First cable television network in United Arab Emirates

The Emirates Telecommunications Company (Etisalat) is getting ready to establish the first cable television network in the United Arab Emirates before the end of current year, the first in the Gulf area.

In a press statement released today the company said it would provide its service to 20,000 participants in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the first stage of its work, and this service will provide more than 100 local, Arab and international channels.

The French company Thompson-CSF will provide the marketing and programming services, while the German company Siemens established the reception and distribution network. The French companies Alcatel and Thompson-CSF will also establish a center for digital television broadcasting.