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SAMENA TRENDS EXCLUSIVELY FOR SAMENA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL'S MEMBERS Volume 04 Issue 07 BUILDING DIGITAL ECONOMIES July 2013 A SAMENA Telecommunications Council Newsletter EMERGENCE OF FTTH AND FUTURE OF TELECOMS INDUSTRY Mr. Brahima Sanou Director ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau EDITORIAL Perpetuating the Growth of the ICT Industry in the SAMENA Region This year, the celebration of Ramadan occurs for most of the incentivize greater participation of all the key stakeholders. month of July. This so-called “quiet” month in Dubai does Nonetheless, broadband, convergence and innovation are on afford us the propensity to overtake and ensure that our the rise in the SAMENA region and beyond. Many countries in planning is current and up to schedule. Our organization is very the region have taken strong measures to ensure that prompt busy working on multiple strategic projects with members and broadband proliferation policies are put into effect, supported partners. We have recently issued a white paper in collaboration by regulatory environments most conducive to achieving the with Qualcomm, to give operators, broadcasters and regulators desired effect. across the region, insights into a technology solution called SDL (Supplemental Downlink) which could increase the capacity and However, for the time being, it appears that the exact trends QoS (Quality of Service) of mobile broadband networks using in broadband are less visible in this part of the world, that is, HSPA+ and LTE-advanced standards. On the same context, South Asia-Middle East-North Africa. Telecom industry has the SAMENA Council continues its efforts in promoting one experienced the introduction of numerous new technologies harmonized efficient band plan for the 800-700MHz, where which somehow have impeded the growth of the industry another position statement on that matter will be published in in general. This is because industry’s development pace may the coming few weeks. be significantly affected when technologies that are meant for almost the same purpose emerge too quickly. When new To add to this, the SAMENA Council, in coordination with technologies are introduced for the purpose for which other ictQatar and ICANN,is issuing a paper on the importance of technologies already exists in the market is found to have left domain names industry as new revenue stream for telecos. less room for existing technologies to reach maturity level in a The paper will highlight the importance domain names for the particular market. regional telecom operators and regulatory bodies amid the announcement of the new gTLDs program to be announced New services are being launched aggressively to increase by ICANN this year. We are highly supportive of the idea that subscriber base, generate more revenues and to pull off the regional regulatory bodies, telecom operators, and ISPs important economies of scale. Convergence in the telecom should collaborate and work together with the Council and industry has been there giving rise to true competition which will ICANN to highlight the significance of domain name industry. wipe out the differences such as wireless and wireline, mobile Qatar’s telecom regulatory body, ictQatar has already initiated and wireless, multimedia and telecom, roaming and local, local the process by participating in our study by providing detailed and international, technology neutral and technology specific, insights on their roadmap and vision as well as engaging Qatari and so on.We are witnessing that traditional copper access accredited registrars into the SAMENA Council conducted networks worldwide are largely being replaced by a fiber access survey “Assessment of the domain name industry in the network because these networks will soon no longer be able to SAMENA region”. meet the ever-growing consumer demand for bandwidth, driven mainly by the convergence and innovative applications. At the I would especially like to mention that we have recently signed same time, convergence of telecoms and media is leading the an agreement with ITU for the promotion of ‘ITU Telecom World service providers to conclude that they must be first to deploy 2013’ which will be held in Thailand 19-22 November 2013. fiber, anticipating imminent competition. FTTx is emerging into The ITU’s interest in using our platform to effectively support the mainstream and is set to transform the telecom landscape its events in the region is a positive one and augurs well for in the Middle East over the next decade. our member base that stand to benefit. We are excited about this program and look forward to seeing strong representation When we speak of digitization and futuristic national and participation from the regional ICT community at the broadband network, the ability to boost broadband, and the ITU Telecom World 2013 in Thailand. The global ICT industry need to connect regions with greater efficiency, we think of is on the threshold of a digital revolution, and this event with the perceivably isolated submarine fiber cables. I believe that high-level discussions on regulations and policies, innovations the increasing deployment of fiber in the region, fuelled by and strategies, and business models, between industry and the requirements for high bandwidth will expedite industry’s government experts, will provide ICT players in the SAMENA progress thereby ensuring enhanced QoS and enabling the real region with the opportunity to exchange ideas collaborate convergence. on industry issues and identify solutions with far-reaching benefits. In parallel, our organization retains its focus on broadband which is by far the key enabler of digitization. Broadband Yours truly, development on both fixed and mobile basis, as we know, is essential and extremely costly. What is important, however, is that, while devising digitization strategies and ICT policies, Bocar A. BA and while building futuristic broadband network infrastructure, Chief Executive Officer appropriate and at the same time innovative business models are considered through the use of investment concepts that’d SAMENA Telecommunications Council SAMENA TRENDS Volume 04 Issue 07 July 2013 www.samenacouncil.org 1 CONTENTS The SAMENA TRENDS newsletter is wholly owned and EDITORIAL operated by The SAMENA Telecommunications Council 01 EDITORIAL FZ, LLC (SAMENA). Information in the newsletter is not intended as professional services advice, and SAMENA Council disclaims any liability for use of specific 03 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW information or results thereof. Articles and information contained in this publication are the copyright of Mr. Brahima Sanou SAMENA Telecommunications Council, (unless otherwise Director ITU noted, described or stated) and cannot be reproduced, Telecommunication Development Bureau copied or printed in any form without the express written permission of the publisher. 07 REGIONAL PERFORMANCE The SAMENA Council does not necessarily endorse, support, sanction, encourage, verify or agree with the Fixed Internet Subscribers content, comments, opinions or statements made in The SAMENA Rank SAMENA TRENDS by any entity or entities. Information, products and services offered, sold or placed in the 09 REGIONAL UPDATES newsletter by other than The SAMENA Council belong to the respective entity or entities and are not representative Regional News of The SAMENA Council. The SAMENA Council hereby expressly disclaims any and all warranties, expressed and implied, including but not limited to any warranties 11 REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES of accuracy, reliability, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose by any entity or entities offering Regulatory News information, products and services in this newsletter. The Active Consultations & Invitations for Feedback user agrees that The SAMENA Council is not responsible, Country-wise Policy & Regulatory Developments and shall have no liability to such user, with respect to Regulatory Activities Beyond the SAMENA Region any information, product or service offered by any entity or entities in this newsletter. The SAMENA Council’s only Building “Best Practices” Telecoms Regulators liability in the event of errors shall be the correction or in the Middle East removal of the erroneous information after verification. 40 SATELLITE UPDATES Editor-in-Chief Satellite News Bocar A. BA 42 ROAMING UPDATES Contributing Editors Zakir Syed Roaming News Javaid Akhtar Malik Ali Tahir 44 TECHNOLOGY UPDATES Contributing Member The Rights Lawyers Technology News SAMENA Telecommunications Council The Phenomenal Rise in Broadband Subscribers Publisher 49 SAMENA ACTIVITIES SAMENA Telecommunications Council SAMENA Council Strengthens its ties with Subscriptions the ITU with new Cooperation Program [email protected] SAMENA Council to Host Regulatory Summit with Viva Kuwait Advertising [email protected] Legal Issues or Concerns [email protected] SAMENA TRENDS #304, Alfa Building, Knowledge Village PO Box: 502544, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971.4.364.2700 © 2013 - All rights reserved. SAMENA TRENDS is a trademark of SAMENA Telecommunications Council. SAMENA TRENDS Volume 04 Issue 07 July 2013 2 www.samenacouncil.org Exclusive Interview INDUSTRY Leader’S VISION Mr. Brahima Sanou was elected Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau by the Plenipotentiary Conference in October 2010 in Guadalajara, Mexico. He took office on 1 January 2011. Mr. Sanou has more than 30 years experience in the telecommunication and ICT sector, both at a regional and at