" ITREALMS: Zain Group launches WiMAX in Bahrain

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Zain Group launches WiMAX in Bahrain

The parent company of Celtel Nigeria, Zain Group, has launched Zain@home, its brand of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) in Bahrain, Kingdom, Middle East.

WIMAX is a telecommunications technology aimed at providing wireless data over long distances in a standard-based technology that enables delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and Digital Subscriber Line (DSL).

Zain said that the technology liberalises the fixed telecommunications market in the Bahrain Kingdom for the first time and means customers at home could bundle together high speed broadband internet connectivity of up to 2 Mega bytes per second (Mbps), fixed line voice and mobile services without the need for a land line.

The Zain@home service is also nomadic, according to the telco, meaning that customers could change residence without changing phone numbers.

Disclosing this at a Ramadan festive event, the chief operating officer, Zain Bahrain, Dr. Ahmed Al Shatti, said the product epitomises the telco’s focus on enriching the lives of customers.

“Our success lies in interpreting technology so that it impacts our customers in a way that improves their quality of life,” he said.

He also said “The WiMAX service is a fine example of our philosophy - not only have we harnessed a cutting edge technology to create a dynamic new market, we have launched our Zain@home packages of tailor-made options with a full stack of generous offers so that our customers can reshape the way they stay connected and interact.”

He said that with target on residential market, Zain@home offers customers “double play” offering with a fixed line voice service and high-speed Internet access in one package, which provides a complete broadband service via a wireless network.

Also speaking, director of broadband services at Zain Bahrain, Mr. Mahmoud Abu Zannad, said the package gives customers a real technological advantage as well as excellent cost benefits.

“Customers can choose a variety of bundled services that leverage the company's well-established mobile phone services,” he declared.

He also said that customers signing up for the package before December 31, 2007 will have their set-up fee waived.

“They will also get their wireless unit at 70 per cent off the listed price upon signing a 12-month contract and up to 85 per cent off if they take up an 18-month contract,” he explained.

With effect from September 8, this year, Zain became the new corporate master brand name for the group formerly known as MTC.

The company operates under the Zain brand in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain and Sudan, while in Iraq it is currently known as mtc-atheer, whereas in Lebanon as mtc-touch and in 14 sub-Saharan countries in Africa as Celtel, including Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

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