The importance of creating public-private partnership to build next generation national broadband networks was highlighted at a key conference in Muscat.

Addressing telecommunications professionals from the across the Middle East and North Africa at a Summit organized by the Samena Telecommunications Council, Dr. Mohammed Ali Al Wohaibi,  Under Secretary for Communications at the Ministry of Transport and Communications in Oman, said: “In many countries building a next generation national broadband network constitutes the single largest infrastructure investment.”

The keynote speeches and debates at the summit covered a broad spectrum of issues including the challenge for broadband technology from Next Generation Access, general growth and strategy issues for the sector in both the fixed and mobile area, the importance of building effective Public-Private Partnerships for broadband growth and infrastructure and how to stimulate greater demand in the Samena region.

Commenting on the summit, Thomas Wilson, CEO of Samena Telecommunications Council said: “We are delighted to be hosting such a major event in Oman which is increasingly becoming a major regional hub for the telecommunications industry thanks to its excellent geographic position and the leadership role played by Omantel in introducing modern and highly sophisticated telecommunications technology to the nation.”

“Broadband – both fixed and mobile – is one of the fastest growing technologies and we have seen extremely rapid growth across the Samena region in recent years. This summit is aptly timed to discuss and debate key issues that affect its development, and share knowledge and best practices to ensure continued growth and expansion of broadband technology to individuals and the corporate and government sectors”, added Wilson.

The one-day summit held at the Barr Al Jissah Shangri-La Resort and Spa attracted professionals from the private and public telecommunications sector from across South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. -TradeArabia News Service