RIPE NCC Regional Meeting Bahrain 2006 Press Highlights

Bahrain needs to further open up telecom sector

Source: Bahrain Tribune
Date: 15 November 2006

The head of one of Bahrain’s most innovative telecommunications companies yesterday called for a major re-think of the Kingdom’s Internet licensing policy and warned large companies could leave Bahrain if its telecom sector does not undergo significant change.

Fahad Al Shirawi, of local firm 2connect, was speaking to Bahrain Tribune on the sidelines of the first day of the regional meeting of an international forum designed to allow the sharing of ideas between Internet service providers.

Time is RIPE for cooperation

Source: Bahrain Tribune
Date: 16 November 2006

Arab internet providers were told yesterday they must take steps to wrest control of regional internet traffic from wealthy firms in the developed world or face being beset by difficulties as customers fuel demand for new services.

A two-day summit called to discuss the future of the internet in the Gulf ended yesterday with the overwhelming conclusion that greater co-operation between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should be the region’s top priority.