TRA hands over 3rd mobile licence to STC

TRA's Chairman H. E. Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Al Amer handed over the Licence to H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Suleiman Al Jasser, Chairman of STC in the presence of Mr. Alan Alan Horne TRA's General Director and Eng. Saud Al Daweesh STC's Chief Executivr Officer.

In a statement, Mr. Al Amer said:

"we are pleased that the auction process was successful and that STC have completed all requirements to receive their Licence. We welcome STC to Bahrain as the Third Mobile Operator and look forward to the benefits their operation will bring to the consumers and the economy."

STC established STC Bahrain B.S.C (c ) to be the licensed operator on Bahrain the Licence states that the Commercial Launch Date must be within 12 months of the Effective Date of the licence and that STC must offer mobile telecommunications services with a coverage of over 95% of the population of the licensed area at Commercial Launch Date.

Another important commitment included in the Licence covers reaching of agreements with incumbent operators for site sharing, including masts, rooftop poles and equipment rooms

STC Bahrain will establish a fund worth USD 300 million with the aim of investing in the Bahraini economy and other GCC countries to drive innovation in the ICT sector (Information and Communications Technology). Such investment will be in partnership with local institutions and entrepreneurs and will aim to build on the current development programs in the Kingdom. Areas of investment would cover all ICT related domains such as e-health, e-learning, e-banking, applications and e-commerce. Such investments will not only help tackle unemployment in light of the looming economic cycle, but will also reinforce Bahrain's position as the regional leader in ICT development.

STC also commits to allocate 1.0% of annual revenues (uncapped) of STC Bahrain B.S.C to finance its planned social programs. Such commitment will be directed towards various initiatives within Bahrain, including but not limited to: healthcare programs, training and internships, sports and youth development activities, sponsorship and educational programs.

Mr. Alan Horne commented:

"by awarding the 3rd mobile licence to STC TRA achieved its objective of bringing a strong international player to the market. STC brings economies of scale which will benefit the consumer, and has demonstrated its ability to offer innovative services in the markets it entered."