BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:1.0 BEGIN: VEVENT LOCATION;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE: DESCRIPTION;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:WIRELESS SERVICES IN IRAQ CONFERNCE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF IRAQ’S CURRENT AND FUTURE WIRELESS NETWORKS, REGULATION AND SECURITY SITUATION   Two Day Conference 26th and 27th January 2005 Hilton Kensington Hotel, London   KEY THEMES   ·Understand the status and future developments of wireless deployment in Iraq ·Examine the technical options to enable rollout of wireless services in Iraq ·Evaluate the challenges in project managing and infrastructure planning ·Discover the opportunities for international companies to enter the Iraqi wireless market     KEY SPEAKERS   ·Ali Al-Dahwi, Chief Executive Officer, MTC Atheer ·Asaad Alnajja, P.E., Chief Strategy Officer, VoEx ·Jeff Richardson, Director Defence & International Markets EMEA, MCI ·Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman, TAGI ·Tom Phillips, Government & Regulatory Affairs Officer, GSM Association ·David Claridge, Managing Director, Janusian Security Management ·Ali Asgharzadeh, Program Manager, Thuraya Services, Boeing Satellite Systems ·Jonas Lindblad, Analyst, Middle East & North Africa, Pyramid Research ·Francis Dinha, President & CEO, Furatlink ·Denis Gheysen, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Comfone AG ·Michel Hebert, Chief Executive Officer, Itsalat Iraq   Day One Wednesday 26th January 2005 Conference Chair Talal Abu-Ghazaleh - Chairman, E-Business, Information Technology & Telecommunications Commission, ICC Paris - Chairman, Arab Regional Network, United Nations ICT Task Force - Chairman, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAGI)   08:40 Registration and coffee   09:20 Opening remarks from the chair   REGULATORY AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS TO DEPLOY WIRELESS SERVICES IN IRAQ The first part of the conference will look at the status of wireless deployment in Iraq, in terms of economic issues, regulation and market opportunities.     9.40 Overview of the GSM rollout in Iraq • Examining the licensing process: Managing the 2-year licenses • Requirements and licence conditions for GSM rollout: What are they and how are they fulfilled? • The status of GSM rollout in Iraq: What is the schedule? • Challenges for operators to implement GSM networks and maximise coverage • The future of wireless services in Iraq: After the 2 years, what will happen of the licenses? Tom Phillips, Government & Regulatory Affairs Officer, GSM Association     10.20 IRAQ OPERATOR CASE STUDY Atheer Telecom’s GSM rollout • Scheduling deployment of GSM networks • Negotiating licence conditions and coverage requirements • Selecting services to implement to attract customers • The results so far: customers, traffic, revenues • Preparing for the future: after the first licence runs out Ali Al-Dahwi, Chief Executive Officer, MTC Atheer   11.00 Coffee   11.20 Examining the regulatory environment for Iraq's wireless services • Introduction to the National Communications and Media Commission • Understanding the role of Ministry of Communications • Outline of the current legal environment • Impact of constraints on long-term decision-making • Policy recommendations for the future Art Bresnahan, Counsel Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP   12:00 Opportunities for foreign companies to build a wireless communications market in Iraq • The current telecommunications sector in Iraq: Fixed-line and wireless. • The GSM licensing process: How it impacts on the future of wireless services. • Solutions to facilitate rollout of wireless services: Low-cost networks, satellite, WiFi. • The demand for wireless communication services in Iraq: How big is the addressable market? • Shaping the wireless market: What to expect in the coming years in terms of coverage, penetration rates, revenues. Jonas Lindblad, Analyst, Middle East & North Africa Pyramid Research   12:40 Lunch   13:50 Roadmap for competition in wireless telecom services in Iraq • Benefits of a competitive telecommunications sector • Options for introducing competition in wireless services in Iraq • The regulatory requirements for introducing competition • Regulator's role in promoting competition in wireless services - Licensing (and the challenges of transition to new licensing regime) - Interconnection - National roaming - Mobile number portability - Universal service • Policy recommendations for liberalisation of telecommunications Louay Abouchanab, Consultant, Connexus Consulting   NETWORK OPTIONS TO FACILITATE WIRELESS DEPLOYMENT Technologies such as GSM, WLAN, satellite will be examined to determine which are most likely to ensure rapid and cost-effective coverage to maximise the take off of wireless services in the area.   14:30 Building superior wireless telecom networks in Iraq • Network alternatives for facilitating wireless deployment in Iraq: options for low-cost and rapid rollout of wireless services • Examining the technologies currently available for implementing wireless networks: what has been delivered to Iraq and what is missing? (GSM, Satellite, WiFi, WiMAX and WLL) • Opportunities with VoIP & VoWLAN for facilitating economical wireless services coverage • Deployment challenges and current obstacles - Exploration into licensing, restrictions, regulations and telecom evolution: where did we go wrong? • Opportunities for Iraqi Telecom companies to be part of the Global Wireless Networks evolution Asaad Alnajjar, P.E., Chief Strategy Officer, VoEx   15:10 Coffee   15:30 Complementing GSM with satellite communications • Examining the benefits of satellite in building a reliable and efficient wireless network • Deploying satellite communications within geographic and financial restrictions • Combining wireless satellite communications with GSM networks • Seamless Communications & future roaming solutions Harry Tayler, Account Director, Inmarsat Ltd.   16:10 PANEL DISCUSSION Best options to implement wireless networks in Iraq • The technology available to maximise coverage in emerging markets • Iraq wireless in the Middle East: how does the market integrate in the region • Investing in infrastructure in Iraq: how to ensure ROI? Moderator: Steve Hobbs, Managing Partner, UK, Acre Consultants, and former CTO, AsiaCell Panelists: Asaad Alnajjar, Chief Strategy Officer, VoEx Art Bresnahan, Counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Denis Gheysen, EVP, Marketing and Sales, Comfone AG Harry Tayler, Account Director, Inmarsat Ltd.   16:50 Close of day one       Day Two Thursday 27th January 2005 Conference Chair Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman, TAGI   08:45 Registration and coffee   09:15 Opening remarks from the chair   ENTERING THE IRAQ WIRELESS MARKET: FINANCING, PLANNING, MARKETING This session will look at the business opportunities in Iraq and how to manage projects to ensure ROI and take off of wireless services.   09:20 Maximising business opportunities in the new Iraqi market • Iraqi economy & wireless infrastructure role • The liberalization of Iraqi telecommunications: Challenges and opportunities • Financing and business models in wireless projects • Working with local and foreign companies to manage projects • Utilizing advanced infrastructure, services, technology, and expertise offered by developed countries • Prospects for revenues on the wireless sector in the coming years • Wireless applications Francis Dinha, President & CEO, Furatlink   10:00 Building Iraq’s GSM infrastructure: finances, technology choices, project management • Obtaining a contract to build major infrastructure in Iraq • Technology choices to build a GSM network in a new market • Managing infrastructure building projects: sub-contracting, monitoring works • Dealing with US and Iraqi authorities to lead infrastructure building projects • Status of GSM networks in Iraq today and improvements to be made Jeff Richardson, Director Defense & International Markets EMEA, MCI   10:40 Managing contracts and sub-contracts in the re-construction of Iraq • Managing projects under contracts from international agencies • Planning the re-construction effort: financial, organisational and logistical aspects • Sub-contracting part of the construction project: choosing the contractors and overseeing projects • The place of wireless satellite services in rebuilding the telecommunications infrastructure • Working with Iraqi companies and network operators Ali Asgharzadeh, Ph.D, Program Manager, Thuraya Services, Boeing Satellite Systems   11:15 Coffee   11:35 Approaching the Iraqi wireless market: strategies and planning • Identifying customers' needs to maximise take off of wireless services • Segmenting and sizing customers’ needs for mobile handsets • Entry strategies for effective market access and development • What complementary services and applications can operators offer • Anticipating future demand: how is the market likely to grow? Michel Hebert, CEO, Itsalat Iraq/ Director of International Business Development, Allied-TC plc   12:10 Enabling roaming between Iraqi and neighbouring networks • Enabling roaming with neighbouring networks: Comfone Key2roam • Business models to manage roaming partnerships with Iraqi operators in an uncertain climate • Regulatory and political requirements to help build a roaming wireless network • Enabling roaming for Atheer telecom: project management and status of services • The importance of working Iraqi networks for growth in Arab wireless communications Denis Gheysen, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Sales Comfone AG   12:45 Lunch   13:55 Using WLAN as an alternative wireless network in Iraq • Complementing wireless coverage in Iraq with WLAN • Where is WiFi available and who uses it? • Expanding WiFi usage in Iraq: what markets can be targeted? • Technology solutions to enable seamless wireless communications with WLAN Amir Alkaram, Intel   14:30 Investment opportunities in Iraqi Kurdistan • The status of wireless deployment in Iraqi Kurdistant: networks and services • Estimating market size and opportunities in wireless services • The role of the Kurdistan Development Corporation • Opportunities for foreign companies to invest in Iraqi Kurdistan's wireless infrastructure and services Nicholas Somerville, Executive Director Kurdistan Development Corporation   MANAGING INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING PROJECTS IN CHALLENGING CONDITIONS: SECURITY ISSUES AND RISK CONTROL SOLUTIONS   15:05 Risk management programmes to allow wireless infrastructure building • Understanding the possible risks: legal, political, violence, terrorism • Examining the approaches to protect employees and businesses against varied threats • Adapting protection schemes to projects in wireless: case studies • Dealing with problems: resolution techniques • Analysing how threats have impacted on wireless projects David Claridge, Managing Director, Janusian Security Risk Management   15:40 Coffee   16:00 Assessing political and economic risks in Iraq • Understanding the political and economic trends in Iraq • Effects on business and infrastructure projects in the region • Terrorist risks and their effect on business • Protecting your business from these threats Andrew Marshall, Managing Director, Middle East Practice Kroll   16:35 PANEL DISCUSSION: Conclusions and recommendations This panel discussion will be an occasion to review the issues addressed over the last two days and attempt to provide recommendations on how to best manage wireless deployment in Iraq. Panellists: Andrew Marshall, MD, Middle East Practice, Kroll Michel Hebert, CEO, Itsalat Iraq David Claridge, MD, Janusian Security Risk Management Mohamad Shaboot, Director, VoEx International   17:10 Closing remarks by chairman   17:15 End of conference SUMMARY;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:Wireless Services In Iraq Conference DTSTART:20050126T000000 DTEND: PRIORITY:3 End:VEVENT End:VCALENDAR