Jordan Times
Friday, June 11, 2004
Media, Telecommunication
Convergence Conference opens
By Rami Abdelrahman
AMMAN — More than 100 regional media houses and telecom operators met yesterday
to promote the adoption of mobile multimedia services.
On the first day of the two-day Media and
Telecommunication Convergence Conference, about 300 media and telecom leaders
held meetings to discuss ways of merging telecommunications and media sectors
which would further contribute to the development of these sectors.
The meetings focused on the growing need of data providing through
telecommunication means, mostly through mobiles.
“The telecom operators have been cooperating with media recently. We have
noticed various programmes and shows on satellite channels are heavily depending
on telecom users, GSM and fixed line,” said Jawad Abbassi, founder and president
of the Arab Advisors Group — the conference organisers.
According to Arab Advisors, more and more people in the Arab world are making an
“enormous” number of phone calls and sending unprecedented numbers of SMS to
participate in these programmes.
This has encouraged investors to establish new telecommunication companies.
There are presently over 40 mobile operators in the Arab world, 23 fixed-line
operators, 36 data-com operators and more than 300 Internet service providers,
with new operators in the pipeline as a result of market liberalisation.
The Arab world's audience is also served by over 100 satellite TV channels and
over 90 FM radio stations.
“But the average data revenue share of total revenues in the Arab world is less
than half of Europe's operators. Our research shows that cellular data revenues
in the Arab markets contribute between 4 to 8 per cent of total cellular
revenues,” Abbassi added.
Abbassi noted that this is due to the fact that most of this revenue is derived
from user generated SMS and fax services. When these two services are taken out
Arab data revenues drop by over 90 per cent.
The Arab world is also currently preparing to launch the 3rd generation of
mobile services, also known as 3G.
The third generation offers a consistent set of services to mobile computer and
phone users no matter where they are in the world, based on the GSM
communication standard.
Once 3G is fully implemented in the region, computer and phone users will have
constant access to the Internet as they travel and have the same set of
capabilities no matter where they travel to. Users will have access through a
combination of terrestrial wireless and satellite transmissions.
Convergence between the two sectors would necessitate the introduction of 3G
services in the Arab world, as a developed means for receiving and sending data,
market analysts told The Jordan Times.
On the sidelines of the conference, an exhibition is taking place where
participants are showcasing their latest products and services in a bid to
further promote the convergence of both sectors.