Volume 07 _ Issue 04 _ April 2016 SAMENA TRENDS EXCLUSIVELY FOR SAMENA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL'S MEMBERS BUILDING DIGITAL ECONOMIES A SAMENA Telecommunications Council Newsletter Articles Umniah and Huawei International Company Join Forces to Launch... Page 63 Businesses are Swimming Against a Growing Tide of... Page 69 Mr. Tarig Rahamtalla Vice President, Sudatel Chief Executive Officer, Expresso Telecom Group Page 04 International Mobile Roaming: Operators’ Innovative Solutions vs Consumer Usability www.samenacouncil.org SAMENA CONTENTS VOLUME 07, ISSUE 04, april 2016 TRENDS REGIONAL & MEMBERS The SAMENA TRENDSnewsletter is wholly UPDATES owned and operated by The SAMENA 08. Members News Telecommunications Council FZ, LLC (SAMENA Council). Information in the newsletter is not intended as professional 20. Regional News services advice, and SAMENA Council disclaims any liability for use of specific REGULATORY & POLICY information or results thereof. 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Technology News Council hereby expressly disclaims any 03. and all warranties, expressed and im- 69. Businesses are Swimming Against a plied, including but not limited to any Growing Tide of Security Threats warranties of accuracy, reliability, mer- chantability or fitness for a particular purpose by any entity or entities offer- ing information, products and services in SATELLITE UPDATES this newsletter. The user agrees that The REGIONAL 71. Satellite News SAMENA Council is not responsible, and shall have no liability to such user, with PERFORMANCE respect to any information, product or SAMENA COUNCIL ACTIVITY 79. 16th Global Symposium for Regulators service offered by any entity or entities 07. Roaming Revenues in this newsletter. The SAMENA Coun- (GSR) cil’s only liability in the event of errors shall be the correction or removal of the erroneous information after verification. Editor-in-Chief Bocar A. BA Contributing Editors Izhar Ahmad Javaid Akhtar Malik Contributing Members Orange Umniah Publisher SAMENA Telecommunications Council Subscriptions [email protected] 04. 83. Advertising [email protected] EXCLUSIVE TELECOM Legal Issues or Concerns [email protected] INTERVIEW LEADERS’ Mr. Tarig Rahamtalla Vice President, SAMENA TRENDS Sudatel SUMMIT 2016 [email protected] Chief Executive Officer, 19th May 2016 Tel: +971.4.364.2700 Expresso Telecom Group Jumeirah, Mina Al Salam Dubai, UAE © 2016 - All rights reserved. SAMENA TRENDS is a trademark of SAMENA Telecommunications Council. EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS _ APRIL 2016 International Mobile Roaming: Operators’ Innovative Solutions vs Consumer Usability For telecom operators, international roaming innovations are designed for simplicity in demands much careful balancing of roaming rates, setting up, predictability in costs, flexibility that quality of service, security, and transparency of suits user profiles, and ease of understanding. information for the consumer. It requires much to keep this once-highly profitable revenue stream Among other factors, a large part of the still relatively profitable. Both regulatory and enhancements introduced to improve user customer usability trends in international roaming usability may be linked to operators’ initiatives over the past few years have continually pointed such as the Data Roaming Transparency Schemes. to new strategy requirements for the operators, This transparency aspect of roaming is particularly clearly indicating the changes in business rules. important for the customer, with the mobile industry fully acknowledging and addressing the Keeping service usability and transparency high demand for improvements in favor of the end-user. in the eyes of the customer, while keeping the roaming business profitable, is a major challenge. While operators remain in search of new Steps taken by telecom operators in introducing roaming innovations, for example, for customers area-wide roaming innovations, suited to the situated on national borders with cross-border needs of customers within a specific “one- traveling and communication requirements, market” geographical area, and successive price operators also realize the fact that various decreases have visibly impacted profitability. To challenges have to be overcome along the way. the end-user’s advantage, innovative roaming That is, both for national security and revenue packages created by operators all around the assurance purposes, undetected roaming needs world speak of significant developments carried to be mitigated. Similarly, the issue of taxation out in the form of reduced-cost roaming plans, in all its relevant forms within the context of bundled roaming services, new packaged international roaming needs to be addressed. services, and new transparency measures to keep the customer better informed of service costs. With time, as is evidenced by the loss of roaming revenues, the process of commoditization is Innovations introduced by telecom operators also increasing. Thus as operators reconsider and include roaming products with flat daily rates and realign their relationships with OTT players and multi-service packages, intelligently designed rate end-user device makers, there is no denying models adapted to end-users’ network profiles of the fact that operators continually require a and lifestyles, and, for corporate customers, their sustainable investment strategy on new network business profiles and communication needs. To technologies, and must also complement this this effect also, “one-rate” service bundles have strategy with a value-proposition that will help been launched, promising an experience similar to them better commit to developing and exercising that in the home market while roaming in other their role as enablers and not as simple network markets within a specified geographical boundary. operators. Doing so will require an elevated A large percentage of operators, in this regard, as level of dialogue within the industry, in close a basic innovation in roaming, offer voice bags that communication with policy-makers and regulators. allow for certain number of calls to be made for a fixed price or specific destination to be accessed Roaming is an essential part of the need for within a fixed period of time, among other features. creating a better connected world, and for setting a foundation of a digitally developed progressive Furthermore, some operators’ new data economy. In this regard, it deserves the attention roaming packages aimed at the enterprise of all the stakeholders that international roaming, sector have made international mobile data while meeting customer usability needs, also fulills simpler to use and affordable for businesses. investment requirements of telecom operators. Many of such business-centered roaming Yours truly, Bocar A. BA Chief Executive Officer SAMENA Telecommunications Council page_3 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW SAMENA TRENDS _ APRIL 2016 A track record that spans 20 years, influencing, advising and driving strategic financial direction for diverse, high-profile global conglomerates. Proven expert ability to translate business and legislation requirements into strategic and operational objectives while Mr. Tarig Rahamtalla maximizing revenue. Played a key role in the successful consolidation of Sudatel Group Vice President, into a single global entity. Strong accounting background which honed my executive leadership abilities, as a result I have become fully adept at high-volume budget setting Sudatel and management within global conglomerates including Accenture, Arthur Andersen, Chief Executive Officer, and Marriott International. Expresso Telecom Group As a Strategic Leader, I am expert in applying acute knowledge to strategic planning and forecasting as I successfully established new Revenue Assurance Department for Sudatel Group. Spearheaded rigorous evaluation of West African subsidiaries on behalf of Sudatel, resulting in significant financial savings made throughout the company’s consolidation process. Developed and implemented a cogent financial system for the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC), and devised highly effective forecasting tools for Accenture. Through tactical leadership, I streamlined business operations to drive growth, increase efficiency and bottom-line profit. My strong financial management career enhanced through consistent achievement of success in diverse roles at numerous locations within the US and the Middle East. Exceptionally conversant with complex global regulatory, compliance and reporting requirements and practices including IFRS, US GAAP, and SOX. Bachelor