Visitors to the largest broadband event in the Middle East and Africa will gain insight into how emerging markets are progressing despite challenging circumstances

London, 19 February 2013 - As broadband penetration steadily increases across the Middle East, opportunities for operators in the region are growing exponentially through value-added services, mobile broadband and customer retention. As such, the region has witnessed the arrival of emerging markets that, despite facing significant challenges, are successfully delivering broadband services to their customers. This year's Broadband MEA event brings together the leaders from these unique markets, to highlight how they are delivering broadband services to customers despite facing difficult circumstances, such as times of conflict, strict Government regulation, limited infrastructures, high population densities and geographical spreads.

Visitors and delegates will have the opportunity to learn from an exclusive speaker line-up of leaders from Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Pakistan and Iran, who will share their experiences on delivering reliable services in a challenging market. This includes Wilson Varghese, CEO of Kalimat Telecom, Iraq; Dr. Shahram Zamani Mortazavi, Senior Adviser to the Board, Iranian net PJS Co, Iran; Tomasz Laudy, CMO, Roshan, Afghanistan; Nima PourNejatian, Chief Technology Officer, MobinNet, Iran; Mohammad Gul Khulmi, CEO, Wasel Telecom, Afghanistan; and Hani Alami, Founder and CEO, Coolnet, Palestine.

Hani Alami, Founder and CEO, Coolnet, Palestine, will focus on breeding wireless networks, specifically looking at the battle of media technologies and microwave versus fibre optics in challenging times. Mr Alami comments: "The Israeli occupation left the Palestinian territories with a poor telecom infrastructure, covering only the main cities in Palestine. To have a network that serves the public good, we created a sound engineering design and used best practices in business and network operations. Furthermore, we have overcome the biggest challenges that have been presented to us as broadband becomes a dominant force in the country's economy. Companies from all sectors who never had broadband before are beginning to require broadband access, and individuals are pushing us to offer high-speed access at a low price."

Wilson Varghese, CEO of Kalimat Telecom in Iraq, forms the Technology Strategy Stream, where he will give a presentation on mobile broadband access evolution. Here he will explore the growth of mobile in Iraq and the opportunities presented by fixed broadband. He will also form a panel discussion on evaluating wireless broadband technology choices in the Middle East and Africa.

The agenda also features Nima PourNejatian, Chief Technology Officer, MobinNet, Iran, who will explore the challenges and opportunities in serving a high market volume, and the user experience and its impact on network management. Mohammad Gul Khulmi, CEO, Wasel Telecom, Afghanistan will also provide a presentation on delivering broadband to rural areas, which explains Wasel Telecom's strategy for delivering broadband across Afghanistan.

Included in the line-up is Roshan's Tomasz Laudy, CMO of Afghanistan, who will examine the right technology choices for next generation broadband delivery, encompassing the strategies that have worked and the lessons learnt from those that have not.

Today, Governments across MEA are committed to infrastructure spending and, in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) alone, total infrastructure spending over the next decade has been estimated at over $1 trillion. With such a commitment, infrastructure capacity is developing rapidly, presenting new areas of growth, something that the event will highlight.

The conference, which takes place from 19 - 20 March, is co-located with the Cloud World Forum MENA event, giving attendees access to a wider and more diverse network of companies showcasing their products and services.

To view the full event programme and register for Broadband MEA, please visit http://mea.broadbandworldforum.com/ or call +44 (0) 20 7017 5506. Alternatively, keep up to date with the event on Twitter @BBWorldForum or use #BBMEA.

ENDS

About Broadband MEA
Part of the successful Broadband World Forum Global Series, 2013's forum will bring together decision-makers from all corners of the broadband ecosystem from across the Middle East and Africa. Now in its fifth year, Broadband MEA, is the region's premier broadband conference and exhibition attracting 70 speakers, to address the current issues surrounding broadband. For further information on Broadband MEA or to register to attend, go to http://mea.broadbandworldforum.com/.

About Informa Telecoms & Media
Informa Telecoms & Media (www.informatandm.com) is the leading provider of business intelligence and strategic services to the global telecoms and media markets. Driven by constant first-hand contact with the industry, its 90 analysts and researchers produce a range of intelligence services including news and analytical products, in depth market reports and datasets focussed on technology, strategy and content. Informa Telecoms & Media also organises 125 global annual events, attended by more than 70,000 executives worldwide.

For media information please contact Dana Corson at dana.corson@proactive-pr.com or Holly Tyrrell at holly.tyrrell@proactive-pr.com or call on +44 1636 812152.