30 September 2003
DOHA: A wide range of issues related to the future of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) are being taken up for discussion at the ITU-BDT seminar on IMT-2000 for the Middle East region, which began here yesterday.
The event, hosted by Qatar Telecom (Qtel) and organised by the Bureau for Development of Telecommunications (BDT) at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), was formally opened by Qtel Chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad bin Saud Al Thani.
The three-day event is the first of its kind to be held in the GCC region. It was organised by Qtel in cooperation with the Telecommunications Bureau of the GCC.
Sheikh Abdullah was accompanied at the opening ceremony by Dr Nasser Marafih, the Qtel Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Visser, chairman, ITU-Telecommunications Special Study Group (SSG) on IMT-2000 and Beyond, and Ricardo Passerini, vice chairman of the seminar. Mahmoud Sayyar, director of the GCC telecommunications bureau, also attended the ceremony.
In his speech, Sheikh Abdullah said: "It is significant that the first IMT-2000 seminar to be held in the Arab world is being hosted by Qtel in Doha. Qatar has made a number of major developments in terms of technology, education and industry and Qtel, as a company, has undergone a tremendous change. This IMT-2000 seminar is an excellent example of the spirit of cooperation as we all come together to debate the role of technology in today's society and how global solutions can help developing countries."
Sayyar, in his speech, pointed out: "The penetration of telecommunications has increased due to the availability of mobile services. While in 1991, the proliferation of such services was only one per cent in the developing world, by the year 2002, it had risen to over 90 per cent due to expansion of cellular networks. Now we find that one in every five persons in the world, on an average, has access to mobile phones."
Speaking on the occasion, Visser said: "IMT-2000 mobile telecommunications is the way of the future. We are working towards seamlessness, transparency and ease of use for the end users."
According to a Qtel spokesman, some 100 telecom and Information Technology (IT) experts from 30 countries are currently in Doha to
attend the seminar and debate global solutions suitable for developing countries.
Yesterday's presentations included an overview on IMT-2000 and addressed issues such as international standardisation including frequency spectrum and technical specifications for radio and networks, with special emphasis on mobile telecommunications.
DOHA: A wide range of issues related to the future of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) are being taken up for discussion at the ITU-BDT seminar on IMT-2000 for the Middle East region, which began here yesterday.
The event, hosted by Qatar Telecom (Qtel) and organised by the Bureau for Development of Telecommunications (BDT) at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), was formally opened by Qtel Chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammad bin Saud Al Thani.
The three-day event is the first of its kind to be held in the GCC region. It was organised by Qtel in cooperation with the Telecommunications Bureau of the GCC.
Sheikh Abdullah was accompanied at the opening ceremony by Dr Nasser Marafih, the Qtel Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Visser, chairman, ITU-Telecommunications Special Study Group (SSG) on IMT-2000 and Beyond, and Ricardo Passerini, vice chairman of the seminar. Mahmoud Sayyar, director of the GCC telecommunications bureau, also attended the ceremony.
In his speech, Sheikh Abdullah said: "It is significant that the first IMT-2000 seminar to be held in the Arab world is being hosted by Qtel in Doha. Qatar has made a number of major developments in terms of technology, education and industry and Qtel, as a company, has undergone a tremendous change. This IMT-2000 seminar is an excellent example of the spirit of cooperation as we all come together to debate the role of technology in today's society and how global solutions can help developing countries."
Sayyar, in his speech, pointed out: "The penetration of telecommunications has increased due to the availability of mobile services. While in 1991, the proliferation of such services was only one per cent in the developing world, by the year 2002, it had risen to over 90 per cent due to expansion of cellular networks. Now we find that one in every five persons in the world, on an average, has access to mobile phones."
Speaking on the occasion, Visser said: "IMT-2000 mobile telecommunications is the way of the future. We are working towards seamlessness, transparency and ease of use for the end users."
According to a Qtel spokesman, some 100 telecom and Information Technology (IT) experts from 30 countries are currently in Doha to
attend the seminar and debate global solutions suitable for developing countries.
Yesterday's presentations included an overview on IMT-2000 and addressed issues such as international standardisation including frequency spectrum and technical specifications for radio and networks, with special emphasis on mobile telecommunications.
© The Peninsula 2003
