An open platform event launched by Qtel group, Qatar’s leading telecom service provider, has assembled leading global mobile companies to outline the development path of the next generation of mobile technologies.

The third annual 2011 Innovation Exchange at the ongoing Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is hosted by the Qtel Group and supported by the GSMA and the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF).

Demand for new, original mobile content and applications in the Mena region and Asia is likely to grow exponentially over the next three years, driven by improvements in mobile networks, devices and new services, according to experts gathered in Barcelona.

Research company Nielsen has forecast that there will be more smartphones sold than feature phones in the US market by the end of 2011, while markets in Europe, Asia and the Middle East are also likely to see a rapid increase, driving demand for new applications and mobile-ready content.

The major theme of Innovation Exchange this year is "Shifting Gears," with the spotlight on new technologies and business models emerging within the communications market.

Key sessions cover social networking, mobile media measurement and mobile relationship marketing. There are also sessions on enterprise mobility services including discussions on cloud services and mEducation.

The goal of the event is to provide a lively forum for ideas to grow, fuelled by industry experts, and focused on the market's emerging technologies and business models.

Today, a wide range of services such as films, music, mobile money and fleet management can all be delivered at the touch of a handset, and many companies are looking at the best ways to deliver such services to customers.

“The new generation of mobile applications and services are playing an increasingly significant role in our industry, and we believe that the Qtel Group will continue to champion innovation on a regional and global level,” said Dr Nasser Marafih, Qtel Group CEO.

“For the past three years, the Qtel Group Innovation Exchange has made a significant contribution to our own strategy for innovation, and to the wider industry discussion about the potential of this exciting sector.”

Henry Stevens, director of media and entertainment, GSMA said: “New trends like Mobile Advertising are not only opening up new revenue streams for communications companies, they are also transforming the relationships between companies and their customers.

“We see huge potential for greater collaboration across the industry, which is why we strongly support the Qtel Group’s Innovation Exchange,” he added.

Rimma Perelmuter, MEF executive director, said: “We’re delighted to support Innovation Exchange for the third year running. By encouraging involvement from companies throughout the mobile media value chain, we have seen how this forum can stimulate innovations, foster new deals and drive development.”

“In particular, we see significant scope for growth in partnerships across emerging markets like Asia and the Middle East,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service