Motorola Expands Mobinil GSM Network To Improve Service Quality And Serve Remote Areas

The project’s successful completion was announced at the Motorola Future Technology Seminar (FTS), which is being held in Cairo from 10th to 11th January 2007. The project also supported Mobinil’s network enhancements, which enabled the company to offer even higher quality of service to its growing customer base.

Motorola delivered its Reach GSM solutions, along with comprehensive services including network optimization and ongoing support. The expansion extended Mobinil’s network into new, remote areas and provides better network performance in high population density areas, allowing Mobinil to add new subscribers quickly and efficiently.

“In order to maintain our leading position in the mobile market, we need to ensure that we are able to continue offering our customers the best competitive prices, the highest possible quality of service and the widest possible network coverage. With Motorola’s network expansion and enhancement project, we were able to substantially reduce Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and Operating Expenditure (OPEX), which made it possible for Mobinil to offer extremely competitive price per minute packages to its valued subscribers. Mobinil and Motorola have worked closely together for a number of years now, and given Motorola’s leading portfolio of GSM solutions, its long presence in Egypt, and understanding of the requirements of the Egyptian market, Motorola was a natural choice for this strategic expansion,” said Alex Shalaby, Mobinil’s president and CEO.

“Motorola’s support on projects such as this, and through events like the FTS, will no doubt further strengthen our relationship. The FTS will offer us the opportunity to preview the next wave of technology that will help us to continue to lead the Egyptian mobile communications market and continue to offer our customers the best service. We trust and have full confidence in Motorola’s expertise and look forward to continue working with them to achieve our strategic objectives and total subscriber satisfaction,” Shalaby added.

“With this network expansion project, we were able to successfully support Mobinil in extending its coverage to underserved areas of the country and effectively enhance the quality of its network. Through Motorola’s technology and its expert services solutions, we were also able to reduce the call blocking rate below international and Egyptian Regulatory standards. We are proud to have worked with Mobinil since its inception to provide the operator with different solutions to address their rapidly growing demand in the country. There are indications for a great potential in the mobile communications market in Egypt and overall subscribers’ numbers and mobile usage are expected to grow significantly in the next few years. With the FTS, we aimed to show how Motorola technology and solutions could assist Mobinil in growing its market share further and introducing new services and revenue streams. We look forward to continue to support Mobinil in achieving their ambitious goals for many years to come,” said Osman Abu Al Nasr, Motorola general manager and global account director.

Motorola hosted senior executives, managers and technical staff from Mobinil at the FTS, to share its vision for seamless mobility and strategic direction in future technologies. During the two-day event, Motorola showcased developments in key areas, including mobile and wireless broadband, applications portfolio and services as well as developments in its enterprise mobility, connected home and mobile devices businesses. The seminar included demonstrations of Motorola leading solutions such as its GSM Reach, UMTS/HSXPA and MOTOwi4™ portfolios, IPTV, IMS, VoIP and next generation handsets and accessories.

Through their near decade old relationship, Mobinil and Motorola have introduced a number of technologies and services to Egypt’s telecommunications sector for individuals and corporate subscribers. These technologies covered voice and data communication. Data technologies provide subscribers with remote access to their office and the Internet and the first live call was made on the Mobinil network using Motorola GPRS technology in 2001.

In 2006, Motorola also deployed its Reach GSM solutions and services to support Mobinil to successfully manage the calls of 40,000 local and international visitors roaming on its network during the sun eclipse event in the Mersa Matrouh area of the North Coast. Mobinil was commended by The Egyptian regulatory board for its effective support of this important event.

In addition, Mobinil and Motorola are working together to increase access to underserved areas in Egypt and ‘Connect the Unconnected’. Motorola, who won the GSM Association’s Emerging Market Handset Programme in 2005 and 2006 to bridge the digital divide for its high quality range of sub-$30 handsets, has teamed up with Mobinil to offer a low cost mobile phone and SIM card package to more than 300,000 subscribers in Egypt so far. A portion of revenue on this contract was recognized in 2006.
 
 

 
January 10,2007