The Middle East and Africa region has the highest growth rates within a consumer telecommunications market that is set to reach $2 trillion in global revenues by 2012, according to a new report from research firm In-Stat. Global trends suggest 5.7 percent annual revenue growth in consumer telecom network services over the next five years, while countries in the Middle East are set to grow at more than double this rate. With the impact of privatization and increased liberalization being felt across the region, this year's edition of Gulfcomms, the largest international telecommunications trade event for mobile, fixed, IP and satellite, is set to be one of the most high profile in its history. International firms including Aastra Middle East, Alcatel, BlackBerry, du, Etisalat, NEC Philips Orange Business Services, Nortel Networks, Potevio, and Thuraya Satellite have all announced an expanded presence for this year's event, which runs on Oct. 19-23 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center (DICEC) as part of Gitex Technology Week. Helal Saeed Almarri, director general, Dubai World Trade Center, organizer of Gulfcomms, said: “The number of international companies set to exhibit at this year's event is hugely exciting, because it demonstrates the intense interest in the regional market. The telecom sector across the Middle East continues to see high levels of growth and investment, and is among the most dynamic in the world.” While the Middle East and Africa region has the highest growth rate, Asia-Pacific is set to be the largest market in 2012, based on its huge population and ongoing investment in telecommunications technology. This year's Gulfcomms will attract the highest number of trade visitors and exhibitors from key markets like China, India and Pakistan in the show's history, as telecom providers look to service a market of over two billion people. “One of the most interesting trends for Gulfcomms in 2008 is the business potential for regional providers to use Gulfcomms as a launchpad to enter the Asia-Pacific market,” added Almarri. This year will also see the Gulfcomms debut of the world-leading supplier in telecommunications, Ericsson, which plans to use the event to rollout a series of pioneering initiatives. Jeremy Foster, marketing director, Ericsson Middle East, said: “The Middle East telecommunications market continues to grow across a wide range of areas, with strong demand for mobility and multimedia solutions across the corporate and consumer sectors in particular. We have ambitious plans for Ericsson's debut at GULFCOMMS, which we feel provides an important platform to reach a wide spectrum of potential customers and partners.” Another first-time exhibitor will be Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PrJsc (Yahsat), the UAE's first nationally-owned satellite operator. The group aims to showcase its satellite capabilities, applications and coverage areas at the event, as it continues to build on its ambitious plans to achieve a leadership position in the field of satellite communications in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and South-West Asia. “Gulfcomms provides us with the positioning and profile to reach out to demonstrate our deep regional understanding and operational flexibility, particularly given the wide range of international visitors from key strategic markets. We are very pleased to make our debut at this year's event, and are confident that we will make a significant impact,” said Jassem Mohamed Al-Zaabi, CEO of Yahsat. The broad range of companies exhibiting at this year's Gulfcomms reflects the dynamic nature of the regional market, which is seeing increased opportunity for mobile services, broadband, and business-to-business voice-over-IP. The In-Stat report predicts that, while mobile services will provide 60 percent of revenue growth over the next five years, the strongest growth will be in broadband technology and the number of B2B VoIP subscribers will more than double in the next four years. __
