Structured Cabling Use Rises

Since the opening of their Saudi office last year, Swiss structured cabling solutions provider Reichle & De-Massari have achieved a number of major customer wins in the country. To date, R&M has a strong track record in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the government services and finance sector. R&M’s clients in KSA include the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia British Bank (SABB), Saudi Telecom Company, Carrefour Hypermarkets, Al-Hokair Geant Super Markets, King Faisal Specialist Hospital, King Fahd Medical City, King Saud University Libraries and Integrated Telecom Co. Ltd.

“The Middle East has definitely been the fastest-growing region for us with an increase of over 90 percent in sales in 2006, year on year. Saudi Arabia has contributed to more than 25 percent of this income, making it a key market for R&M going into the future,” said Laurent Amestoy, Regional Managing Director, R&M Middle East & Africa.

ITC Launches Advanced DCS

Integrated Telecom Company (ITC) has launched the most advanced data communication solutions in the Kingdom to address the needs of businesses, governmental organizations, Internet Services Providers (ISPs) and operators that demand innovative data communication services at high speeds and performance levels.

The commercial launch took place after the completion of major parts of ITC’s backbone and communication infrastructure at a cost of SR1 billion invested in establishing two international gateways on the Western and Eastern coasts, deploying a fiber optical network across 12,500km that connect the major cities in the Kingdom and setting up tens of wireless base stations, data centers and fiber optical networks inside Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Alkhobar, respectively.

“We are very excited to launch the first portfolio of data communication solutions that we have developed according to international quality standards and based on the particular requirements of different market segments present locally, regionally and globally,” said Mohamed Saqer, ITC president and CEO. “Our services feature speed, specialization and flexibility, and qualify ITC to serve the high-profile global and regional telecom operators. ITC will drive the Saudi telecom industry into a new era.”

ITC (www.itc.net.sa) is a Riyadh-based Saudi company established in 2005 through a consortium of local investors headed by Al-Mawarid Investment Group as a major shareholder. After an initial SR300 million investment, ITC was licensed by the Communication & Information Technology Commission (CITC) to provide local, national and international data communications services.

Among the data communications services ITC has now launched in the Saudi market are Internet bandwidth (capacity) to service providers and operators via ITC marine cable landing stations, Internet access and inter-branch connectivity services to private and public organizations using wireless and fiber optic access media, last-mile access through WiMAX technology targeted toward service providers in addition to co-location services offered through ITC’s environmentally controlled data centers.

ITC has dedicated a large investment fund to develop its internal systems and next generation network (NGN) to spread its geographical coverage across the whole country and to address the growing pent up demand on content and online applications that have limited presence in the Kingdom compared to neighboring countries due to the relatively low penetration of broadband connections in Saudi Arabia.

“Among the key objectives of launching our services are to increase the broadband penetration substantially in the Kingdom, offer triple services (voice, video and data) down the road, play an active role with all parties concerned to transform the Saudi society into a digital one and provide the education and other governmental sectors with high-speed Internet connections at competitive rates,” Saqer remarked.

Motorola Participates at KFUPM Career Day

Motorola is stepping up its recruitment efforts in Saudi Arabia by taking part in the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals’ Career Day. Participating for the third year, Motorola has previously hired up to 14 new staff during the event and the company is now targeting approximately 20 additional recruits in the areas of electrical and computer engineering, business administration, marketing and accounting.

The company is also actively recruiting MBA graduates.

“Saudi Arabia’s telecom sector is experiencing unprecedented growth in areas such as mobile penetration and the rising demand for wireless broadband access, so we are working with young Saudi nationals to help shape this developing industry in their own country,” said Dr. Walid Romman, Motorola’s country manager for Saudi Arabia.

On the sidelines of the career day, Motorola hosted a briefing for more than 100 students on the company’s role in the Saudi telecom sector and various employment and training opportunities currently available within Motorola. Would-be engineers, accountants, MBA students and marketing specialists attended the Motorola lecture.

“Enhancing Motorola’s Saudization initiative is one of our core goals for 2007. We’re not only expanding the number of roles for which we’re hiring Saudi nationals, Motorola is also offering summer internships and cooperative or work/study training, in addition to full-time employment,” said Hamada Salah, Motorola’s human resources manager in Saudi Arabia.

Currently more than 40 percent of Motorola’s staff in its six offices across the Kingdom are Saudi nationals. This year, Motorola employed a Saudi woman as part of its sales support team in the Kingdom.