Raficoo
join:2006-11-14
|  Lebanon may deploy a 100 megabit-per-second network by 2011
Source: »www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp···id=97931
"When will the Internet get up to speed in Lebanon?"
BEIRUT: Amid rave reviews and the glow of high-definition television screens as far as the eye could see, the 13th edition of the Levant's Information Technology Exhibition at the Beirut International Exhibition and Leisure center is a look into Lebanon's potential as a future technology hot spot for the Middle East.
Representing a mix of local, regional, and international companies and organizations, the conference is highlighting Lebanon's growing market for high-end consumer electronics, high-speed Internet connectivity, and information technology services and software.
The conference also played host to a controversial topic in information technology currently facing Lebanon, the growing demand for the deployment of a high-speed Internet network.
An organization at the conference represented by the Partnership for Lebanon, along with local banks, NGOs, and technology industries, is calling for signatures for its "Broadband Manifesto." Its goal is to achieve universal Lebanese access to a 100 megabit-per-second network , by 2011. Current speeds in Lebanon are generally limited to 1 megabit per second.
Eli Geahchan, communication manager for Partnership for Lebanon (a conglomeration of multi-national technology companies such as Cisco Systems), highlighted the problems with Lebanon's current DSL network: "Internet access is very expensive despite its limited speed ... It's important to educate consumers on the fact that what they have right now is not broadband, and that with true high-speed access in Lebanon, the whole country will benefit from economic growth and access to information. Lobbying and marketing are as important in this issue as education and awareness of such a network's benefits."
Geahchan underlined the opportunities for deploying high-speed wireless technologies such as WIMAX, especially in mountainous regions of the country. The Broadband Manifesto calls for "reclaiming Lebanon's position as a regional leader in the provision of products and services" and notes that "broadband connectivity ... is an enabler of economic growth and social development."
It also demands a more competitive marketplace, with an end to Ogero's government-promoted monopoly.
Geahchan believed the conference was already a success for showcasing the organization's message.
Dolly Hajjar, account manager of WISE, a Lebanese Internet service provider offering ADSL, wireless microwave, and dial-up services, echoed the sentiment that "definitely the conference is a success."
The Daily Star inquired specifically about the current state of Internet access and connectivity in Lebanon, and Hajjar agreed with Geahchan's conclusion that Ogero's position as a government-owned monopoly limited the free-market's capacity for innovation and inexpensive products. Still, she was optimistic that there would be "gradual freedom" over time, and that the key to the success of private providers, those that must rent bandwidth from the government-(Ogero)-owned lines, is to increase value through better services and more robust product offerings.
WISE's position is that "everyone is preparing for" high-speed wireless technologies such as "WIMAX," and that this will be a way to circumvent the power of Ogero's monopoly of the phone and DSL lines.
At present, there are roughly 34,000 DSL subscribers in Lebanon and most of them deal with Ogero, which control the bulk of the Internet market.
Critics say that DSL did not spread as officials hoped, adding that there are still 200,000 subscribers who are either using the obsolete dial-up or the illegal cables.
Despite that,Hajjar is confident that ADSL service is the likely future of Internet service here for the next few years, especially since Ogero is planning to increase DSL access next month. Accordingly, wireless access will continue to be an "option" as opposed to a status quo, though she told The Daily Star that "we're still selling wireless more successfully than was expected." She added that the private sector must focus on market share and better service in order to have a voice at the table.
Now Imagine people getting access to this High-speed Network... that would be the day  |
