Zain launches One Network mobile service to four countries in the Middle East

Zain has achieved another first by bringing its groundbreaking borderless “One Network” mobile service to four countries in the Middle East. This service, which made telecom history when it was launched in Africa, today allows Zain’s 14 million customers in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan and Sudan to be part of a pan Middle East mobile community,

providing them the opportunity to communicate between these countries and be treated as local customers in terms of pricing, while using their home network service.
User friendly, the One Network service is a non-burdening experience and is automatically activated when Zain customers from the four countries cross borders, thus enabling them to stay in touch with friends, colleagues and family members at a reduced cost.
“This truly is a defining moment in the history of the Middle East and global telecommunications and a major step forward in Zain’s intent to become a top-ten global mobile operator by 2011,” said Dr Saad Al Barrak, Zain Group CEO. “The launch of One Network in the Middle East helps fulfill our promise to deliver to our customers a unique and rewarding Zain brand experience through the products and services we offer.”

As well as allowing Zain’s pre-paid and post-paid customers to make calls and SMS at local rates and receive incoming calls free-of-charge, One Network enables them to top-up their mobile phone credits with locally purchased scratch cards, which are widely available

in more than 200,000 points of sales. Furthermore, there is no need for pre-registration, no extra fees, no roaming deposits, no complicated dialing formats, etc. 
Zain customers will continue to have access to all of their home country services (Voicemail, Customer Care, SMS content, etc) no matter which Middle East One Network country they are in. They can make free calls to their Customer Care service via home network short codes. These will be routed to their home network call centre where they can speak to a service agent in their own dialect.

“The One Network offer is not built around pricing but around simplicity and user friendliness leveraging our cross country networks,” explained George Held, One Network Program Director and architect of the service that already unites 12 countries on the African continent. “One Network is also not standing still. We are constantly expanding not just geographical coverage but also the scope of the service.”

Originally launched by Zain Group on the African continent through its fully owned subsidiary Celtel, One Network comes to the Middle East at a time when economic and commercial growth has never been greater.  As trans-border travel and commerce continues to grow, mobile customers within the One Network countries will appreciate the many tangible benefits of the service stimulating economic growth and productivity like never before.

We acknowledge the co-operation and support we have had from the many telecoms regulatory and ministerial bodies within the One Network countries who have demonstrated understanding, foresight and a willingness to work with us to bring this remarkable service - and its many personal and commercial benefits - to the people of the Middle East”  concluded Dr Al Barrak, who also confirmed that Zain’s Saudi Arabia operation will join the One Network on commencement of commercial services in the coming months while other Zain operations in the region will join the service subject to governmental and regulatory approvals.

April 14,2008