Political Uncertainties Won't Hamper Iran's Telecom Growth, Finds Pyramid Research

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, January 22 - Despite formidable regulatory and legal hurdles, Iran's telecom market
will grow to US$12.9 billion by 2014, a CAGR of 6.9 percent, according to a
new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com), the telecom research arm of
the Light Reading Communications Network (www.lightreading.com).

Iran: Strong Telecom Growth Expected, Despite Political Uncertainties
offers a precise, incisive profile of the country's converged
telecommunications, media, and technology sectors based on proprietary data
from our research in the Iranian market. This 30-page report provides
detailed competitive analysis of both the fixed and mobile sectors, tracks
the market shares of technologies and services, and monitors the introduction
and spread of new technologies, such as WiMax, IPTV, and VoIP. It provides a
comprehensive view of the Iranian communications market by analyzing key
trends, evaluating near-term opportunities, and assessing upcoming risks
factors. Download an excerpt of this report here
(www.pyr.com/downloads.htm?id=18&sc=PRN012110_IRAN).

From a revenue point of view, Iran is one of the most attractive markets
in the Middle East region given its size - by year-end 2009, it was the
fourth-largest market in the region at US$9.2 billion and is expected to grow
to US$12.9 billion by 2014 at a CAGR of 6.9 percent, notes Dearbhla McHenry,
Senior Analyst at Pyramid Research and author of the report. "However,
regulatory and legal hurdles forbid foreigners from owning majority stakes in
telecom companies, and with most of the fixed sector still under the monopoly
of the government-owned incumbent, TCI, the Internet sector in particular is
still only beginning to enter the growth phase," she adds.

"The country's comparatively late introduction of competition means that
the market is still in a rapid-growth phase, with the data segment in
particular (both fixed and mobile) developing very fast in terms of number of
users and amount of use," says McHenry. "We expect data's share of total
revenue to double over the next five years, reaching US$4.5 billion by 2014;
important drivers of new growth in both segments will keep the split between
fixed and mobile services steady over the forecast period," continues
McHenry. "On the mobile side, Pyramid expects the launch of a third operator
to boost adoption and revenue, while on the fixed side, the launch of new
WiMax operators will herald the beginning of Iran's broadband era."

Iran: Strong Telecom Growth Expected, Despite Political Uncertainties is
part of Pyramid Research's Africa & the Middle East Country Intelligence
Report Series. Pyramid Research's premium Country Intelligence Reports are
the industry's best available analysis on market trends, regulatory
environments, and competitive dynamics for 60 countries worldwide. It can be
purchased online here
(www.pyramidresearch.com/store/CIRIRAN.htm?sc=PRN012110_IRAN) or
through Amalia Vega via email at avega@pyr.com or telephone at
+1-809-330-4520.

For more information about Pyramid Research's products and services,
please visit www.pyr.com or contact us at info@pyr.com.

About Pyramid Research

Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com) offers practical solutions to the complex
demands our clients face in the telecommunications, media and technology
industries. Our analysis is uniquely positioned at the intersection of
emerging markets, emerging technologies and emerging business models, powered
by the bottom-up methodology of our market forecasts for over 100 countries -
a distinction that has remained unmatched for more than 25 years. As the
telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network, Pyramid
Research works with Heavy Reading, providing the communications industry's
most comprehensive market data, trusted research and insightful technology
analysis.

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the leading
online media, research, and focused event company serving the US$3 trillion
worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate source for
technological and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading
the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. Light
Reading's research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most
comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis
in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces nearly 20
targeted communications events including TelcoTV, and TelcoTV Asia, Ethernet
Expo New York and Ethernet Europe, and The Tower Summit @ CTIA, as well as
focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives in
the U.S., Europe, India, and China. Light Reading was acquired by United
Business Media in August 2005 and operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (techweb.com/aboutus), the global leader in business
technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of
technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most
respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today,
more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in
our communities created around our global face-to-face events, Interop, Web
2.0, Black Hat, and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network,
Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and
The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning
InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, and Wall Street &
Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services including
next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and
analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global
provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a
market capitalization of more than US$2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on number of monthly
connections

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information
distribution, targeting and monitoring; and, the development and monetization
of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve
professional commercial communities - from doctors to game developers, from
journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists - with integrated
events, online, print and business information products. Our 6,500 staff in
more than 30 countries are organized into specialist teams that serve these
communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do
business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more
information, go to www.unitedbusinessmedia.com.

    Press contact:
    Jennifer Baker
    +1-617-871-1910
    jbaker@pyr.com

Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, jbaker at pyr.com