvecost optimization can generatesignificant potential upside.Wave 1: incremental efficiencyThis wave of cost optimizationtakes a holistic view of the organization’scost structure, scouringall expenditure categories insearch of incremental efficienciesthat operators can extract. Itmainly focuses on the operator’srealized costs—i.e., those relatedto productivity and employeebehavior—by aligning incentivesand effecting tactical process improvementsto drive short-termperformance gains. By assessingresource productivity and capitalallocation, as well as returnon investment, operators canflag selected expenditures foroptimization, yielding benefitsover a period of about three to12 months.Such measures aim to optimizeusage or unit costs. In caseswhere there is no direct risk ofdisruption of business operations,these measures also cancap overall spending given expectedreturns. They can includechanges in incentives, commissionstructure optimization,inventory management, CapExprioritization, interconnectionand settlement rates review,head-count management, andvendor and contract management(see “Sourcing ManagementCan Reduce Spending”).The results can be impressive;incremental efficiency initiativescan decrease operating costs byas much as 5 percent.Some items on the financialstatements of GCC operators aresig- nificantly higher than thoseof their European counterparts.For example, while European operatorshave slashed general andadministrative expenses, GCCoperators have not; they spend25 percent more than Europeanoperators on such expenses relativeto revenues.Operators can accomplish manyshort-term measures in as fewas three months and rarelylonger than a year, dependingon the complexity of the initiative.Compared to the othertwo waves, optimizing a budgetor enhancing productivity are15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com35

simple to set as targets butmore difficult to implement. Ingeneral, the implementation ofthese initiatives requires closecoordination and monitoringacross different company sectors.Sourcing Management CanReduce Spending In an initiativethat spans Wave 1 and Wave 2,operators can achieve savingsof 11 to 16 percent on suppliercontracts, by better managingtheir contracts, materials, andother external spending. Thescope of these addressable costsvaries by operator, dependingon how much each operatorrelies on external providers andoutsourcing, but they typicallyexceed 25 percent of operatingexpenditures.To realize these savings, operatorsshould begin by addressingvendor and contract management.This can include consolidatingthe number of suppliers,reviewing the duration of contracts,and reducing the numberof specifications, all of whichstreamline vendor relationships.Operators with internationalfootprints can also negotiategroup-level contracts on highvolume purchases of networkspare parts and infrastructure,and commodity pricing on itemssuch as vouchers and SIM cards.These measures generally deliversavings on addressable costsof 5 to 10 percent in the shortrun. One mobile operator wasable to go beyond that average,recognizing savings of 12 percenton handsets and network OpExsourcing. To do so, it increasedcompetition among its suppliersby reviewing its vendorportfolio, introducing supplierscore cards to monitor vendors’performance, re-negotiating contracts,and introducing a biddingprocess.In conjunction, operators shouldkick off a full procurementtransformation, including areengineering of supply chainprocesses and procurementoperations, which can take up to18 months. At the operationallevel, operators can automateprocesses in procurement andpurchasing and more effectivelyintegrate suppliers with businessoperations. From a strategicperspective, operators canrationalize requirements and thesupply base, and ensure highspend visibility through effectivereporting. Adopting an electronicprocurement process, forinstance, can increase transparencyin spending, reduce cycletimes, lower transaction costs,and consolidate spending. Similarly,operators can recognizesignificant savings by standardizingworking specifications forstandard components as well ascontract terms. One internationaloperator has achieved morethan 15 percent in savings onaddressable spend by conductinga detailed assessment of itsexternal spend by organizationalunit, supplier, and type of spend,and rationalizing its specifications.Wave 2: process reengineeringThe next wave of cost optimizationinvolves changing theway a company operates. Thisconsiders systemic costs—i.e.,costs that are incurred bythe company’s processes andpolicies. Through reengineeringof policies, processes, andprocedures, Wave 2 initiativestypically generate savings withina year to 18 months through theimplementation of lean operations.Implementation requirestransformational activities ofselected functions, tacklingcross- functional opportunities.Such measures will transformthe way that some functions operate,and foster cross-functionalopportunities.One key example involvesfocusing on sourcing, an initiativethat can enable savings ofas much as 11 to 16 percent ofsupplier contracts (see “SourcingManagement Can ReduceSpending”). Operators with aglobal footprint can derive evengreater sourcing savings byleveraging group synergies.Moreover, operators can useanalytical marketing techniquesto segment their customer bases,allowing them to address specificneeds of customers, tailoringcustomer care and services suchas call routing, retention management,and fair usage policies.A deeper and more granularunderstanding of its customersallows the operator to deployresources more efficiently.Bad debt management isanother area where regionaloperators can improve efficiency(see “A Holistic Approach toManaging Bad Debt Levels”).This encompasses initiativesthroughout the customer lifecycle, from customer acquisitionto debt recovery. A segmentedapproach in which operatorsuse analytical marketing datato understand their customersand establish segmented policieswill allow them to create betterpolicies for credit limits, billingcycles, and payment notification.These steps can rapidly reducebad debt expenses to well under1 percent of postpaid revenues.The use of electronic channels—such as paperless billing andprepaid top-ups—can also enableoperators to reduce their operatingexpenses.Regional operators that haveintroduced electronic prepaidtop-ups have realized savingsof as much as 1 percent ofcorresponding sales on plasticrecharges. Introducing paperlessbilling to businesses and governmentagencies also can rapidly36 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

yield sizable savings.Wave 3: Restructuring the valuechainBeyond the short- and mediumterminitiatives, operators canbenefit from restructuring theirvalue chain. Whereas the previouswaves change how operatorsgo about their business, thiswave fundamentally changeswhat it is that they do by reconsideringstructural and inherentcosts—i.e., those generated bythe company’s chosen businessmodels and its overall scope ofoperations. Operators will beprimed to pick their fights alongthe value chain, maximizing themonetization of investmentsin retained operations whiledivesting those activities that donot truly reflect the business’sstrengths or long-term goals. Inthis wave, operators can realizecost improvements by focusingon a number of important areas.Although there are many initiativesthat operators can tackle inWave 3, the most pressing areastoday include capabilities-drivenoutsourcing, fixed–mobile integration,network-sharing models,and virtual network enabling(VNE) partnerships.Capabilities-Driven OutsourcingTelecom operators typically haveoutsourced non-core activities—sup- port functions such asinformation technology, humanresource management, payroll,collection, and logistics. Asindustries mature, such functionsbecome commodities thatare difficult to differentiate fromthe offerings of competitors. Inthis regard, telecom operatorscan also benefit from outsourcingcore telecom activities thatare not part of their differentiatedset of capabilities—the keystrengths that set the companyapart from its rivals. This wouldenable the business to focuson the activities that supportits “right to win” or its abilityto compete with confidenceand create value. Every operatormust define its strategy andthen align its products and serviceswith that strategy in orderto outperform the competition.Telecom operators then canoutsource selected componentsof the value chain not integralto their strategic focus—areassuch as network operationalfunctions, including planning;and select customer-facing functions,including sales, customercare, and billing. Some regionalcompanies have already begunto outsource some core telecomactivities. For example, a fewregional operators have spun offtheir call centers into standaloneentities, or are consideringtaking such actions.The financial upside from outsourcingwill vary depending onmarket conditions. However, theoutsourcer can expect to deriveefficiency gains of at least 10 to15 percent from process optimization,and as much as 15 to20 percent due to economies ofscale. Outsourcers with offshorecapabilities can derive furthersavings on labor arbitrage, butthis will entail removing theentire function—and underlyingjobs—from the country.Fixed–Mobile IntegrationIncumbent operators typicallyintegrate fixed and mobiletechnology when they migrate tonext-generation networks, whichaffords opportunities to identifyand capture synergies. Integratingtechnology on fixed andmobile systems typically generatesthe most savings—morethan half of total integrationsavings—and leads to EBITDAimprovement of 7 percent to 11percent. Operators can also realizesynergies in their fixed andmobile platforms in areas suchas customer care, sales outletrationalization through a shift toone-stop-shopping stores, andmarketing and product development.These savings could leadto EBITDA improvement in the 2to 3 percent range over the longrun. Finally, product developmentand marketing integrationwith loyalty programs can yieldcost and revenue synergiesthrough converged offerings,which can enable operators toreduce customer churn and helpthem gain market share.Network SharingRegional operators can usenetwork sharing to enhancetheir mobile infrastructure andmonetize their asset base. Potentialnetwork-sharing models15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com37

include spinning off entitiesand transferring ownership ofpassive or active infrastructureinvestments.Such moves would enable operatorsto benefit directly from theeconomies of scale generatedfrom pooling infra- structure.It also would enable them toconcentrate and invest in otherareas, such as new technologiesor services. Several GCCcountries have already begunimplementing models that wouldencourage operators to engage inwide-scale network infra- structuresharing.7 These include thedeployment of national broadbandnetworks that would beavailable for use to all operators,as well as the establishment ofseparate companies to managetowers and passive infra- structure.Operators not currentlyinvolved in one of these initiativescan engage regulators indialogue to secure subsidies forthe creation of a stand-aloneentity.Virtual Network Enabling PartnershipsRegional facility-based operatorscan enhance their assetsand capture economies of scaleby setting up vir- tual networks.Some regional operators areestablishing virtual networksfor mobile, and more recently,fixed voice and data, to targetcustomer segments outside oftheir focus. In essence, theseoperators are leveraging theexpertise of an outsider, or a virtualnetwork operator, to offerser- vice to a targeted customersegment.Partnership models can addressinfrastructure, innovation, andmarketing and sales. For example,operators can forge partnershipswith retailers that haveproven abilities to serve specificcustomer segments such as smalland medium-sized enterprises(SMEs).There are two key benefits ofvirtual networks. First, theycapture additional businessopportunities through the valuethey add to operations. In addition,these network partnershipsmaximize the utilization of fixedassets, providing the operatorwith the opportunity to leverageor derive scale from its existinginvestments.Managing RedundanciesAll of the structural initiativesinevitably will create headcountredundancies. Traditionalmethods that operators rely onto deal with this issue—earlyretirement, outplacement, andlayoffs—may prove difficult regionallyfor a variety of reasons,ranging from labor laws to theneed to preserve public imageand create jobs, especially foryoung nationals.One possible solution to copeeffectively with redundancies isto make use of a special employmententity (SEE), a separateunit created for excess stafffor a given period of time (see“Case Study: DT Creates Viventoto Handle Staff Surplus”). SEEscarry out operational activitiesand support the transition ofredundant employees into productivesectors. SEEs pro- videemployees with opportunitiesto develop their skills througha wide variety of academic andvocational training initiatives.This structure could result in afive-fold increase in attritionand an opportunity to monetizeredundant employees. It also allowsoperators to focus on theircore operations and performanceas cost of excess staff away fromtheir balance sheets.CONCLUSIONTelecom operators throughoutthe GCC region have generallysustained strong results in recentyears, but they are not immuneto the global threats that areexerting pressure on the sector’sprofitability and shareholder returns.With sky-high penetrationrates, the advent of increasedcompe- tition, and the growingsophistication of consumerswho are demanding more, GCCoperators are beginning to feelthe strains that have slowed toa crawl the industry’s growth inother regions of the world.So far, regional operators havefocused on only short-termand limited cost optimizationefforts in order to rein in costs.The benefit of implementingall-encompassing cost optimizationinitiatives is promising (seeExhibit 8). Short- to mediumterminitiatives—i.e., sourcingimprovement and head-countmanagement (which incorporateoptimized IT, network, and market-facing operations), accesscharges, and bad debt management—canhave a marked impacton the bottom line. Employeereduction measures such astargeted early retirement programswould also help operatorsimprove their results.Long-term structural initiativeslikewise can help boost profitabilityand enable operators tofocus on their core capabilities,helping them to differentiatetheir business model and succeed.The initiatives with thehighest potential include fixed–mobile integration on the technologyside, outsourcing of bothnon-core and non-differentiatingcore services, and redundancymanagement measures such asthe SEE.GCC telecom operators shouldact now, before markets fullysaturate and further fragment,to implement the optimizationinitiatives that will allow themboth to streamline their operationsand position themselvesfor future growth.38 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Akram AsadSTC and Googleenter a new digital partnershipfor the first time in the Middle East, YouTube on Interactive Televion (Invision)Saudi Telecom Company andGoogle have entered into anew digital partnership.STC and Google Saudi Arabiaheld a joint press conferencein the STC Executive Club atSTC HQ in the King AbdulazizTelecommunications Complexin Riyadh on the occasion oflaunching the YouTube Invisionservice. The event wasattended by Mr. Jameel binAbdullah Al Molhem STC CEOin Saudi Arabia, Eng. Maziadbin Nasser Al Harbi VicePresident Home Sector, Mr.Arimr Kesisoqlu Director ofGoogle Middle East and NorthAfrica, and Mr. AbdulrahmanTarabzouni Country Managerof Google Saudi Arabia, in additionto journalists representingvarious media houses andchannels..The conference opened with avisual demonstration showcasingthe applications of theYouTube service which hasbeen launched including detailson the features and benefit ofthe service and how to accessit, in addition to the othercustomer benefits that will begained from this new service.The demonstration alsoincluded key features of theInvision service which set fortha qualitative leap in the Saudihome and changed the conceptof TV viewing, being the firstin its kind that provides customerswith television viewing,call services and access to theinternet using a modern andinnovative approach that hasradically changed the conceptof television viewing.Jameel Al Molhem explainedthat YouTube Invision is anew and unique service inthe Middle East that allowsfor the first time, customerssubscribing to the AdvancedInteractive Television Service(Invision) to view and searchfor videos on YouTube on theinternet by using the televisionscreen at home and for freeand without having to use thesearch engines or visit or logonsites and forums. He addedthat the provision of thisservice comes as an affirmationto the company's interest in itscustomers and its keenness tosatisfy their desires by providethem with the best integratedservices that meet those offeredby the leading telecommunicationscompanies in theworld. This step also comes toreinforce the Company's effortsin upgrading and developingInvision service by enrichingits content with more uniquebundles of modern servicesthat have never been launchedbefore in the market.Al Molhem confirmed that thecompany will continue developingand upgrading Invisionservice by enriching its contentwith the best and latest servicesthat go hand in hand withthe wishes of various customers,meeting their ambitionsin getting the best viewershipand accessing the internet usinga new and modern conceptand approach. In his speechhe highlighted the fact that thedevelopmental steps for Invisionare part of the Company'sambitious plans in responseto the customers' wishes andmeeting the increasing demandon the service following itsgreat success in acquiring highlevels of customer satisfaction.This service is uniquein presenting various featuresthat enable the viewer to notmiss any program in additionto being unique in providing allthe encrypted channels usinga single Invision device. Headded that the next periodwill witness the launch ofnew modern services such ase-learning, e-shopping whichenable customers to performtheir purchases and have theirpurchases delivered straightto their home, in addition toother services. He revealedthat the Company is launchinga few surprises during themonth of Ramadan uniquelyfor these customers.Al-Molhem indicated thatInvision service, with itsmany features and as a newlydeveloped service introducedby the largest telecommunicationscompanies in the worldwill contribute to the imple-Contd. on page 4015Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com39

STC continues to providethe best services and mostunique offers to its customers.An example of this is the newlylaunched 5th savings key, the“Student Key.” This new savingskey joins STC’s innovative savingkeys comprising 4 innovativesaving keys launched bySTC (Nadeek, Friends, International,and SMS key) makingit’s the 5th and newest additionto the family.The new innovative key exemptsthe customer from anymonthly fee for any of the postpaid packages. A new pricingstructure of SR .20 for all voiceContd. from page 39menting the concept of thenew digital media enabling allusers to access all its applicationswith high quality andefficiency. This is due to thefact that the STC owns both areliable and efficient networkthat guarantees high internetspeeds to ensure the transmissionof video and image data.The Company also providesintegrated solutions of smartdevices and tablets which areconsidered the cornerstone forsocial networking.He said that STC is planningto invest in the fiber opticsnetwork explaining that50,000 homes are connectedto the internet via the fiberwith projections that thisnumber will double by theend of 2011. This service willallow speeds ranging betweenSTC offers freecalls for topstudentscalls, SR .10 for SMS, 30% discounton the 500 mb internetpackage and a 10% discount onmonthly fees for the blackberrypackage, in addition to 50%discount on the Nadeek Key.Furthermore, the “Student’ keyprovides special offers uponactivation for the first monthto include 100 minutes of freevoice calls within the network,100 free SMS on the network,100 free MMS on the network,and 100 megabyte of free usageon the internet.Outstanding students that havebeen accustomed to receivingrewards and gifts from theirSTC and Google enter a new digital partnership100-200 mega and will hit 1giga in the future. He addedthat the Company is aiming toreach this target in the nextfew years by investing in thesenetworks that currently coverthe main cities such as Riyadh,Jeddah, Dammam, Jubail, andAl Ahsa. The Company aimsat expanding this service tocover many other cities and villagesbeing the only integratedtelecommunications providerin the Kingdom currently transmitting90% of total internettraffic through its network.From his end, Mr. Arimr Kesisoqlusaid "More than 100million Arabs logon to theYouTube network every day,and about 11 million users goonline at an average of 136minutes per day representing40% of the Kingdom's population.These users can nowenjoy YouTube's visual contentvia new technologies that noone has beat us to before."He added, "We intend todeepen our relations with STCand believe that together, wecan make a difference in theKingdom in a way that customerscan feel this change andsee the value of the exclusivefeatures introduced to them."Abdurrahman Tarabzouni saidthat YouTube Invision servicewill create a quality leap asa first of its kind service thatwill enable Invision customersto enjoy the best searchexperience and go directly onthe web and look through allthe available video files on theYouTube library while watchingand downloading any typeof video files that they requireTeletimes Reportfamilies during the end of eachscholastic year can now benefitfrom this first time initiative inthe region, where STC is givingan end of school year gift tostudents in the form of freecalls within the network for aperiod of one month as well asSMS for a period of one monthon the network.For activation of the “Student”key, the subscriber’s numberneeds to be post paid or upgradedin the case of SAWA orLANA lines and then activated.Information is received bysending an SMS containing thenumber 4000 to 902 or by contacting902 directly or visitingone of the STC Sales Offices.The “Student” Key fees aresimilar to the other saving keysof SR 12 per key. In additionto offering a special discounton the monthly subscriptionfee to “Nadeek” Key whichgives football fans subscribingin it an SR .20 for SMS andMMS and video calls among allsubscribers in the savings Key.In addition to that, the Keygives 20 free SMS and 20 freeMMS during each game of thesubscriber’s favorite footballclub as well as the importantnews pertinent to the club. Twhether movies, televisionseries, or any other dramatitles for free and at anytimethey wish with high speedand quality. He added thatGoogle Saudi Arabia's cooperationwith STC, the leadingtelecommunications provider,will reflect positively on theCompany's customers whileat the same time he praisedSTC's role in dedicating all itscapabilities and resources toprovide unique services thatmeet the desires of their customersthat is also matches theimage of the best and largesttelecommunications operatorin the region. He indicatedthat Google is the most importantand fastest search engineand is the most accessed byinternet users.T40 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Etihad Rail, du join handsfor strategic collaborationEtihad Rail, the master developerand operator of theUAE’s national railway network,has signed a strategic‘Memorandum of Understanding’with du to foster mutualcollaboration between the twocompanies.As a result of the agreement,du will provide its consultationand technical know-howon telecom solutions therebyboosting Etihad Rail’s overallintegrated communications solutionsand at the same timeenhance du’s reach across theUAE to remote areas.The MoU, was signed betweenRichard Bowker, CEO of EtihadRail, and Osman Sultan, CEOof du, in a special ceremonyheld at du headquarters in thepresence of executive managementmembers from the twoorganisations.This partnership will enableEtihad Rail to benefit fromdu’s expertise in telecommunicationsservices, whiledu will make use of the newrailway infrastructure to magnifyits growing network andcustomer base in the UAE -serving both communities andbusinesses - particularly in theWestern and Northern partsof the UAE.Commenting on the collaboration,CEO of Etihad Rail, RichardBowker, said, “du exhibitsexceptional competence indelivering high-speed, fullyintegrated telecommunicationssolutions effectively andefficiently. Etihad Rail aimsto provide its customers andequip its network with a telecommunicationsinfrastructurewith such qualities.”Commenting on the deal, OsmanSultan, CEO of du said:“We are delighted to sign thisagreement with Etihad Rail.We see a lot of synergy in thiscollaboration; while EtihadRail gets to benefit by leveragingour telecom expertiseand utilising our extensiveportfolio of fixed and mobileservices, we would benefitfrom getting access to theirinfrastructure.Our intention is to grow thispartnership to ensure commongood - for our customers aswell as theirs.” TDu, Verizon ink data services dealDu, the UAE’s integratedtelecom service provider,has signed a services agreementwith the US-based Verizonto offer a comprehensivesuite of managed services inthe country. The services to beoffered to Dubai-based globalenterprise customers includePrivate Internet Protocol(PIP), Ethernet Private LineService (EPL) and EthernetVirtual Private Line service(EVPL).The agreement will give du accessto Verizon’s global PrivateIP network enabling du tooffer large business customersin the region a complete suiteof enterprise IP, Ethernetand data services. “Today, alllarge businesses, especially inthe region, have a myriad ofglobal communication needs,”said Farid Faraidooni, duchief commercial officer. 'Ourstrategic visionary agreementwith Verizon will provide astrong and diversified reachto all Verizon global PrivateIP network locations usingMulti-Protocol Label Switchingtechnology.''Those locations include theUS, Europe, the Asia-Pacificregion and several others,which gives our customers atruly global network they canrely on. With this partnership,our business customers willgain enhanced end-to-end coveragefor their current GlobalIP VPN and Global Ethernetproduct,' he explained.The deal is set to providemany industry leading capabilitiesand reliability includinghigh speed user connectivityin major markets, 60+ EthernetAccess Partners, eight-waymesh diversity on trans-Atlanticand trans-Pacific routesand more direct routes withlower latency including directconnectivity from Dubai to theUS and Europe.Du had first launched its GlobalMPLS and Ethernet servicesa year ago in partnership withother service providers.Clive Batchelor, Verizon GlobalWholesale Services regionaldevelopment executive for theMiddle East, and Africa, said,'The agreement gives Verizonthe opportunity to be thepreferred service provider forUS and Europe-based connectivityfor du customers.''We also will offer du multipleclasses of service supportingthe ’Global Class of Service’initiative which Verizon isknown for around the world,'he added. The Verizon globalPrivate IP network consistsof more than 852 edge routerswith service to over 130countries and territories. Ithas three Private IP nodes inthe UAE and provides multinationalcustomers Private IPcapabilities across the MiddleEast. Verizon also participatesin more than 80 submarine cablenetworks around the worldincluding the recently activatedEurope India Gatewaycable system, SEA-ME-WE4and SEA-ME-WE3 (SoutheastAsia-Middle East-WesternEurope), said Batchelor. T42 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

du celebrated the graduation of 120 studentsfrom the first season of its Life Skills programAs part of its initiative tofurther enhance the careerprospects of UAE Nationals,du celebrated the graduationof 120 students from the firstseason of its one-of-a-kind LifeSkills program at their Al SalamTower premises.The Life Skills program is part ofdu’s Corporate Social Responsibility,with the participatingacademic organizations beingasked to nominate studentsenrolled in the graduating yearat their institution to take partin the course. There is no obligationfor the students to join orapply to work at du on completion,as the aim of the LifeSkills program is to play a partin nurturing essential careerskills in young UAE Nationals,allowing them to better presentthemselves as competentprofessionals and thereby givingthem the best start possible intheir careers.Present at the event was du’sChief Human Resources andShared Services Officer, FahadAl Hassawi, along with YaserObaid, VP Human Resources,du and Jamal Khalifa Lootah,Senior Director NationalRecruitment & Development, duwho handed certificates to thegraduating students and felicitatedthe academic and trainingpartners who made the programpossible.Accepting awards on behalfof their academic institutionswere Dr Peter Heath, Chancellor,American University ofSharjah; Dr Ali Dawood, KhalifaUniversity of Science, Technologyand Research (KUSTAR)Assistant Director – SharjahCampus; Ahmed Sharif, DubaiMen’s College Chair-Corporate/Public Relations and StudentDevelopment; Professor ReneeEverett, Associate Dean, ZayedUniversity and Rabia Bekhazi,Dubai Women’s College.Commenting on the graduation,Mr Al Hassawi said, “Wewould like to extend our sincerecongratulations to the studentswho have successfully completedour inaugural Life Skillsprogram, and offer our thanksto the education partners whoworked with us to bring thisseries of courses into being. Aspart of our Corporate Social Responsibilityinitiative, this LifeSkills program has given today’sgraduates essential skills tohelp them with finding, retaining,and making a difference attheir first job. This program isa reflection of our commitmenttowards developing our Emiratiyouth, in whom we have greathopes and aspirations.”The goals of this program areto develop awareness of businessaims and expectations,to make students prepared forconversations with businessand human resource managers,to help them becomeknowledgeable about what isrequired for getting their firstjob. With these intentions inmind, du conducted the trainingprograms on their premises atAl Salam Tower, Dubai InternetCity, on Saturdays throughoutthe months of April, May andJune, prior to the participatingstudents’ graduation dates fromuniversity.A total of 12 courses werepresented as part of the LifeSkills program, focusing on avariety of topics including InterpersonalSkills, Preparation as aJob Seeker, Think on Your Feet,Power Reading Skills, BusinessWriting for Professionals, BusinessEtiquette, Problem Solvingand Decision Making, InterviewTechniques, Settling into aJob, Effective Team Working,Communication at the Workplaceand Succeeding at JobSearch and Job Interviewing.Through their choice of four ofthe above-mentioned courses,students were able to graduatewith a crucial set of skills to aidthem in their careers.du’s efforts to improve uponEmiratisation levels within theirorganization have been notable,especially through their Masargraduate training programwhich aims to equip young nationalswith the skill-sets theywill require for a career with du,and through the opening of a100% Emirati-run call center inFujairah.The ceremony was attendedby du’s academic and trainingpartners, including ABAMIConsultancy and Training,Executive Skills Training,International House Dubai andPROTRAINING. T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com43

Chairman PTA inauguratesP@SHA PKR. 20 millionSocial Innovation FundChairman Pakistan TelecommunicationAuthority (PTA)Dr. Mohammed Yaseen hasinaugurated “Social InnovativeFund” of PKR. 20 millions of thePakistan Software Houses Association(P@SHA) for IT & ITES.Inaugural ceremony of the eventwas held at PTA Headquarters,Islamabad, which was attendedby Member (Technical) PTA,Dr. Khawar Siddique Khokhar,Member Finance (acting), Mr.Shabbir Ahmed, Ms. Jehan Ara,President of P@SHA, Mr.BadarKhushnood, Country Consultantfor Google, MD PSEB Mr.ZiaImran and other senior officersof the Authority.During the address, ChairmanPTA, Dr. Mohammed Yaseencongratulated P@SHA team onthe announcement of “Social InnovationFund”. Chairman saidthat “In modern theory, ‘Diffusionof Innovations’ is a keypath to spread new technologiesfor the development of modernsocieties. He said that, in oursociety Information & CommunicationTechnologies (ICTs) canhave a positive impact on markets,thus driving innovation.He said that the future of ICTsare likely to evolve twofold inthe shape of internet, where everydayobjects can make onlinecommunication for dynamicallyexchanging resources, applications,services and knowledge.Chairman said, I strongly believethat this fund will assist a lot inexploring the innovation in oursociety.” Objectives of this fundis a new beginning of reapingthe associated business, entrepreneurshipand social benefitsof this exponential ICT infrastructureof Pakistan, Chairmanfurther added.Talking on the occasion, Ms.Jehan Ara, President of P@SHA. said that “We are certainthat we will be able to get somecreative juices flowing, spark thebeginnings of a few unique solutions,finance some great ideasand provide mentoring to youngpeople who have the passion,the talent and the motivationto make a social impact on oursociety”.She said that Young people haveinnovative ideas and are ableto identify and drive solutionsthat can tackle urgent social andcommunity challenges. All theyneed is for someone to workwith them to fine-tune andthrash out the ideas and a limitedamount of capital to get theideas off the ground. She saidthe initial seed money for thisFund has been provided to P@SHA by Google Inc in the formof a grant. As the Fund provesits worth, there is a likelihoodof more organizations will addinto it. She also appreciated theefforts of PTA in developing ICTmarket in Pakistan and providingsupport towards the launchof this fund.Addressing the ceremony BadarKhushnood, Country Consultantfor Google in Pakistan said thatthe grant was to support socialentrepreneurship and innovationand was a natural follow-up tothe US$1 million that Googlehad provided Pakistan as part ofthe flood relief effort. T44 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

CommScope to supply HydrogenFuel Cell Solution to SCTEFirst leading cable industry organization to useCompany’s Alternative-Energy SolutionCommScope Inc., a globalleader in infrastructure solutionsfor communications networks,will supply its hydrogenfuel cell solution to the Societyof Cable TelecommunicationsEngineers (SCTE) as a backuppower solution.CommScope’s hydrogen fuel cellsolution will provide 64 hours ofbackup power to the data centerin SCTE’s headquarters in Exton,PA. This will mark the first timea leading cable industry organizationis scheduled to deployCommScope’s alternative-energysolution. The hydrogen fuel cellsolution is the second alternative-energyproject the SCTE hasinvested in since 48 solar panelswere installed on the headquarters’roof in August 2010.“The trend is underway withinthe cable industry to find innovativeways to improve thereliability and environmentalimpact of backup power solutions,”said Jim Hughes, seniorvice president, BroadbandSales, CommScope. “The SCTE isshowing the industry that costeffective‘green’ energy can be areliable solution. This will be thefirst time that solar technologywill link with CommScope’shydrogen fuel cell solution. Weare honored that this solutionwill be used to provide the SCTEwith backup power that it willneed in the case of an emergency.”CommScope’s hydrogen fuel cellsolution uses hydrogen-poweredfuel cells to provide an environmentally-friendlyDC backuppower solution for cable networkhead-ends and hub equipment.Unlike diesel generators,the only by-products of hydrogenfuel cells are heat and water.The proton exchange membranehydrogen fuel cells are housedinside an environmentally securecabinet for outdoor deployment,and offer a smaller footprint andmore dense power backup thanwhat is on the market today.“Our Smart Energy ManagementInitiative is focused onthe twin goals of sustainableenergy management and poweravailability,” said Mark Dzuban,president and chief executiveofficer, SCTE. “By incorporatingfuel cell technology into ourinfrastructure, CommScope ishelping SCTE to take a leadershiprole in demonstratinghow cable can power hardenedbusiness- and enterprise-classservices in an environmentallyfriendlymanner.”CommScope’s hydrogen fuel cellsolution is currently being installedat the SCTE’s headquartersand is expected to be operationalnext month. The SCTEalso plans to unveil its newestalternative energy investmentduring its annual board meetingon July 2011. TOrange Jordanresurrects Push-to-Talk serviceOrange Jordan will introduce thePush-to-Talk (PTT) service, expectingthe technology to attracts tens ofthousands of users from the country'scorporate and establishments. The technologyenables users to communicatethrough one-to-one or one-to-many callswith a push of a button, Orange Jordan'sChief Executive Officer Nayla Khawamsaid at a meeting. The service, whichis provided through the company's 2Gand 3G networks, covers 99 per cent ofthe country's populated areas, Khawamindicated."The service is beneficial for entitiesthat need to communicate with one ora group of their employees located indifferent parts in the country simultaneouslyand quickly," she explained.The service was first introduced in theJordanian market in 2004 by XPressTelecommunications. However, thecompany stopped the service after goingthrough financial difficulties, accordingto an expert in the sector, who said theusers of the service introduced by XPressTelecommunications was estimated at70,000 to 80,000.15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com45

Akram AsadMobily sees tower deal with STC by year endTelecoms carrier Mobilyaims to conclude a towersharingdeal with Saudi TelecomCompany (STC) by the end of2011, Mobily's chief executivesaid.Such an agreement would bea first for the Gulf region andwill allow the carriers to cutnetwork maintenance costs inSaudi Arabia, which is morethan twice the size of Franceand Germany combined. "We'retrying to conclude this year,"said Khaled al-Kaf, Mobilychief executive, when asked ifSTC and Mobily would agreea tower-sharing deal. "We'reboth anxious to complete thedeal."The duo's towers would likelybe spun off into a separatecompany, with Mobily andformer monopoly STC becomingtenants, Kaf said. Thirdcarrier Zain Saudi could laterIn compliance with theGCC Regulation, KuwaitTelecommunications CompanyVIVA, is introducing its new2011 roaming rates for customerstraveling to any GCCdestination. The new rates becameeffective from first weekof July, 2011.On the new roaming rates,VIVA has always aimed atproviding its customers withthe most efficient services,and will continue to aim atoffering customers new andcompetitive promotions, productsand services that willbenefit them most.Along with VIVA's existingjoin. "We would welcome otheroperators, either as a partner ora customer, (but) for the timebeing it's between us and STC,"Kaf said in an interview.STC operates around 11,000towers, and Mobily, an affiliateof the UAE's Etisalat , hasabout 7,500. The twocarriers, which togetheraccount for more than80 percent of Saudi'smobile subscribers,have yet to decide onwhether the deal willbe a 50-50 partnership.Sharing infrastructureallows operators to cutcapital and operatingcosts. Mobily, which launchedservices in 2005, posted a 40percent increase in first-quarternet profit, while 2010 full-yearprofit rose by the same margin."Mobily will stay a doubledigitgrowth company for someroaming service, customerstraveling to any of theGCC destinations will havethe ability to use their linewith lower roaming ratesusing VIVA. Customers canmake and receive local andinternational calls as well astime," said Kaf. Data accountedfor 20 percent of Mobily's revenuesin the first quarter andKaf forecast this would rise."We are looking at somethingin the low 20s (percent)by the end of the year," hesaid. "There's huge growthfrom data." Rising consumeradoption of smart phones andtablets are helping fuel thisgrowth, while Mobily aimsto roll out an LTE -- or 4G-- network in 30 cities in thethird quarter, Kaf said. LTEVIVA introduced its new 2011 roaming rates forcustomers aveling to any GCC destinationsend and receive SMS textmessages, divert their calls toany other number and use theMissed Calls Alert Plus. Withdata roamingservice,customers cancheck e-mail,read news,view content,send and receiveMMS anduse all dataservices. Whenmobile phonesare switchedon, it will automatically findan operator and customerscan begin using their deviceswas designed primarily to carrydata, rather than voice, andoffers download speeds morethan double that of 3G."We didn't want to invest inupgrading to 3.5G," said Kaf.LTE phone handsets are yetto hit the market, so initialdemand will likely come frommobile broadband users. Mobilyhas an estimated 52 percentshare of Saudi Arabia's broadbandmarket. Kaf welcomed thedecision by Gulf regulators tocut intra-region roaming ratesby 30 percent from July. "Thiswill bring a good elasticity ofusage -- I see growth in trafficand it will also increase revenues,"he said."Roaming rates were a little bithigh, and we should be moreaggressive on this. That valuewill be recognised by the customers,and that will generateprofits." Timmediately.Customers are encouragedto take the opportunityto enjoy VIVA's extensivenetwork of internationalroaming partners and stayin touch with friends, familyor colleagues. Customers canmake and receive calls, SMStext messages and use any ofVIVA's services in up to 170countries with more than 400roaming partners. VIVA alsomakes it possible for customerswho own devices withdata services with more than215 operators in 115 countriessupporting broadband dataservices. T46 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

PCCW Globaland Tinet bridge Ethernet servicesOffering seamless Ethernet international connectivityPCCW Global Limited, asubsidiary of Hong Kong’spremier telecommunicationsprovider, PCCW Limited,and Tinet, a Neutral Tandemcompany and a global carrierfocusing on the IP and Ethernetwholesale markets, havebridged their Ethernet servicesfor improved network coverageand service availability.PCCW Global and Tinet willcollaborate to provide globalEthernet services to meettheir customers’ demands forhigh quality and cost-effectiveinternational connectivity connectingmore than 70 countriesworldwide. The two operatorswill complement eachother’s Ethernet capabilitiesin providing customers with aseamless experience especiallynow TV and Warner Bros. InternationalBranded Servicesannounced that the popularWarnerTV linear channel hasbecome available to Hong Kongtelevision audience. The 24-hourgeneral entertainment network,featuring hit TV series and moviesselected from the WarnerBros. Entertainment studiospecifically for Asian audiences,will be carried on now TV’schannel 530. A majority of theseries offered on WarnerTV willbe broadcast premieres in HongKong, including the sexy newdrama series NIKITA starringMaggie Q; season five of TheCloser starring Emmy® winnerKyra Sedgwick; the third seasonof the blockbuster hit comedyThe Big Bang Theory starringJohnny Galecki, Emmy® winnerMarc Halbfingerfor connectivity in Asia, Europeand the Americas.This first cooperation betweenPCCW Global and Tinet willcombine PCCW Global’s expertisein international connectivitywith Tinet’s internationalEthernet presence.Mr. Marc Halbfinger, PCCWPaolo SusnikGlobal’s Chief Executive Officer,said, “Tinet owns oneof the most sophisticatedEthernet networks in Europeand an expanded coverage inthe Americas. This collaborationwill further enhance ourEthernet service coverage andadd to our extensive portfolioJim Parsons and Kaley Cuoco;as well as up-and-coming teenfavorite drama Pretty LittleLiars, which is adapted fromSara Shepard’s bestselling eightbookseries. Feature films onWarnerTV include The Lord ofthe Rings trilogy, the Harry Potterfranchise, The Dark Knight,Wedding Crashers, Rush Hourand more.WarnerTV is modeled afterWarner Bros.’ highly successfulWarner Channel in Latin America.Developed, programmedand scheduled by Warner Bros.International Branded Services,WarnerTV is distributed exclusivelyin the region by HBO Asia.Mr. Malcolm Dudley-Smith,Warner Bros. InternationalBranded Services’ Executive VicePresident – Business Management,said, “Hong Kong is animportant market for us in theWarnerTV Asia Pacific rolloutstrategy as we expand our presenceinto the region, and we areextremely excited to have nowTV in Hong Kong as our strategicpartner here.”Andrea Daganof integrated global communicationssolutions.”Tinet’s Chief Executive Officer,Mr. Paolo Susnik, said, “Ourcompanies share the commonvision of meeting the growingdemands of local and internationalcommunications. We arehonored to be working withPCCW Global in expandingour EtherCloud service globallyinto various Ethernet-lit locationsin Asia, further enhancingEthernet adoption at aglobal level.”Tinet launched EtherCloudSM,a global wholesale Ethernetoffering, in April. EtherCloud isa Layer 2 platform connectingdiverse partner networks intoa seamless Ethernet cloud thatdelivers end-to-end connectivityaround the world. TWarnerTV to debut network in Hong Kong on "now TV"Ms. Janice Lee, PCCW’s ManagingDirector of TV & New Media,said, “The debut of WarnerTVon now TV will further strengthenour comprehensive worldclassprogram lineup. Customerswill be able to enjoy top contentfrom one of the world’s bestentertainment studios in theworld.” The WarnerTV channelis now available in seven Asianterritories including Hong Kong,Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia,Sri Lanka, Taiwan and thePhilippines. The expansion ofthe WarnerTV linear channelcontinues Warner Bros. InternationalBranded Services’ globalstrategy of launching brandedprogramming services showcasingcontent produced and distributedby the studio. With therollout of WarnerTV throughoutAsia, the studio’s linear channelsand video-on-demand brandedservices number more than 50in over 60 countries around theworld. T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com49

“Etisalat Zantel” and “EMS”to launch the first of its kind Apps Store in AfricaEtisalat has partneredwith Smartphone company“EMS” to develop a newMobile Application Store forBlackberry customers. Launchinginitially in Tanzania whereEtisalat operates under thename of Zantel, the move is afirst for Sub Saharan Africa.The Zantel Blackberry AppStore will give customers accessto a wide range of contentincluding entertainment,games, Instant Messaging, socialnetworking, news, weatherand working tools such asword/ calendar.Mr. Essa Al Haddad, GroupChief Marketing Officer said“Zantel was well known inthe Tanzanian for providinginnovative products andservices.“Innovation is ofprime importance when weselect and develop strategicpartnerships”.“We will be encouragingyoung Tanzanian developersto design mobile applicationsthat are exciting and engagingfor our African customers.“Bysharing with them the latestin software development toolswill can help grow local talentand provide new commercialopportunities for them.”Al-Haddad added.Zantel Chief Commercial Officer,My Norman Moyo said“the Tanzanian and widerAfrican market had a growingdemand for BlackBerry applications.It's never been easier toEssa Al Haddaddevelop applications forBlackBerry smartphones, andwe look forward to seeingthe rich catalogue of personaland business apps continue togrow".Mr. Babar Khan, EMS CEOreinforced the partnership’spotential to innovate andNahid Mudathir Hassangrow the Sub Saharan Africanmarket, and at the same timeprovide customers far greaterchoice and personal customization.Khan stated “This will be arich content experience forBlackBerry users. The portalwill enable them browse forthe apps and ringtones of theirchoice and download Tanzania-specificcontent such asthe latest relevant news fromtrusted African publishers”.To access the service customersneed to click on the link:www.zantel.com/zantelappsdirectly from their Blackberrydevice. The Zantel BlackberryApplication Store will thenautomatically install on thesmartphone. TEtisalat and LGbring "smart" TV to the UAEUAE telco Etisalat andconsumer electronics firmLG have formed a partnershipthat will see the two companiesoffer "smart" TV servicesin the UAE.Under the agreement, Etisalat'sbroadband servicesand content will be deliveredthrough LG's new range ofSmart TVs in the UAE.Etisalat's IPTV video ondemandservice and newweb-based "OnWeb" videoservice will be available to itsfibre-connected residentialcustomers on LG's Smart TVs.LG has developed broadbandconnectedTVs that aredesigned to deliver Internetbasedcontent, mostly video,from various websites, in additionto content from broadcastTV providers.The internet connection inLG's Smart TV is supportedby an embedded device whichacts like a set-top-box.Customers that subscribe toEtisalat's eLife services can accessits new video-on-demandservice, which is available onrequest.The telco's "OnWeb" servicepackage is available for free onthe LT SmartTVs, and customerwill also have the option ofpurchasing additional contenton demand.Etisalat's "OnWeb" serviceappears as a remote controlaccessiblemenu item on thehomepage of LG's Smart TVs.K.W. Kim, president of LGElectronics Middle East andAfrica region, said that thepartnership highlighted theimportance of cooperation inbringing technology and contenttogether to provide userswith a superior experience,while reducing the complexityand cost.Matthew Willsher, chief marketingofficer, Etisalat addedthat the partnership wouldcreate a "new channel" for thetelco to provide broadbandcustomers with video contentand apps. T50 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Etisalat, "the Export-Import Bank of China”and Huawei International Pte.Ltd., has announced the signingof the MoU for StrategicCooperation encompassingEtisalat’s entire footprints of18 countries. Under the termsof the agreement, "Huawei"and "Etisalat" will continueto work together to provideinnovative new technologiesand services across MiddleEast, Africa and Asia to enrichpeople’s life with emergingtelecom technologies; andChina EXIM Bank will extendfinance support to the cooperationof the two companies.The MOU was signed by Mr.Nasser bin Obood, Acting/Chief Executive Officer "Etisalat”and Yuan Xingyong,Assistant President ChinaEXIM Bank and Ms. Ji Pingthe Executive Vice Presidentof Huawei , amongst otherexcellencies, dignitaries andbusiness leaders from theUAE and China. The signingceremony took place at theEmirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.Commenting on the occasion,Nasser bin Obood, ActingChief Executive Officer“Etisalat” said: “Etisalat hasestablished a reputationwithin the telecoms communityfor continuously innovatingand identifying new waysof providing customers anunparalleled telecommunicationexperience. Through thisstrategy, “Etisalat” touchesevery sphere of our customers’lives and this helps maintainour leadership across ourmarkets. This partnership isanother demonstration of“Etisalat’s” commitment toprovide the latest technologiesto its customers and tohelp develop ICT across theentire region and countries weoperate in.”Bin Obood continued:“Through this agreement“Etisalat” and “Huawei” willshare the latest best practisecovering telecommunicationindustry trends includingintelligent management ofnetworks, cloud computingand applications.”Bin Obood concluded “that inthe past 8 years, the cooperationbetween “Etisalat” and“Huawei” has witnessed significantgrowth and success.From the first 3G networkdeployed in MENA in 2003,“Etisalat” and “Huawei” hassince moved on to collaborateon a global perspective by cooperatingto build and expand“Etisalat’s” networks in SaudiArabia, Pakistan, Egypt, Tanzania,Nigeria, Afghanistan”.Mr. Yuan Xingyong, AssistantNahid Mudathir Hassan“Etisalat” “China EXIM Bank”& “Huawei”Signed Multinational MOU for Strategic CooperationPresident of the “Export-Import Bank of China” said“The signing of this MOU willnot only contribute to theeconomic and trade cooperationbetween our two countries,but also open a newchapter for the cooperationamong three parties to thisMOU. Moreover it is also ofgreat importance for Chineseenterprises in their go-globalendeavor.”After the signing ceremony,Ms. Ji Ping, Executive VicePresident of Huawei, “Etisalathas been leading theMiddle East’s telecommunicationevolution for over threedecades. It is the pioneer indeploying advanced infrastructureand introducing thelatest telecom services. Since2003, starting with the first3G network in Gulf, we havebeen honored to be sharinga strategic relationship with“Etisalat”. The agreementtoday is the enhancement inour strengthening partnership.A partnership not just limitedto our companies, but alsoof our two great nations andpeople.”Ms. Ji Ping added, “We aregrateful for the invaluablesupport that we’ve receivedfrom UAE and China inhelping us contribute to thegrowing bi-lateral relationsbetween both countries. Today,the signing of agreementbetween “Etisalat”, “ChinaEXIM Bank” and “Huawei”has marked a great milestonein solidifying this relationshipto achieve mutual goals.” T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com51

Huawei unveils MediaPadHuawei has announced thelaunch date of the HuaweiMediaPad, the world’s first7-inch Android 3.2 Honeycombtablet. The MediaPad is acomplete entertainment powerhousedriven by Qualcomm’sdual-core 1.2GHz processor,supported by Huawei Device’sHi-Space cloud solution andGoogle Android Market. TheMediaPad provides a fabuloususer-experience in a stylish,high-performing and ultraportablepackage.The MediaPad is Huawei Device’ssmartest, slimmest andlightest tablet yet, measuringjust 10.5mm (0.4 inches)deep and weighing approximately390g (0.86 pounds).It supports 1080P full HDvideo playback and featuresa 1.3 megapixel front facingcamera and 5 megapixel autofocus rear facing camera withHD video recording capabilities.With HSPA+ 14.4Mbpsand high-speed WiFi 802.11nInternet connectivity, the MediaPaddoesn’t just entertain– it keeps you connected.“With the Huawei MediaPad,we are demonstrating yetagain that design, functionalityand performance is withinanyone’s reach. The 7-inch tabletremains the preferred sizefor portability and AndroidHoneycomb 3.2 is dedicated toenhance the full potential of7-inch tablets. Huawei is verypleased to be the first to offerthis package to consumersglobally,” said Dai Shengwei,President of Huawei TerminalMiddle East. “The MediaPadopens up new worlds of entertainmentfor consumers byremoving the barriers to tabletownership, enabling accessto a truly high-quality mobileentertainment experience fullyintegrated with cloud-basedinternet content.”An Out-of-this-World EntertainmentExperienceThe MediaPad supportsHSPA+ data services, Flash10.3 videos and comes preinstalledwith applications suchas Facebook, Twitter, Let'sGolf and Documents to Go.HTC and Sony Ericsson taken to court,location based services patents infringement citedMosaid Technologies, apatent holding companybased in Canada has suedHTC America and Sony EricssonMobile Communications(USA), citing infringementof three U.S. patents associatedwith the emergency 911(E-911) standard that has beenstipulated by the U.S. FederalCommunications Commission(FCC). The patent portfolio underwhose umbrella, the lawsuithas been filed was acquiredonly in early 2011 by Mosaid.Whenever a user makes anemergency 911 call, the patentsfacilitate the transmission ofthe phone’s geographic location.According to the lawsuit, Mosaidstated that its U.S. patentnos. 5,650,770; 6,198,390; and6,518,889 are infringed by cellphones manufactures and soldWith the 7-inch IPS touchscreen, the MediaPad offersa standout visual experiencefor photos, movies and applications.Entertainment andgaming experience are takento the next level with theMediaPad’s 1.2GHz Dual-Coreprocessor, HD playback andHDMI port.Expansion of Huawei Device’sSmart OfferingsThe MediaPad builds on theglobal success of the IDEOSS7 Slim tablet and cementsHuawei Device’s ability tocater to the explosive demandfor tablets. According to theInternational Data Corporation,sales in the tablet marketare expected to increase morethan fourfold in the next twoyears. The MediaPad will beshowcased at Huawei’s “Smartfor Transformation” booth atCommunicAsia 2011 in Singapore.Along with Huawei’s latestrange of smart devices, theMediaPad is a prime exampleof Huawei Device’s focus onthe power of practical innovation.An Arabized version of theMediaPad will be available inthe Middle East by mid-November2011, while the Englishversion will be available bymid-September 2011. Tby HTC and Sony Ericsson inthe United States. Navigationalreceivers, radio transmitters,switches, circuits, sensors andother emergency call featuresincluding a GPS receiver areasserted to have been found tobe in violation of the patents. T52 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Huawei, a leading telecomsolutions provider, todayannounced the signing of itsfirst international sports sponsorshipdeal – an exclusivesponsorship of the 2011 ItalianSupercoppa (Supercoppa Italiana),a face-off between twoof Italy’s top football teams– A.C. Milan and Inter Milan.This is the first time that thesetwo teams are meeting in theItalian Supercoppa. The gamewill be held on August 6 at theBeijing National Stadium, alsoknown as the “Bird’s Nest”, inBeijing, China. With a potentialviewership of hundredsof millions around the world,Huawei will be leveraging thetournament to establish itselfas a global consumer brandand to promote its concertedeffort to integrate cloud solutionsinto all of its upcomingsmart phones and devices.“Huawei is thrilled to sponsorthis top-notch competitionthat football fans all over theworld are looking forward to,”said Victor Xu, chief marketingofficer of Huawei Device.“This title sponsorship marksHuawei’s transformation froma B2B company to a consumercentricbrand. Consumers willbe able to experience a newgeneration of Huawei “CloudPhones”.Huawei is one of very fewglobal companies whosebusiness spans across telecomsinfrastructure, professionalservices, applicationand software, and devices.This provides a solid foundationfor the offering of “CloudPhones”- mobile devices basedon a global cloud computingplatform that offers consumerscloud services, anytime,anywhere.“Huawei’s ‘Cloud Phones’ arenot just upgrades to existingsmartphones. We are creatinga new smartphone categorywhich will lead to a brand newsmartphone experience andopen up a new era for the telecomsindustry. Huawei’s ‘CloudPhones’ will provide cloudservices that meet the needsof different consumers, makingit easy to share music, movies,customized data such as restaurantsand shopping informationand many other formsof digital content. Huawei‘Cloud Phones’ will offer saferand faster data transmissionand storage,” said Victor Xu.“The sponsorship of the ItalianSupercoppa is the beginning ofHuawei’s multi-facet marketingapproach that will includebranding, new channels andnew products, underpinned bya comprehensive range of Huawei’snew “Cloud Devices’.”The Supercoppa sponsorshipalso symbolizes a milestone ofHuawei’s new marketing andbranding strategy, a shift frombusiness-focused to customerorientedand a march intoopen channels that entailoperators, resellers, retails ande-commerce, increasing the accessibilityof Huawei-brandedsmart devices. Consumers willbe able to choose from Huawei’scomprehensive productportfolio including flagshipand mid-range devices as wellas products available to theRiad SandakliHuawei Inks its FirstSports Sponsorship Dealas Exclusive Sponsor of the 2011 Italian Supercoppamass market.Commenting on the partnership,Wang Hui, CEO, BeijingUnited Vansen InternationalSports Co. Ltd, organizer ofthe Supercoppa in China, said,“We are very pleased to haveHuawei on board as the exclusivesponsor of the ItalianSupercoppa. We are confidentthat the tournament, whichfeatures the best Italianfootball has to offer, will helpHuawei to engage with audiencesworldwide.”To celebrate the sponsorship,audiences attending theItalian Supercoppa will havethe opportunity to experienceHuawei’s line of smart devicesthrough onsite demonstrationsfrom July 23 to August 5 in anoutdoor carnival at the Bird’sNest. T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com53

Thuraya beefs up regional officein Singapore to lead Asian OperationsThuraya, an internationalleader in the Mobile SatelliteServices industry, unveiledits regional office in Singapore.As part of Thuraya’s strategicaim to grow its mobile satellitebusiness across the Asia Pacificregion, Thuraya unveiled newplans for Asian markets andannounced the appointment ofMr. Bilal Hamoui as RegionalDirector for Asia based in Singapore.“We understand the vital needto be in close proximity to ourpartners in the region in orderto provide them with the bestof support, and as such wehave appointed Bilal Hamoui tomanage and grow commercialoperations across the area,”explained Thuraya’s CEO, Mr.Samer Halawi, during a pressconference held today in Singapore.Thuraya’s services are availablein the Asia Pacific regionthrough a select network ofspecialised satellite solutionproviders. As a demonstrationof its commitment to the region,Thuraya will further invest inputting together a full teamto cover the Asia region out ofSingapore.“Over the years, Thurayahas developed a network ofpartners who built a strongdistribution presence in themajor Asian countries. Throughour Singapore office, we willsupport them closely in orderto expand our service reach,”added Mr. Halawi.“The Asia Pacific region isserved by a dedicated satellite;Thuraya 3. Our new plans underlineThuraya’s determinationto build on existing partnershipsand further enhance ourposition as a leading MobileSatellite Services operator,” Mr.Halawi continued.The powerful satellite networkfeatures distinctive functionality,including dynamic resourceallocation and strong satellitespot-beams that enable thecompany to support multiplevoice and data users whereverand whenever needed in thecoverage area, without the riskReham Barakatof congestion when consumersneed the services the most.Thuraya’s ubiquitous coverage inAsia extends from Japan in theNorth to Australia in the South,including all 22 major countriesin the region, major straits,waterways, and islands.“The Asian mobile satellitemarket is growing at ratesexceeding those of the rest ofthe world, driven by a strongmaritime sector. Thuraya iswell poised to meet the needsof this segment through itsunique maritime solutions. Oursolutions can be used on largeregional cargo ships, mediumsized vessels, or fishing andleisure boats,” explained Mr.Halawi.Thuraya boasts a range ofproducts particularly suited tothe Asian market, includinga growing suite of maritimeofferings, catering for low tohigh-end consumers. Theseinclude Thuraya Marine andSeagull 5000i for narrowbandvoice and data services, witha soon to be launched marinegradebroadband product. Inaddition to maritime products,Thuraya has a complete portfolioof satellite telecom solutionsincluding high-speed data,voice, tracking and aero servicesthat cater to the specialised requirementsof the government,defense, maritime, oil & gas,international broadcast media,NGOs and emergency servicessectors.Included in Thuraya’s versatileproduct portfolio are theThuraya IP, the world’s smallestsatellite broadband solutionto support 384 Kbps, and theThuraya XT, the world’s toughestsatellite phone.“Thuraya IP is the mostportable satellite broadbandsolution in the market. It is alsothe only satellite broadbandsolution to provide asymmetricstreaming allowing consumersto cost-effectively transmitvideo from the field. Because ofits versatility and ease of use,the solution was deployed veryquickly and effectively followingthe devastating earthquakein Japan to assist in searchand rescue operations, and tobroadcast the news from theravaged area,” elaborated Mr.Bilal Hamoui, Regional Directorfor Asia. With a 140-countrycoverage area including theentire Asia Pacific region,Thuraya provides uninterruptedsatellite connectivity to variousgovernment and business entitiesas well as communities andindividuals located at sea, in theair, or in remote and rural areas,or in locations that are not wellcovered by terrestrial communications.T54 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Indonesia’s Remote Islandsto be connected via Thuraya PCOThuraya, a leading internationalmobile satellite services(MSS) operator, signed anew agreement with Indonesia’sPTSOG to further boost existingbusiness partnership betweenthe two companies in the majorAsian market.In accordance with the agreement,PTSOG, which is aspecialized radio and satellitecommunications retailer basedin Indonesia, will be a key partnerin promoting and providingThuraya’s Public Calling Office(PCO) throughout the country.Thuraya PCO is a highly affordablerural telephony solutionthat provides voice, fax, dataand SMS services. Designed asmanned payphone solution, thePCO makes these services availablethrough a user-friendlypublic phone service station.Some common areas of applyingthis solution include rural villages,on-road phone stations,armed forces camps, recreationalcamping areas, relief zonesUnder the patronageand presence of H.E.Dr. Magued Osman, Egypt’sMinister of Communicationand Information Technology,HP marked the official openingof its new premises in SmartVillage, Egypt’s prime Communicationand InformationTechnology (CIT) Cluster andBusiness Park. The ceremonywas attended by MCIT officialsand HP regional and countryexecutives.Hosted by the InformationTechnology Industry DevelopmentAgency (ITIDA), theevent highlighted the stabilityof the Egyptian economy,and archaeological sites.The agreement was signedin Jakarta by Thuraya’s ChiefExecutive Officer, Mr. SamerHalawi and PTSOG’s PresidentMr. Sanny Jauwhannes. Theproject entails roll-out of a largenumber of PCO units acrossmany remote and small islandcommunities in Indonesia.Thuraya’s CEO Mr. Halawi commentedat the signing ceremonyby saying, “Thuraya is pleasedto collaborate with its partnerPTSOG in such a telecomproject that will benefit manypeople and families located inremote rural areas throughoutIndonesia’s 17,508 islands.He elaborated that the projectaims to connect remote andrural community islands in thecountry at a cost that is affordableby those communities,through Thuraya’s modern satellitetelecom network. “The PCOdevelopment of Egypt’s ICTsector that continues to attractinternational investment, andHP’s strong commitment andcontribution to the same by developingleading-edge technology,and partnering with localbusinesses and governments."The expansion of HP's operationsin Egypt is a statementRehan Barakatsolution will, for example, makeit easy for people on thoseislands to make social calls totheir family relatives who areat sea in large numbers due toIndonesia’s geography and extensivesea-related activities,”he explained.On a similar note, PTSOG’sPresident, Mr Jauwhannes said,“Thuraya continues to lead theway in providing innovativesatellite telecom solutions thatmeet the needs of both verticalas well as horizontal segments.The PCO solution is expected togenerate a fast market interestin a country like Indonesia,where it can provide instantconnectivity to people and communitiesin a huge rural islandarea”. He added that ThurayaPCO will be a catalyst forindividual investors and smallbusinesses to flourish, leadingto greater economic and socialbenefits for Indonesian ruralcommunities.” THP Opens Smart Village Premisesof a strengthening partnershipand willingness of long-terminvestment in the future ofEgypt's young population," saidMagued Osman, Egypt's Ministerof Communications andInformation Technology. "Wesupport the establishment ofthe Enterprise Services GlobalDelivery Center, a project whichis in line with our outsourcing/off-shoringstrategies.Young Egyptian professionalswork in this industry have aproven track record of deliveringto expectations, and moreimportantly, they are the truecreators of value-add exportedout of Egypt." T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com55

Microsoft Gulf formed new divisionThe Microsoft Corp. subsidiary'sConsumer ChannelsGroup will create new businessopportunities and consumerexperiences for customers in theUnited Arab Emirates and therest of the region.Microsoft Gulf has announcedthe formation of its regionalConsumer Channels Group(CCG), which will bring togetherthe company's Retail, OriginalEquipment Manufacturers, Distributionand CommunicationsSector Channel teams into oneorganisation. This will createnew business opportunitiesand deliver exciting consumerexperiences through Windows,Windows Phone, Xbox andOffice for the first time havingbeen previously not available inthe region.The formation of CCG will seeMicrosoft Gulf expand its rangeof lifestyle and personal computingproducts to customersby offering its complete rangeof merchandise in Sharaf DGstores across the United ArabEmirates. Sharaf DG is one ofMicrosoft Gulf's value-addedpartners in the region, thereforewould be able to providecustomers with Microsoft'shigh quality products at highlycompetitive prices.Intel has announced theappointment of Eng. TahaKhalifa to the new role ofReseller Channel OrganisationSales Manager for the MiddleEast and North Africa. Khalifawill relocate from Egypt tothe UAE to take on the role.Previously he was countrymanager for Intel Egypt. AsSamer Abu-Ltaif, Regional GM MicrosoftSamer Abu-Ltaif, Regional GeneralManager, Microsoft Gulfcommented: "The formation ofthe Consumer Channels Group(CCG) will enable us to furtherstrengthen our relationship withSharaf DG, which has been oneof our valued partners since2007."He also added: "Windows 7,Office 2010, and Xbox 360 havegrown to become leaders intheir categories in stores, andwe look forward to further tofuture collaborations that willallow us to contribute to Sharafhead of Intel in Egypt,Khalifa was responsiblefor focusing ongrowth opportunitiesin consumer andenterprise segments inEgypt as an emergingmarket, and also ledseveral Intel initiativesto work with theDG's growth in sales in theregion."One of Microsoft's innovativeproducts that has been key indriving sales in the region isthe Kinect for Xbox 360, thecontroller-free gaming system,which recently enteredthe Guinness Book of Recordsas the fastest-selling gamingconsole. And high demand is expectedto continue throughoutthe remainder of 2011.Last month, Microsoft revealedthat a plethora of new gamingtitles will be released bythe end of the year. Anotherexciting milestone has beenMicrosoft's announcement onthe availability of the Kinect forWindows Software DevelopmentKit (SDK) from MicrosoftResearch, a free beta release fornon-commercial applicationsdesigned to create experiences,such as depth sensing, humanmotion tracking, and voice andobject recognition using Kinecttechnology on Windows 7.Nilesh Khalkho, CEO, Sharaf DGsaid: "Since its arrival late lastyear, Kinect for Xbox 360 hasgenerated an unprecedentedamount of interest, and it is theleading console in its category.With additional titles being releasedsoon, and with Microsoftincreasing the variety of applicationsin which the Kinect canbe used, we expect the demandfor the Kinect and Xbox 360gaming platform to continue togrow this year."Microsoft Gulf will also continueto expand on its commitmentto training in the regionby providing extensive capacitydevelopment programmes forretail sales individuals. Thesetraining programmes will helpthem develop an overall understandingof the Microsoft range,hence offer exceptional in-storeconsumer experience. TNew reseller channel head for Intel MENAeducation sector in thecountry. Khalifa joinedIntel in 1995, and has helda variety of roles in theIntel Architecture Groupand the Software ServicesGroup, with Intel's wirelessbusiness, telecomsand with the Intel WorldAhead programme. T56 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Dell & Mobilink BringDell Streak 5 to PakistanDell creates choice and Freedom to watch, surf, connect & talkwith the 5-inch Pocket TabletDell, with its exclusive partnerMobilink has announcedthe launch of the much-awaitedDell Streak 5 in Pakistan. TheDell Streak 5 is an all-in-oneultra-portable 5-inch AndroidbasedPocket Tablet designed toprovide users with the best webbrowsing,digital entertainment,social connection, and personalnavigation experience.Launched in partnership withMobilink, Pakistan’s marketleader in cellular services withthe largest portfolio of valueadded services and handsets,the Dell Streak 5 comes with 3months of complimentary GPRSon the Mobilink network.Hitting a Sweet Spot“The Dell Streak 5 is designedfor people who are constantlyinteracting online and want toexpand their ability to accesstheir digital lives on-the-go,”said Ali Jaleel, General Manager,Developing Markets Group, Dell.The spacious 5-inch screen isideal for an optimized webbrowsingexperience with lesssquinting and pinching. Userscan play games and watch HDvideos on the brilliant andscratch-resistant Gorilla® Glassscreen, capture precious momentswith the rear-facing 5MPauto-focus camera with dualLED flash or use the front-facingVGA webcam for video calls.On-the-go students, mobile professionals,and active familiescan also use the Dell Streak as aportable Wi-Fi hotspot that canbe shared with up to eight devices.Additionally, the built-inWi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivitywill enable users with easyaccess for downloading and listeningto music, updating socialnetworking status in real-time,and staying connected to friendsand family through e-mail, text,IM, and voice calls. Personalnavigation is also enhancedwith the integrated A-GPS ande-compass features for locationbasedapplications.The Dell Streak comes withDell’s new user interface, Stage,which provides users withinstant access to their favoritecontent – bringing content toyour fingertips.“The Dell Streak hits the sweetspot between traditionalsmartphones and larger-screentablets and its unique size willhelp people discover new waysto enjoy the web, connect withfriends, and navigate theirKhurram Shahzadlives,” added Ali Jaleel. “We areextremely excited to deliver thisnew connected experience toconsumers.”Wasif Mustafa, Director ValueAdded Services, IR and Geo-Segmentation, Mobilink, shared“As a company geared to deliverthe best and latest in mobiletechnology to its customers, Mobilinkis pleased to partner withDell as they launch their firstmobility device in Pakistan.”Dell Streak is now available atselected Mobilink CustomerCare centers in selected cities ata retail price of Rs. 49,999 with3 months of FREE Mobile Internet.Mobilink customers willalso get a free leather case andan extra battery with purchaseof Dell Streak.L-R: Mr. Mubashir Chishti, Mobility Head - Developing Markets Group, Mr. Shahzad Khan, CountryManager - Dell Pakistan & Afghanistan and Mr. Ali Jaleel, General Manager - DevelopingMarkets Group during the launch ceremony15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com57

Najia QamarWorldCall Telecom and C-Cor BroadbandWorldCall Telecom Limitedand C-Cor BroadbandAustralia Pyt Limited signed acontract for the design, buildand delivery of an expandedHybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC)network. The deal signed isworth USD 6.8 Million. Afterthe deployment of this networkWorldCall Telecom Limited shallbe capable of supporting 50,000additional house passes with itsData and Cable TV services. Thenetwork will upgrade the presentservices of WorldCall both indata and digital TV services. TInbox Business Technologies Recognized as 2011Microsoft Country Partner of the year for PakistanInbox Business Technologieshas announced that it haswon the 2011 Microsoft CountryPartner of the Year Awardfor Pakistan.The company washonored among a global fieldof top Microsoft partners fordemonstrating excellence ininnovation and implementationof customer solutions based onMicrosoft technology.Awards were presented in multiplecategories, with winnerschosen from a set of more than3,000 entrants worldwide. InboxBusiness Technologieswasrecognized for providingoutstanding solutionsand services, as well asdemonstrating excellentsubsidiary engagement inPakistan. The MicrosoftCountry Partner of the YearAward honors partners atthe country level who havedemonstrated business excellencein delivering Microsoftsolutions to mutual customersover the past year. This awardrecognizes Inbox BusinessTechnologies as succeedingin effective engagement withtheir local Microsoft officewhile showcasing innovation,business impact, drivingcustomer satisfaction, and winningnew customers.“We are pleased to recognizeInbox Business Technologies ofPakistan as Microsoft’s CountryPartner of the Year,” saidJon Roskill, corporate vicepresident, WorldwidePartner Group, MicrosoftCorp. “Inbox BusinessTechnologies demonstratesa commitment toserving its customers, andour strong partnership iscore to us winning together.”The Microsoft Partner Awardsrecognize Microsoft partnersthat have developed and deliveredexceptional Microsoftbasedsolutions over the pastyear. T15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com59

Personal Blogof Chairman PTAhttp://www.dryaseen.pkInformation and communicationtechnologiesrevolution has opened a wholenew bunch of platforms toenhance public interaction.The available set of tools isassisting institutes to enablemore broad participation frompublic at large in respectivediscussion and deliberation.With a purpose to developmeans of communicationwith community, providingthem a forum to interact, Dr.Mohammed Yaseen, ChairmanPakistan TelecommunicationAuthority has launched hisown personal blog (http://www.dryaseen.pk).The blog is divided into varioussections to invite participationfrom the community toshare their views on numeroustopics related to ICT industryof the country. The blog inputis divided into three areas;‘Technology’, ‘Regulations’ and‘Strategy’. Under each areatopics are floated to instigatean open and constructive debate.The blog also highlightsthe initiatives undertookby Chairman PTA for proliferationof ICT services in thecountry. Published articles /papers and detail biographyof Dr. Mohammaed Yaseenalong with latest news fromthe industry are also madeavailable.This initiative by the ChairmanPTA has received a strongappreciation from the communityas they feel to submittheir feedback relayed to him,almost in person. TUSF project of optic fiber cablesin unserved areas of BalochistanUSF is pleased to providesome details about thecontract, the signing ceremonyof which was attended by PrimeMinister of Pakistan (who isalso Minister IT) as well asGovernor & Chief Minister ofBalochistan in Quetta. The projectis for laying 1,100 kms OpticFiber Cables to connect twelveunserved far flung Tehsils (Subdistricts)of Balochistan.The project “Optic Fiber CableBalochistan Package 4” willcover tehsil headquarters ofGulistan, Musa Khel, Barshor,Duki, Harnai, Ziarat, Sinjawi,Zhob, Sherani, Qamar Din Karezand two neighbouring tehsils ofKhyber Pakhtunkhwa namelyDaraban and Darazand. In addition8 other small towns of Balochistanwill also be connected.Total estimated project cost isRs. 2.4 billion out of which USFwill provide a subsidy of Rs.1.975 billion.The project is part of an overallOptic Fiber Cables Programmein Balochistan which is dividedinto 5 projects, out of which 4projects are under progress andthe last one was signed yesterday.Under these 5 projects atotal of 5,500 kms Optic FiberCables are being laid throughUSF, connecting each of the44 unserved Tehsil Headquartersand 29 other small townsenroute. The total cost of the5 projects is estimated to be atRs.7.51 billion, out of which USFsubsidy is 6.482 billion.Other than Optic Fiber Cablesprojects, USF is also providingbasic telecom services in unservedvillages of Balochistan.So far 1,161 villages have eitherbeen covered or are in progress.The total estimated value ofall USF projects in Balochistanfor provision of Optic Fiberand Rural Telecom Services inunserved areas is Rs.9.82 billion,out of which USF subsidy is Rs.8.23 billion.Universal Service Fund is planningseveral more projects forwhich necessary data collectionand studies are in progress.60 www.teletimesinternational.com15Jul - 14Aug 2011

Aqeel ShigriPTCL brings EVO 256Kbps Unlimited PackagesPakistan TelecommunicationCompany Limited(PTCL) has introduced newexciting EVO packages forEVO users. 3G EVO 256Kbpspackage now makes EVOwireless broadband servicesaccessible at lower rates. Thetwo new existing packagesintroduced for the conveniencesof wireless broadbandusers are; EVO 256 and Go 30.EVO 256 is a Volume BasedPackage with line rent of Rs1,199 and download Speedcapped at 256 Kbps. Go 30 isa Time Based Package whichoffers 30 hours usage limitagainst the line rent of Rs 799and an additional charges ofRs 21 per hour with speed upto 3.1MBPS . Validity periodis 30 days. SEVP CommercialPTCL Naveed Saeed stated,“PTCL 3G EVO offers a widevariety of postpaid as well asNational Forum for Environmentand Health hasselected Pakistan TelecommunicationCompany Limited(PTCL) for its 8th AnnualEnvironment Excellence Award2011.The Environment ExcellenceAward is organized annually bythe National Forum for Environmentand Health (NFEH) anNGO affiliated with the UnitedNations Environmental Programme(UNEP) and supportedby Pakistan's Ministry of Environment.Mandate of NFEH isto recognize and promote organizationsthat make outstandingcontributions towards sustainabledevelopment, promoteenvironmental stewardship andbuild sustainable communities,and their internal environmental,health and safety practices.A large number of organizationsparticipate in this contest.A comprehensive survey is doneto see the ground situation andspecific teams visit the contestingcompanies, discuss thecontributions and then decidethe award.PTCL has been selected onthe basis of its contributionto improved environmentalquality and the progress thecompany has made comparedto its historic trend. Bringingchange in its approach towardsenvironmental related causes,which led to development of along term mission and strategythrough implementation ofpolicies that are environmentalfriendly and have led topositive contributions towardsprepaid packages that are designedto suit the customer’slifestyle; With EVO there issomething for everyone”. Hefurther stated, “PTCL as anoperator has always deeplyfocused & put in determinedefforts to better understandthe needs of the evolvingconsumers and connect withthem”. EVP CommercialPlanning PTCL Syed Asim Alistated, “PTCL has a pragmaticPTCL awarded8th Annual Environment Excellence Awardimprovement in society ingeneral and environment issuesin specific.PTCL worked towards creatingbetter work environmentfor its employees specificallyand public at large generally. Itfocused on decreasing adverseenvironmental impact. Respectfor the environment is consideredand advocated within theworkplace through frequenteco-drives. The lush greenlawns, conducive workings conditions,well organized Cafeterias;cleanliness and a numberof other facilities are testimonyfor the uplift of environmentconscious policies within theorganization. Annual treeplantation drive run by PTCLand provision of clean drinkingwater to the local communityapproach & is always keento meet consumer expectationsand understand theirexact needs and demands. Ithas always been a consumercentriccompany. 3G EVOunlimited launch is a proof ofits commitment, devotion andun-matched services towardsits customers”. The customerscan easily switch packagethrough One Stop Shops, CallCenters and EVO Support.water filtration plants thatbenefit about 10,000 peopleevery day are the projects thatare for community at large.For its workforce PTCL hastaken steps to improve its securityand health policies; includingsafety plans by providingsafety kits, manuals and trainingsfor the field staff. Qualitymedical facilities includingnumber of health centersand mobile medical units arefunctional for its 30,000 plusworkforce. PTCL is among theeight companies of all participatingcompanies that have aformal written Health Securityand Environment Policy..This award is a testimony ofPTCL’s efforts to create sustainablecommunities of the peopleacross the country.15Jul - 14Aug 2011www.teletimesinternational.com61

iCloud looks to havea silver lining for AppleThe launch of iCloud, Apple'scloud computing service,and the development of its newUS$1 billion server farm areevidence of the Silicon Valleyelectronics manufacturer's planto dominate the next incarnationof the internet.The information technology(IT) industry is rapidly movingtowards cloud computing, hostingsoftware in vast computerbanks known as server farmsrather than within devices suchas PCs and smartphones.According to the internationalresearch company Forrester, thepersonal cloud services marketwill reach $12bn (Dh44.07bn)and 196 million users by 2016.Frank Gillett, a Forresteranalyst, believes the combinedoffering of iCloud and othernew software such as Mac OSX Lion, Apple's new operatingsystem, have put Apple aheadof Microsoft and Google incloud computing.He rates Google as the numbertwo player but believes thesearch giant will struggle toprovide technology to matchApple's for ease of use. MrGillett says Microsoft's cloudstrategy is unclear and Windows8, its new operatingsystem, is not due out untilnext year.But there is a growing viewin Silicon Valley that reportsof iCloud's success may bepremature."There is no guarantee Applewill be successful with iCloud,"says the Ovum analyst CarterLusher. "It is the successor toMobileMe, a service that wasgenerally judged to be a failure."Another factor is the competitioniCloud is facing fromcompanies such as Google andMicrosoft. Competition is onlya click away."There is also a general industryview that despite its potentialsuccess in the consumer market,only small businesses arein a position to benefit fromthe Apple iCloud."It is Ovum's view that iCloudis not architected to be a corporateIT tool," says Mr Lusher."This is in contrast to cloud servicessuch as Microsoft Azureand Amazon Web Services thatwere developed for business."But he says Apple's ability tocater to the personal marketcould give it a backdoor entranceinto the corporate world."The 'consumerisation of IT',ie, employees wanting to usedevices and apps originallydeveloped for the consumermarket to do their jobs, is amajor trend," says Mr Lusher."If iCloud is successful and hasmillions of users, enterpriseand public sector executivesand employees across the worldwill learn about the cloud asconsumers first."Moving its IT services on to thecloud would help Apple achieveits long-term ambition of tyingusers into its own services andapps, rather than encouragingthem to surf the internet fortheir requirements."The goal would be to encouragecustomers to use onlyservices supplied by Appleand its partners," Mr Lushersays. "While users could notbe prevented from surfing thenet, the objective would beto provide such a convenient,easy-to-use and full-featuredexperience that customerswould habitually stay insideTony Gloverthe ecosystem of the platform."By encouraging other companiesto provide services via theiCloud, Apple hopes to provideusers with digital daily newspapers,networking with friends,a vast choice of entertainmentand a host of other serviceswithout them ever having to gooutside the Apple iCloud."Apple's approach will not precludethird-party applicationsthat exploit the capabilities ofiCloud," Mr Lusher says."Many users would not missthe flexibility offered by theopen internet market of servicesand apps, if they can accesstheir favourite social networkingservices, e-mail, gaming andmusic and video services. Manyare already happy with theapplications that come bundledwith Apple iPhone operatingsystem devices and the roughly400,000 Apple-approved appsnow available."But Apple may not have thingsits own way. Corporations areincreasingly reliant on theinternet for much of their revenueand may not wish to handcontrol of their customers overto Apple."Partners such as Facebook arereluctant to give up their memberdata to Apple, which is whyFacebook does not work verywell on Apple devices at themoment," Mr Lusher says. Headds that publishers are alsoreluctant to hand 30 per centof their subscription fees andtheir subscriber data to Apple.The same can also be said ofmany other large industries,which are unlikely to wish tohand the reins of their onlinebusinesses to Apple. Internetusers across the world are alsobecoming increasingly wary ofApple's plans to control accessto the internet.If users choose to select onesupplier, such as Apple, for alltheir online needs, that supplierwill be able to store vastquantities of information oneach customer, raising monopolyissues as well as the questionof user privacy. But Apple is adetermined organisation thatalready has a head start in thenext phase of the internet withits iCloud strategy.If it can duplicate its successin the smartphone market followingthe introduction of theiPhone in 2007, it may be ableto lure enough customers andbusiness partners into iCloud tomaintain its market lead. TPublisher-Editor: Khalid Athar - Printed by: Javed Khursheed at Khursheed62 www.teletimesinternational.comPrinters (Pvt) Ltd. Islamabad. Place of Publication: #6, St-39, G-6/2, Islamabad 15Jul - 14Aug 2011Vol: 06, Issue: 07

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