Press Release Details

UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Announces Support for MECOM

Publication Date: 30 May 2006

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the United Arab Emirates has announced its support and backing for MECOM, the Middle East Communications exhibition and conference scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from April 22nd-25th, 2007.

H.E. Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and ADNEC, stated: "I am pleased that the TRA has pledged its support to MECOM. We are proud to already host a number of industry-leading events in Abu Dhabi including IDEX for the defence industry. I believe that MECOM will quickly establish itself as the major regional event for the telecommunications sector."

MECOM is set to become the leading annual showcase for the telecom industry and looks to cover a wide range of products and services from mobile phones to office networks and Internet servers.

H.E. Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, Director General of the TRA said: "The Middle East is an important and fast developing market for communications companies and MECOM will provide a much-needed regional showcase for this dynamic industry. Mobile communications devices have become essential tools for every business, and the Middle East region has been one of the leading zones to embrace all that the mobile phones industry has to offer. Mobile phone usage in the United Arab Emirates is expected to pass 90 percent of the population. The Middle East saw the number of mobile phone subscribers grow 103 percent between 2000 and 2005, compared to a global average of 46 percent.

Communication technology as a key driver for all sectors of commerce and government in the region, and MECOM looks set to attract a large and diverse audience. MECOM is expected to emerge as an important annual event in the regional exhibitions and conference calendar as it focuses on a sector that is becoming increasingly important in the Middle East, with its rapidly expanding economies and techno-savvy society, that demands the best quality services and products," Al Ghanim added.

The MECOM Summit will take place during the first day of the exhibition for heads of service providers and regulatory authorities. This high-level meeting will be structured to stimulate discussion on a range of sensitive topics to the telecoms sector such as Voice over IP, Internet censorship and security, and liberalisation of regional telecoms markets.

"We expect the event, and the congress in particular, to provide a stimulating forum to debate on issues that will raise issues key to regulatory authorities and telecoms service providers across the entire Middle East region," Al Ghanim added. The new state-of-the-art exhibition centre in Abu Dhabi will provide an ideal venue for MECOM. Abu Dhabi's status as the capital of the UAE, and headquarters to leading telecoms organisations such as the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Etisalat and Thuraya, holds it in good stead to cater for MECOM.

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