IT revolution not a success until children in Tafileh, mothers in badia can afford it -- official
AMMAN (JT) — Scores of officials, business leaders, high-tech professionals and diplomats participated in Saturday's celebrations marking World Telecommunications Day and its slogan, “Jordan Communicates.”
Organised by the Telecommunications Regula-tory Commission (TRC) and cosponsored by the country's four telecom companies —Fastlink, Jordan Telecom, MobileCom and X-Press — the ceremony showcased the achievements and work of the main telecommunications players with a display of past, current and future telecom equipment.
The event, held at Al Hussein Cultural Centre, also marked the official launch of a new TRC logo.
In a keynote address at the ceremony, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Fawaz Zu'bi highlighted the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) theme for the day — “Helping all of the world's people to communicate.” He touched on the “digital divide” problem between developed and less developed nations.
Jordan has chosen telecommunications as the main engine for sustainable development, Zu'bi said, reiterating the government's vision of an ICT sector in which the free market is given the greatest possible latitude to improve public services and foster economic development.
Zu'bi pointed out that a new era is about to unfold in the sector, as exclusivity for land-line operator Jordan Telecom expires in 2004 and the protected duopoly of mobile operators Fastlink and MobileCom is also nearing a close.
Prime Minister Ali Abul Ragheb also attended the ceremony on behalf of His Majesty King Abdullah, who patronised the event.
In a recorded message, Telecommunications Development Bureau Director Hamadoun Toure underscored the importance of regulatory bodies in this era of technological advancement and fierce competition.
When the TRC was created in 1995, there were other 33 telecom regulators worldwide. There are 122 today, pointed out Toure in his televised address.
The director hailed TRC efforts to establish solid, transparent decision making procedures, stressing that the Kingdom was the first regionally to transform its telecom regulatory body into a completely independent authority.
Ibrahim Qadi, head of the ITU Arab Regional Office in Cairo, explained how communication has become a basic human right, anticipating the world telecom summit — in Geneva Dec. 10-12 — will stress the importance of telecommunications for peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding amongst peoples.
The UN, under whose umbrella the ITU operates, “considers ICT a tool to achieve the common goal of sustainable development and to alleviate poverty and hunger,” Qadi declared.
The heads of Jordan's four telcos also addressed the audience with Jordan Telecom Chairman Shabib Ammari first retracing company achievements since privatisation in early 2000. He pointed out that the company has become a group offering Internet and mobile service and an e-content firm, while also developing a network deploying the latest technologies.
The chairman illustrated Jordan Telecom's tariff re-structure strategy. Saying it hinged on a gradual lowering of international call prices, he reiterated the company's commitment to further price drops.
Fastlink CEO Mohammad Saqr, who took the helm only two months ago, pointed out the highly competitive telecommunications environment in the Kingdom.
As the oldest mobile operator in Jordan, Fastlink was also the first to deploy things such as WAP, GPRS, and e-banking, Saqr said.
MobileCom CEO Mickael Ghossein pointed out that since his company entered the market in September 2000, mobile penetration skyrocketed from three to 23 per cent, while prices fell some 70 per cent as a result of intense competition.
Chairman of the country's youngest telco — X-Press, Tareq Aggad conceded his company, officially launched last month, was “still at the beginning of the road.” But he pointed out that the national trunked radio service would bring hundreds of new jobs and a brand-new $70 million network by April 2004.
Marwan Juma, chairman of the information technology association of Jordan — int@j — also took the podium, reminded the audience that three years ago it would take months to get a new telephone line versus the 24 hours or less today and that downloading a webpage would require infinite patience.
“We are very proud of where we are today,” Juma said, adding that the sector had brought on some 5,000 people, attracting $70 million and exporting $60 million over the last three years.
Juma pointed out that the IT revolution could not be considered a success “until [telecommunications] prices are affordable for the child in Tafileh and for the mother in the badia.”
Host, TRC Chairman and CEO Muna Nijem, closed out the gathering, highlighting the regionally unique stature of the regulatory body.
Jordan began reorganising the sector in 1995, with a law separating operational and regulatory duties while establishing a financially and administratively independent commission to regulate the telecommunications sector.
That experiment developed into the 2002 Telecommunications Law, which separated regulation from the ICT minister, with operations headed instead by independent full-time commissioners. A new TRC board, headed by Nijem, took over in November.
Over the last six months, the commission has published guidelines for interconnection amongst operators, modernised national numbering, issued a new trunked radio dispatch licence and is currently undergoing an internal reorganisation and modernisation process, Nijem said.
Unveiling the new logo, the TRC official pointed out that the commission was well-known to operators, but wanted to also be familiar to consumers to better serve their interests.
© Jordan Times 2003
