Telecoms & IT
From The Report: Jordan 2014
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ICT is one of Jordan’s fastest growing industries and penetration rates for internet and mobile phones remain high. Strong growth was recorded in 2013 in data services and smartphone sales, with 38% of the country’s mobile phone users owning a smartphone. The tech start-up sector is a leader in the Middle East but, while Jordan has been able to produce a large, skilled IT workforce, it has faced a problem of brain drain to more lucrative markets in the past. In an effort to combat this, on-the-job training initiatives and government subsidised-programmes have been put in place to help retain the local IT workforce. Moreover, the success of tech start-ups like social media platform Sowt is encouraging many young IT professionals to put their skills to use at home

This chapter contains an interview with Azzam Sleit, Minister of Information, Communications and Technologies.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Regulators work to maintain a balance between healthy growth and strong competition
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After Qatar, Jordan was the second Middle East country to launch a global system for mobile communications, or GSM, and has not looked back since. More recently, advancements in data and the greater availability of smartphones are positioning the kingdom for another leap forward in the telecoms sector. The state was the sole operator until the mid-1990s, when it slowly began to open up the sector to private players in a bid to increase competition, enhance efficiency and develop service quality.…

Analysis

New services are coming to the market
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The recent surge in data usage is reshaping Jordan’s telecoms sector. Zain Jordan, the country’s largest mobile provider, is expected to introduce 4G long-term evolution (LTE) services that enable data transfer rates of up to 150 Mbps by the end of 2014. In 2013, Zain secured new 4G and additional 3G frequencies for $270.2m. The purchase has set off a race to provide the first LTE service, and other providers are now announcing similar plans. Setting The Benchmark “Zain Jordan has about eight…

Interview

Starting up: OBG talks to Azzam Sleit, Minister of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
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Interivew:Azzam Sleit What can be done to further encourage the ICT sector to contribute to economic growth? AZZAM SLEIT: The ICT sector has the capacity to serve as a catalyst for wider socio-economic growth within Jordan, while at the same time making the country more regionally competitive. Growth levels must be sustained and ultimately increased across telecommunications, information technology and postal services, while ensuring the maintenance of affordable pricing solutions. Accordingly,…

Overview

A strong talent base and infrastructure upgrades make for attractive prospects in the IT sector
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The ICT sector is Jordan’s fasting growing industry, rising by about one-quarter a year and providing more than 80,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs – equivalent to more than 6% of the labour force – according to the Information Technology Association of Jordan (int@j). Since the country opened itself to ICT development in the late 1990s, the sector has grown into an economic powerhouse, and now contributes about 12% of GDP. From 2000 to 2008, year-on-year growth in the ICT sector was…

Analysis

Tech heavyweight: Incentives for start-ups prove a boon for long-term growth
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One of Jordan’s greatest strengths in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector is the availability of educated and skilled human capital. Given the country’s increasingly strong educational standards in ICT, low start-up costs and friendly business environment, Jordan’s expanding start-up sector is helping to position the kingdom as a leading location for tech entrepreneurship in the Middle East. Regional Pioneer The country has long been known for its strong gaming and…