With advanced telecom infrastructure in place in most parts of the region, internet subscribers are likely to reach 1.3 billion in the next seven years, or 26 per cent of the targeted global penetration of five billion users, said Dr Walid Moneimne, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai-based Nuratel.

"Because the region went directly to developing wireless technology with high bandwidth capability, instead of fixed network as developed countries did, it immediately placed itself at an [advantage]," he said.

Moneimne, who until recently was a senior executive at Nokia and Nokia Siemens Network, added that the region's decision to "go wireless" was a strategic move since it has been more affordable to implement the latest in information technology.

According to InternetWorldStats.com, internet usage in the Middle East currently stands at nearly 42 million users or three per cent of the worldwide total of 1.4 billion. The website mentioned, however, that over a period of eight years (from 2000 to 2008), the Middle East's internet penetration jumped by 1,176.8 per cent, as against a combined global performance of 281.8 per cent.

Moneimne said the growth of the internet market in the Mena can likewise be attributed to the interdependency of four industries - telecom, IT, media and electronics.

"This interdependency has been going on for two decades [and] the unifying factor for all these industries is the internet," he said. Mobile phone subscription, for instance, is expected to double to 600 million by 2010 from the current figure of 300 million, he said.

"There are a number of innovations coming up these days, but the long-term evolution of these industries points to a common goal of increasing the number of users and developing broadband capability that can embrace technology. The internet has become a key driver for them," Moneimne said.

The proliferation of Web 2.0, an application that is commonly referred to as the improved form of the world wide web - since it provides an environment for social networking and sharing of information among users - has put internet subscribers in the "driving seat", said Moneimne.

"Web 2.0 has created a major movement where users are participants in the content-creation. They can even edit their own contents," he added.

He said because of the interactive nature of the internet, mobile phone devices have been improved to allow subscribers to broadcast voice, image and data, allowing them to enrich the content of the internet.

By Criselda E Diala

© Emirates Business 24/7 2008

 

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