Got Talent is one of the most popular TV series of the last several years, broadcasted on hundreds of channels around the world. It has captured the interest of all of those who are gifted with a talent—and even many that aren’t. The concept started in the UK by host Simon Cowell, although it was America’s Got Talent that cemented the show as an international platform for singers, dancers, musicians, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages.

In a recent move to bring the series closer to local audiences, MBC group has partnered with the Got Talent franchise in order to give the Arab world the chance to show off their talents to a wider public. Casting calls are being made in the month of March and are open to peoples of all ages and all backgrounds (provided they can speak Arabic).

In previous seasons of the Got Talent show, we have seen acts that have both horrified and amazed audiences, with judges screaming everything from rude obscenities to YES YOU CAN! Notable acts like Susan Boyle—who was mocked the moment she was on stage—broke all conventions after just a few seconds on stage, leaving the crowd’s eyes wide open and jaws dropped from her incredible voice. Maybe one of you out there can do the same…

During the first season of Arabs Got Talent, which will be aired on MBC4, the public can register online and will be chosen accordingly by talent and availabilities. From heartfelt performances to hilarious gags, we can’t wait to see who’s got talent in the Arab world!

Get on stage at http://riyadhciti.com/2010/02/arabs-got-talent/.

Abu Dhabi, 10 March 2010: As the Strategic Operator Partner, Etisalat participated in the Broadband Global Summit 2010, one of the region’s most important assemblies on broadband technologies, held 8-10 March 2010 at the One & Only Royal Mirage Hotel. Broadband Global Summit, in its second successful year, is positioned to reflect the dynamic developments within the region’s broadband ecosystem and effectively highlighted the exciting growth areas in the telecommunications industry - universal connectivity via broadband in the Middle East and Africa regions.

Commenting on the participation, Etisalat’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, Khalifa Al Shamsi, said, “Etisalat envisions that all UAE residents will soon be digitally connected, improving themselves and their lifestyles every single day. Through a mix of advanced broadband technologies, Etisalat has already embarked upon this process and its recent nation-wide fiber roll-out, e-Life, will add significant value to customers’ lifestyles, enabling them to achieve much more than what is possible today. Through our participation in this summit, we are pleased to bring to a wider forum our experiences and insights that will assist in laying out the future roadmap of broadband infrastructure development for the entire region.”

In a keynote presentation on the ‘LTE Focus’ day of the event, Tariq Al Qaseer, Senior Director of Mobile Network- Planning at Etisalat, highlighted the “mobile broadband trends and challenges” elaborating on the opportunities brought by the advanced Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology and joint efforts required to accelerate the LTE maturity in the region. He also explained Etisalat’s efforts in this direction through an earlier demonstration of LTE, designed to increase the capacity and speed of mobile networks.

As a key note speaker on the opening day, Ali Al Ahmed, Group Chief Strategy Officer, (GCSO) at Etisalat, mapped the evolution in the communications industry over the past one decade. In this congregation of the region’s top minds: regulatory decision makers, industry leaders and innovators, he discussed the opportunities and challenges faced in addressing the increasing customer demand and the strategic deployment of several technologies that exist within diverse environments. This was followed by a panel discussion on the region’s future broadband road-map and technology vision.

On the concluding day of the 3-day event, highlighting on the FTTH technological advancements and strategies, Fahem Al Bugham – Vice President / Technology Strategy presented the case study on the “Impact of evolving GPON on Access Network” and customer advantages met by the FTTH network, drawing from Etisalat’s experience, being the pioneer in deploying the region’s first fiber network across the UAE.

Pioneering the leading-edge fixed and mobile broadband technology locally and regionally, Etisalat’s contribution to the event was showcased through Etisalat’s experiences in the recent deployment of the Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and HSPA+ in the UAE, as well as through strategic insight from Etisalat experts on the future of broadband technologies. Etisalat’s FTTH network, has already covered over 735,000 households in the UAE, through eLife and Etisalat aims to connect the whole of the nation’s households by 2011, setting UAE in the league of top international fiber-connected countries.

Etisalat is also the first in the region to introduce the fastest mobile broadband technology, HSPA+ in the UAE, including the design and installation of the HSPA+ mobile infrastructure in the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa.

The event, among other benefits, also explored the broadband business in detail and presented opportunities to craft business strategies in order to deliver a new level of experience for customers and greater returns for shareholders. The programme included multiple tracks across two days with over 60 high-level speakers, including 20 presentations, 38 operator case studies, workshops, training programmes and much more.

Dubai, March 9,2010 : E-Vision which is part of Etisalat and the leading cable TV provider in the region today announced a treat for sporting fans by announcing its intention to showcase live action from the Dallas Cowboys Stadium which is hosting the World Welterweight Championship fight between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey on Sunday, March 14 @ 6am UAE time.

The fight will be telecast live on the E-View channel No 210 at 6am UAE time. To subscribe, customers can call 101 or 800101. They can also catch replays of the fight at 11am, 4 pm and 9 pm.

According to Kamal Nassif, Manager, Pay Per View at E-Vision, “A boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey for the welterweight title will be a real treat for all boxing fans in the UAE. Bringing live action from such global sporting events reinforces our commitment to bringing the best in sports for the benefit of our viewers in the UAE.”

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), an icon in his native Philippines will be defending the World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title he earned in his last fight, produced by a 12th round knockout of three-time world champion Miguel Cotto.  He is ranked the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport by ESPN.com and The Ring Magazine.

The former welterweight champion Clottey, born in Ghana, is 35-3 as a professional, with 21 knockouts. In his last fight Clottey lost a controversial split decision to defending WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden. He is currently world-rated No. 1 by the WBO and No. 4 by the World Boxing Association (WBA).

The story of the Pacquiao vs. Clottey fight is going to be about whether Clottey’s pressure and counterpunching can overcome Pacquiao’s foot speed and quick-handed, sharp-punching attacks.  The Event :Pacquiao vs. Clottey will be promoted by Top Rank, in association with Dallas Cowboys and MP Promotions. This Pay-per-View event is available through TFC on E-Vision.

E-Vision is the leading regional source to offer over 300 TV channels, in 21 different languages, ranging from sports to movies, from documentaries to music and kid’s channels. E-Vision’s product line-up includes 15 premium packages from all the major TV providers like OSN, ART, Pehla, Firstnet, TFC, Pinoy Plus and many more, in addition to the E-Vision Basic package.

• Etisalat speakers share insights on benefits of a Converged IP network & Software plus Services approach with Etisalat Hosting Offerings
• Etisalat emphasizes  usage of Microsoft Operations Framework in ICT & Service Management Projects

Dubai, March 4, 2010: At the inaugural edition of Tech.Ed Middle East which  is Microsoft’s premier technical education and networking event in Dubai which concluded yesterday, Etisalat executives presented attendees with insights into its comprehensive Managed ICT & services portfolio to showcase how customers can benefit from such services with enhanced business performance while optimizing capital investment and operational costs.

In a presentation entitled “Enhancing performance through High Speed IP networks”, Haider Khan, Business Development Manager, Etisalat and Rehan Sami, Solution Architect, Etisalat talked about the significance of MPLS IPVPNs to help attendees understand how Etisalat‘s IP network can facilitate collaborative business models by converging voice and data and hence improve performance and operational efficiencies. With IP being the de facto protocol worldwide, Haider highlighted  Etisalat efforts to set up its own IP nodes worldwide which would provide business customers with advantages like single point of contact and price guarantees in addition to a reliable quality of service(QOS).

The service can also be offered as a Managed Service by Etisalat with end to end network management through Etisalat’s Managed Router Service which has 24×7x365 proactive monitoring thereby enabling UAE based companies to lower their TCO( Total Cost of operations) and deal with a  single vendor .

Jitendra Kapoor, Specialist – eHosting from Etisalat talked about the synergies between  Microsoft’s Software Plus Services strategy and Etisalat’s  Suite of Managed & Hosted Microsoft  Application services to mitigate risks and enhance business agility. He said, “Businesses can now partner with Etisalat to capitalize on the secure, reliable and scalable computing environment of Etisalat’s state of the art fully redundant Internet data centres to conduct mission critical operations and be assured of enriched Managed Hosting Services like storage, disaster recovery, Business Continuity Planning, security, message hygiene, and Microsoft Software management.”

Etisalat can thus assists businesses of all sizes to make a prudent selection of on premise and Etisalat Hosted & Managed Applications-a winning combination designed to enhance competitive edge for customers. This translates into a very convenient deployment model which can be adjusted dynamically as business needs shift and growth requirements necessitate a relevant approach.

According to Shazad Ahmed, Specialist, Professional Services, Etisalat who spoke on the relevance of Microsoft Operations Framework, “Microsoft Operations Framework(MOF) provides a practical framework and guidance to provide efficient and effective services. The major advantage of bringing in MOF best practices to Professional Services engagements  is to reveal customer service flaws early on during the engagement. Moreover, it also helps to gather clear requirements from customers. While working on customer Service Management projects, MOF provides a low cost solution for organizations to adopt IT best practices and become ISO 20000 ready.

New IPTV High Definition Set-Top Boxes to offer enriched customer experience

Dubai, March 3, 2010: E-Vision which is part of Etisalat and the leading cable TV provider in the region today announced the introduction of new IPTV High Definition (HD) set-top boxes (STBs) over its network with  enriched interactive menu &  enhanced functionalities to provide a superior customer experience at the Cabsat MENA 2010 exhibition.

The new set-top boxes which have been procured from leading manufacturers like Humax, Kaon and others will offer customers new enriched services and user friendly menu navigation options.

The new STBs will offer enhanced functionalities such as intuitive Personal Video Recording (PVR) which will be fully integrated with E-Vision’s Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) to provide customers with flexibility to record their favorite TV programs well in advance. Time Shifting of TV, whereby customers will be able to “Pause Live TV” anytime will ensure they don’t miss out on any part of their favorite programs. Customers will also be able to use USB Flash drives and enjoy their personal content media photos through these new STBs. E-Vision will also use the capabilities of the new STBs to introduce new functionalities in the future.

According to Humaid Rashid Sahoo, CEO, E-Vision,” The introduction of these new IPTV STBs reflects E-Vision’s intention to offer customers a superior digital TV experience in line with our innovation strategy. These new launches also demonstrate our approach towards offering customers enhanced functionalities by anticipating the future needs of our diverse customer base.”

The new STBs will carry the basic functionalities starting from Live TV / Radio to support Arabic

including multiple audio tracks. Customers can select  different subtitling options, create their own favorite channel lists and easily set parental controls.

E-Vision is the leading regional source to offer over 300 TV channels, in 21 different languages, ranging from sports to movies, from documentaries to music and kid’s channels. E-Vision’s product line-up includes 15 premium packages from all the major TV providers like OSN, ART, Pehla, Firstnet, TFC, Pinoy Plus and many more, in addition to the E-Vision Basic package.

The best new show on Broadway is the swirling chaos of the city itself—and the seats are free! Inspired by technological innovations in cities like London, Hong Kong and Copenhagen, the city of New York has permanently closed five blocks in Times Square to traffic and installed 300 chairs and benches, where thousands of locals now join the tourists every day to experience the city in an entirely new way. Check out the highlights in this latest video produced by AdAge.com.

Abu Dhabi, 02 March 2010: Etisalat reintroduced the 1 GB mobile broadband package at a reduced price of AED 145 per month, with customers now saving more than 25% on their Internet usage. The reduction in price follows the introduction of Etisalat’s (10GB) mobile broadband package last month, at AED 395 and an upgrade to the 3.5G network to support HSPA+ technology that provides download speeds of up to 21Mbps and upload speed of 11Mbps, which is now the highest speed available across the Middle East region.

Etisalat’s price reductions on the 1 GB mobile broadband data package benefits customers with a host of convenient features and uses. While moving around, executives, entrepreneurs and tech savvy youngsters stand to save on accessing e-mail, surfing the net, downloading music and videos and using various applications such as YouTube, Facebook, Online gaming, Twitter, GPS and instant messaging right from their 3G devices and Smartphones such as iPhone HTC, Nokia…

Etisalat customers already benefit from the best performance when they use Etisalat’s extensive broadband coverage of over 99% of the UAE’s populated area. The advanced network supports speed up to 21MBps which translates into Etisalat customers enjoying the very best performance on their mobile devices / 3G devices, depending on theier mobiles or device compatibility. 

Etisalat’s Mobile broadband permanent reduction is announced to align with the customers’ need and the increase in demand for mobile broadband services following the introduction of Smartphones in the UAE. Khalifa Al Shamsi Sr. Vice president Marketing said.

The price reduction further enables customers to stay in touch by using the latest technology while on the move across the country by using 3G mobile modem and HSPA wi-fi modem. HSPA wi-fi is a trendsetting mobile broadband service which enables customers to simultaneously connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled gadgets by using one SIM Card.

Etisalat has also introduced new compatible models for HSPA+ technology; customers can select one of these devices from any Etisalat business center or outlet.

For more information about 3G data packages and other 3G services, customers can visit www.etisalat.ae or call the customer service hotline on 101.

Etisalat rewards customers with a chance to win the original FCB signed t-shirts on its one-year partnership anniversary with the Club

Signed Shirt Logo

Abu Dhabi, 02 March 2010: Marking the first anniversary of its association with Football Club Barcelona (FCB) as the ‘Official International Partner’, Etisalat will bring aspirations to life with the launch of its Signed FCB Shirt campaign. Customers can win one of many original autographed Barca t-shirts that are up for grabs when they subscribe to any one of Etisalat’s three mobile services – Barca Mobile service, Barca Alerts or Barca TV.

Celebrating a year of its successful partnership with FCB, Etisalat’s signed t-shirt promotion is also part of its next exciting phase that has kicked in with the launch of a dedicated Barca Mobile service for football lovers and FCB fans last week.

Haitham Al Kharusi, Vice President of Marketing Communications at Etisalat commented: “The t-shirt promotion is a rare opportunity for anyone with FCB in their blood as Etisalat exclusively gives its customers this chance to get their hands on an invaluable FCB memorabilia. Millions of football aficionados and particularly FCB fans compete to get a signed Barca t-shirt because of its inherent cherished value and Etisalat wants to distinguish its customers with this exclusive reward in its first anniversary of association with the Club.”

The Etisalat Barca Mobile service offers complete updated information on all the FCB football action, championships and matches. It provides videos, fun facts, profiles, news, scores and much more to keep Barca fans connected to their favorite team. Witnessed by Joan Laporta, President of FCBarcelona and Etisalat Chairman, Mohammad Hassan Omran, Etisalat announced the service during its participation in the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The service includes exciting features letting fans switch between news feeds and future fixture lists, visit dedicated profile pages for the players and view an array of images in the photo galleries. A special video section thrills customer with on-demand clips and download options with match highlights, insightful interviews and Barca toons.

For further information, customers can visit www.etisalat.ae or call 101

Unveils Interactive Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), New TV Menu & Targeted Messaging

E-Vision stand at Cabsat MENA 2010

Dubai, March 2, 2010: E-Vision part of Etisalat and the leading cable TV provider in the region, today, announced the launch of new exciting interactive services offering customers the ability to plan their television viewing in addition to alternatives for customer communication at the Cabsat MENA 2010 exhibition. Starting today, customers can experience the new Interactive Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) and the new user-friendly TV Menu to enjoy a great television experience. The Targeted Messaging service on the other hand will provide a powerful and precise customer communication tool.

E-Vision is also planning to expand its services with its High Definition (HDTV) channels growing from the current nine channels being offered to about 20 channels by the end of  2010. In addition, E-Vision is also exploring the new 3D TV technology to offer UAE residents the latest in TV viewing experience. This year at CABSAT 2010, E-Vision jointly with LG will be showcasing the 3D TV experience.

E-Vision’s Videoclub – the Video-On-Demand(VoD) service will offer customers over 500 hours of premium content categories spreading across movies, TV series, Kids shows and various other content from around the world in order to cater to a varied audience. E-Vision will also provide its customers with five catch up TV channels that will offer them the opportunity to enjoy their favorite TV programs which they might have missed.Customers can thus watch these programmes conveniently anytime they want with all the VOD features such as fast-forward, fast-rewind, pause and play.

The Interactive Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) will provide a view into programme highlights and timings across more than 200 channels for the first time in the UAE. The Interactive EPG will provide information on programme schedules for a period ranging from 3 days to 1 week. It will thus provide a convenient planning mechanism for customers who have

busy lifestyles so that they can decide on their entertainment options during the week so that they don’t miss their favorite programmes.

E-Vision also unveiled its Targeted Messaging service to offer a direct messaging mechanism for customer communication. The service is highly versatile and can be used to send messages to groups down to one individual and across any segment in terms of population, ethnicity or geographical area. Using this service, E-Vision can now create a customized message for any audience size based on the smart card for each customer which is associated with a unique account. The service can also be used by a potential advertiser or company to create targeted messaging for a chosen segment.

According to Humaid Rashid Sahoo, CEO, E-Vision, “We want to improve the television viewing experience by providing our customers flexible navigation through the enormous amount of choice and diversity of programming they enjoy today. We plan to expand our HD service and also explore the development in 3D world. Our customers will surely benefit from the Interactive EPG which is a powerful tool that will make it easier for our customers to find what they’re looking for and discover new content in the process. The Video on demand service with catch up TV features will give customers the complete control. Moreover, the Targeted Messaging service will give the customer a regular update on the new channels updated, updates on the services, new promotions/offers.”

E-Vision is the leading regional source to offer over 300 TV channels, in 21 different languages, ranging from sports to movies, from documentaries to music and kid’s channels. E-Vision’s product line-up includes 15 premium packages from all the major TV providers like OSN, ART, Pehla, Firstnet, TFC, Pinoy Plus and many more, in addition to the E-Vision Basic package.

- Etisalat to demonstrate its Managed Telecom & ICT expertise  at Microsoft’s premier technology education event-

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: February 28th, 2010: Etisalat today announced its partnership with Microsoft Gulf for Tech.Ed Middle East 2010 as a Strategic ICT partner. Set to run from March 1st -3rd, 2010 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Tech.Ed is Microsoft’s premier technical education and networking event held across 10 global locations. At the event, Etisalat will showcase its comprehensive end to end ICT and Managed Telecom product portfolio.

Etisalat and Microsoft are collaborating on emerging technologies to create compelling solutions for customers by sharing and reviewing respective product roadmaps. The collaboration involves the development of solutions across several areas such as On-Premise and Off-Premise Unified Communications, Mobility, Hosted Business Applications and IPTV (TV over Broadband) in addition to many others.

Abdulla Hashim, Senior VP, Business Solutions, Etisalat said, “We are proud to partner with Microsoft for this event. With our end to end Managed telecom, ICT expertise and state of the art infrastructure, Etisalat can provide a very strong value proposition to drive productivity and optimize efficiencies across the value chain. Our participation at the first edition of Microsoft Tech.Ed demonstrates our commitment to drive the use of ICT for better business outcomes in association with Microsoft. This event is also an excellent opportunity for us to raise awareness about our ICT offerings for the benefit of technology professionals and demonstrate the role we play in helping companies deploy innovative solutions that enhance business performance while reducing operational costs.”
                 Etisalat today is playing a leading role in facilitating an ICT driven economy in the UAE. With its considerable strengths and expertise in both the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the ICT landscape, Etisalat is providing a holistic management solution to business customers through a one stop approach in association with global IT partners. Moreover, ICT is increasingly being seen by companies as a key strategic element in exploiting growth opportunities in the UAE economy. This is illustrated by projections from global analyst firm IDC which estimates the total IT spend in UAE by 2010 to be $4987.5 million which is a growth of 14% from the previous year.
Charbel Fakhoury, General Manager, Microsoft Gulf added, “Tech.Ed is Microsoft’s premier, global technical platform that provides hands-on learning, deep product exploration and opportunities for IT professionals to connect with the industry and Microsoft experts. If you are developing, deploying or managing Microsoft solutions, then Tech.Ed Middle East is the conference that will help you solve today’s real-world IT challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s innovations. We are very pleased to partner with Etisalat for the first ever Tech.Ed event where

we will showcase our combined offerings, discuss key technology trends and share best practices that will transform and drive the success of businesses in the Middle East.”

The Microsoft Tech.Ed event features lecture-style presentations, keynote speeches by Microsoft’s leadership, a technical learning centre, instructor-led labs, as well as informal technical discussions. Etisalat executives will also deliver speeches and presentations at the event related to enhancing performance through high speed IP networks , using Microsoft Operations Framework(MOF) for ICT & service management projects and a focus on Software plus Service with Etisalat Hosted Offerings.