Syriatel launches Third Generation (3G) Call service

Telecommunication Minister Amro Salem sponsored the launching of the Third Generation (3G) service witnessing the first phone call of this service in Syria where audiovisual messages were displayed between two mobile phones programmed to adapt to the technology of the Third Generation. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Haiitham Chidiac Syrian Telecommunications establishment (STE) manager and a number of experts
 
The Third Generation has various advantages including a more rapid and clearer communication (sending SMS in 5.2 megabytes per second) than landlines. Subscribers can also surf on the Internet at high speed using banking electronic services, watching TV and videos or playing games.
 
At the opening ceremony Amro Salem toured the different compartments of the company listening to the explanations given by Syriatel managers and technicians concerning the infrastructure made to launch the program.
 
After the tour, Minister Salem made an improvised speech in which he explained the new vision of his Ministry which is establishing contacts with all Syrian telecoms considered to be the strategic partner of the Telecommunication Ministry. Developing the infrastructure of Telecoms would bring in investments which are one of the government major aims. Minister Salem also tackled the reduction of Mobile telecom prices saying the matter is debated with the two Syrian Telecoms.
 
For his part, the head of the Technical Department at Syriatel Mr.Ayman Zaouia Alimaa said: “The first call of the Third Generation services was made via a small experimental station and this attempt was to prove to the concerned authorities (STE in collaboration with Telecommunication ministry) whether Syriatel was ready or not so that they can help the company to launch the Third Generation service. This service would pass from Syriatel via STE and from there to the Internet infrastructure.” He added: "Despite the fact that the Third Generation is a new system, different from the actual one, the Second Generation system, subscribers could benefit from the new technologies provided by the Third Generation by simply updating their actual cards.”

For his part Minister Salem said in a declaration to the press that the experimental project is a phase to seek continuous development in Syria and provide the latest technologies to be in phase on the international level indicating that the Telecom sector in Syriatel is developing rapidly offering the best services to the citizens with prices that are convenient to the income of the different fringes of the population.
 
Syriatel had previously issued a communiqué in which it explained the different periods of wireless communications from 1980 to the present day. The 1st Generation period began in the late 1970s and lasted through the 1980s. These systems featured the first true mobile phone systems, known at first as "cellular mobile radio telephone." These networks used analog voice signaling, and were little more sophisticated than the repeater networks used by amateur radio operators. The 2nd G phase began in the 1990s and features digital voice incoding. Examples include WAP, SMS, Fax, E-mail, etc. Since its inception, 2G technology has steadily improved, with increased speed (144 kilobytes/second) the introduction of multimedia and the GPRS system.
 
The 3 G system is based on the UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service), offering a consistent set of services to mobile computer and phone users, no matter where they are located in the world. Its communication qualities, superior to those of previous generations and its high speed that could reach 2.5 megabytes per second are the main characteristics of this system. Furthermore, UMTS offers a consistent set of services to mobile computer and phone users, no matter where they are located in the world. UMTS is based on the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication standard. All these advantages pushed the Telecoms to adopt and put into service the 3G benefiting from the existent infrastructure and the immense market.
 
However communicating via 3 G in the Arab world is only available in the United Arab Emirates whereas in Egypt and Saudi Arabia it is still in the experimental phase.