PHP Lebanon a great local initiative / NGO

Samsung Lebanon launch Smart TV

Beirut, Lebanon, May 17th, 2011: In the framework of a press conference held at Le Bristol
Hotel Beirut on Tuesday May 17th, Samsung Electronics – a market leader and award-winning
innovator in consumer electronics – and Cherfane Tawil and Co (CTC) – the exclusive distributor for
Samsung products in Lebanon – launched 2011 Samsung SMART TV lineup that is set to redefine
the home entertainment experience.

The event gave Media and VIP consumers the chance to interact with the products and familiarize
themselves with the immersive experience they offer.

Gathering media figures, VIPs and customers, the event was attended by Mr. James Choi, AV
Business manager for Samsung Levant, Mr. Eddy Cherfane, CEO of Cherfane Tawil & Co, and Mr.
Khalid Odat, AV Senior Sales Manager for Samsung Levant.

Commenting on the launch of the Smart TV lineup, Mr. James Choi said: “the Smart TVs range
offer the most exciting home entertainment experiences we have ever created. We have developed
smart new features and applications based on our “Smarter Life” concept and combined those with
innovative design.” Mr. Eddy Cherfane, CEO of CTC added: “we are by far leader in the Lebanese
Market with our range of innovative products and our main objective at CTC is to inform the
consumers about the latest technological creations and educate them on our newest offerings such
as the brand new SMART TV lineup.”

Samsung Smart TVs line-up combines elegant design with a wide range of smart features that
offers viewers the most out of their entertainment experience.

Combining smart content and smart experience, Samsung SMART TVs offer an immersive viewing
experience with its aesthetics and 3D impact, as well as a new world of web-connected TV
entertainment and allows users to easily search for movies, TV shows, browse the web, explore
Samsung Apps, chat with friends and much more.

MEGA continues YallaStartup Weekend coverage

MEGA received YallaStartup Weekend Top 3 winners along side Habib hadad.

watch the video here:

YallaStartup Weekend live Interview in MEGA on Future TV

YallaStartup Weekend on MEGA

 

Video curtsy of Ayman Itani, thank you Ayman.

Maniachi’s 1st TV appearance

The Maniachi‘s 1st TV appearnce on MEGA talking about un-organizing GeekFestBeirut.

Part 1

Part 2

Thanks goes to Ayman Itani for the videos

Cisco Systems Announce Internship Opportunities for Lebanese Students

This unique work internship program is an opportunity for 27 recent university graduates to work with Cisco.

The interns will gain real on-the-job work experience to better position them for professional careers.

• Develop practical skills and gain work experience and knowledge in the private sector .
• Use your knowledge and skills to better connect Lebanon
• Participate in the development of your country

U.S. Internships for 6 Months (June 2010 – December 2010)

• Networking & Telecommunication
  Engineering
  (Network Engineer, Network & Telecom Engineer, Technical Support, Customer Service)
• Hardware & Software Engineering
  (Hardware & Test Engineer, Test Engineer) .
• Education Project Specialist
• Social Networking Project Specialist
• Business Strategist in Emerging Technologies Group

*Includes J-1 visa support, round trip airfare to and from the United States, health insurance, housing, and a monthly stipend for living expenses

Lebanon Internships for 11 Months (Spring 2010 – Spring 2011)

• Sales/Marketing
  (Sales Representative, Marketing Specialist, Channel Sales Specialist) .
• Human Resource Specialist
• Education Project Specialist

* Includes a monthly stipend for living expenses and health insurance

Eligibility requirements: Competition for the internship is merit-based and open to anyone who:

• Is a citizen of Lebanon
• Has completed an undergraduate university degree
• Shows maturity, flexibility and suitability to work successfully in a multinational environment
• Is able to participate full-time in the internships for the months indicated

Application deadline: February 15, 2010

More info available on Partnership for Lebanon site

Application link

The 9th Global Symposium for Telecom Regulators. The Program

The “9th Global Symposium for Regulators” (GSR) conference taking place for the first time in Lebanon. Scheduled from Nov 9^th to 12^th 2009 with allot of important guests and speakers coming from all over the world.

Attached is the program and more information about the guests speakers, panels and moderators.

If anyone is interested to attend and blog from there please let me know.

Download Program: GSR Program or here.

The 9th Global Symposium for Telecom Regulators in Beirut for the first time.

A press conference was held today at the Habtoor Grand Hotel (Hamra Room) in the presence of local, regional and international media to announce the hosting the “9th Global Symposium for Regulators” (GSR) conference in Lebanon. Scheduled from Nov 9^th to 12^th 2009, this event will not only help Lebanon reclaim a leadership position on the international telecommunications scene, but it will also attract investor interest in Lebanon and help unleash the potential of telecommunications as a driver of growth and competitiveness of the Lebanese economy. GSR will be held under the High Patronage of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Lebanon, General Michel Sleiman. It is jointly organized by the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Lebanon (TRA). GSR is an international conference that will bring together heads of national regulatory authorities from both developed and developing countries to share views and experiences and discuss key strategic topics facing the telecommunications sector in this global venue.

According to Dr. Shehadi, Chairman and CEO of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), telecommunications can become Lebanon’s engine for economic growth, job-creation, and a driver of productivity and competitiveness for Lebanese businesses. Accordingly, this conference comes at a very critical time as TRA, an independent authority established in 2007, strives to meet these goals and pave the way for a regulatory environment that fosters a competitive telecommunications market to deliver state-of-the-art services at affordable prices to the broadest spectrum of the Lebanese population.

In the last two years, TRA has made the fastest progress in a very short time span through the liberalizing of the telecommunications market and is poised to launch a large scale liberalization of mobile and broadband services in 2010. During 2008 and 2009, the Authority had carried out more than 21 public consultations on new regulations, policies, and decisions, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Economy and Trade on February the 11^th, 2009 to promote consumer protection, and built an innovative broadband roadmap to liberalize the market for key telecommunications services, namely mobile, broadband, and international.

The GSR event, in parallel with TRA’s mission in promoting growth in the telecommunications sector, will highlight the new challenges that regulators should overcome, while focusing on the impact of the financial crisis on regulation. In addition, it will shed light on the importance of consumer protection and analyze key issues such as interconnection, mobile regulation and VOIP- all of which are factors that will provide Lebanon with an opportunity to leap-frog and reclaim its leading position in telecommunications in the region.

This event provides an opportunity for all regulators to work closely together and learn from one another to overcome challenges which are global in nature such as harmonization of radio frequencies, Green ICT, or universal service … among others.

The GSR event titled “Hands-on or Hands-off? Stimulating growth through effective ICT regulation” will be held at the Habtoor Grand Hotel Convention Center in Beirut.

In addition, the 2^nd Global Industry Leaders Forum ( GILF) chaired by Dr. Saad Al Barrak, Zain’s CEO, will take place on the very first day of the event (November 9^th ). GILF has been designed to complement and reinforce the GSR and aims at facilitating the dialogue between industry and policy makers and regulators on pertinent issues that currently prevent or slower down ICT and telecommunication investment in developing and least developed countries. All participants in the GILF are invited to attend the first day of the GSR.

The two events come in response to Resolution 29 of The World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-06) in Doha, which stipulates ITU Telecommunication Development Sector initiatives on sector member issues, and in accordance to the recommendations of the ITU Telecommunication Development Advisory Group (TDAG ’07) meeting held in Geneva. These two conferences are organized by ITU to bring together ITU members – regulators and sector members (private sector operators)- and is not an ITU statutory conference (i.e., required by the ITU Convention) where binding decisions are taken and where governments members of ITU are expected to represent their country and vote.

for more information check www.tra.gov.lb