Dubai, June 10, 2015

IDC is delighted to announce that it is joining forces with Huawei to host the MENA region's inaugural 'Ultra-Broadband Summit'. Taking place at The Address Dubai Marina hotel on Wednesday June 10, this event will directly address the emerging challenges facing broadcast media players from across the region, with diverse presentations, case studies, and in-depth discussions on the latest global and regional Pay-TV trends, 4K market developments, video alliance proposals, ultra-broadband network solutions, and global IPTV best practices.

"Following an explosion of content options over the last five years in the Middle East and North Africa, customers in the region are increasingly finding themselves spoilt for choice," says Tracey Grant, program manager for digital media and broadcasting at IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. "The MENA market presents a fragmented landscape comprising a multitude of platforms and devices, and media providers are increasingly looking at how they can drive improved return on investment (ROI) from their acquisitions of premium content. As such, now is the perfect time for the industry's major players to come together to exchange ideas on how to drive the commercial success of video and 4K services in a win-win ultra-broadband world."

Nigel Bruin, Principal Consultant Huawei Technologies said: "4K High-Definition content has the potential to become the mainstream video format in the region, especially within the GCC where consumers increasingly demand the highest level of video quality on their TVs and handheld devices. While it may be difficult for Free-To-Air or Pay-TV satellite providers to launch a 4K service, fortunately some of the region's telecom operators have already implemented the fiber infrastructure that support this challenge, paving the way for this digital transformation. The Ultra-Broadband Summit is a great platform for 4K players to address these concerns and will allow Huawei to show how we are committed to a 4K future with our $4billion investment in fixed broadband technologies."

With its Millennial-dense population, the MENA region has a tradition of high content consumption, and is currently growing at a faster rate than any other emerging market in the world, presenting huge business opportunities for telecom operators, content aggregators, and solution providers alike. Ultra-broadband holds the key to unlocking these opportunities, serving as a transformative force that can connect our worlds in ways previously unimaginable. And with younger people now spending more time online than ever before, the provision of an exceptional multiscreen video experience based on ultra-broadband infrastructure is potentially the next foundational service after voice, text, and data.

Such trends will sit at the very heart of the Ultra-Broadband Summit's agenda, with a bevy of industry experts on hand to explore the innovative technologies and solutions shaping today's media landscape. For more information about IDC events and to learn about the range of flexible partnership opportunities on offer, please contact Ms. Ronita Bhattacharjee, associate vice president for conferences at IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, at rbhattacharjee@idc.com or on +971 4 391 2747.

Further details about this event are available here idc-cema.com/eng/events/61439-ultra-broadband-forum.

About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community makes fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 1,000 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries worldwide. For over 50 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.

IDC in the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey
For the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey region, IDC retains a coordinated network of offices in Riyadh, Casablanca, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, and Istanbul, with a regional center in Dubai.  Our coverage couples local insight with an international perspective to provide a comprehensive understanding of markets in these dynamic regions. Our market intelligence services are unparalleled in depth, consistency, scope, and accuracy. IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey currently fields over 130 analysts, consultants, and conference associates across the region.

About Huawei
Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei's 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world's population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees.

For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on
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Contact for Media
Pallavi Sharma
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Email: PSharma@golin.com

© Press Release 2015