We’re launching a Middle East digital media tracker called Gulf Sutra today. It will be published weekly, and is a work-in-progress: we’ll tweak it as we understand that market, and your need for news from that market, better. I’ve spoken to a few content providers who are eying the Middle East, particularly on the mobile front, given that some countries have over 100 percent mobile penetration, and some have a substantial expatriate population. Some Indian companies are already there: Times Internet, Hungama Mobile, NDTV 24×7, and both Naukri and Times Jobs. Cricket is pretty popular in the UAE, as well. If there’s some way we can improve the content coverage, please do let us know either in the comments to this post, or at nikhil AT contentsutra DOT com. If you think we should call it something other than Gulf Sutra – that too. Here goes:
Across The Region
— Microsoft To Deploy Digital Entertainment Technology PlayReady For Orascom Telecom Holding Group
— Mobile Video Content In The Middle East
— Zain To Launch Unified Network In Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan And Bahrain
Saudi Arabia
— Saudi Internet users spend $3.2b in 2007
— Saudi Telecom Seeks $1.5bln To Fund 35 Percent Stake In Turkey’s Oger Telecom; Cost Of Acquisition $2.6 Bn
— Cisco To Deploy Content Delivery Network And IPTV Platform For Saudia Arabia’s Rotana
UAE
— Telco du’s Full Year Revenues At $408.4 Million; 1.5 million Subs, 30 pc Of Population
— The UAE topped the Arab world in the number of internet users per every thousand users
— du To Launch WiFi Services In Dubai Festival City / Etisalat – wi-fi In Hotels
— Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT) and GO plc acquire 21 per cent Of Greek Telco
Egypt
— Etisalat To Roll Out High Speed Internet Service In Egypt – upto 60mbps
— Etisalat Egypt To Buy Telecom Egypt’s Stake In Two ISPs
— Egypt’s Orascom Telecom Wins Telecom License In North Korea
— Mobinil Raises $400 Million In Bank Loans / Egypt Yellow Pages – Mobinil’s Mobile Local Information Service
More in the extended text
Bahrain
— Bahrain has 1030 mobile subscribers per every 1,000 persons
— Bahrain Telecom to cut jobs after slow home growth; Plans Overseas Expansion
— New Appointments At Bahrain’s Telecom Regulator
Qatar
— 50,000 Subs On Qatar Telecom’s 3.5G Service
— Qatar Telecom Launches IM Chat Via SMS
— Al Jazeera To Launch On Singtel’s IPTV In Q1
— Qatar Telecom Gears Up For Vodafone Competition / Voda To Get License Next Month
Jordan
— Jordan Telecom 2007 net profit rises 8.6 pct
— Zain Trials Mobile Advertising Software In Jordan
Oman
— Bank Sohar unveils internet banking
— Omantel 2007 Net Profit At $289m
Kuwait
— Kuwait’s Zain Not In Talks To Take Over Syriatel
— Kuwait’s Investment Dar eyes U.S. telco
Turkey
— Turkcell Eyes Acquisitions; Number Portability For Turkey
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