SabaFon invest in the future of Yemeni telecoms through Microsoft Technology

SabaFon, The agreement provides the company with the latest, legal versions of Microsoft software, and entitles them to unlimited product support from Microsoft's Arabic-language service engineers. Under the terms of the Enterprise Agreement, SabaFon is also automatically entitled to any upgrades to the software it has purchased that are released during the period of the agreement, as part of the Software Assurance scheme.

SabaFon is the largest GSM network provider in the developing Yemeni market, with around 68% coverage of the country. Since beginning operations in 2001, SabaFon has looked to cutting edge technology, with proper standards of support, to provide the best possible service to its customers. With the company expanding its operations and building new commercial models, it chose to opt for fully supported software from Microsoft to ensure that it could continue to deploy world-class technology.

"SabaFon is committed to the telecommunications sector in Yemen, and to developing this sector through innovative services and products," said Tarik Al Haidary, CEO, SabaFon. "We recognised that we needed a technology partner who would provide us with both the tools to do our job well, as well as supporting and developing those technologies we deployed as the industry moved forwards, which is why we chose to sign an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft."

"Like the telecoms industry, technology is a fast paced journey, and we realized that we could harness Microsoft technology to not just help us in the present, but to be a partner for the future," Al Haidary added.

The deal also provides maximum value to SabaFon through a comprehensive training element, which includes 20 days of full training on the applications side, and additional training to develop staff knowledge on the operating system. This allows the company to save time and money through avoiding expensive trial and error mistakes, and by establishing a basic level of competency from which to build.

Microsoft's biggest Yemeni partner, Al-Salam Establishment - I.T. Division, part of the Al-Ahmar Group, will assist with the roll out of the Enterprise Agreement. Al-Salam was very influential in working with SabaFon to help them recognize the value of the Enterprise Agreement.

"This Enterprise Agreement is a step forward for the software industry in Yemen," said Majdi Al-Masri, General Manager, Al-Salam Establishment - I.T. Division. "We recognize that a strong partnership with Microsoft will assist us to keep the leadership in the IT field in Yemen, as we work with more customers to maximize the value of Enterprise Agreements. We intend to champion the benefits of agreements such as this to build a strong enterprise segment in the country."

The deal also includes a TechNet subscription, targeted to the IT department to ensure that they have an outlet for sharing ideas and queries, as well as monitoring industry trends and accessing technical briefings.

"We're delighted to be working with SabaFon to support them in their quest to build a telecommunications company that will enable local development as well as delivering great value both in Yemen and potentially across the region," said Abdullatif Al Mulla, GM, Microsoft South Gulf. "Using Microsoft applications will allow them to save time, costs and concern as they can have confidence in the Enterprise Agreement that covers a wide range of services on top of the software itself."