DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 18 September 2013.. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and Access Partnership today announce that as part of its effort to address some of the pressing challenges related to convergence in the UAE’s highly-evolved telecommunications market, the country’s Communications and Media Industry Group (UCMIG) celebrated its second year of formal operation as the UAE’s tech industry association with an industry-only get-together.
“We believe our partnership with our industry is valuable to both sides,” said Mohammad al-Ghanem, Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) commenting on the meeting. “The more they can speak with one voice, the easier it is for us to create the best policy environment.”
Speaking about the challenges faced by one of the industry’s first trade associations in the region, Mike Thompson, Director of Access Partnership, which provides secretariat services to the UCMIG, said “The industry here is composed of a lot more than just companies selling to the domestic market. Most major ICT firms are either based here or have a major presence in the UAE, so the feedback we provide to the government is founded on a significant breadth of experience.”
Among the issues under discussion at the industry-only meeting were: what positions to take on eWaste, mobile TV, consumer protection rules, and ex ante regulatory remedies. “It’s a chance to get properly organised,” Thompson explained, “the government here likes to be prepared, and the group wants to respond to that.” The regulator has in recent months been evaluating a number of policy options, and the work being done today will inform the regulator’s agenda for the remaining quarter and for 2014.
About the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority
TRA is building the core ICT regulatory framework for the UAE’s burgeoning knowledge economy. ICT development underpins economic growth and social advancement, and is a critical pillar in the nation’s broader 2021 Vision. The TRA supports the UAE’s ICT sector by safeguarding competition to protect the interests of subscribers, enhancing the readiness of e-services, encouraging investment, innovation and development, whilst facilitating a broader ecosystem for human capital development. For more information about the TRA, please visit: www.tra.gov.ae or contact us on: media @tra.gov.ae
About Access Partnership
Since 1999, Access Partnership has been helping some of the world’s leading ICT companies, investment groups and governments gain access to new markets, drive sales and regulatory goals, obtain valuable spectrum and introduce new services and organizations into previously underserved markets. Access Partnership provides an experienced, multi-disciplinary, multilingual staff to devise and implement a strategy for resolving regulatory, technical, and other trade-related restrictions on five continents. For more information, visit www.accesspartnership.com.
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Media Contacts:
TRA:
Shaza Ahmed
Tel: 0097126118253
Shaza.ahmed@tra.gov.ae
Access Partnership:
Kim Larkin
Tel: 1.202.391.5205
klarkin@kstarrcomm.com
