13 May 2011
BEIRUT: Alfa mobile phone network has announced plans to bring 3G (third generation) connection to Lebanon. But some worry that a high-speed mobile network could further delay plans to bring broadband to Lebanon, which continues to suffer from one of the slowest internet connections in the world.
At a conference at the Phoenicia Hotel, Alfas CEO Marwan Hayek addressed a room of journalists, describing the benefits of 3G technology and Alfas plans to bring the high-speed connection to Lebanon.
Reasons for choosing mobile, said Hayek, include lack of alternatives (Lebanon has no fixed broadband) and competitive prices (Lebanon currently has one of highest Internet and mobile phone rates in the world).Following the press conference, journalists immediately asked about what a high-speed mobile network would mean for broadband in Lebanon, which continues to be delayed.
Hayek assured the audience that a faster mobile network would only help speed up the Internet, as a dongle can be plugged into any computer to bring it 3G high-speed. Following the conference, Alfa representatives gave demonstrations of mobile phone video conferencing and live-stream TV using 3G technology, both of which worked well.
We think this will be great and successful, said Antoine Boustany, adviser at the ministry of telecommunications, where the mobile companies gave a demonstration of their upcoming services earlier this week. We did a study, and the prices will be much lower than they are now. They should decrease by about 30 percent for the better quality.
The ministry says the first phase of 3G technology in Lebanon will be available in August, and the second phase will arrive at the beginning of 2012.
However, not everyone is convinced that bringing 3G to Lebanon through state-run mobile phone operators is the best solution. In April, Cedarcom, Lebanons largest Internet service provider, along with other ISPs, took legal action against the Telecommunications Ministry and the countrys two mobile phone network providers, Alfa and MTC.
Cedarcom said that the ministry and the two mobile phone operators had broken a national telecom law by accepting to manage 3G networks without licensed frequencies.
The caretaker government is working to close the market down, and they care nothing for the consumer, said Imad Tarabay, CEO of Cedarcom-mobi. He asked rhetorically, Why is the ministry following a policy of killing the private sector?
Tarabay says hes not against 3G, but says it should be implemented in a competitive way to give consumers more options.
Lebanese consumers appear to be cautiously optimistic.
The benefits are huge, said Mark Malkoun, an IT entrepreneur based in Beirut. But I hope they will have good 3G, and I hope they are not late. I also hope the government doesnt ban certain apps. Otherwise, whats the point?
He adds, I expect the government will try to control things and people will end up paying more, like they did for BBM [Blackberry Messenger]. But thats always been the case.
Copyright The Daily Star 2011.
