Damascus, (SANA) – Communications sector is currently witnessing major developments, particularly in the legislative domain through the issuance of the communication and electronic signature law and restructuring this sector to suit the rapid global changes, as well as other laws under study.

This sector is estimated to contribute to about 5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the Assistant Minister of Communications and Technology Dr. Ahmad Basel al-Khashi, while its revenues are considered to be a remarkable source for the treasury as it constitutes 7% of the total revenues.

"Law no 18, issued on June 9, 2010, is important because it sets a legal and integrated frame for organizing the communication market and identifying its structure to respond to the growing demand", al-Khashi said.

The law is also important to develop the mechanism of the communications operators and companies through establishing a commission to organize this sector, as there are 12 internet providers and 2 mobile companies, he added.

Director of the Syrian Telecommunication Establishment (STE) Nazem Bahsas said the coming stage will witness a remarkable turning point with the entering of a new mobile operator to the Syrian market in September.

"We are going to transfer the B.O.T systems applied to the two operators into licenses with the entering of the third operator and calculate the value of the licenses to ensure the same revenues will go to the treasury in the current situation," Bahsas said.

"STE revenues have reached SYP 73 billions (USD 1 is equivalent to 47 SYP) in the year 2009, including the revenues of the mobile phone companies, while STE revenues were SYP 40 billions in 2005," he added.

Bahsas said that the gross domestic production (GDP) of the Establishment has reached to SYP 35.65 billions in the first half of the year 2010. The plan for the year 2010 is SYP 71.3 billions.

Fadi Allafi / M.Nassr/ Mazen Eyon