Jordan Telecom Group rolls out new service revolution

The new services, being announced at the Vision 2005 event, cut across fixed line, Internet, mobile, Wi-Fi and integrated enterprise services. The announcements are all Middle East regional firsts.

During the second session of Vision 2005, following the keynote session, five new service announcements will take place: the public launch of the PC@ every home initiative, the announcement of the 'Livebox', double play service, the announcement of push to talk over MobileCom's GSM network, the launch of national and international roaming Wi-Fi by Wanadoo and the launch of Jordan Telecom's WINS integrated network management, solutions and services.

"We have transformed Jordan Telecom over the past five years. We are set to enter a new era now, an era where the pace of transformation is, necessarily, much faster. We see change, a great deal of change. And we are determined to be agents of change, not merely followers of the process. And so we are taking the lead today, building new services for our customers that integrate the enormous capabilities, experience and expertise of Jordan Telecom Group," said Laurent Mialet, CEO of Jordan Telecom.

The PC@ every home initiative was first announced at the Jordan ICT Forum, which took place in the Autumn of 2004. Today's announcement is the approach of the public availability of the PC@ every home systems across Jordan, with bundled offers that start at under 20 JD per month for a dial-up line system through to more sophisticated systems bundled with high speed ADSL access.

The PC@ every home range of bundles will offer customers a three-year payment scheme for an Internet connected PC, as well as enhanced Internet helpdesk and customer service facilities. All of the machines are locally assembled and integrated. The initiative is a partnership between the MoICT, Jordan Telecom, Intel, Microsoft, int@j, and Arab Banking Corporation and is being supplied by three Jordanian PC vendors: PC 3000, Oasis and Fun Directory.

"Our aim in this initiative is to build PC penetration in Jordan, to open access to PC and Internet technologies by cutting the barriers to entry." Said Eng. Dissa Jaimoukha, Operational Marketing Director of Jordan Telecom.

'Livebox' is Jordan Telecom's 'Double Play' solution for residential and SOHO users and comes as part of a tranche of announcement driven by the movement of the Jordan Telecom network to an IP model. 'Livebox' allows subscribers with an ADSL line to use a single line to access voice services as well as the Internet, with a range of advanced configuration options and other services available over the Internet. "Double Play means simpler, more cost effective communications for our customers and will be a first step on the road to multiplay services in Jordan. We see integrated, converged services as key to the future and the 'Livebox' gateway that integrates both voice and data is a good example of where we're going," said Nicolas Baudin, Chief Marketing Officer of Jordan Telecom.

The announcement of PTT, or Push To Talk, services by MobileCom is a move that changes the competitive landscape in Jordan's mobile enterprise services market. The new technology is enabled over the GSM network, faster and more efficient than proprietary solutions or GPRS based PTT systems. Secure, standards-based and fully integrated with GSM, the MobileCom PTT solution has completed widespread trials and is set to be made publicly available following final TRC approval.

"We are building new classes of solutions over the MobileCom network, finding new applications for GSM technology every day. Push to talk is a key enterprise class service for our customers and we have reacted to their interest in combining the best aspects of push to talk with the strength, stability and standards-based capabilities of GSM, we are proud to announce we are the first in the region to offer push to talk over GSM" said Mickael Ghossein, CEO of MobileCom.

The fourth announcement at Vision 2005 will be the rollout of a national roaming Wi-Fi network by Wanadoo which will allow people to access their corporate networks and the Internet using high speed wireless connectivity in a range of public places. The first location to go 'live' with the new service will be Queen Alia International Airport, supporting wireless access for anyone using a notebook computer with a wireless network card or an Intel Centrino processor. Further locations are to be added, bringing Jordan into an international network of wireless hotspots that exceeds over 100,000 through Wanadoo's global affiliations.

"Wi-Fi services mean access anywhere, allowing people to work together with new flexibility and speed, as well as supporting new ways of doing business, learning and playing. We're committed to extending wireless access throughout Jordan and beyond with a simple, easy to use and cost effective solution that means people are online automatically whenever they're in a location covered by a hotspot," said Sami Smeirat, CEO of Wanadoo.

Taking Jordan Telecom, uniquely among regional telecom operators, firmly into the enterprise solutions space, the WINS (Wide area Network Service) portfolio of outsourced and managed network solutions is a range of enterprise services that brings the expertise of a national class network operator to bear on the needs of Jordan's large organisations, supporting customer's network and technology infrastructure through managed services, remote network management, outsourced services and ASP (application service provider) services. Customers such as Arab Bank are already deploying global networks managed out of Jordan using this class of service, underpinned by the global networks and expertise of France Telecom.

"WINS will take Jordan Telecom into delivering world-class technology support services that allow our customers to outsource their mission critical technology asset management and therefore to focus on the core task of managing and running their businesses, not their technology," said Eng. Dissa Jaimoukha, Operational Marketing Director at Jordan Telecom. "It's about helping customers to manage the cost and complexity of technology."

Together, the five new launches demonstrate new movements in converging technologies in Jordan and place the country firmly as a regional leadership player in the application of advanced technology with real-world customer benefits.

"Five years ago, it was hard to get a phone line in Jordan. Today, we're rolling out new services that lead our region. We've worked hard on transforming Jordan Telecom, on preparing not only to meet competition but also to meet the needs of a nation that is fast expanding its technological assets. But the transformation to come, that is the one to watch. We are, truly, saying 'Hello to the Future' today at Vision 2005," said Chairman of Jordan Telecom, Shabib Ammari.

Some features of this offer are still under discussion with TRC and may need some adaptation to be in full compliance with the telecom regulations.