Booming Telecom - Beaming Pakistan

In Pakistan during past few years, massive growth has been witnessed in the telecom sector through fixed-line deregulation, and mobile cellular policies which have gone a long way in achieving their objectives in terms of infrastructural development.
Increase in investment and the range of quality and choice of services for customers, extension of telecom services to remote areas and encouragement of fair competition among operators.
With the announcement of telecom deregulation policy, mobile policy and broadband policy by the Government to overcome various hurdles and pave a path for its growth in Pakistan, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority undertook the challenging task of implementing effective policies with earnestness.
The investors across the world were encouraged, through an even and transparent regime in addition to a number of incentives for operation for telecom services due to which Pakistan is now likely to attract up to US $4 billion investment in the telecom sector in the next couple of years, given the tremendous scope for growth.
Besides being praised within the country, Pakistan telecom policies have also been recognised by international telecom organisations. PTA was awarded G-Rex Award 2005 by International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau has appreciated PTA's contribution to the dialogue among regulators from all over the world and recognised its high level participation in it.
Lately, Pakistan has been awarded "Government Leadership Award" by GSM Association during its moot at Barcelona, Spain. The GSM Association is a global trade association representing around 680 mobile operators. Pakistan is the second country after Brazil to be honoured with this Award.
Due to Government's structured approach of liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation, following milestones were achieved in recent past.
-- Telecommunications Sector declared as industry
-- PTA awarded 2 new mobile cellular licenses through open bidding
-- Award of a license to 12 LDI, 36 LL and 18 WLL companies
-- PTA hosted SATRC meeting in Islamabad for the first time
-- Type approval on some of the IT related equipment withdrawn, to promote ICT
-- 4-digit short codes planned to be allocated to the LDI and LL operators
-- PTCL Reference Interconnect Offer (RIO) approved
-- Video Conferencing allowed through hiring leased lines from PTCL
-- SCO started its cellular operations in AJ&K areas of Pakistan
-- Universal Service Fund (USF) has been created to boost connectivity in rural areas
-- Mobile phones allowed to be used as PCOs in rural areas where fixed line is not
-- available
-- Foreign Direct Investment counted up to 22 percent
-- 0.33 million employment opportunities were created
-- Share of total telecom in GDP increased up to 1.93%
No doubt, at present, Pakistani market is fully packed with its respective stakeholders. Few amongst them have succeeded in marking their presence while others are still struggling hard to do so.
Since the industry is growing day by day and each day adds a new dimension to telecom companies, it is deemed necessary to bring all stakeholders together not only to share their experiences and technologies with each other but also to show their strength as an Industry locally, regionally and globally.
Keeping in view this tremendous growth and happenings in the Telecom Sector, 'The Exhibitor (Pvt) Limited', a local event management company thought of a unique idea to hold an exclusive event only for communication related stakeholders, companies and traders.
In the month of July last year the idea finally took off in form of holding "GEO C Future 2005"; a conference & exhibition where participants not only apprised themselves with the latest technologies on display but they also exchanged and shared their experiences with the foreign experts specially invited at the occasion from Finland, Malaysia, Europe and Middle East etc.
The enormous success of "C Future 2005" brought a change in the industry in terms of creating interaction among industry players and end-users at a professional level of understanding. Consequently 'The Exhibitor (Pvt) Limited' decided to make this Event an annual feature of Telecom Industry.
This year 'The Exhibitor (Pvt) Limited' is holding "C Future 2006" under the theme of "Communicating Innovation" on June 3rd - June 4th at Karachi Expo Centre with the blessings of FPCCI who is acting as Co-organiser of the Event in the larger interest of entire Telecom Industry. The "C Future 2006" aims to bring all players of Telecom Industry under one roof in order to achieve following objectives.
UNITING ALL ALLIED BUSINESSES ON ONE PLATFORM:
To provide a place where all allied business personnel can meet under one roof to form various local and regional collaborations for further growth of individuals.
PROVIDING A ROSTRUM TO COMMUNICATE WITH LARGER AUDIENCE:
To provide all existing companies and new entrants engaged in the communication business a large focal market and target audience for further promotion of their business and upcoming brands. Statistically speaking, 9% of the total population of Pakistan is aware of this technology so the rest 91% needs to be explored.
PROMOTING THE INDUSTRY TO INTERACT WITH THE TRADE BODIES OF PAKISTAN:
To provide an opportunity for international market to meet trade bodies of Pakistan for business collaborations in Pakistan.
RECOGNIZING THE ROLE OF HIGH ACHIEVERS:
To recognise and admire the role of best doers of the industry by conferring FPCCI "Telecom Excellence Award" at this occasion.
In short, this event will provide an phenomenal benefits to all participants including, gaining market recognition, image building for companies, know-how on global diversity, interaction with instrumental & key decision-makers through the specifically designed network session. The exhibition will help users to increase brand awareness, brand retention and a chance to evaluate market trends in this sector. This Exhibition is widely categorised into following four segments, never before done in Pakistan.
DISPLAY WING:
Display Wing offers a place for the products' display before the masses for observing and educating themselves with the latest technology and trends.
SELLING WING:
All major brands and distributors from all over Pakistan are encouraged to sell their products for the convenience of the users.
TECHNICAL WING:
A separate area is exclusively designed for free demonstration of different cellular applications.
CAREER AND EDUCATION WING:
Educational institutes imparting telecom education are invited to offer free career guidelines and counselling.
Having the auspices of Federal Ministry of IT & Telecom, Provincial Ministry of Information Technology, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Pakistan Export Corporation and United Mobile, it is hoped that this Event will create new records of success in the industry where all stakeholders are not only coming together under one roof but they are also having a chance to analyse their own potentials parallel and cross-functional. It is the best opportunity to portray one's customised technological capability in a larger context. In nutshell, to catch the bus, every stakeholder has to be proactive in their actions and this event is the right gear to start up the race.