Batelco offers lowest rates and biggest data roaming network

The announcement confirms Batelco's leading status in the Kingdom's telecom market and adds yet another first to their long list of achievements.

Batelco Bahrain Chief Executive Officer Gert Rieder made the exciting announcement, which is great news for Batelco's customers, at a Press Conference held at Batelco's Hamala Headquarters Sunday 31st May 2009.

"We are delighted to deliver this welcome news to our customers. From now on our mobile postpaid customers will only pay the local Bahrain low rates for data access, when they are roaming in Saudi Arabia (AlJawal & Mobily), UAE (Etisalat & du), Qatar (Qtel), Kuwait (Wataniya & Viva), Oman (Nawras), Egypt (Mobinil), Jordan (Umniah) and Yemen (Sabafon)," stated Mr. Rieder.

"This is the best offer in the Kingdom and the GCC; we are delivering the lowest rates for data roaming across the largest network of any telecom company operating in Bahrain," he added.

The unified data roaming local rates are a boon for the business sector allowing business customers to keep in touch with their colleagues in Bahrain in a very cost effective manner by using their Blackberry or Smartphone devices at Bahrain local data rates while they are on business travel throughout all GCC countries and selected Arab Countries.

The unified rates will also benefit tourists from Bahrain who can share all the fun of their visits to these locations by sending photos and video clips to their loved ones at home without having to worry about running up high roaming bills.

"Batelco's customers may also download information, browse the net and send/receive emails at the unified rates, on their laptops or any PC, by using a Batelco O-net device,"

said Batelco General Manager Products & Services Adel Daylami.

A variety of O-net devices and packages are available from Batelco Retail outlets. Batelco offers a fantastic choice of 10 Onet packages, with up to 75 free SMS included as part of the packages. Batelco also offers an O-net prepaid package and was the first telecom company in the Kingdom to introduce such a package.

"Regardless of the package chosen, Batelco's customers benefit from speed of up to 14.4 Mbps, the fastest available speed in the Kingdom with reliable coverage that is not affected by weather changes, as is the case with WiMax," Mr. Daylami added.

Mr. Daylami continued by saying that the introduction of the unified local rates for data roaming follow on from the success of Batelco's World Freedom service, that enables Batelco's customers to receive calls FREE of charge while roaming in 21 countries.

"Batelco was the first company in the world to provide free incoming calls from anywhere in the world in 21 countries when the service was introduced in October 2008," he stated.

Batelco has agreements for all services with more than 435 operators worldwide, the largest network of any telecommunications company in Bahrain. The full list of operators and their locations is available on Batelco's website.

"As part of Batelco's customer driven strategy to offer a world class telecommunications experience, the Company remains focused on delivering top quality services and innovative offers at the best value for money," said Mr. Rieder in conclusion.