Batelco phases in high-tech new payphones

This move will be followed by the removal of 426 old public phones during February 2006.

The decision to remove the 426 old payphones was based on a study that showed low demand on the service in the areas where those machines are installed. This stage also marks the end of a four-phase project that began earlier this year.

"Batelco is investing significantly in making sure that its customers stay in constant touch with their loved ones, colleagues and friends," explains Ahmed Al Janahi, Head of Corporate Affairs at Batelco. "To that end, all old public payphones are being replaced with high-tech modern phones that utilize new Smartcard technology and offer the very latest advances in payphone communications options."

To ensure payphone availability during the phase-in period, both old and new phones will work simultaneously until the project is completed. Customers can continue using coins or the magnetic strip phone cards on old phones and then make the switch to the new phones by using coins, credit cards or Smartcards.

As the new phones are rolled out across the country, Smartcards will be made available through a wide range of merchants throughout Bahrain. The cards can then be used on the 'all payments methods'.

The project also includes the roll out of Batelco's new high-tech multimedia phones, which are now installed in Bahrain International Airport, Bahrain Mall, Marina Mall, Al aali Mall, Al Alawi Mall, Riffa Mall and Batelco shops in BCC, Gosi and Isa Town. More will soon be installed in other key locations throughout the kingdom.

The cutting edge multi-lingual multimedia touch-screen phones allow users to make phone calls, send faxes, send emails, utilize SMS messaging facilities, check out international news and browse the Internet - all in a quick and easy to use format with the aim of making communications better, quicker and more reliable for the Kingdom's payphone users.

"As Bahrain's national telecommunications company, Batelco has an obligation to supply the Kingdom with reliable working payphones. Batelco's new payphone project goes above and beyond this requirement by giving the people of Bahrain the very latest in a high-tech communications solutions. This project again demonstrates Batelco's commitment to providing its customers with the very best products and services available anywhere in the world," says Ahmed.