JEDDAH, 11 September 2005 — A Jeddah Telecommunications & IT conference (Jeddah Telecom 2005) opens today, with Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed performing the inauguration at the Hilton Hotel at 11 a.m.
Mohammad Jameel Mulla, minister of telecommunications and IT, will provide a general overview on the Kingdom’s telecom industry and Prince Saud Abdullah Al-Faisal, chairman of the board of Trade Exhibitions & Conferences Ltd. (Tradex Arabia), which is staging the three-day event, will give the welcome address at the opening ceremony.
The three-day event is packed with addresses by high officials and presentations by experts, according to Adel Shakoor of Tradex Arabia. “Telecommunication in Saudi Arabia” is the theme of the conference.
The first session will be marked by a presentation by Communication & IT Commission Governor Dr Mohammed Al-Suwaiyel on regulating telecommunication & IT industry and its impact on the national economy. Dr. Fahad Y. Al-Etany of King Abdul Aziz University’s (KAAU) Business School will lead the session.
The evening session, which begins at 5 p.m., will have a presentation by Saudi Telecom Company President Khalid Al-Mehhim on “Telecommunication and private firms participation,” with Dr. Ali Al-Dakkak of KAAU’s School of Economics, as the session leader. This will be followed by Dr. Khalid ibn Abdullah Al-Sabti of the Ministry of Telecom & IT on “Telecommunication & IT: The national strategy.” Tomorrow, Ahmad Ali Al-Hosni, director marketing at Etihad Etisalat-Mobily, will speak on “International success stories in telecom investment.” Dr. Mokbil Al-Zakeer of KAAU’s School of Economics, will be the session leader.
The day will also feature presentations on the impact of telecom technology on business by Sultan Al-Otaibi, managing director, Bravo-Public Telecommunication Co. Ltd., and by Abdul Hadl Al-Hassani of ARABSAT 4A/4B project manager, on the importance and trends of telecommunication in the world economy. Dr. Omar Abdullah Nasif of the KAAU Business School, will be the session leader for both lectures.
Running alongside the conference will be an exhibition in which major communication and IT companies are showcasing their latest projects, products and services.
Prince Saud Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal said the support of Prince Abdul Majeed to the event highlighted his interest in this vital industrial sector. The event is being held at a time when the telecommunications and IT industry is witnessing tremendous development induced by the technology revolution and increased demand for services at both business and social levels. “After all, the Kingdom remains the biggest market in the region and the average spending exceeds 40 percent of the region’s total spending in these sectors,” he said, adding that the ongoing privatization in the telecom sector has led to a massive expansion and development triggered by the increased demand for mobile phones and IT services.