Without regulatory frameworks from the government, the private sector is doing the best it can to implement countrywide, fiber-optic infrastructure.
How is the fiber-optic network in Lebanon going to be accomplished?
MOHAMAD DIAB Currently, there is a disagreement between Ogero and the Ministry of Telecommunication. Despite Ogero offering lower costs, the Ministry of Telecommunication gave the contract to build Lebanon’s fiber-optic network to Global Data Services (GDS), another private company. According to the Ministry of Telecommunication, the contract was allotted years ago; however, Ogero Telecom went to court and won the case. Although the court’s decision allows GDS to work on some specific areas, Ogero will be the biggest stakeholder in the contract. Multiple parliaments took initiatives over the last 10 years to form new laws and regulations for IT and telecoms; however, those initiatives are yet to reach fruition. We hope that the new parliament will undertake well-thought-out steps for the sector, because it is one of the most important pillars of any modern economy; a solid infrastructure network is a must to attract foreign investors.
What sectors are most important for Tecomsa in Lebanon? MD We are eyeing opportunities in Lebanon’s finance and health sectors. For example, we are working with an Australian company on a big project that comprises of five hospitals; however, the project is currently on hold due to political reasons. In 2018, we started two new divisions, the software development division and the digital marketing division. Our plan is to build a strong team in 2018 to conduct good business with companies regarding software development. Our aim in the software division is to make software as a service in the cloud with applications. We are working on some specific software that can also be sold in international markets.
