The Middle East is fast catching up with developments in the field of wireless data delivery services as advancements in technology make instant communication through mobile phones one compelling developments in the communication field.
Whether it is news updates, sports news, stock quotations, or just a simple message to a friend, wireless messaging has become a way of life with many mobile phone users in the Middle East reflecting global trends, says Founder and CEO of Info2cell.com, Bashar Dahabra, the first wireless application service provider (WASP) in the region.
“Info2cell.com sees a huge potential to tap the mobile phone user market in the region. We have already crossed the milestone figure of 100,000 SMS Breaking News subscribers and our target is to reach 500,000 subscribers by 2004. We have invested $2.5 million for wireless application service platforms to provide hosting services in the region. We have also entered into a strategic partnership with Acotel, the leading Italian web application service provider in Europe, which has bought a 33 percent stake in the company,” says Dahabra.
Globally, there is a growing demand for SMS (Short Messaging Service), the commonest of wireless data services. According to GSM Association, the daily output of SMS messages across the globe is around one billion. Millions of dollars are being invested by mobile operators to tap the expanding market for messaging services. At the same time, phone manufacturers are vying with each other to use cutting edge technology to introduce innovation and versatility in the delivery of SMS messages.
Wireless messaging via mobile phones has become one of the most important revenue generating areas for mobile operators. The global fascination with SMS can be attributed to its ability to communicate with the recipient instantly across regions and continents, with minimum expense and no sophisticated equipment. It is claimed that mobile operators are at times able to flash breaking stories to subscribers even before they are aired on news breaking TV networks. Such is the power of mobile messaging, and further ongoing developments indicate the technology is heading for dramatic transformation.
Info2cell.com the region's first wireless information provider was established in 1998 to fulfill the need for wireless value added services. In the year 2000, Info2cell reengineered and redesigned its core business, to become effectively the first Wireless Application Service Provider (W-ASP) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Info2cell draws on the experience of the Italian Acotel group in its service offering. Info2cell.com, which first launched its SMS breaking news service in Jordan in May 2001, quickly moved to expand to other markets in the region, and began similar services in Egypt in August 2001, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in November 2001 and Kuwait in January 2002. The company headquarters are now located in the heart of the Middle-East technology hub at Dubai Internet City (DIC). The primary Development Center is in Amman Jordan, and editorial offices are located in Amman, Beirut, Cairo and Ramallah in Palestine. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
