The Tripoli post: Hi-Tech Invades Libya

[tolibya]

In a technology dependant society is Libya really lagging behind? As evermore users become aware of the potential benefits of these new resources, the great Jamahiriya has become of late a benchmark for new and innovative telecommunication systems and is literally being taken up by a whirlpool of bytes, digits and data.

In an epoch where science and effective knowledge reign supreme there seems to be a new trend amongst the local population: that of constantly purchasing and searching for new and sophisticated electronic appliances as a result of recent exigencies and necessities.

Apart from certainly being a status symbol and a way of living, Libyans have realized the great potential enclosed within such technology of which mobile phones, fast-linking internet connections seem to have literally invaded the local market.

The streets of Tripoli are dotted everywhere with internet cafes with satellite dishes," Dr. Mohamed Muammar Al-Qathafi, chairman of the Post Telecommunications and Information Technology Company (LPTIC), said recently.

"We always think of telecommunications and hi-tech services as the nerve system in the human body. However, due to international sanctions, that nerve system had been shut down for a while, "added Al-Qathafi. " It is certainly a very large market even though the population is not very large. "says a local mobile phone vendor. "This sector has still to expand and will certainly and inevitably do so, especial thanks to the arrival of third-generation mobile phones."

Notwithstanding an exorbitant activation cost, the local population has positively welcomed this further update of a consolidated and very important sector.

Recent statistics have shown that the total number of mobile phone users has reached in 2006 over 3 million units and the number is yet rising as more and more clients queue outside the offices of activation – cards vendors throughout the country.

This popular pattern ahs encouraged private and state institutions to offer courses for the development of the local human resources with major training programs in mobile phone programming and maintenance in order to equip locals with the necessary tools and background knowledge necessary to sustain and support this new challenge.

However this technological boom is not only limited to mobile phones: an increasing number of universities, be it private or state-owned educational institutes offer information technology and programming courses for undergraduates underlining the desire for research and further development in this field.

Courses certified by internationally recognized institutions or companies such as CISCO and Microsoft, flourish throughout the country, and are bound to make Libya technologically-valid in the near future.

The recent initiative aimed at furnishing Libyan kids with over one million laptops is another piece of evidence at how important is technology for the Libyan government.

"The target of the government is to bring the telecommunications sector up to the international standards, allowing the presence of evermore competition," said Mohamed Bala, chief executive of Alcatel Libya in a recent interview.

The general post and telecommunications company has already made notable progress in extending telephony services across the country "The goal is not to make a profit but to provide services to all areas" says Mohamed Al-Qathafi.

"Our program is not based on a fixed budget, which we consider to be an old method of business development," he stressed, confident that the sector will attract large investments from foreign operators. "We have received tremendous response from international vendors," he added.

Al Madar, an affiliate of the LPTIC, has recently signed a $120 million deal with Finland 's Nokia and Alcatel of France for the supply of a nationwide cellular phone network. While in the meantime the network coverage of the telephone company Libyana is continually expanding, covering most of the Libyan territory.

Advanced satellite technology has been brought to Libya through a long term strategic agreement between LPTIC and Polar Sat. The Canadian company has provided satellite based communications vast (very small aperture terminal) to LPTIC clients throughout Libya .

Eighteen years of heavy sanctions and international isolation have left the telecommunications sector hungry for state of the art technology and lusting for up to date systems but with these projects in the pipeline, Libya seems to be on the right track and set to become a stepping stone for recent developments and advanced technology.