ICT

Having kept a tight lid on access to information for many years, Myanmar is now opening its doors to new technologies, bringing a tidal wave of social empowerment. However, quality control both in terms of technology and content is likely to be the main challenge going forward.

The government is reaffirming Egypt’s commitment to the planned expansion of its broadband infrastructure, in the hopes of spurring new development in technology-based industries. ICT has grown rapidly in Egypt over the past decade, both in terms of take-up by Egyptian consumers and outsourcing and offshoring activity.

Following the launch of Malaysia’s first long-term evolution (LTE) mobile telephone network in January, this year should see a rush to market as major operators look to expand their data earnings. The rollout of new technologies and products offered by telecoms firms in Malaysia is in line with growth in the region, which has ambitions to become a global leader in mobile broadband access.

A new deal between local telecommunications firms and the Turkish government is expected to see the introduction of a new 4G network in Turkey by 2016. This move has been hotly anticipated by telecoms operators, as they will be able to expand their services and offer new products that take advantage of the improved network speeds.

The regulator of Bahrain’s telecommunications sector recently announced plans to unlock additional radio spectrum to improve speed and availability, news that has been much welcomed by sector players. However, how the bands will be allocated and to whom has not been made clear.