JEDDAH, 12 December 2006 — A wide range of communication technology is on view at COMMTEL, Saudi Arabia’s 21st international exhibition for computing, the Internet, business communications and mobile phones, which kicked off here yesterday.
Jeddah Governor Prince Mishaal ibn Majed, who opened the annual exhibition, was visibly impressed with the range of products and equipment showcased by major exhibitors at the Jeddah International Exhibition and Convention Center.
Supported by the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and sponsored by Saudi Telecom Company (STC), COMMTEL is organized by Al-Harithy Company for Exhibitions Ltd. (ACE).
As was expected, visitors on the first day of the five-day show, evinced lots of interest in mobile phones and Internet technology. STC has a major stand at the center of the show exhibiting its latest services. “We’re also responding to the queries from visitors about our services that are in the pipeline,” an STC official said. M.O. Alesayi Electronics Co. Ltd. has exhibited what it claims to be Panasonic’s largest plasma TV.
Mobile phones and cameras as well as computers and computing equipment are among the major attractions.
Arabian Business Machines (Toshiba), Al Haddad (Nokia), Al Maktaba, Casio, Canon, JVC, LG, Mobily, Bravo, Supertech TV, i2, Zoofitech and many other companies are showcasing their products and services.
A series of symposiums will run alongside the exhibition, covering a range of subjects providing industry professionals with a stimulating and informative forum. “Many interesting topics are being covered in three days from today to Thursday,” Zahoor Siddique, exhibitions director at ACE, said. Today and Thursday STC will hold symposiums covering various services offered to individuals and companies in land line, mobile and Internet services. Symposiums to be held by Mobily tomorrow will cover their 3G, 3.5G, and other value-added services.
The show assumes importance against the background that IT has proven to be a vital area for the sustained growth of the Kingdom’s non-oil sector. Increased use of the Internet, mobile phones and e-commerce has enhanced this potential considerably.
“COMMTEL provides an ideal forum for this interaction and face-to-face communication between exhibitors and visitors,” he added.
The Kingdom’s buoyant economy, business confidence, entrepreneurial culture and an inherent desire for state-of-the-art products are all elements that will contribute to the success of the show, Siddique said, adding that COMMTEL ‘05 reported a success after a five-day run with record attendance and multi-million riyal deals for exhibitors. Last year’s COMMTEL witnessed at least 6,000 more visitors than the previous year.
Saudi Arabia is all set to become the future growth engine for the IT and communications sector in the Middle East. The approximate Saudi market value for hardware is $1.5 billion, whereas software and IT services are valued at $52 million and $1 billion respectively.