With broadband expanding rapidly in the Middle East and Africa, broadcasters are looking to take advantage of the new opportunities that accompany that growth. The IPTV World Forum Middle East and Africa will look at the state of IPTV in the region and its promise.
"It is estimated that the pay TV market will grow by 36 per cent over the next five years in the Middle East and Africa and as such IPTV, as a viable pay TV option, is high on the agenda for operators in the region", stated Ian Johnson, managing director of forum organiser Junction Ltd. "This inaugural IPTV World Forum Middle East and Africa will, we hope, encourage discussion and debate on the current state of the IPTV market and opportunities for the future".
The show is being held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai and will run 5–6 November. Already confirmed as speakers at the conference are Tamouh Khauli, CEO and vice president of Jordan Telecom; Tariq Habib, head of strategic initiatives and partnerships at Etisalat, United Arab Emirates; Khaled Taha, director of technology at Al Jazeera Network; Sarat Lallah, CEO of Mauritius Telecom; Marc-Antoine d'Halluin, president and CEO of Showtime Arabia; Khireddine Slimane, general manager of Algérie Telecom; Miltos Vidalis, director content, portal and devices for du Consumer Division; Samir M Abdulhadi, president and CEO at Orbit Communications; and Ted Hsiung, head of business development for international projects at PCCW.
The conference will cover issues ranging from the current state of the market and business opportunities to the technologies required to successfully deploy IPTV. Running parallel to the conference is a technology exhibition.
