Du, the new integrated telecommunications service provider in the UAE, will unravel details of the multi-million dollar deal with Apple iPhone at the Next Generation Telecom Summit which begins in Fujairah next month.

The high-profile summit, organised for the Telecom industry’s thought-leaders to combat the current economic crisis and unite in this unreliable climate, will run from May 11 to 13  at Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort.

Osman Sultan, Du Telecommunications CEO, will discuss the potential iPhone deal at the summit. The telecom operator had earlier said it was planning to bring iPhone soon for its subscribers. "We are in discussion with Apple. We cannot reveal much at this time,” Sultan said.

He will be joined by Ali Al Ahmed, group chief strategy officer at Etisalat and Mohammed Rafi, Group CIO at Zain, who is expected to speak about Zain’s plans for a $5 billion acquisition spend.

Over 50 other visionaries within the industry from companies including Q-Tel, Telecom Egypt and Afgan Telecom are set to attend the summit. It will see the heads of Technology and Business development alongside their CEO's.

Government officials have also confirmed attendance to ensure that the program will drive immediate value back to their constituencies.

With the instant-access wave of communication taking a stronghold and progressive approach even during the most damaging of economic times, it has become apparent that even when stock prices are down and unemployment is up, the telecommunication industry is still forging full-speed ahead, providing the framework and backbone of connectivity for businesses trying to get back on their feet, said experts.

"In the middle of both the telecommunications world and the economic turbulence is the Middle East, providing a template for the rest of the world on how to grab hold and embrace the technologies and breakthroughs in telecommunications, and utilize them to make businesses and lives better."

"It is not very often that the leaders in this region, or this industry gather in one place," they added.-TradeArabia News Service