The strides ahead

Free Internet, the CIT Ministry and Telecom Egypt were the stars of this year's Cairo Telecomp exhibition. Amira Howeidy went along
There was something different about the sixth annual Cairo Telecomp exhibition, based as usual in the famous Cairo International Conference Hall in Nasr City. This time round, the exhibition finally generated hype. And lots of it.
One might wonder what the secret ingredient that brought the lacklustre 14-17 January event to life really was, if it were not so obvious. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak himself was there to boost the opening. Not only that, but the president also pressed a (virtual?) button to launch Egypt's most exciting and concrete IT project to date: free Internet.
Nevertheless, the sixth Cairo Telecomp- described by flyers as the "international telecommunications, information technology, networking and broadcast technology trade fair and forum of the Arab world" -- was more than just free Internet. Backed, but not sponsored, by the Communications and Information Technology (CIT) Ministry, the event served as a forum to explore exactly where "IT," the buzz- word that was once all the rage in Egypt, now stands.
But even IT, it seems, is no longer just a two-letter word. It is taking "regional" and "African" forms. Moreover, with the advent of what one CIT ministry official called "a 100 per cent Egyptian model for free Internet access," Egypt is seriously becoming part of the "free" world of cyber-space with all that this entails. (See related story)
If Cairo Telecomp 2002 reflected anything, it is that CIT (Communications and Information Technology), rather than just "IT," has matured in this part of the world. We have moved beyond the buzz-word era, and now there are challenges to overcome, skills to develop and a growing industry that seriously needs to be promoted.
In sharp contrast to past exhibitions, this year's Telecomp, whose motto was "two steps ahead," devoted its "forum" discussions to pressing issues for the industry.
For once, serious progress was made. The gap narrowed between the various Arab countries on standardising Arabic Internet domain names. Consumer rights, intellectual property, legal and regulatory frameworks for the telecommunications and information technology industry in the Arab world and the future of software development were all dealt with at length, without any of the usual frills and unfulfilled promises.
"Enough of the 'simulating-the-Indian-model' rhetoric" snapped one speaker in the Future of Software Development in Egypt and the Region seminar. "Then just how are we supposed to encourage the local software industry?" quipped back Osama Kamal, organiser of Cairo Telecomp. "Will we impose new tariffs on imported software if they arrive in more than six pieces?" he asked in a mocking reference to the government's recent decision to tax Egyptians who bring in more than six pieces of imported garments from abroad.
Although the government threw its full weight behind the event, and the president himself - accompanied by several top state officials from Egypt and the region - was there to inaugurate it, it was clear that no one was taking the IT industry for granted, not even the government itself.
Take Telecom Egypt (TE), the national telephone company. It was less than a year ago that TE's facelift began to draw attention. Not only did it develop a decent and modern looking logo but it activated, or rather created, a marketing and sales department. The department actually appears to be offering services, following decades of indulging in the red-tape hukuma (government) mentality.
Furthermore, TE"s booth in Cairo Telecomp could actually be termed an eye- catcher.
Scattered around the sleek and aesthetic stall were numerous stands, each specialising in one of TE"s wide- ranging services - from ISDN lines for home and small business use to underground or submarine cables, satellite and various types of transmission media and networking solutions for large enterprises.
"Yes, we're out there to show the new TE," said an excited Azza Torky, vice chairman of TE's international and new services department. But there is more. "By the end of this year, TE will also be Egypt's third mobile phone network," she pointed out.
A few booths down from TE, another government project was attracting visitors. A vast replica of the CIT Ministry's "smart village" was attracting dozens of visitors, curious to catch a glimpse of Egypt's vision of a "silicon valley" that many of us have heard about but have never seen.
The winners at the exhibition? The government and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), in that order.
Tarek Kamel, senior adviser to the minister and the CIT Ministry, announced once again the government's long- standing and long-term aim of "making Egypt into a regional hub in CIT."
"We are trying to achieve our ambition of exporting services in software development, telecommunications services and technical support on consultation, system integration, training and human resource development in IT and telecommunications services," Kamel told Al- Ahram Weekly . "Part of that involves promoting this country and promoting companies based in this country"
Kamel said he felt the conference showed how "Egypt can play a regional, Arab and African role." Hence the CIT Ministry's "initiatives" in this respect: free Internet, the establishment of a business forum for information and communications technology and hosting the board meeting of the African Network Information Centre. The centre, which is dubbed "Afronic," met recently in Cairo and issued recommendations on the development of Internet activity in Africa.
The exhibition also hosted the first Egypt-based meeting of the Arab Internet Name Consortium.
Exciting, regional and serious- this is today's CIT in Egypt. Despite all the seriousness, however, free Internet was the highlight of the 4-day event. The rocking and banging of the loud pop music emanated from free Internet's section in the conference hall, and the area was the only one which visitors really flocked to. With the word "free" displayed in big letters and the loud crooning of Britney Spears soaring above the crowds, who could resist?
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Never too much tele 27 Jan. - 2 Feb. 2000
Related links:
Cairo Telecomp
Telecom Egypt
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
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