Nokia Siemens Networks enables borderless network in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq.
Nokia Siemens Networks and Zain have won the Global Telecoms Business Wireless network infrastructure innovation award for ‘One Network’, the world’s first borderless mobile telecoms network service. The announcement was made at the Global Telecoms Business Awards in London.
The ground breaking ‘One Network’ service reduces the cost of making telephone calls by allowing customers to communicate freely across geographical borders and continents without roaming call surcharges and without having to pay to receive incoming calls wherever they travel in the 16 countries that currently participate in Zain’s One Network. In addition the customers are able to top up their prepaid accounts with airtime purchased from more than one million sales outlets in any of the countries in which One Network is operational.
Nokia Siemens Networks worked together with Zain as a partner of choice to implement “One Network” in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq. The One Network service has revolutionized and replaced traditional methods of international roaming. Among the many benefits for subscribers, the service is automatically activated upon crossing the geographic border of the countries, with no prior registration or sign-up fee required. Pre-paid customers can also top up their phones with recharge cards bought from either their home country or more than one million outlets available across the One Network countries. The airtime topped up can be added to and used in any of the One Network countries.
Originally launched by Zain in September 2006 and more recently to Zain’s Middle East operations in Iraq, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, up to 500 million people in Zain’s markets stretching from Manama in Bahrain to Freetown in Sierra Leone can be treated as ‘local’ customers should they have a Zain mobile line. One Network has transformed the mobile industry worldwide and millions of Zain customers have already used this service.
George Held, One Network Program Director said, “Nokia Siemens Networks has been a true partner for us in rolling out One Network in the Middle East. They have demonstrated understanding and foresight to work with us to bring this remarkable service - and its many personal and commercial benefits - to our customers in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq and Jordan.”
One Network helps families and friends stay connected wherever they are in the Zain “One Network” world. It also helps communities develop and economies expand by making communications easier and more affordable for people to keep in touch, supporting cross-continent trade and enterprise. “This is the essence of the Zain brand promise to create ‘A wonderful world’,” commented Held.
“One Network is the revolutionary concept that truly complements our vision to connect 5 billion people by 2015. We look forward to continue our association with Zain and bring One network’s simplicity and convenience to Zain’s customers,” said Mr. Ahmad Othman, Head of Customer Business for Nokia Siemens Networks.
About Zain
Zain is a leading emerging markets player in the field of telecommunications aiming to become one of the top ten mobile operators in the world by 2011. Zain was established in 1983 in Kuwait as the region’s first mobile operator. Since 2003, it has grown significantly becoming the 4th largest mobile network in the world in terms of geographic presence with a footprint in 22 countries spread across the Middle East and Africa providing mobile voice and data services to over 50.74 million active customers (as at 30 June 2008).
Zain operates in the following countries: Bahrain, Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. In Lebanon, the company manages the network on behalf of the government operating as mtc-touch. The company’s mobile operations in Ghana will begin by the end of 2008.
The Zain brand is wholly owned by Mobile Telecommunications Company KSC, which is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (Stock ticker: ZAIN). The company had a market capitalization of over US$ 27.5 billion on 30 June, 2008.
For more, please visit www.zain.com
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