Batelco puts the edge into business solutions

The Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) has launched a new unit called "Batelco Business Solutions". In meeting the demanding Information Communications Technology (ICT) needs of business customers, Batelco Business Solutions is designed to deliver services and products through the network, infrastructure and desktop applications layer, which is essential to ensuring business success.

In addition, Batelco has announced the launch of EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for Global Evolution) technology for its mobile telecoms customers.

"EDGE is an access technology that provides mobile customers with three times faster access via mobile devices such as Internet connections and MMS transmission, while providing better quality of service, significant increase in functions and greater volumes of data transmission in less time," explains Ian Dench, General Manager - Sales & Marketing at Batelco.

The benefits for business users are clear with Batelco Mobile Office, e-mail access, FreeData, video streaming and wide range of additional services. In addition, leisure users will also benefit from access to email, downloading music and video clips and full MMS - all at much faster speeds than previously experienced.

HE Shaikh Ali Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Minister of Transportation attended the official launch of Batelco Business Solutions and the introduction of Batelco's EDGE technology service which took place at the inaugural Telecom Arabiya Conference and Exhibition today, 22 March 2005. Shaikh Ali enjoyed a demonstration of the technology offered by both BBS and EDGE, including a video-streaming display over an EDGE-enabled mobile phone. His Excellency was impressed with the company's efforts on both fronts and commended Batelco for its forward-thinking customer focussed approach which is designed to benefit all who use telecommunications services in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Ian Dench, General Manager - Sales & Marketing at Batelco says: "Both of Batelco's BBS and EDGE have been launched because they provide a clear benefit to our customers. In the case of Batelco Business Solutions, we're offering a full range of professional services from pre-sale business and technical consultancy to post-sale implementation and management."

"We are the first operator in the Gulf to make a serious move in the direction of such a comprehensive range of services. The creation of Batelco Business Solutions is a direct response to our customers who have been asking us to work with them through the whole of the ICT service chain."

Batelco Business Solutions is focussed on a series of core customer service themes designed to help customers grow their businesses and concentrate on their core competencies, safe in the knowledge that Batelco can help look after their communications and infrastructure needs.

"Batelco Business Solutions has already been successfully tried and tested in terms of understanding and working towards our customers' business objectives and the unit has been given a big 'thumbs up' from one of the countries most high profile customers," explains Ian.

"Batelco has recently signed a joint framework agreement with the Sintegro-BFH to collaborate for the purpose of consultancy, provisioning, and implementation of the ICT infrastructure at the Bahrain Financial Harbour development."

"The signing of this agreement is a massive boost to the newly formed Batelco Business Solutions unit," says Ian. "We are delighted to be able to work on the high-profile Sintegro-BFH project.

"Our customers have been clamouring for a service that offers the benefits of BBS and we're confident that in launching BBS, Batelco is again providing Bahrain's telecommunications market with a unique, high-tech, comprehensive range of service that will help our customers meet their business objectives."

"Both BBS and Batelco's EDGE technology have been introduced in direct response to our customers' needs and wishes," explains Ian. "We can promise that Batelco will continue to provide all of our customers with the very best of what technology has to offer."