Batelco Corporate News RSS Feed http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/news.aspx http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:11:17 +0300 Sat, 1 May 2010 09:47:27 +0300 FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.2.9) http://www.feedforall.com     
Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, who will be accompanied by Batelco General Manager Enterprise Division Adel Al Daylami and a number of Batelco’s senior management team, will be a speaker at the event.

Capacity Conferences hold a series of events around the globe annually, focused on building a mutual platform for bringing telecom companies together.   These unique events provide extensive networking opportunities, enabling attendees to meet the decision makers from local, regional and international carriers and service providers.

High quality, extensively researched programmes ensure that participants have access to compelling content that will benefit their businesses. With a reputation for excellence, Capacity Conferences provide the optimum forum to make new business connections and identify profitable growth opportunities.

Batelco CEO Bahrain Rashid Abdulla said that Batelco was very pleased to support Capacity Conferences in ensuring the success of their 2012 Middle East event.

“Batelco is keen to emphasise its position on the global telecom map, and sponsoring and attending such prestigious events helps to achieve this objective,” he said.

“Such occasions provide good opportunities for us to keep up to date with current trends and meet with our partners to discuss ways to enhance our business operations,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=827 9CA658BE-7872-46CB-B7BE-DBF615C7EE52 Sat, 28 Jan 2012 09:08:41 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company has announced a special offer for its Prepaid Mobile customers. Up until February 7th 2012 Batelco’s SimSim customers can call their friends and families in the GCC (Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, U.A.E and Saudi Arabia) for only 70 fils a minute at any time of the day or night.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> The special two-week offer has been introduced to benefit the many residents of Bahrain who have family members and friends living across the GCC countries. The standard rates for calling the GCC countries are 200 Fils/Min during peak hours and 160 Fils/Min during off-peak hours; therefore, the reduced rate of 70 Fils/Min throughout the whole day is great value for money.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco, as a customer centric organisation, was committed to meeting the needs of all its customer segments by rolling out a comprehensive range of great offers on a continuous basis.<br /> <br /> “Mobile Prepaid customers look for value and convenience and we strive to meet their demands by offering competitive pricing for calls and sms messages at all times, as well as via special offers and promotions,” he added.<br /> <br /> For more details about Batelco’s products, services and special offers, phone 196, view their website batelco.com or visit any Batelco Retail Shop. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=826 5DCDD53A-0F8D-4354-94A1-8FEAD113FF78 Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:07:59 +0300
From left Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa & Batelco Group CEO, Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa

Batelco Group (Ticker: BATELCO), the regional telecommunications operator of reference with operations across seven countries, today announced its results for the twelve-months ended 31 December 2011 (“the year”), which were marked by sound financial results and operating performance across its markets of operation in the MENA region and India.

Financial and Subscriber Highlights

- Gross Revenues of BD327.0M (US$867.4M) for the year;

- EBITDA of BD126.0M (US$334.2M) representing a 39% margin for the full year; with the highest quarterly EBITDA for the year recorded in Q4 2011;

- Consolidated Net Profit of BD80.0M (US$212.2M) for the year, with net profit for Q4 representing the second highest quarterly net profit in the last eight quarters;

- Record subscriber base that now surpasses 11 million, an increase of 20% YoY; including 21% growth in mobile customers and 8% growth of the broadband subscriber base;

- Continued diversification of Group revenues with 37% of revenues and 30% of operating profit now sourced from markets outside Bahrain;

- Significant cash and bank balances totaling BD107.9M (US$286.2M) at year end;

- Recommended dividends of BD57.6M (US$152.8M) for the full year, equivalent to 40 fils per share, marking the Group’s ongoing ability to deliver strong value and returns to shareholders; and

- An overall solid financial position to support future growth and results as underscored by the Group’s Investment Grade Credit Ratings – its first public credit ratings- received from Fitch and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services in Q4 2011.

For the full year 2011, the Group reported Net Profits of BD80.M (US$212.2M) versus BD86.8.M (US$230.2M) for 2010, representing a decline of 8%. EBITDA for the year was BD126.0M (US$334.2M), representing a 39% margin, versus EBITDA of BD146.2M (US$387.8M) for 2010. The Group’s Gross Revenues stood at BD327.0M (US$ 867.4M) for the year, down 4% from BD340.3M (US$902.7M) in the previous year. In line with the Group’s continued diversification, 37% of revenues and 30% of Operating Profit are now generated from markets outside of Bahrain where the Group continues to focus on building its presence and strengthening the performance of its operations.

The Group ended the year with a strong balance sheet. As of 31 December 2011 Batelco Group was free of debt and had significant cash and bank balances of BD107.9M (US$286.2M) an increase of 24% year on year.

The Group also reported that the Board of Directors would recommend a full year cash dividend of BD57.6M (US$152.8M) to the General Assembly of Shareholders, which represents a 72% payout at a value of 40 fils per share of which 20 fils per share was already paid during the third quarter of the year.

Supporting the Group’s sound financial results was continued growth of its subscriber base. At year end 2011, the Group reported a record 11 million customers, an increase of 20% year on year, underscoring the success of ongoing efforts to add scale to its operations and maximise performance across its regional network.

Batelco Group Chairman, Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, announcing the 2011 financial results following a meeting of the Board of Directors at the Group’s Bahrain Headquarters, said:

“Throughout 2011 Batelco Group successfully managed its operations balancing our performance in mature markets such as Bahrain, where we have effectively maintained market leadership despite strong competitive pressures, with opportunities to pursue and achieve further growth across our regional markets of operation. Whilst our financial results showed expected declines for the year in line with market guidance, we are nevertheless pleased to have ended the year on a strong note with the fourth quarter accounting for the highest EBITDA reported in 2011. We are also proud of our ongoing ability to deliver value to shareholders. In recommending to the General Assembly a substantial dividend of BD57.6M (US$152.8M) for the full year, equivalent to 40 fils per share, we see the Group continue to top the ranks of regional telecommunications companies in terms of dividend yields and comparative shareholder returns. Operationally, we are also pleased with our ongoing ability to make progress in building scale, a cornerstone of our growth strategy. In 2011, we successfully expanded our customer base by 20%, bringing our subscriber numbers to a record 11 million users. We will continue to focus on executing the strategy we outlined to our shareholders during last year’s AGM, investing in both strengthening our existing network and further expanding our operations and subscriber base for the benefit of customers and shareholders alike.”

“Our strategic imperatives are supported by the Group’s solid financial position, which we have maintained through strong cash flow generation in 2011, exceeding guidance, and strengthening our balance sheet. Further growth will also be supported by the Group’s Investment Grade Credit Ratings received during the fourth quarter of the year from leading global credit ratings agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. These were the first public credit ratings issued to the Group and affirm our strong operating and financial results and prospects as well as the Group’s overall positive credit quality.”

Operational Highlights
Commenting on the Group’s operational performance across the network, Group CEO, Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, noted the continued focus on market leadership at home and abroad.

“While 2011 was a challenging year for the MENA markets and, in particular, a number of countries in which the Group is active, we are pleased to have effectively executed our strategy and made progress in growing our network and customer base. In Bahrain, despite intense competition, we worked diligently to remain the leading telecommunications provider in the Kingdom across the full spectrum of services whilst also working hard to drive performance in our overseas operations and key operating segments where we see significant potential. “

A Year of Strong Growth in Mobile and Broadband
The year saw strong growth in the Group’s mobile and broadband customer base, two segments which figure prominently in its growth strategy. By year-end 2011, the Group had successfully grown its total mobile customer base by 21% whilst broadband subscriber figures across the network increased by 8%. The Group continues to focus efforts on further bolstering growth in these segments through innovation, excellence and added value both in Bahrain where it remains the market leader in mobile and broadband and across its subsidiaries where it is witnessing solid growth and continues to see room for even higher levels of penetration.

Further Diversification and Growing Overseas Operations
In 2011, the Group saw the further growth and diversification of its operations geographically, which remains a critical part of its strategy and ability to deliver sound financial results. By year end 2011, the Group reported growth in its overseas operations both in terms of customer numbers as well as levels of contribution to revenues and the bottom line. For the year, 37% of revenues and 30% of operating profit were sourced from markets outside Bahrain. Year on year, this accounts for a 6% and 9% increase in revenues and operating profits, respectively, from operations in Jordan and Kuwait, where growth helped to partially offset some of the effects of intense competition in Bahrain.  

Jordan: The Group’s 96% owned subsidiary in Jordan, Umniah, delivered growth of 8% in its mobile subscriber base for the year, which now stands at some 2.3 million customers and further consolidates its strong position in the market. In the year ahead, the Group anticipates even stronger mobile customer growth at Umniah with the company planning to launch its 3G network within the next 6 months.

Overall, the significant investments made by the Group in Umniah this year serve to underscore its commitment to the Jordanian market and opportunities there. This included decisions taken in 2011 to invest JD50.0 M (US$70.0M) for the purchase of the 3G licence, which was paid in early Q1 2012.

Kuwait: Batelco’s subsidiary Qualitynet, which delivers total ICT solutions, remains the market leader in Kuwait’s Data Communications and Internet Services industry. In 2011, it continued to deliver steady growth registering a 4% increase in its broadband customer numbers, which now stand at more than 40,000.

Other JVs: Solid customer and revenue growth was also delivered by Sabafon, STel and Atheeb, companies in which Batelco owns minority stakes. Sabafon (Yemen) registered 12% growth in its mobile customer base for 2011, which now stands at more than 4 million. STel’s (India) mobile customer base grew by 53% for the year reaching 3.5 million customers and Atheeb (Saudi Arabia), which  now delivers voice and data services to approximately 114,000 customers, reported a 10% increase in its consumer subscribers for 2011. Further strengthening of Atheeb’s operations and performance is also expected in 2012. The company is currently in the process of completing a SR 1.2 billion capital increase, which will support plans for future growth and a new strategic focus on the business customer segment.

Innovation and Excellence Support Market Leadership in Bahrain
In 2011, Batelco retained its market leading position in Bahrain across the full spectrum of telecommunications services. In spite of a 4% decline in its mobile customer base for the year, an expected result of aggressive competition, the dynamics of an already highly penetrated market and the first full year of operations for the third mobile operator, the Group still maintained a strong approximate 44% share of the mobile market including retention of the higher value post-paid individual and business subscribers.

And while Batelco only reported a nominal 1% increase in its broadband customer base for 2011, importantly, it registered more than 50% growth in its wireless broadband subscriber numbers, a cornerstone of its strategy in this segment. In terms of fixed line customers, in line with global market trends and expected losses, subscriber numbers in this segment declined by 8% for 2011 as more customers continue to migrate to mobile services.

“While market conditions in Bahrain have been challenging over the past year and our results impacted by the significant competitive pressures that continue to define the Kingdom’s telecommunications industry, we are pleased with our ability to maintain our market leadership in mobile and broadband and to retain the high value customers we have focused on keeping loyal to the Batelco brand though the ongoing introduction of new and exciting value added products and services that have been brought to market in 2011,” said Shaikh Mohamed.

Throughout the year, Batelco continued to innovate in order to deliver value for customers across the full spectrum of services. New initiatives were introduced for the prepaid customer segment where Batelco was the first to introduce prepaid Blackberry packages and branded phones that are capable of delivering advanced in-demand features. Another significant milestone that positively impacted all mobile customers during the year was continued efforts to provide best prices and connectivity for customers whether they are at home or abroad. In 2011, Batelco signed its 1000th International Roaming Agreement ensuring a wide range of choices for Batelco’s customers while they use their mobile devices overseas.

Similarly, innovations also continued in broadband, where Batelco aims to ensure that Bahrain residents and businesses are the best connected in the region. During the year, the company offered enhanced service and packages with higher speeds and higher usage thresholds at no additional price increase. It has also successfully tested 100Mbps fixed broadband speeds as part of the roll out of its Fiber Network, which it intends to make available to residents in fiber covered areas in 2012. Batelco also continued to develop complementary broadband services throughout the year such as CCTV and IPTV, among others.

“Our success in maintaining market leadership is wholly routed in initiatives such as these and our ongoing drive to remain competitive. This applies to our approach to the quality and level of choice, price and service we deliver day in and day out to customers as well as our continuous efforts to strengthen and streamline the way we operate our business and manage our costs both on a Group level as well as across each of our individual operations with Bahrain being our largest and most significant,” Shaikh Mohamed added.

Batelco and its Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility
The growth and success of the Group is also inextricably linked with the growth, success and wellbeing of the local communities in which it operates. Nowhere is this more true than in the Kingdom of Bahrain, where for the past 30 years, Batelco has become a strong and active member of the community providing ongoing support for initiatives ranging from social causes to projects focused on enhancing levels of education, training and overall development . In 2011, Batelco paid out more than BD2.1 million in financial support to such initiatives. Importantly, the company also put to use the skills, resources and competencies of its staff to support and encourage entrepreneurs from the Kingdom and help them to foster growth of new businesses during Bahrain’s Startup Weekend, organised by Batelco. Batelco will continue to work with all segments of the community to support development in line with its Corporate Social Responsibly policies and its position as one of the Kingdom’s largest employers, investors and contributors to the national economy and its growth.

Focus on Investing for Further Diversification and Growth
In conclusion, Batelco Group CEO Shaikh Mohamed commented that the Group was firmly focused on effectively deploying its resources so as to further diversify, grow and build value across its operations both in the Kingdom of Bahrain and across overseas growth markets in 2012. This includes those markets in which the Group is currently active as well as others where significant opportunities may exist.

“We continue to look for ways to build scale across our operations and achieve profitable growth. As we go forward in 2012, we will continue to evaluate opportunities to enhance our position in the mobile and broadband markets and achieve greater synergies for the benefit of our customers and shareholders. With the right strategy and management team and having ended the year in a strong financial position, we are confident we are well placed to make further gains and progress and build our market leadership in the year ahead.”]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=824 25FF2104-E7DD-4618-896D-ABD37F22F415 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:05:03 +0300
Batelco Technical Team leaders and General Management at the Batelco Chalet. From left to right, General Manager Consumer Division Muna Alhashimi, Project Manager Enterprise PMO Tamer Salem, Senior Product Marketing Manager Internet & Messaging Services Aseel Mattar, Manager Mobile Geo-Marketing Services Ismaeel H.G. Ali and General Manager Enterprise & Government Adel Daylami

Batelco, as the official Telecoms Partner of the Bahrain International Air Show 2012 (BIAS 2012), is proud to have delivered seamless integrated communications for the event stated Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla on the final day of the three day event.

“Batelco was delighted for the second time to be an official sponsor for the prestigious international event. To meet the specific requirements of this year’s show, we have worked alongside the Bahrain Defense Force for the expansion of the Airbase and we thank them for selecting Batelco to facilitate the communications requirements on the Sakhir Airbase, which played host to the three day event,” he added.

In 2010, Batelco laid an estimated 140km of cable around the airfield site to accommodate the first Bahrain International Airshow. To adapt to all requests for the 2012 event, an additional 8km of cables were installed. The services provided for included regular telephone service, data, ISDN basic, and primary rate and broadband internet access.

Mr. Abdulla explained that in order to facilitate the expanded requirement for the 2012 show, Batelco selected a state of the art IP solution which was easily expandable to accommodate the additional users.

“The IP network also provided the backbone for the provisioning of free-of-charge secure wireless internet access which served trade visitors, the media, VIP guests and the general public.”

“Additionally, in order to ensure that internet customers experienced the best possible service, Batelco provisioned a 100Mb link between the Sakhir Airfield and their Internet Platform,” the Batelco Bahrain CEO added.

Innovative New Products Showcased
Batelco was delighted to showcase High Definition (HD) Video on Demand (VoD) over 4G/LTE at the Batelco Chalet. Batelco’s customers enjoyed experiencing 4G/LTE and for the first time in Bahrain VoD over 4G/LTE.

Visitors to the Public Area of the show also experienced the latest technology in the Food Court Marquee where Batelco  showcased their new innovative products including IPTV and 100Mbps high speed Broadband over Fiber.  Also for the first time, Batelco showcased High Definition (HD) Video on Demand (VoD) and 3D VoD using a Batelco customised application which runs on mobile smart phones. Visitor to the Public Area Food Court had the opportunity to enjoy the VoD experience using iPads provided by Batelco.

Batelco’s IPTV has the capability to deliver free-to-air channels and all subscription based bouquets. In addition, a free Video on Demand (VoD) library features up to 200 movies, series, documentaries etc. Furthermore, Batelco IPTV also offers special features such as TV on Demand, Time Shift, Personal Video Recording and Advanced Interactive Electronic Programme Guide. Such features allow viewers to watch programmes that are up to one week old and have the full control to rewind, forward or stop any channel at any time and come back to watch it later.

Batelco’s team of skilled technical staff were on hand at the airshow site to tend to any requests for telecommunications services during the show. In addition to on-site support, Batelco’s NOC (Network Operations Centre) monitored the network infrastructure and services to ensure reliability around the clock.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=822 EF3B82BB-7E23-4CDF-A120-48FED697C7B4 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:03:00 +0300
H.H. Shaikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Chairman of BIAS Committee watching VoD over LTE with Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Batelco CEO Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, guests and Batelco management

Batelco senior executives were honoured to welcome H.H. Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Head of the National Guard and H.H Shaikh Abdulla Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of BIAS 2012 to Batelco’s Chalet on the second day of the Bahrain International Airshow 2012.

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Batelco Group Chief Executive Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa and Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla plus a number of Batelco’s General Management were present on the occasion.

During the visit Shaikh Abdulla had the opportunity to experience Batelco’s High Definition Video on Demand (VoD) over 4G/LTE which is being showcased for Batelco’s business guests at the Batelco Chalet.

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said that Batelco was delighted to welcome the dignitaries to Batelco’s Chalet to enjoy Batelco’s hospitality and experience their capabilities in the field of LTE technology.

]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=819 5C774055-10A7-427C-A81C-794D12B69C68 Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:53:55 +0300
Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla and Capt. Abdulrahman Al Gaoud sign the MoU in the presence of Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Batelco Group CEO with Hussain Al Shoail Director of BIAS – member of Supreme Committee back row, left, and Batelco PR Manager Osama Alsaad

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Supreme Organising Committee for BIAS2012  to support the third Bahrain International Airshow which is set to take place in 2014.

The MoU was signed by Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and Supreme Organising Committee for BIAS 2012 Vice President Captain Abdulrahman Mohammed Al-Gaoud at BIAS 2012 which is currently taking place at the Sakhir Airbase.

Shaikh Hamad said that Batelco was honoured to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding expressing Batelco’s interest in supporting the 3rd Bahrain International Airshow in 2014.

“We are proud to have been an official sponsor and telecoms partner for the 2010 event and again this year. The Supreme Organising Committee and all the concerned authorities have done an excellent job in delivering these events of world-class standards that highlight the Kingdom of Bahrain in a positive way.”

Captain Al-Gaoud said that the CAA was delighted to have Batelco’s support at BIAS 2012 following their invaluable contribution towards the success of the inaugural event in 2010.

“Batelco is a national company that provides the highest quality telecommunications services both in Bahrain and abroad and their cooperation has been invaluable in meeting all the communications requirements in 2010 and again this year,” he said.

“Events of such calibre allow Bahrain to demonstrate to the international business community the outstanding capabilities offered by organisations such as the CAA and Batelco in Bahrain,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=817 426A0462-D696-4F0E-8A15-6EDD8371A02F Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:52:56 +0300
H.M King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Batelco Chalet with Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, 3rd from left, Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, 2nd from left, Batelco Board Director Ali Engineer, 4th from left, Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla 5th left and Batelco Group GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi, 1st left

Batelco, Bahrain`s leading integrated communications services provider and Ericsson, the world leading provider of telecoms technology were proud and delighted  to showcase  High Definition Video on Demand over 4G/LTE for His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and accompanying dignitaries  at the Batelco`s Chalet at BIAS 2012.

The cutting-edge VoD experience is now on show at Batelco`s Chalet at Bahrain International Airshow 2012 (BIAS 2012). Batelco’s customers enjoyed experiencing 4G/ LTE and for the first time in Bahrain, Video on Demand (VoD) over 4G/LTE.

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and Batelco Group CEO Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa were joined by Ericsson Head of Middle East Region Anders Lindblad to welcome H.M. King Hamad and accompanying dignitaries  to the chalet for the live demonstration. Also in attendance were Batelco Bahrain CEO Rashid Abdulla, Ericsson President & Head of GCC Countries Ray Hassan and a number of Batelco’s Board of Directors, General Managers and Ericsson`s senior executives.

Guests and visitors to Batelco`s Chalet at BIAS 2012 are enjoying the VoD experience following on from Batelco and Ericsson`s successful trial of LTE (Long Term Evolution) mobile technology at Batelco`s Hamala Headquarters on December 15 last year.   LTE, commonly referred to as the fourth generation of mobile technology enables the delivery of super fast data speeds.

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said that Batelco was honoured to welcome His Majesty to Batelco’s Chalet to experience Batelco’s  capabilities in the field of LTE technology.

“BIAS 2012 as an international style event is an excellent venue to showcase our capability in the latest technologies,” Shaikh Hamad said.

Batelco Group Chief Executive Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa thanked Ericsson for joining Batelco at BIAS 2012 and for their invaluable contribution to Batelco in delivering the 4G/LTE experience for H.M. King Hamad during his visit  to the Batelco Chalet.

“Ericsson`s technical expertise and their experience in implementing cutting edge communications solutions have been invaluable attributes in supporting Batelco`s aspiration to stay in the forefront of the telecoms industry in Bahrain,” said Shaikh Mohamed.

“With the provision of 4G/LTE, Batelco networks will be capable of handling the much greater throughput of data in real time that`s required to support such services as mobile HD video streaming and conferencing, web-based applications and services, and the rapid transfer of large files,” Shaikh Mohamed elaborated.

Commenting on the event, Ericsson Head of Middle East Region Anders Lindblad said ”We are pleased to collaborate with Batelco on showcasing the power of LTE, which will allow Batelco to differentiate and offer high speed and quality customer experience through 4G/LTE wireless broadband services. ”

“There is no doubt that LTE/4G will stimulate the path to the Networked Society in Bahrain by enabling global connectivity to the people, business and society.   We are keen to be involved with Batelco on such LTE trials by leveraging on our global and regional leadership in mobile broadband, communication technologies and services,”  added Mr. Lindblad.

LTE opens the doors for innovative applications, products, services, and solutions targeted not only to today`s handheld mobile devices, but also to other non-traditional devices.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=816 B07A9C53-7BA2-4094-9083-8CE186181760 Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:52:09 +0300
The add-on deals for postpaid mobile customers start at only BD2 per month for 80 minutes of talk time.  The additional options include 240 minutes for BD5, 360 minutes for BD7, 600 minutes for BD11 and a massive 1500 minutes of talk time for BD22.

To activate the service, customers need to send a text message to 4554. For example to add the BD2/80 minutes add-on, send the message AV80 to 4554. To receive additional information, send the message IV to 4554.

With this ultra convenient service, Batelco’s postpaid customers may chat to their friends and families to their hearts content with no worries of running up big bills.

“The addition of these great value voice add-ons gives customers a simple and convenient way to tailor their mobile services to suit their requirements,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“In keeping with a commitment to deliver world class services, Batelco enhances its offerings on a continual basis,” Mr. Al Janahi added.

For detailed information about Batelco’s range of products and services, please visit batelco.com or visit one of Batelco’s Retail Shops, with convenient locations all over Bahrain.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=815 76D8E795-B614-4989-88B7-074F89CD5A1A Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:41:59 +0300
Batelco and Lazim Communications officials at the opening of the new shop. From right to left, Lazim Communications Chairman Hameed Pothimadathil, Batelco Senior Manager Small Enterprises & Indirect Channels Bader Ruwaihi, Batelco Senior Manager Marketing & Communication Maha Abdulrahman and Batelco Senior Manager Retail Operations & Development Mohamed Zulaikh


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunication services provider is delighted to announce the opening of its second franchised outlet in collaboration with Lazim Communications, one of the foremost telecomm market resellers in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Batelco entered into the partnership agreement with Lazim Communications in 2011 when both companies jointly open the first franchised outlet which is located in Juffair.

The new Lazim Communications Batelco Shop which offers all of Batelco’s products and services is conveniently located in Muharraq Suq. The location was selected due to its proximity to many residences, businesses, educational establishments and retail outlets.

Lazim Communications Chairman Hameed Pothimadathil, Batelco Senior Manager Small Enterprises & Indirect Channels Bader Ruwaihi and Batelco Senior Manager Retail Operations & Development Mohamed Zulaikh cut the ribbon to officially open the doors of the new shop which is expected to be very busy due to its prime location.

Batelco’s Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco is delighted to open a second retail shop with Lazim Communications.

“Our first joint venture with Lazim Communications has been a great success. We look forward to continuing this mutually beneficial relationship which supports our objective of delivering Batelco products and services in all areas of the Kingdom,” Mr. Al Janahi added.

Lazim Communications Chairman Hameed Pothimadathil said that in one of the most competitive telecom markets Lazim Communications was proud to be associated with Batelco the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications company.

“Lazim Communications and Batelco strive to deliver the latest products and best quality of service to meet our customers’ requirements. Our extended working hours and dedicated staff from different nationalities makes it easier for customers to meet their telecom needs at a time convenient for them,” added Mr. Pothimadathil.

Batelco and Lazim Communications look forward to serving residents and visitors at the newly opened Muharraq outlet.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=814 E1D04C56-AA44-49A9-8DE5-4C98AD6F5C24 Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:41:21 +0300
Batelco is the the preferred entertainment and gaming ISP in Bahrain with their Broadband service chosen by most customers, especially gamers and heavy users who seek the most reliable services, with high download and upload speeds.

Thanks to this great boost of  Broadband upload speeds, Batelco customers will enjoy an unsurpassed Broadband experience with the best online gaming, online video chatting with their families and friends using Skype, MSN Messenger, Google+ hangouts,..etc,  faster upload of files including videos, music and pictures to their social network accounts including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter , Google+ and  file sharing , in addition to many other applications with no extra charges.

Being a leader in providing best technology and speeds, this initiative by Batelco is part of continuous efforts to maximize customers’ internet experience by offering different Broadband packages which suit all customers’ needs, from low to heavy users, with high threshold and FREE unlimited usage after threshold, at speed of up to 2 Mb.

Batelco Broadband Packages:



Batelco also provides a great offer for Broadband customers who wish to enjoy full Broadband speed during the weekend. Subscribers to Unlimited Weekends  can benefit from fast connections during the weekend to enjoy online gaming, streaming videos & downloading movies without any restrictions, where the usage every Friday and Saturday will not be deducted from their regular monthly threshold limit and their speed will be reset to the maximum download speed as part of the Unlimited Weekends deal.

During 2011, Batelco carried out a number of enhancements to its Broadband Packages for the consumer and business market to provide faster speeds, higher thresholds and lower prices. This is the first upgrade of 2012 and Batelco will continuously review its offerings with a view to delivering further benefits throughout the year.

“The upgrade in upload speed is great news for our customers and is delivered as part of Batelco’s ongoing review of its products and services, which are developed to meet the changing needs of our customers ,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We place the needs of our customers as a key priority and listen to their feedback in order to deliver products and services that improves their communication facilities. Many customers have requested higher upload speeds to meet their gaming and file sharing needs,”  he added.

Batelco will automatically boost the upload speeds to all its customers. Detailed information about Batelco’s Broadband packages is available on batelco.com or by calling 196.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=813 D2A4812B-C0E3-40F8-888F-DE740EDA180F Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:10:32 +0300 Batelco, being a publicly listed shareholding company, has announced that in the spirit of building the Bahraini community, its Board of Directors has held discussions to review the status of employees terminated in 2011 for breaching employment contracts and policies.<br /> <br /> Accordingly, efforts are being taken to employ terminated employees.<br /> <br /> "Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said that Batelco would employ terminated employees who agree to abide by Bahrains labour law and Batelco internal policies."<br /> <br /> "Our decision has been reached in line with Batelcos efforts in building the Bahraini community in support of the Kingdoms efforts to maintain stability."<br /> <br /> "A number of discussions have taken place with the relevant authorities, assigned by the government of Bahrain, that have been working with all parties to find a solution to a number of issues. We are pleased to support their initiatives and move forward with a positive attitude," stated Shaikh Hamad.<br /> <br /> "Batelco, as a Bahraini company with roots that extend over 100 years is considered as one of the pillars of the community and therefore we are committed to do all that we can to maintain stability in our home," Shaikh Hamad concluded. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=812 B1DA4F03-934D-4C83-A60E-298DF80E18E5 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:08:56 +0300
Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, 3rd from left, Batelco General Manager HR Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda, 2nd from left and Batelco Manager HR Training & Development Bahrain Shaikh Bader Al Khalifa, 5th from left, with Batelco and UoB officials at the Batelco Education Exhibition


Batelco Training Centre hosted an Education Exhibition at Batelco Staff Centre recently to showcase the wide range of programmes available at some of Bahrain’s leading educational institutes. Among the providers that participated were the University of Bahrain (UoB), Bahrain Polytechnic, Bahrain Training Institute (BTI), Bahrain Institute of Banking & Finance (BIBF) and Batelco Toastmasters Club.

The purpose of the exhibition was to provide Batelco’s employees with the latest information on various academic programmes provided by educational institutes in the Kingdom and enable them to have first hand information on development possibilities that suits their line of work. Staff had the opportunity to meet with the providers to learn about the many excellent programmes available such as MBA, BSc and Diplomas in various disciplines including Management, Leadership, Financial, Technical and Languages.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, General Manager HR Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda and a number of Batelco’s senior management attended the one day event.

Mrs. Alnowakhda said that Batelco’s commitment to the training and development of its employees is ongoing with a big budget invested in providing opportunities at its Hamala Training Centre as well as in supporting staff to complete a range of external courses such as MBA’s.

“Our Training Centre, which is very busy all year round, provides an excellent range of classroom based courses and also e-Learning courses which are available to all Batelco employees.”

“Additionally, the Training Centre liaises with well known external training institutes to meet the demand for programmes not available at Batelco,” explained Mrs. Alnowakhda.

“The training and development opportunities at Batelco aim to benefit our employees both personally and professionally, by providing them with the necessary knowledge to carry out their work roles in an efficient manner while also supporting their career aspirations,” she added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=809 ABD36ACF-A80A-478C-9483-88959188CF3A Thu, 5 Jan 2012 12:08:57 +0300
Tickets for Bahrain International Airshow 2012, which are being sold at all Batelco Retail Shops, are selling fast with Batelco reporting high demand for tickets for the three day event. Batelco is a major sponsor of the event which will take place at the Sakhir Airbase from January 19th to 21st 2012.

Adult tickets are priced at BD7 per day with tickets for children, up to 15 years of age, priced at BD3. Discount of 5% is available on the purchase of 20 or more tickets, which can be of any type and for any of the three dates. The tickets are for entrance to the public area which will feature viewing stands and a wide range of entertainment and dining options. All visitors must park their cars at the Bahrain International Circuit where shuttle buses will be available to transport them to the airshow.

The event organisers have secured a fantastic range of entertaining activities thanks to the support of Batelco’s sponsorship. Visitors can experience a high speed jet experience in a cutting edge flight simulator. Two simulators, which hold up to 10 people each, are being shipped in for the occasion from the UK. Additionally, seven attractions are arriving from the UK as part of an Inflatable Fun Zone to cater to children of all ages. The items include a Water Balls Experience which will enable visitors to walk, run and collide on water inside giant inflated balls!

As a fitting finale to each day’s fun there will be a fireworks display set to music giving visitors the chance to witness a jaw dropping spectacle over the skies of Bahrain. These are just some of the attractions that are drawing the crowds to Batelco’s Retail Shops to pick up their tickets for BIAS 2012.

“Following the positive reviews of the 2010 event, Batelco was delighted to confirm its sponsorship for the 2012 Airshow,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The excellent range of entertainment being provided for the general public promises a lot of fun for families,” added Mr. Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=808 74EA2F71-15CC-4554-88DE-81B7C88E75AC Thu, 5 Jan 2012 12:07:45 +0300
As part of the Fibre Network project, Batelco has successfully tested broadband speeds of up to 100 Mbps which shall soon be commercially provided to residents of fiber covered areas. Fiber is highly rated for its delivery of high quality uninterrupted services with high speed connectivity. However, the network is capable of providing much higher bandwidth reaching up to 2.5GB per customer.

The Fibre Network will not only provide substantially higher efficiency as a transport network, but also deliver simplicity and superb scalability for future expansion in supporting additional services. The state-of-the-art technology is providing telephony and internet capability for residents in selected areas of the Kingdom. Furthermore, residents of major real estate projects including Riffa Views and Reef Island can now enjoy high end IPTV services over Batelco’s Fibre Network.

Among the many advantages of using fiber is its efficiency and ability in delivering high bandwidth connectivity required to support value added services like IPTV and Video on Demand 3D TV and 3D gaming, which will be available in the future.

The provision of GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Networks) technology, on which the Fiber Network is based, demonstrates Batelco’s position as a provider of cutting edge services for the consumer and business sectors. Batelco has a proven track record in delivering integrated business communication solutions and one-stop-shop convenience.

“Batelco is focused on ensuring that Bahrain’s residents are amongst the best connected in the region and our commitment in extending the roll out of our fiber network will fulfill that commitment,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We are successfully delivering triple play (voice, broadband and IPTV) in areas such as Riffa Views and Reef Island at the moment and we aim to add a number of new areas during 2012,” added Mr. Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=807 F2453472-3E1A-4F4A-B298-D63538E726B5 Sun, 1 Jan 2012 08:42:42 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading mobile services provider, has enhanced its popular SimSim Super Packages by adding extra free minutes allowing customers to chat for longer with no additional cost.

Currently subscribers to SimSim Super 5, priced at BD5 and SimSim Super 10, priced at BD10, have 100 or 300 free minutes respectively. With the enhanced packages SimSim Super 5 customers will benefit from 200 free minutes while SimSim Super 10 customers will have the added advantage of 500 free minutes. The free minutes may be used with all local networks.

Batelco’s SimSim Super Packages are packed with great features such as 100 Free SMS’s, 200 Free MB’s, Package validity of 30 days and line validity of one year. With the boost in free minutes for both packages, SimSim Super 5 and SimSim Super 10 represent great value for money.



“These terrific packages ensure that our customers get the best value for their money, satisfying all their voice, texting and Data usage while using Batelco’s reliable services backed up by round the clock support via our 196 Helpdesk,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations, Ahmed Al-Janahi.

To subscribe to SimSim Super 5, send the text A5 to 4554 and to subscribe to SimSim Super 10 send the text A10 to 4554.  Customers need to have BD6 or BD11 credit available, depending on which package they want to subscribe to. Once activated, the service will automatically renew each month as long as sufficient credit is available in the customer’s account.

Existing SimSim Super Customers will benefit from the extra FREE minutes as well by just refilling their account before the automatic monthly renewal takes place.

For more information about Batelco’s products and services visit www.batelco.com or any Batelco Retail Shop or alternatively, please phone 196.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=806 89B1BB0F-B7DD-46A5-AC9D-E35D349F13FF Wed, 28 Dec 2011 08:40:25 +0300
Batelco Bahrain CEO Rashid Abdulla cuts the ribbon at the opening ceremony with GM Consumer Division Muna Al Hashimi, right, and other Batelco employees

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading Telecommunications Company held an opening ceremony yesterday to re-launch its revamped shop located at Bahrain International Airport. The shop, which is open 24/7, has been renovated to meet the highest standard of telecom retailing, and provides a wide range of Batelco services including Inet Broadband, Mobile Services & Handsets, Fixed and Business Lines.

“Batelco continuously seeks to provide the best experiences possible for its customers. The airport branch offers a comprehensive array of our products and services in a convenient location within the arrival lounge,” said Batelco Group Media Relations General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi.

Batelco’s Retail Shops can be found in 18 different locations across the Kingdom:-
•    Bahrain International Airport – Arrivals Lounge
•    City Centre
•    Arad - Muharraq Club Commercial Centre
•    Manama – BCC (Bahrain Commercial Centre)
•    Exhibition Road – GOSI  Centre
•    Seef Mall
•    Bahrain Mall
•    Hamad Town – Souk Waqif
•    Isa Town – Isa Town Mall
•    Riffa – East Riffa Souq
•    Najibi Centre – Alosra Supermarket
•    Country Mall – Janusan Roundabout
•    University of Bahrain – Student Affairs Building
•    Sitra Mall – Sitra Area
•    The Centre – Nuwaidrat Area
•    Al Murjan Centre
•    AMA University
•    Ramli Mall

Batelco also recently signed a strategic partnership with BBK to provide the Bank’s customers’ with a full range of telecommunication services. It now has presence in five BBK Financial Centres around the Kingdom that include:
•    Riffa
•    Budaiya
•    Exhibition Road
•    Muharraq Highway
•    Adliya]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=805 9D60617A-42C3-4249-900A-45DC8F1C7404 Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:56:39 +0300
Cutting the cake to celebrate the successful LTE Trial at Batelco. From right to left, Batelco Chief Technical Officer John Ford, Batelco General Manager Consumer Division Muna Al Hashimi, Ericsson President & Head of GCC Countries Ray Hassan, Batelco Group Chief Executive Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and Ericsson Key Account Manager Christiane Kamar

Batelco, the Kingdom`s leading integrated communications services provider and Ericsson, the world leading provider of telecoms technology held a successful trial of LTE (Long Term Evolution) mobile technology at Batelco`s Hamala Headquarters on December 15th. LTE, commonly referred to as 4G enables delivery of super fast data speeds.

Batelco embarked on its BD14.5 million MNE (Mobile Network Expansion) project in collaboration with Ericsson in June 2010, to develop a superior network performance for Batelco and ensure readiness for LTE. Such financial commitment ensures that Bahrain’s infrastructure for wireless is the ‘best in class’ and measures up to the top 10 markets in the world. Delivery of LTE is a crucial enabler of the Business Friendly Bahrain strategy, established by the Economic Development Board, in line with the Kingdom’s 2030 vision.

Batelco Group Chief Executive Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and a number of Batelco General Managers and Senior Managers were present at the LTE Trial along with Ericsson President & Head of GCC Countries Ray Hassan, Ericsson Key Account Manager Christiane Kamar and a number of Ericsson technical representatives.

Batelco Group Chief Executive Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa thanked Ericsson for their invaluable contribution to Batelco in carrying out the successful LTE trial.

“Ericsson has been a key partner in providing Batelco with innovative telecommunications solutions over three decades and today their contribution to our successful delivery is just as invaluable as it has always been,” he said.

“Ericsson’s technical expertise and their experience facilitate the implantation of the right kind of processes to complete complex projects in an efficient manner,” he added.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla explained that Batelco`s major objective was to enhance, upgrade and expand their mobile voice and internet network to tackle a number of needs such as providing or enhancing coverage and quality of service in newly developed or remote areas.

“The successful trial of LTE will address the ever growing future demand of broadband over the mobile network and will meet the ever increasing expectation of our customers for higher speeds and world-class communications services.”

“Batelco is adamant to contribute in maintaining Bahrain’s leadership in providing such advanced technology which will positively impact on its economic development,” he added.

Ericsson President & Head of GCC Countries Ray Hassan said that they are proud to have been delivering innovative telecommunications to Batelco for many years.

“This is a very important milestone in Batelco’s plan to deliver and support mobile broadband developments.  We are looking forward to being part of this journey and see this successful trial as a starting point for further partnerships with Batelco to deliver an end-to-end IP solution for mobile broadband,” he said.

“Working alongside skilled Batelco personnel, with the cooperation of Batelco`s executive management has always been the key to our strong partnership that has grown into a real success story that we are proud of.”

“This announcement strengthens our long standing relationship with Batelco and highlights the confidence and trust Batelco has in our leadership in LTE technology,”   he added.

With the provision of 4G, Batelco mobile users will experience faster access to the internet. The networks will also be capable of handling the much greater throughput of data in real time that`s required to support such services as mobile HD video streaming and conferencing, web-based applications and services, and the rapid transfer of large files. LTE will have a download data transfer rate of up to 10 times faster that that of 3G.

LTE will provide Batelco Mobile Users with significant benefits that extend beyond traditional day to day wireless communications. Consumers will benefit from access to a wide range of new and rich innovative multimedia applications. It also opens the doors for innovative applications, products, services, and solutions targeted not only to today’s handheld mobile devices, but also to other non-traditional devices.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=804 260A6DC4-D4D5-4E07-8029-866EFFAE4869 Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:55:36 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Staff_Competition_Winners.jpg"><br /> Members of Batelco’s management with the winners of the competition<br /> <br /> As part of the Batelco 30 year anniversary celebrations, earlier this year all staff members received a specially designed competition to give everyone the opportunity to show their creativity and have some fun with their families and friends.<br /> <br /> A ceremony was held earlier today displaying the many entries that were submitted and awarding the ten winners who were selected by members of management. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=803 ABB4F814-FBEA-4446-A426-5244A165AF4F Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:54:23 +0300
The group of Batelco students with Batelco and Lancaster University officials

As part of its ongoing endeavour to reward its high performing staff,  Batelco, the Kingdom of Bahrain’s leading communications  provider, has recently signed an agreement with the prestigious University of Lancaster to develop 25 of the company’s high performers and high-talented employees.

Lancaster University is ranked in the top one percent of universities in the world and has top ten positions in all major UK university league tables, including The Times, the Guardian and the Complete University Guide. Moreover, 92% of Lancaster University graduates go into work or further study.

The one-year programme is currently conducted by the Lancaster facility in Bahrain and is designed to ensure development of high potential employees in order to widen their horizons and prepare them for leadership roles in a global business.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that this programme is in line with Batelco’s ambitious training and development strategy that aims to prepare young Bahraini employees to take up leading roles in the future.

“Developing leaders for the future is one of Batelco’s key strategic objectives. Therefore, we will continue to invest in our employees,” he added.

Key areas of development that the programme aims to achieve are external (rapid strategic response, external exposure), cultural (global mindset, ownership of performance, culture of improvement and innovation) and operational (variance analysis, commercial acumen skills, networking and virtual working).

Leadership is a major agenda throughout the design and each module will expose the participants to new thinking to stimulate individual, team and organizational learning.

The entire programme was customised based on discussion and collaboration between Batelco Group executives and Lancaster University Management School.

“We will continue investing in training and development of our employees to ensure they benefit from the latest knowledge and skills available in the market, and thus secure our competitive edge on the competition”, Mr. Al Janahi concluded.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=801 A355B2EA-0237-48B7-8868-18D0A530654E Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:12:39 +0300
Shaikha Zain Bint Khaled Al Khalifa, Honorary President of Bahrain Society for Women’s Development & Head of Shajera Tayibah Committee presents the plaque to Batelco General Manager Government Relations Nadia Hussain

Embodying its commitment to supporting local entities and activities, Batelco, Bahrain’s leading Telecommunications Company was delighted to sponsor and attend the “New Eyes on Tradition” event organized by Shajara Tayyibah, a committee within Bahrain Society for Women’s Development.  The event, which took place recently at the BIC, was held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of the King of Bahrain.

At the event, Batelco General Manager Government Relations Nadia Hussain received a commemorative plaque from Shaikha Zain Bint Khaled Al Khalifa, Honorary President of Bahrain Society for Women’s Development & Head of Shajera Tayibah Committee.

Batelco earlier announced a sponsorship of BD15,000 to support the activities of the Bahrain Society for Women Development.  

Batelco General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was delighted to support such a worthy initiative.

“Such activities deserve full support, as it encourages talented Bahrainis to capitalize on their capabilities and skills to secure a source of income and additionally to promote the heritage of the Kingdom to the world,” he added

Members of Shajara Tayyibah Committee work in close collaboration with local artists to help them use modern techniques in making their traditional products; such as basket weaving and pottery in a more innovative and creative manner.

This endeavor by the Shajara Tayyibah Committee is aimed at helping Bahraini artists and craftsmen make their work more attractive to potential customers in order to compete locally and internationally. The proceeds of the event will be used for the development of the craftsmen community.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=800 70487D00-E808-4622-A916-B5F3CCF2910B Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:50:05 +0300
Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider is a major sponsor of the event for the second time.

Adult tickets are priced at BD7 per day with tickets for children, up to 15 years of age, priced at BD3. Discount of 5% is available on the purchase of 20 or more tickets, which can be of any type and for any of the three dates. The tickets are for entrance to the public area which will feature viewing stands and a wide range of entertainment and dining options. All visitors must park their cars at the Bahrain International Circuit where shuttle buses will be available to transport them to the airshow.

The event organisers have secured a fantastic range of entertaining activities thanks to the support of Batelco’s sponsorship. At the January 2012 event visitors can experience a high speed jet experience in a cutting edge flight simulator. Two simulators, which hold up to 10 people each, are being shipped in for the occasion from the UK. Additionally, seven attractions are arriving from the UK as part of an Inflatable Fun Zone to cater to children of all ages. The items include the Water Balls Experience which will enable visitors to walk, run and collide on water inside giant inflated balls!

As a fitting finale to each day’s fun there will be a fireworks display set to music giving visitors the chance to witness a jaw dropping spectacle over the skies of Bahrain. These are just some of the attractions that are drawing the crowds to Batelco’s Retail Shops to pick up their tickets for BIAS 2012.

“Following the positive reviews of the 2010 event, Batelco was delighted to confirm its sponsorship for the 2012 Airshow,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The excellent range of entertainment being provided for the general public promises a lot of fun for families,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

        
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=798 8ED0BCAB-A900-4AED-9396-B161325761CE Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:49:19 +0300
Batelco management and staff with Randall Munson at the event

**International Guest Speaker Randall Munson**

Batelco considers its staff as its most important asset and accordingly encourages each employee to avail of the many opportunities presented by its Training Centre.

In line with this aim, Batelco Training Centre was very proud to offer the seminar, "Success Through Innovation and Creativity", featuring world-renowned speaker Randall Munson, one of the worlds greatest business mentors.

The seminar, arranged in partnership with Bahrain International Retail Development Centre (BIRD), was filled to capacity at the Batelco Staff Centre and was open to all Batelco employees to attend.

Corporate executive, best-selling author, educator, and entertainer Randall Munson delivered an informative and entertaining presentation that utilised the tools of humour, games and logic, paired with magical effects that illustrated the ideas and locked them into the listeners mind.

Participants gained a fresh approach to problem-solving and a renewed confidence in their own creative capabilities.

"We were very happy to have Randall Munson here exclusively for all Batelco staff to share his expertise in creativity, particularly as it forms part of Batelco’s culture as one of the Company’s 6 values," said Batelco General Manager Human Resources Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda.

"Batelcos HR strategy is to provide all employees with the opportunity for a world-class learning experience and we encourage all our employees to never stop the learning and development process," she added.

This is the first event of its kind and due to its success, it is hoped to hold further events with internationally recognised speakers.

"We are elevating the talent development in Batelco to a higher level and are committed to providing diverse development opportunities and contemporary learning tools that are accessible by all our employees," said Batelco Manager HR Training & Development Bader Al Khalifa.

"The feedback from this event was very positive and provided definite encouragement to continue with such activities," he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=797 F788C2EA-074C-4C9D-B768-9EA35076A025 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:48:11 +0300
For example, SimSim customers who refill with BD4 will receive BD4 as a main credit to be used for all kind of calls and SMSs. They will also get BD8 as a local bonus to be used for all local Batelco to Batelco calls and SMS’s within the period defined i.e. 10 days from the refill date.

Refill amount:
BD4

Total credit:
BD12

Bonus validity:
10 days

=======

Refill amount:
BD5

Total credit:
BD15

Bonus validity:
14 days


*Total credit= main credit + bonus credit

This offer is available for new as well as existing SimSim customers. The bonus credit which will be utilized before the main credit is valid for local calls and SMS to Batelco lines only and must be used within the defined period from the refill date.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that the new offer is great value for money that presents a substantial cost saving benefit for prepaid customers.

"Batelco conducts regular customer surveys to identify customers changing demands and requirements and based on the outcomes, reviews its products and services in order to develop new and innovative deals. This promotion comes as a result of such reviews and we believe it addresses the needs of our large SimSim subscriber base," added Mr. Al Janahi.

Customers may check their Main Credit Balance by dialing *122# and their promotion bonus Balance by dialing *122*2#.

Batelco refill vouchers are available from Batelco Retail Shops and authorised outlets all over the Kingdom of Bahrain.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=796 BCF477F7-9D40-4699-9F38-4837279B9303 Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:43:08 +0300
Osama Alsaad Batelco Public Relations Manager presents the sponsors cheque to Nadia Al Najar, Treasury Secretary for Bahrain Society for Women Development

Embodying its commitment to supporting local entities and activities, Batelco, Bahrains leading Telecommunications Company, announces its sponsorship for "New Eyes on Tradition" event organized by Shajara Tayyibah, a committee within Bahrain Society for Womens Development.  The event is held under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of the King of Bahrain.

At a meeting held recently at Batelcos headquarters in Hamala, Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presented the sponsorship cheque for BD15,000 to Bahrain Society for Women Development Treasury Secretary Nadia Al Najar.

Batelco General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was delighted to support such a worthy initiative.

"Such an activity deserves full support, as it encourages the Bahraini talented people to capitalize on their capabilities and skills to secure a source of income for them on the one hand, and to promote the heritage of the Kingdom to the world on the other hand," he added

"We are proud to be a leading supporter of this and other worthwhile causes and events that ultimately contribute to the well-being of the community members and at the same time serve the interests of our beloved Kingdom," he elaborated

Members of Shajara Tayyibah Committee are working in close collaboration with local artists to help them use modern techniques in making their traditional products; such as basket weaving and pottery in a more innovative and creative manner.  This endeavor by the Shajara Tayyibah Committee is aimed to help Bahraini artists and craftsmen make their work more attractive to potential customers in order to compete locally and internationally. Proceeds of this event will be used for the development of the craftsmen community.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=795 7A87E268-2D1F-4A55-9F0F-4958BC02A6EE Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:41:48 +0300
Batelco celebrates 1000 International Roaming Agreements

Batelco, Bahrains leading roaming services provider is delighted to announce the signing of its 1000th roaming agreement with an international operator. This is a significant milestone and ensures a wide range of choices for Batelcos customers while they use their mobile devices overseas. The agreements which cover all telecoms services are available across 148 overseas locations.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla extended his congratulations to all concerned for achieving this great milestone for Batelco.
"This is a great achievement that we are proud of as it gives our customers more flexibility in selecting their roaming operator to benefit from enhanced coverage and more competitive rates."

"We try to provide more than one choice of provider in key locations as prices for the various roaming services can vary from operator to operator," he added.

Batelcos customers are invited to visit batelco.com to review the full list of roaming services and rates.

"By providing the full details online, our customers can avoid running up unexpected charges while travelling overseas for business or leisure," added Batelcos Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

"We will continue to sign new agreements with more international operators to ensure that our customers have access to the best telecommunications connections while roaming throughout the world," he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=794 412992A2-D030-4F7A-BE95-27EF50EB51D1 Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:40:37 +0300
HRH Princess Sabeeka Bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa meets with Batelco Group CEO Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Economic Forum

Batelco, Bahrains leading Telecommunications Company, is proud to be the silver sponsor of the Supreme Council for Women Forum held on December 7 and 8 at Bahrain International Circuit.

The event, organized by the Supreme Council for Women under the patronage of HRH Princess Sabeeka Bint Ebrahim Al Khalifa, was held under the slogan "The Role of Bahraini Women in the Economic Development - Partnership and Contribution".

"Our sponsorship for the event is part of our ongoing support for the local community and the various initiatives that enhance the well-being of its members," said Batelco General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi

"We are honoured to be approached by the Supreme Council for Women to sponsor their forum that aims to recognize the active role played by the Bahraini woman in the community," added Mr. Al Janahi

"Batelco will continue its generous support for all endeavours designed to serve the interests of the local community and the Kingdom as a whole," concluded Mr. Al Janahi

Showing their backing to the Supreme Council’s efforts, Batelco Group General Manager Human Resources Shaikh Ahmed Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa attended the opening Ceremony & Award Presentation on 7th December, while Batelco Group CEO Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa attended the Economic Forum held the following day.

The forum was to mark the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Council for Women and the Bahraini Woman Day.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=792 25A91A89-9E5B-48C3-9B40-8740B35E6800 Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:39:16 +0300
At the celebration, which was organized by Tatweej Academy in collaboration with The Arab Administrative Development Organization, a number of Arab figures and leaders, as well as elite companies in the Arab region were recognized for their achievements in their respective fields.

Batelco Bahrain CEO Rashid Abdulla and Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Al Saad received the award on behalf of Batelco from HH Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Head of Dubai Culture & Arts Commission.

Mr. Abdulla said Batelco was delighted to win this award which highlights the quality of Batelco performance and services offered to its customers in all sectors.

"We are proud that quality and excellence are the two qualities that differentiate our company and to be recognized by professional organizations such as Tatweej Academy," he added

"This recognition will certainly add to our continued drive to enhance our performance in all fields in order to serve the interests of our shareholders, customers and employees," concluded Mr. Abdulla

In a speech delivered on the occasion, President of Tatweej Academy Mr. Beyar McKerzel stressed the importance of the successes made by the winners in developing managerial performance in the Arab organizations. He said that honoring this elite group of leaders and companies that made administration achievements shows only a small part of the Arab innovation and creativity.

On the other hand, General Manager of The Arab Administrative Development Organisation praised the successes made by the honoured individuals and companies that deserved the Golden Medals.

Batelco recently won Telecoms Technology Investment of the Year award for the MENA region at the annual CommsMEA Awards.

"Tatweej" programme aims to promote the role of leaders in all sectors who made successes in their fields, as well as companies holding certificates of excellence and ISO in the Arab World. This is intended to communicate a positive picture of companies  in the Arab region and how they meet international standards in their efforts to develop the administrative processes of all sectors, as well as civil organizations.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=793 9D733B47-A51D-4E3D-9633-4883DE11FA61 Thu, 8 Dec 2011 13:38:14 +0300
From left to right: Osama Alsaad, Manager Public relations, Muna Al-hashemi, General Manager Consumer Division, Rashid Abdulla, Chief Executive Bahrain, Mohd Zulaikh, Senior Manager Retail Operations & Development

Batelco, Bahrains leading Telecommunications Company was presented with the Telecoms Technology Investment of the Year award for the MENA region at the annual CommsMEA Awards held at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai on Tuesday 29th November.

The CommsMEA Awards set out to celebrate and pay tribute to the telecoms industry professionals and operators that have shown outstanding performance and results in key market segments. The prestigious Telecommunications Technology Investment award recognises the operator that has not only invested a substantial sum in technology but also ensured that its investment has delivered a return for its customers.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla who attended the event to collect the award for Batelco said that Batelco was delighted to be recognised for their efforts in delivering up- to-date services for their customers.

"We are delighted to have achieved this accolade in winning this years Telecoms Technology Investment of the Year award."

"Batelco has invested heavily in its networks and development of world class products and services to ensure that residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain have access to the latest communications tools," he added.

The Awards were judged by an independent panel of regional telecommunications experts and the winners were rewarded at an elaborate Gala dinner attended by senior executives and personalities from the Middle East and African telecommunications industry and other VIPs.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=791 9B1881D5-4B5B-4BE6-A19B-1A51E12651A6 Sun, 4 Dec 2011 13:37:02 +0300

Tickets are now on sale at all Batelco Retail Shops for the Bahrain International Airshow 2012, which will take place at the Sakhir Airbase from January 19th to 21st 2012.

Batelco, Bahrains leading integrated communications provider is a major sponsor of the event which was previously held in 2010 with great success, with Batelcos sponsorship support.

Adult tickets are priced at BD7 per day with tickets for children, up to 15 years of age, priced at BD3. Discount of 5% is available on the purchase of 20 or more tickets, which can be of any type and for any of the three dates. The tickets are for entrance to the public area which will feature viewing stands and a wide range of entertainment and dining options.

"Following the great reviews of the 2010 event, Batelco was delighted to confirm its sponsorship for the 2012 event," said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

"We are honoured and delighted to extend our support to this event which is taking place for the second time in the Kingdom."

"The prestigious event is poised to once again put the Kingdom of Bahrain in the global spotlight and demonstrate to the international business community the outstanding capabilities offered by organisations operating in Bahrain," added Mr.  Al Janahi.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=790 3D63A104-C2CF-41F6-A146-A577A0C56337 Thu, 1 Dec 2011 13:35:22 +0300
Winners, participants and officials following the prize giving ceremony

Batelco Group Chief Executive Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa was in attendance for the prize presentation following the final of H.M. King Hamad’s 4th Golf Trophy which took place at The Royal Golf Club, Riffa, from November 24 to 26.

Bahrain’s leading Telecommunications Company, Batelco, earlier announced its financial support for the event, organised by the Bahrain Golf Association. Over 100 players from a number of regions including Bahrain, the GCC and Europe took part in the annual event, which was hailed as a huge success.

Batelco’s Group Chief Executive praised the organisers for their efforts in running the tournament which does much to promote golf in the Kingdom.

Batelco Group GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to help contribute to the success of the event.

“The event serves to promote Bahrain as a sporting and tourism destination with facilities that compare to the best the world has to offer. The Montgomery designed course at Riffa is among the leading courses in the region and reflects the high standards that the Kingdom strives to uphold,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=789 58DFC0A1-B9B5-470C-B0D8-1521283F7AB2 Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:33:58 +0300
Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, 5th from right and BENEFIT CEO Abdulwahed Janahi, 4th from right with Batelco and BENEFIT management at Batelco Headquarter in Bahrain

Senior management from Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider and BENEFIT, Bahrain’s Electronic Network for Financial Transactions, participated in a workshop, held at Batelco Headquarter in Hamala recently. Under discussion at the workshop were a number of topics aimed at enhancing the partnership already in place between the two companies and the development of services to provide the financial sector with additional value-added services over Batelco’s state-of-the-art IP network.

Batelco already provides services directly to financial companies and banks, and indirectly, via BENEFIT. The rich portfolio includes services such as MPLS IP-VPN, ICT services, Mobility, Bulk Messaging, Internet plus more.

By working cooperatively, Batelco and BENEFIT management are confident that they can achieve their goals to deliver competitive advantages and add more convenience for the customers of both organisations.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and BENEFIT Chief Executive Abdulwahed Janahi with a number of Batelco and BENEFIT senior management attended the workshop. During the meeting, a  number of initiatives that are planned to be implemented in the short term were discussed, as well as a number of long term objectives, which both organisations will explore to ensure their potential added value.

The Batelco Bahrain Chief Executive said that the discussions held with BENEFIT provided both organisations with an excellent opportunity to further develop their sound relationship.

“We appreciated the opportunity to meet with the BENEFIT team in order to clarify a number of points and establish a relevant framework to work toward a more formal collaboration. BENEFIT is a highly regarded organization in Bahrain; we value our relationship and look forward to our continuous collaboration.”

Mr. Abdulwahid Janahi   stated that BENEFIT was very pleased to have the opportunity to work alongside Batelco as a major telecommunications provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain and a leading Bahraini company.

“The workshop was a great success; we are delighted with the progress made and very much look forward to developing our product portfolio further with the support of Batelco’s expertise.”]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=788 B00937FE-06AC-410D-85BF-D765EB4D6DEC Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:56:10 +0300
Batelco management and staff, with invited customers and RIM Executives at the Blackberry Innovation Forum

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading provider of telecommunications, has sponsored Blackberry’s recent Innovation Forum, in support of its partnership with RIM (Research in Motion), the Blackberry services provider. The event took place at Dubai World Trade Centre.

Batelco General Manager Enterprise Division Adel Al Daylami attended the event along with a number of Batelco Enterprise Division managers. Batelco additionally invited a number of their key BlackBerry Enterprise customers to attend the Forum in order to provide them with the opportunity to benefit from face to face interaction with RIM representatives allowing them to discuss their future needs and growing requirements.

The BlackBerry Innovation Forum gathered together business leaders and mobile innovators who all have one thing in common; they want to empower enterprising minds to deliver incredible customer value. The event delivered on its promise to provide an invaluable experience by presenting new ideas that aim to enhance customers’ communications options.

Mr. Al Daylami said that Batelco was very pleased to support RIM in ensuring the success of their Blackberry Innovation Forum.

“We have an excellent working relationship with RIM established over a number of years. Our mutual collaboration to roll out the latest Blackberry products and services has been invaluable for Batelco’s customers.”

“We are 100% committed to delivering the best range of business specific products and services for our enterprise customers to ensure they have the edge against their competitors in today’s tough market conditions,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=787 1B051B78-B2A1-4440-A76C-6DAD79D19982 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:55:10 +0300
A competitor teeing off on the opening day of the 4th King Hamad Golf Trophy

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading Telecommunications Company is supporting H.M. King Hamad’s 4th Golf Trophy, organised by the Bahrain Golf Association, which is taking place at The Royal Golf Club, Riffa, from November 24th to 26th.

Bahrain Golf Association has invited over 100 players from Bahrain, GCC, Asia, Europe and South Africa to participate in the annual event.

“We are delighted to help contribute to the success of the event and wish the organisers success with their endeavours,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“This sponsorship is an inseparable part of Batelco’s sponsorship & donation programme designed to support a wide range of events in Bahrain and promote the Kingdom’s name overseas.”

“The event serves to promote Bahrain as a sporting and tourism destination with facilities that compare to the best the world has to offer. The Montgomery designed course at Riffa is among the leading courses in the region and reflects the high standards that the Kingdom strives to uphold,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=786 1BFB1A2D-0E4E-44B7-A976-7F86D1D7BFF8 Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:53:36 +0300
Fitch has assigned Batelco Group with an Issuer Default Rating of “BBB-” and Standard & Poor’s has issued the Group with a “BBB-” long-term and an “A-3” short-term foreign and local currency corporate credit rating.

These ratings underpin Batelco Group’s strong credit quality and reflect its market leading position in Bahrain’s telecommunications sector as underscored by its robust position in the mobile market and other segments, as well as the Group’s continued strong profitability and significant cash flow generation, which supports a sound liquidity profile.

The ratings are also indicative of the strength of the Group’s strategy and successful efforts in diversifying its revenue and profits via expanding its overseas operations, which have grown in recent years to include a strong and growing presence in seven markets across the MENA region and India, as well as future plans for further geographic diversification and growth in overseas markets.

Commenting on the announcement, Group CEO, Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, stated: “As we continue to pursue profitable growth across the MENA region and India, we are pleased to secure investment grade credit ratings from two of the world’s most reputable ratings agencies after a full review of our operations, strategy and financial position. These ratings affirm the Group’s ongoing success in managing our operations both at home, where we remain the market leader, and across our growing network, where we continue to gain traction and achieve positive growth both in terms of customer numbers and revenues.”

He continued: “Importantly, they are also indicative of the Group’s successful financial performance and disciplined fiscal approach. The investment grade ratings issued to us demonstrate confidence in the Group’s profitability levels, strong cash flows and the overall prudent financial management policies that have enabled us to deliver on our commitments to shareholders whilst responsibly funding further growth and expansion in line with our strategy to add scale to our operations and achieve even greater diversification. These ratings will further enhance our ability to diversify our sources of funding should we seek to secure future financing from the debt or capital markets.”


For the nine-month period ending 30 September 2011, the Group was free of debt and reported a cash and bank balance of BD 86.8M (US$ 230.2M).
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=785 79B4EAA2-2820-4007-97AC-2A73285C8D24 Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:52:55 +0300
Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa

Batelco Group (Ticker: BATELCO), the regional telecommunications operator of reference with operations across seven countries, today announced that it has been voted as ‘Best Company for Investor Relations: Bahrain’ by the Middle East Investor Relations (ME-IR) Society for the second year running.

The honour was awarded to the Group at the ME-IR Society’s Annual Conference & Awards ceremony held this year in Abu Dhabi on 21 November 2011. The event aims to build further awareness of the importance of effective investor relations for fast growing Middle East companies and to recognize and award companies and professionals from across the region for their use of best practices as well as their ability to meet the levels of disclosure and communications required by leading local, regional and global investors.

The awards were based on the results of an independent global IR survey led by Thomson Reuters Extel and voted on by approximately 350 buy and sell-side investors globally. Respondents were asked to both nominate companies and assess the importance of some of the fundamental aspects of an effective IR programme. These included clarity and transparency, service and responsiveness, proactiveness at the CEO & CFO level, formal disclosures, quality of an IR team’s knowledge and general support. It was based on these criteria and its strong performance across each category that the Group was selected as the best company for IR among a group of leading listed Bahraini companies.

Commenting on the announcement, Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, Group CEO, said: “We thank the ME-IR Society for this honour and we are pleased to be the recipient for the best company for IR in the Kingdom of Bahrain again this year. The work of the Society and its efforts to support the development, implementation and sharing of best practices in investor relations across the region is critical to the development of the region’s capital markets.”

“For its part, Batelco Group is committed to continuously looking at ways to further enhance its communications with the investment community and its levels of disclosure. Transparency is the cornerstone of a healthy company and we are delighted that the ongoing efforts of our team to perform at the highest levels have been recognised by the investment community and our peers, and that Batelco Group once again ranks among those companies in the region with the strongest standards of investor relations.”

Batelco Group, which is listed on the Bahrain Bourse, is the leading regional telecommunications company serving more than 11 million customers across its growing network, which includes its home market of Bahrain where it remains the Kingdom’s leading integrated communications provider, as well as overseas operations that include Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt and India.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=784 6D492BB0-463F-43C4-9E77-5979A337BD5D Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:51:53 +0300
The Winning Team Captains

Bahrain Startup Weekend, organised by Batelco has begun at Batelco Staff Centre in Hamala, with 70 participants vying for a top cash prize of BD4,000. The event opened with inspiring speeches from Microsoft Dir. Developer Platforms and Technologies Michael Mansour, Falak Enterprise Founder & CEO Suhail Algosaibi, Ericsson ME Business Innovation Manager Ammar Al Jamri and Yushan Ventures Managing Director Volker Heistermann.

Following an informative address from Startup Weekend Facilitator Hashem Zahran, a number of aspiring entrepreneurs presented their business ideas to the audience. Nine ideas have been chosen and teams formed to develop the ideas into viable business plans. Each team includes participants with various qualifications and experiences including web design and development, marketing, business development and public relations. The idea names are Student Tube, Future Mobi Network, EZ Pay, Everyweb, Alpha, Charitime, Paycell, Gozilla and Search Bahrain.

Batelco Staff Centre will remain open round the clock giving the teams’ access to facilities to develop their business models in preparation for presenting them to a panel of judges on Saturday evening.

Startup Weekend Bahrain has attracted excellent support with speakers and mentors from leading companies including Mumtalakat, Microsoft, Ericsson, BDB, O2, Venture Coms, Dynavate Technologies, 4 Spots and Batelco, all volunteering their time to support the teams in developing their business ideas.

The teams are competing for cash prizes, funding and technical support to put their business plans into action. First prize is BD4000 cash, second prize is BD2000 and third prize is BD1000. Additionally the first three teams will be given free enrollment into Bahrain Development Bank’s (BDB’s) Entrepreneurship Development Programme. Furthermore, all teams will have the opportunity to possibly benefit from funding from Tenmou of up BD20,000 and BDB will be evaluating the projects during the weekend to see if they qualify for the Pre-Seed Capital Support Scheme, that is jointly run with Tamkeen and which includes a grant of up to BD5000.

Organisations such as Tenmou, BDB and Tamkeen , who are participating in the event, hope to find new startups to fund and support. These organisations have established programmes to offer advice and support to innovative entrepreneurs to help bring business ideas to life and in doing so enhance the economy of Bahrain. Furthermore, Batelco, through its newly established Innovation Centre, hopes to select a relevant project to offer its financial and technical support to, following the weekend.

Startup Weekend is a 54 hour event that provides the networking, resources, and incentives for individuals and teams to go from idea to launch. Startup Weekend’s motto is Build Community. Start Companies. No Talk. All Action. Startup events are open to anyone interested in their local entrepreneurial community and it puts them in a setting where anything is possible. In the past 2 years over 280 startups have started and over 9000 entrepreneurs have been inspired at event all over the world.

Batelco extents its appreciation to a number of local companies who sponsored the event:-

Platinum Sponsor: Mumtalakat
Silver Sponsor: Ericsson
Bronze Sponsor: The General Organization for Youth & Sport (GOYS)
Technology Partner: Microsoft
Strategic Partners: Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) and Tamkeen
Contributing Partners: Gulf Air, Nescafe, Red Bull, GMI, University of Bahrain, Expression Computers, Mathias Tourism, Aries Designs &Trading, Union Press, Palace Enterprises, Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa and the Intercontinental Regency, Bahrain.

Media Sponsors: GDN, Gulf Weekly, CoEds, Business In Gulf, Al Watan, Al Ayam, Akhbar Al Khaleej, Al Wasat, Daily Tribune, Radio Voice and Amwaj TV.

Interested parties may keep up to date with the teams’ progress via the Facebook page (facebook.com/StartupWkndBH) and Twitter (@StartupWkndBH). More information on Startup Weekend including video clips from previous events is available online at bahrain.startupweekend.org
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=782 32F3E7C1-884E-4588-8334-5B15D392EA18 Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:50:45 +0300 Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading communications services provider takes this opportunity to inform its customers in the North Manama Area that a temporary outage will take place early morning November 23rd, due to road works being carried out by the Ministry of Works on the North Manama Causeway.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; <br /> All data services including MPLS and ADSL in that area will be affected. To support the Ministry in their endeavours to upgrade the roads infrastructure, Batelco will divert its communications traffic between the hours of 12am and 5am. The diversion work will take approximately 10 minutes only, thus causing minimal disruption to services for Batelco’s customers.<br /> <br /> We apologise for any inconvenience that may be caused and appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers as we support the great work being carried out by the Ministry of Works to improve the roads networks for the Kingdom of Bahrain, “ said Batelco&nbsp;&nbsp;Group General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=783 5F6464B7-0E61-4968-9ACC-5A69486868F5 Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:50:05 +0300
Brigadier Ali Saqor Al Noaimi, left, with Ahmed Al Janahi


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading Telecommunications Company has announced its support for H.M. King Hamad’s 4th Golf Trophy, organised by the Bahrain Golf Association, which is taking place at The Royal Golf Club, Riffa, from November 24th to 26th.

Bahrain Golf Association has invited over 100 players from Bahrain, GCC, Asia, Europe and South Africa to participate in the annual event.

“We extend our thanks to His Majesty for this great initiative to promote golf in the Kingdom of Bahrain and are delighted to help contribute to the success of the event,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“This sponsorship is an inseparable part of Batelco’s sponsorship & donation programme designed to support a wide range of events in Bahrain and promote the Kingdom’s name overseas,” he added.

Bahrain Golf Association 2nd Deputy President Brigadier Ali Saqor Al Noaimi said that Batelco has always supported major events organized by Bahrain Golf Association. In addition to supporting the King Hamad Trophy, Batelco sponsored the last two Pan Arab Golf Championships held in Bahrain in 2000 and 2004.
“The event serves to promote Bahrain as a sporting and tourism destination with facilities that compare to the best the world has to offer. The Montgomery designed course at Riffa is among the leading courses in the region and reflects the high standards that the Kingdom strives to uphold,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=779 35F9A3AB-A382-4BCF-975F-15E5CA5C3879 Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:55:50 +0300
The weekend event will form part of Global Entrepreneurship Week with more than 40 StartUp Weekends taking place globally to mark the occasion. The focus of the event is to discover entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs and assist them on the road to establishing successful ICT and e-business enterprises. Participants with marketing, public relations, business development, web design or application design skills are also required, as a wide range of skills are needed to form teams to develop the variety of business ideas.

The teams will have the opportunity to win cash prizes, funding and technical support to put their business plans into action. The winning team will receive a cash prize of BD4000, second prize is BD2000 and third prize is BD1000. Additionally the first three teams will be given free enrollment into Bahrain Development Bank’s (BDB’s) Entrepreneurship Development Programme. Furthermore, all teams will have the opportunity to benefit from funding from Tenmou of up BD20,000 and BDB will be evaluating the projects during the weekend to see if they qualify for the Pre-Seed Capital Support Scheme, that is jointly run with Tamkeen and which includes a grant of up to BD5000.

Bahrain Startup Weekend has attracted excellent support with speakers and mentors from leading companies including Mumtalakat, Microsoft, Ericsson, BDB, O2, Venture Coms, Dynavate Technologies, 4 Spots and Batelco, all volunteering their time to support the teams in developing their business ideas.

A limited number of places are still available. Participants of all nationalities and ages are invited to visit the Startup Weekend Bahrain web page (bahrain.startupweekend.org) to learn more about how Startup works and register to attend and participate. Interested parties may also keep up to date with details by following the progress on the Facebook page (facebook.com/StartupWkndBH) and Twitter (@StartupWkndBH).

Startup Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if their business ideas are viable.  On average, half of Startup Weekend attendees have technical backgrounds, the other half have business, marketing or non-technical backgrounds.

Beginning with brief pitches to outline their ideas on Thursday, attendees aim to inspire other participants to join their team. Over Friday and Saturday the teams will focus on customer development, validating their ideas and building a minimal viable product before presenting their prototypes and receiving valuable feedback from a panel of experts who will select the winning ideas.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi explained that it’s not necessary for participants to have a business idea or plan of their own in order to enter the event as everyone will be placed into teams on the first day of the event.

“Many skills such as marketing, public relations, business development, web design, and application design etc are required to get an idea into plan; therefore a wide range of skills is needed as part of each team, which can have up to ten members.”

Batelco has received an outstanding response from local companies who have pledged their sponsorship and support to ensure the success of the Bahrain Startup Weekend.

Platinum Sponsor: Mumtalakat

Silver Sponsor: Ericsson

Bronze Sponsor: The General Organization for Youth & Sport (GOYS)

Technology Partner: Microsoft

Strategic Partners: Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) and Tamkeen

Contributing Partners: Gulf Air, Nescafe, Red Bull, GMI, University of Bahrain, Expression Computers, Mathias Tourism, Aries Designs &Trading, Union Press, Palace Enterprises, Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa and the Intercontinental Regency, Bahrain.

Media Sponsors: GDN, Gulf Weekly, CoEds, Business In Gulf, Al Watan, Al Ayam, Akhbar Al Khaleej, Al Wasat, Daily Tribune, Radio Voice and Amwaj TV.

“We extend our great appreciation to the companies that have committed their support to help us deliver such a worthwhile event that will undoubtedly benefit all the aspiring entrepreneurs who take part,” stressed Mr. Al Janahi.

Organisations such as Tenmou, BDB and Tamkeen , who are participating in the event, hope to find new startups to fund and support. These organisations have established programmes to offer advice and support to innovative entrepreneurs to help bring business ideas to life and in doing so enhance the economy of Bahrain. Furthermore, Batelco, through its newly established Innovation Centre, hopes to select a relevant project to offer its financial and technical support to, following the weekend.

More information on Startup Weekend including video clips from previous events is available online at bahrain.startupweekend.org]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=778 C920AA3E-05F8-4247-8F19-75A827A7A69F Sun, 13 Nov 2011 10:54:45 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company is focused on continually reviewing its products and services to best meet the needs of Bahrain’s residents. As part of this strategy, the Company is requesting feedback from its customers regarding its public payphones that are selected to be removed.<br /> <br /> A number of older payphones which are rarely or never used by the public have been chosen for possible removal. These payphones have been marked with stickers and Batelco asks customers to contact them within 60 days of the date of this announcement with any objection they may have to the removal of these specific phones.<br /> <br /> Customers are asked to forward their concerns by calling Batelco Customer Care Helpdesk on 196, available around the clock, every day of the year.<br /> <br /> “The object of this investigation is to serve our customers better by offering them a chance to raise any concerns they might have with the removal of certain payphones in the selected areas,” explained Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=777 0A9EFADC-F2C5-482F-9623-DA6FE2AC534B Sat, 12 Nov 2011 10:53:58 +0300
Ms. Al Fardan receiving her certificate from Mr. Franco Bernabè

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company has invested millions of dinars in recent years to deliver training and development opportunities for its employees. The Company considers its staff as its most important asset and accordingly encourages each employee to avail of the many opportunities presented by its Training Centre as well as opportunities offered by external organisations.

Batelco is proud to announce that one of its employees, Enas Al Fardan, Manager Corporate Strategy, has been selected for the Global Telecoms Business (GTB) 40 under 40 2011 list. This list represents young experts under the age of 40 who are considered leaders of the telecoms industry in 2011 and potential leaders of the industry tomorrow.

Following her selection in June 2011, Ms. Al Fardan has attended the GTB 40 Under 40 Conference & Awards 2011 event, held recently in London.

Global Telecoms Business annually brings together the industry’s selected top 40 executives to a summit to discuss their views on the challenges and opportunities prevalent in the fast changing telecoms industry.

Mr. Franco Bernabè, Chairman and CEO of Telecom Italia and Chairman of the GSM Association presented Ms. Al Fardan and the other young telecom experts with award certificates during the two-day event. The Secretary General of the ITU, Hamadoun Touré was also in attendance to welcome award winners.

Additionally, Ms. Al Fardan participated in a discussion panel, “Owning the Customer”, with her contribution being very well received by the organizers and attendees.

Batelco General Manager Human Resources Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda said that Batelco was delighted to have one of its employees selected to be among such a prestigious list.

“Batelco’s employees receive much encouragement from the Executive Management to avail of opportunities to enhance their qualifications and skills in order to develop to their full potential.”

“We congratulate Enas and encourage her and all our employees to never stop the learning and development process,” she added.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=776 9780CB44-C486-4B45-8941-E9D22EED113D Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:52:52 +0300
Following the financial crisis which gripped the world’s economy from 2008 to 2010 many organisations are now in the process of recovery, restoring and rebuilding. It is imperative not to lose the lessons learnt during those testing times.

Much has been learned from leading through crisis management and the event will provide the opportunity for an exchange of knowledge to discover the new forms of leadership that will be required to set the right goals, communicate the right ideas and deliver effective results going forward.

Bahrain International Leadershift Conference is designed to be transformational by challenging the established mindset and aiming to equip attendees with the tools to perform at the  top of their ability. The Conference aspires to help delegates to become the kind of visionary leaders that are required at this point in history.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to lend its support and contribute towards a successful event.

“While Bahrain may not have been as badly affected as  some leading nations, some industries have experienced difficult times and this conference will provide an excellent opportunity for the leading business brains of the Kingdom to come together and discuss the type of leadership required for a successful future,” he said.

Mr. Khalid Al Quod, Chairman of the conference, expressed his delight at Batelco’s commitment to the event saying, “We would like to thank Batelco for their outstanding support and commitment for the Bahrain community and for sponsoring the key conferences in Bahrain which aim to develop the future leaders of the kingdom. ”

“The Leadershift Conference will be one of the gatherings most popular with and most beneficial for corporate leaders. This moment in history demands a new form of leadership that can set the right goals, communicate the right ideas, and deliver effective results,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=775 581C0CFB-A4BC-40FB-801A-A4D28C50EE62 Wed, 9 Nov 2011 10:51:18 +0300
Batelco Rannah Service enables you to customise your mobile by playing a selection of ring tones for your callers to enjoy, instead of listening to the normal waiting tone. You can assign your tones to play for all callers or customise them to play for specific individual callers or a group of callers. You can also gift tones to other Batelco Rannah subscribers or copy your friend’s tones.

Purchase your favourite songs so your best friends have something cool to listen to whenever they call you. To register for the Rannah service, SMS “SUB” to 94999.For a list of commands, send “HELP” to 94999. Subscribe today and enjoy FREE subscription and FREE content until 6th December 2011.

Choose from a range of tones from Disney, Arabic songs, MTV songs and more to personalise your mobile.  Customers can also call *44* to listen to and purchase new tones as well as manage their Rannah service. “With Rannah, you choose the ring back tone you want,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Customised ring tones are very popular today, especially with our younger customers. We are therefore very pleased to add another fun element to using Batelco’s top quality mobile services.”

Following the initial free service period, which runs until December 6th 2011, customers can download additional ringtones priced at 500fils each and the Rannah service will be charged at a rate of only 250fils per week.

For more information about this service or any of Batelco’s extensive line up of products and services and special offers, visit batelco.com or any Batelco Retail Shop.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=773 AB59079A-2AEA-423F-B739-A01EA3F1D611 Sun, 6 Nov 2011 10:50:42 +0300
Startup Weekend Bahrain will take place on November 17, 18 and 19 at the Batelco Staff Centre in Hamala and form part of Global Entrepreneurship Week with more than 40 StartUp Weekends taking place globally to mark the occasion.

The focus of the event is to discover entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs and assist them on the road to establishing successful ICT and e-business enterprises. Participants with marketing, public relations, business development, web design or application design skills are also required, as a wide range of skills are needed to form teams to develop the variety of business ideas.

The teams will have the opportunity to win cash prizes, funding and technical support to put their business plans into action. The winning team will receive a cash prize of BD4000, second prize is BD2000 and third prize is BD1000.

Additionally the first three teams will be given free enrollment into Bahrain Development Bank’s (BDB’s) Entrepreneurship Development Programme.

Furthermore, all teams will have the opportunity to benefit from funding from Tenmou of up BD20,000 and BDB will be evaluating the projects during the judging session to see if they qualify for the Pre-Seed Capital Support Scheme, that is jointly run with Tamkeen and which includes a grant of up to BD5000.

Participants of all nationalities and ages are invited to visit the Startup Weekend Bahrain web page (bahrain.startupweekend.org) to learn more about how Startup works and register to attend and participate. Interested parties may also keep up to date with details by following the progress on the Facebook page (facebook.com/StartupWkndBH) and Twitter (@StartupWkndBH).

Startup Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if their ICT or e-business ideas are viable.

On average, half of Startup Weekend attendees have technical backgrounds, the other half have business, marketing or non-technical backgrounds.

Beginning with brief pitches to outline their idea on Thursday, attendees aim to inspire other participants to join their team. Over Friday and Saturday the teams will focus on customer development, validating their ideas and building a minimal viable product before presenting their prototypes and receiving valuable feedback from a panel of experts who will select the winning ideas.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi explained that it’s not necessary for participants to have a business idea or plan of their own in order to enter the event as everyone will be placed into teams on the first day of the event.

“Many skills such as marketing, public relations, business development, web design, and application design etc are required to get an idea into plan; therefore a wide range of skills is needed as part of each team, which can have up to ten members.”

“It has been found in numerous events that have taken place all over the world that about half of Startup Weekend participants attend the events to learn a new skill, learn how to develop a product, or learn how to start a venture—there are many opportunities to share experiences and learn from each other and from the mentors and judges who will be on hand,” Mr. Al Janahi said.

Bahrain Startup Weekend has attracted excellent support to date with speakers and mentors from leading companies including Mumtalakat, Microsoft, Ericsson, BDB, O2, Venture Coms, Dynavate Technologies, 4 Spots and Batelco, all volunteering their time to support the teams in developing their business ideas.

Batelco has also received an outstanding response from local companies who have pledged their sponsorship and support to ensure the success of the Bahrain Startup Weekend.

Platinum Sponsor: Mumtalakat

Silver Sponsor: Ericsson

Bronze Sponsor: The General Organization for Youth & Sport (GOYS)

Technology Partner: Microsoft

Strategic Partners: Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) and Tamkeen

Contributing Partners: Gulf Air, Nescafe, Red Bull, GMI, University of Bahrain, Expression Computers, Mathias Tourism, Aries Designs &Trading, Union Press, Palace Enterprises, Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa and the Intercontinental RegencyBahrain.

Media Sponsors: GDN, Gulf Weekly, CoEds, Business In Gulf, Al Watan, Al Ayam, Akhbar Al Khaleej, Al Wasat, Daily Tribune, Radio Voice and Amwaj TV.

“We extend our great appreciation to the companies that have committed their support to help us deliver such a worthwhile event that will undoubtedly benefit all the aspiring entrepreneurs who take part,” stressed Mr. Al Janahi.

Organisations such as Tenmou, BDB and Tamkeen , who are participating in the event, hope to find new startups to fund and support. These organisations have established programmes to offer advice and support to innovative entrepreneurs to help bring business ideas to life and in doing so enhance the economy of Bahrain. Furthermore, Batelco, through its newly established Innovation Centre, hopes to select a relevant project to offer its financial and technical support to, following the weekend.

More information on Startup Weekend including video clips from previous events is available online at bahrain.startupweekend.org]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=774 7F581447-D74B-4B56-9B80-D2EBC8BB3618 Sat, 5 Nov 2011 10:49:15 +0300
The reduced rates apply to all IDD calls made from mobile phones using SimSim services to Egypt (60 fils), Yemen (75 fils), Syria (75 fils), Sri Lanka (70 fils), Pakistan (50 fils), and Nepal (85 fils).  The call rates are per minute and are not applicable to SimSim O-net services.

“SimSim services offer a very convenient means of communication that enables customers of all SimSim packages except O-net packages to make international calls directly from their mobile phones at anytime around the clock,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

Batelco’s SimSim refill vouchers can be purchased from supermarkets, cold stores and authorized resellers all over the Kingdom of Bahrain and are available in BD1, BD2, BD3, BD4, BD5, BD10, BD20 and BD30 denominations.

SimSim refill vouchers can also be purchased by sending (SimSim BDx) to 4554 from any postpaid line – for example to buy a BD5 voucher customers may send the text Simsim BD5 to 4554. The cost for the voucher will appear on the customer’s next bill.

The full list of IDD rates is available on batelco.com]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=772 F9D49485-158F-4607-989C-2E862A180307 Fri, 4 Nov 2011 10:48:32 +0300
SAMENA Council new Chairman, Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Group CEO of Batelco

SAMENA (South Asia, Middle East, North Africa) Telecommunications Council, the tri-regional telecommunications consortium has announced Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, Group CEO of Bahrain Telecommunications Company (BATELCO) as its new Chairman, unanimously elected by SAMENA’s Board of Directors.

Announcing the SAMENA Board’s decision to elect Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa as its Chairman during ‘Convergence to Doha 2011’, Thomas Wilson, CEO and Executive Managing Director of SAMENA said, “Shaikh Mohamed, through his experience and knowledge will help realise the vision of SAMENA, as the Council continues to grow its member base and gains recognition throughout the South Asia, Middle East and North Africa regions.

“Guided by his leadership, capabilities and excellent knowledge of the region’s telecommunications industry, the different industry players and regulatory agendas, we hope to continue the great work done under our ex-Chairman Eng. Saud Al Daweesh and achieve more success and continue adding value to our members and the industry at large.”

Upon his election as Chairman of SAMENA, Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa said that he was delighted and honoured to be chosen to chair the SAMENA Council and very much looked forward to collaborating with the Council’s members to push forward their collective goals and aspirations.

“Digitisation will be the key driver of sustainable economic growth across the MENA region. All the members of SAMENA look forward to co-operating and accelerating digitisation trends which will enable all industries to deliver benefits to our societies and economies,” the newly appointed SAMENA Chairman elaborated.

Prior to his appointment as Group CEO, Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, was the Deputy Chairman of Batelco Board of Directors from 2002 to 2011.  Also, he was the CEO of the Social Insurance Organization (SIO) which was formed by the merger of the General Organization for Social Insurance and the Pension Fund Commission in 2008.  Prior to this merger, he was the Director General of the General Organization for Social Insurance in Bahrain since 2005.

He commenced his work with the General Organization for Social Insurance in Bahrain in 1989 and has held several senior positions such as the Director of the Finance and Investment Department from 2002, Foreign Investment Portfolios Manager and Investment Analyst. In addition, Shaikh Mohamed represented SIO in several portfolio company boards in different capacities such as Chairman at the Securities and Investments Company (SICO), Vice Chairman at Batelco, Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait and Bahrain International Golf Course Company, as well as the post of Director at Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=771 C8B33143-7430-49FF-86BD-FE29745C3FC8 Thu, 3 Nov 2011 15:49:38 +0300
The new system which is suitable for both individuals and businesses is utilized via various messaging modules and includes a great line-up of in-demand features that puts the service on a par with offerings by leading international providers. Batelco’s Bulk Messaging Suite, with very competitive packages, has been redesigned in response to customer feedback.

Be it integration with Facebook, custom managing multiple campaigns simultaneously, or accessing your Bulk SMS through your email; Batelco’s Bulk Messaging Suite has a solution for you. To send a bulk message, simply create a distribution list of customers along with their mobile numbers, key in the message to be sent and click ‘send’.

Customers are invited to visit the Bulk Messaging Suite website at www.batelcosms.com.bh  to register and download the application which suits their specific needs.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco strives to deliver the best added value for its customers at all times and the introduction of the new Bulk SMS system answers the needs requested by many customers.

The new system has been developed to offer the perfect solution for service-based industries such as financial institutions, clinics, airlines, retailers, delivery services etc as it allows them to interact with their clients more efficiently; thus providing them an edge in their competitive markets by giving their clients a differentiated and personalized experience.

Upgrade to the new Bulk Messaging Suite to experience the enhanced features and benefit from competitive rates for all your bulk messaging needs. For more information customers are invited to access www.batelcosms.com.bh or call 17881144.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=770 6ED7FC1B-87D8-47A1-A001-79282746D4FC Wed, 2 Nov 2011 15:48:57 +0300 atelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider has announced that work to enhance services in Manama and Waddi area of Hamad Town will take place on Thursday, 3rd November.<br /> <br /> The work forms part of Batelco’s ongoing strategy to enhance its communication service and keep it on par with the highest international standards.<br /> <br /> The modernisation work may cause service interruption to some Batelco services, namely Business Broadband, MPLS, ISDN Primary and ISDN Basic. However, to minimise the impact on Batelco’s customers the upgrade work will take place between the hours of 12am and 6am and will last for only approximately 10 minutes per outage.<br /> <br /> “We apologise for any inconvenience the work may cause and appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=769 9BB45B11-70E8-4FF6-8700-30C07FFA7577 Tue, 1 Nov 2011 15:48:33 +0300
The agreement, which will benefit both organisations, was signed by Batelco Enterprise Division General Manager Adel Daylami and Telekom Malaysia Executive Vice President Mohamad Rozaimy Abdul Rahman, on behalf of their respective companies.

Mr. Daylami said that this strategic bi-lateral understanding is an important addition to Batelco’s portfolio.

“It will enable us to extend our Global IP VPN solution to our international customers through our partner’s reliable, state of the art network as well as providing our carrier partners with a one-stop-shop solution for transit services into Bahrain,” he said.

“Accordingly, the benefit of Batelco and TM’s shared network can be extended to our international customers.”

“The agreement complements Batelco’s range of global connectivity services such as Global IP-VPN, IPLC, Global Satellite services and a Global Data Centre that not only enhances efficiency by offering seamless, secured and dedicated interconnectivity but also the reliable support of a professional team working 24x7 in one of the regions’ most sophisticated NOCs (Network Operation Centres),” added Mr. Daylami.

Mr. Abdul Rahman in support of the newly-signed business partnership further commented, “TM is honored to collaborate in this Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) partnership with BTC which will strengthen our global service offerings especially on Global IPVPN and Ethernet services.”

“TM foresees this partnership will further drive the growth of the enterprise segment in the Gulf area particularly to those who demand fully-meshed, flexible, scalable and future-proof global networking solutions, in providing seamless data connectivity to suit the diverse requirements of their customers. This would definitely strengthen TM’s presence and collaborations with telcos in the Middle East regions. “

“Operational-wise, we strive to maximize potential synergies, by leveraging each other’s resources and presence all over the globe while meeting customer expectation, if not beyond their satisfaction. As we embrace the vision in becoming Malaysia’s leading new generation communication provider, we are confident through this initiative that this partnership will provide innovative platforms in bringing global technology closer to the customers,” added Mr. Abdul Rahman.

The interconnection partnership will allow bi-lateral Data IP Services exchanges between Bahrain and Malaysia, as well as providing one-stop-shop transit services to Batelco’s carrier partners. The partnership is in line with Batelco’s Global Relations strategy, which focuses on extending its interconnection with Global carriers through MPLS networks in order to expand the company’s IP Data Services reach to all major countries and provide seamless MPLS VPN services.

This NNI delivers great value to Batelco’s customers; Among the key benefits for Batelco’s partners are seamless IP data services between Bahrain and Malaysia, greater reach in the respective markets for data service connectivity, competitive pricing and a one-stop-shop offering for the advantage of all parties, in which Batelco is the GCC partner of choice for services into the Gulf region.

In addition, Bahrain-based enterprise clients will benefit from the extension of carrier grade VPN to their base office, a multi-purpose service offering to cater to different office applications, and competitive pricing, as well as a one-stop-shop offering.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=768 A2F80DE8-5D3A-4E64-AB8C-B99E51B880F4 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:46:17 +0300
Batelco, as the Kingdom’s leading mobile services provider is delighted to deliver this unmatched offer for its SimSim Prepaid customers. Don’t miss this amazing opportunity; Refill before November 10th and receive up to BD90 as a total credit in your SimSIm account.

Furthermore, line validity will be extended for two years. SimSim Home and SimSim12 customers will benefit from the tripled bonus credit; however they will not get the two years validity for their SimSim lines.



For example, SimSim customers who refill with BD10 will receive a total of BD30 credit, which includes BD11 main credit and a BD19 promotion bonus credit.

This new offer, is available for new as well as existing customers. The bonus credit, which will be utilised before the main credit, is valid for local calls and SMS to Batelco lines (on-net) only and must be used within the period defined.  However, the main credit can be used for all kinds of calls and SMS and will also be valid for 2 years. Customers may check their Main Credit Balance by dialling *122# and their promotion bonus Balance by dialling *122*2#.

Batelco Group General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi said that the Triple Credit offer presented a great cost saving benefit for prepaid customers.

“Batelco continuously reviews its product offers and develops new and innovate deals based on the feedback received from its customers. This promotion answers the needs of our huge number of SimSim subscribers,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

Batelco refill vouchers are available from Batelco Retail Shops and authorised outlets all over the Kingdom of Bahrain.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=767 DC229552-0A9D-4F25-954D-365ED2A3B5BF Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:40:02 +0300
From left Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa & Batelco Group CEO, Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa


Batelco Group (Ticker: BATELCO), the regional telecommunications operator of reference with operations across seven countries, today announced its results for the nine-month period ended 30 September 2011(“the Period”), which were marked by the continued growth and diversification of its customer and revenue base from across the MENA region and India.

Financial and Subscriber Highlights

-    Gross Revenues of BD 245.5M (US$ 651.2M) for the period;

-    EBITDA of BD 93.0M (US$ 246.7M) representing a 38% margin;

-    Consolidated Net Income of BD 56.5M (US$ 149.9M);

-    Group subscriber base that now surpasses 11 million, an increase of 8% and 41% QonQ and YoY, respectively;

-    Continued diversification of Group revenues with 37% of revenues and 29% of operating profit now sourced from markets outside Bahrain;  and

-    Cash and bank balance of BD 86.8M (US$ 230.2M).

For the period, the Group reported Net Income of BD 56.5M (US$ 149.9M) versus BD 66.0M (US$ 175.1M) for the corresponding period in 2010, down 14%.

EBITDA for the period was BD 93.0M (US$ 246.7M), representing a 38% margin, versus EBITDA of BD 110.7M (US$ 293.6M) for the corresponding period. The Group’s Gross Revenues stood at BD 245.5M (US$ 651.2M) for the period, down 4% from BD 256.1M (US$ 679.3M) year over year. In line with the Group’s continued diversification, 37% of revenues and 29% of Operating Profit are now generated from markets outside of Bahrain.

Additionally the Group reported Gross Revenues for Q3, 2011 of BD 82.3M (US$ 218.3M) down by 4% against BD 85.3M (US$ 226.3M) in Q3, 2010. For the same time frame, Net Revenues were down by 7% to BD 60.3M (US$ 160.0M) for 2011 in comparison to BD 65.1M (US$ 172.7M) for 2010. The Group additionally reported an operating profit of BD 18.9M (US$ 50.1M) for Q3, 2011 against BD 26.6M (US$ 70.6M) in 2010 and EBITDA of BD 28.3M (US$ 75.1M) in Q3, 2011 versus BD 36.5M (US$ 96.8M) for 2010.

The Group continues to strengthen its presence and customer base, which grew overall to more than 11 million subscribers by the end of Q3 up 41% from the corresponding period in 2010.

The Group’s balance sheet continues to remain strong. The Group is free of debt and as of 30 September 2011 had substantial cash and bank balances of BD 86.8M (US$ 230.2M) reflecting 65% increase over the same period last year. This includes the impact of interim dividend (20 fils per share) announced and paid during the quarter. Earnings per share for the period stood at 39.2 fils.

Batelco Chairman, Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, announced the results at a Board Meeting held at Batelco Headquarters, stating that the Batelco Group had continued to deliver solid financial results and operating performance throughout the first nine months of 2011.

“Since the end of Q2, we have added more than 800 thousand new subscribers to our customer base, which now exceeds 11 million across the MENA region and India. This increase underscores the ongoing growth of our business and the strength of our offering despite a year over year decline in the Group’s revenues and profitability, which in line with market guidance have continued to be impacted throughout 2011 by significant and ongoing competitive pressures in Bahrain.”

“During Q3, the Group generated strong cash flows, maintained a solid balance sheet and continued to pay substantial dividends to our shareholders. We continue to support the expansion of our network and investments across the region as we seek to add further scale to our operations and deliver even greater value for our shareholders,” Shaikh Hamad added.

Operational Highlights
Commenting on Batelco’s operational performance, newly appointed Group CEO, Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa, said that operationally, Batelco continues to effectively execute its strategy.

“Despite the intensely competitive nature of the market in Bahrain and the challenges that have faced the MENA region throughout the period, we have retained both our market leading position at home whilst also successfully continuing to strengthen our competitiveness and the performance of our subsidiaries both geographically and by segment.”

Growth in Mobile and Broadband
Key to the Group’s strategy is the growth of its mobile and broadband customer base and at the end of the period the Group successfully reported growth in total mobile subscribers of 8% quarter on quarter and 43% over Q3 2010. Whilst broadband subscriber figures across the network remained stable from Q2, they have nevertheless shown strong double-digit growth of 14% when compared to the corresponding period last year.

Growing Contributions from Overseas Operations
In line with the Group’s diversification strategy, contributions from across its overseas operations, which continue to grow in absolute terms as well as a percentage of revenues and profits, helped to partially offset the effects of intense competition in Bahrain.

Jordan: The Group’s 96% owned subsidiary in Jordan, Umniah, delivered solid performance. At the end of Q3 its mobile subscriber base reached over 2.3 million, reflecting a 2% increase since Q2 and an impressive 31% increase year over year.

Kuwait: Batelco’s subsidiary Qualitynet, delivering total ICT solutions remains the market leader in Kuwait’s Data Communications and Internet Services industry with continued steady growth resulting in 6% growth in broadband customer numbers since Q3, 2010.

Other JVs: Sabafon, STel and Atheeb, companies in which Batelco owns minority stakes, continue to deliver customer and revenue growth. Most notably Sabafon (Yemen) registered growth in its mobile customer base, which has grown to 4.1 million, STel (India) now delivers mobile services to 3.5 million customers and Atheeb (Saudi Arabia) delivers voice and data services to over 115,000 customers.

Maintaining Leadership and Excellence in Bahrain
Batelco retains its position as the market leader for mobile services in Bahrain although its total subscriber numbers declined slightly since Q2 and 10% year over year. This is an expected consequence of the third mobile operator’s entrance into the market and subsequent aggressive offers and market competition. It is also a reflection of the Bahrain market itself which is characterized by high levels of penetration for mobile (over 140%) and for fixed broadband (0ver 100% of households and businesses).

Wireless broadband services continue on a strong growth trajectory, up 13% quarter-on- quarter with impressive overall gains of 75% when compared with the corresponding period last year. Conversely, fixed line services in the Kingdom, as elsewhere globally, have continued to decline as more and more customers migrate to mobile services.

“Batelco’s ability to maintain its market leadership in mobile services and broadband in the face of aggressive competition can be attributed to a sharp focus on delivering greater value, choice and service to our customers,” said Shaikh Mohamed.

“We have pursued this strategy by working to enhance our competitiveness through effective cost management and operational efficiency as well as through ongoing product and service innovation to support customer retention and to encourage higher usage per customer.”

Towards this end, Batelco introduced a number of attractive new mobile and broadband offers during Q3. These included initiatives such as the launch of B-Lite, the first Batelco branded phone for prepaid customers, which delivers in-demand features such as camera, radio, advanced music player, internet access and Bluetooth. Other key initiatives included the release of further “Nice Numbers” and the launch of weekly BlackBerry® for SimSim service, a first for Batelco and the Kingdom of Bahrain, providing more choice, flexibility and savings for customers and roamers with heavy demand for data usage with an option to pay as they go.

Batelco has also added a number of new international operators to its unified local data roaming line-up, extending savings for customers when roaming beyond the Middle East region to new countries including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Czech Republic (O2) and Spain (Moviles Espana).

Similarly, innovation in broadband also continued with enhanced service and packages offering higher speeds and higher usage thresholds at no additional price increase. This is in addition to the introduction of complementary broadband services such as the launch of the CCTV and IPTV, one of the most innovative products to be delivered to residents in the Kingdom, which will allow users to access digital television channels via Batelco’s broadband lines as well as gain access to other advanced and interactive services including Video on Demand content.

Supporting the Community
In addition to working hard to deliver a full range of products and superior customer care in the Kingdom, Batelco also serves Bahrain through its dedication to the community. During Q3, Batelco continued its involvement with and support for local groups and initiatives aimed at enhancing education, training, health services, entrepreneurship and social development across the Kingdom as well as support for underprivileged segments of society. So far in 2011, Batelco has paid out approximately BD 2M as part of its CSR programme, which it continues to grow in line with its position as one of the largest employers and investors in the Kingdom for the past 30 years.

Continued Focus on Scale and Profitable Growth
Batelco Group CEO Shaikh Mohamed continued by saying that further to progress being pursued at home and in its existing overseas operations, the Group also continues to explore additional opportunities for expansion.

“Acquisitions of mobile and broadband operators in MENA and India are important strategic growth drivers which would allow Batelco Group to grow and diversify its revenues and gain synergies across an increased customer base.”
“Similarly, acquisitions and partnerships with other operators to grow our scale and investments in ICT related opportunities are also important priorities for the Batelco Group,” Shaikh Mohamed concluded.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=766 C44B5F04-0B60-4E20-A38A-AC2810E6513B Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:37:46 +0300
Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presenting the cheque to Think Pink Bahrain Representative Anita Ghavami in the presence of Think Pink Bahrain Committee Member Zandra Nicholson


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider and one of the foremost philanthropic companies in the Kingdom has announced its silver sponsorship of the annual Think Pink Bahrain Gala Ball, which will take place 28 October at the Gulf Hotel Convention Centre. Batelco will also provide a number of raffle prizes to support the worthy cause which is taking place for the 7th year to raise funds for Breast Cancer initiatives.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presented a sponsorship cheque to Think Pink Bahrain Representative Anita Ghavami at a meeting held at Batelco Hamala Headquarters this week.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was delighted to support such a dedicated organisation as Think Pink Bahrain.

“Batelco is proud and delighted to support the Think Pink team and help them achieve their noble goals of raising awareness and funds for breast cancer initiatives. The Think Pink sponsorship forms a key part of Batelco’s contribution to health programmes which aim to improve the lives of all citizens of Bahrain,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the charity, Founding Member, Ms. Ghavami said, “As a Bahrain based charity, it is important to us that we collaborate with local companies each year.”

“We thank Batelco for coming on board as a corporate sponsor for our 2011 campaign and we look forward to further collaborations in the future."

Among Think Pink Bahrain’s goals is the purchase of a world-class Digital MRI machine which is recognised as the best equipment available for the early detection of breast cancer.

As the statistics are alarming with an increasing number of young women and also men being diagnosed in Bahrain, getting this crucial diagnostic tool in place sooner rather than later is considered of major importance.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=765 3A428D95-F556-40A4-B172-28D4C4E086FB Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:36:43 +0300
From left to right, Batelco Manager Transactional Business & Applications Sadeq Tooblani, Batelco Manager Voice & Enterprise Solutions Hussain Mohammed, Batelco General Manager Enterprise Division Adel Al Daylami, Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, Korea Telecom Executive Vice President & Head of Global Enterprise Sales Department Sang Wook Kim, Korea Telecom MENA Office General Manager Dong-Heon Kang and Batelco Manager of Special Projects Eyad Al Maskati

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Korea Telecom to explore together projects targeting Smart Cities services in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Under the Smart Cities vision of services, both companies will be working on exploring services such as smart economy; smart mobility; smart environment; smart living; and smart governance utilising the latest set of Information and Telecommunications technologies.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and Korea Telecom Executive Vice President & Head of Global Enterprise Sales Department Sang Wook Kim signed the agreement at a ceremony held recently at Batelco Headquarters in Hamala, Bahrain.

The agreement will benefit Batelco by enhancing the Company’s competitiveness in the marketplace by exploring innovative Smart Cities solutions utilising the state-of-the-art communication infrastructure which Batelco has invested in over many years.

Batelco’s Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla said that Batelco was very pleased to join forces with a global leader such as Korea Telecom to explore Smart Cities services for Bahrain.

“Korea Telecom is a very well known name in this field with a proven record in delivering Smart Cities services in other locations and we are delighted to have the opportunity to benefit from their expertise and knowhow to support our goals.”

Mr. Sang Wook Kim said that Korea Telecom was delighted to enter into this MoU  with Bahrain’s leading communications company and that they looked forward to the development of a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship.

“We also look forward to delivering our experience and knowledge in the domain of Smart Cities to support Batelco’s efforts in exploring innovative services which will ultimately benefit the whole Kingdom of Bahrain.”]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=764 7C215056-2D38-4A44-9479-16D8C6CB36EC Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:30:48 +0300
Accordingly, modernisation work, which may cause service interruption to some Batelco services, namely Business Broadband, MPLS, ISDN Primary and ISDN Basic, is currently being carried out with the final work scheduled to take place this week.

The areas affected during the final phase of upgrades are shown in the following table:-



To minimise the impact on Batelco`s Business and Residential customers the upgrade work will take place between the hours of 12am and 6am lasting for approximately 10 minutes per outage.

“We apologise for any inconvenience the work may cause and appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=763 1D20AC93-13DC-4FE6-B1B4-8F1144EE9597 Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:29:38 +0300
Startup Weekend is a non-profit operation based in Seattle, Washington, that organizes 54-hour events in cities around the world, all of which help educate, support, and empower people to become entrepreneurs.  Startup Weekends bring together developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups!

Startup Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if startup ideas are viable.  On average, half of Startup Weekend’s attendees have technical backgrounds, the other half have business, marketing or non-technical backgrounds.

Beginning with brief pitches to outline their idea on Thursday, attendees aim to inspire other participants to join their team. Over Friday and Saturday the teams will focus on customer development, validating their ideas and building a minimal viable product.

Batelco is delighted to announce that a number of companies have already pledged their sponsorship and support including Mumtalakat as Platinum Sponsor; Ericsson as Silver Sponsor, The General Organization for Youth & Sport (GOYS) as Bronze Sponsor, Microsoft as Technology Partner, Bahrain Development Bank and Tamkeen as Strategic Partners, Gulf Air, Nescafe, Red Bull, GMI, University of Bahrain, Expression Computers, Mathias Tourism, Aries Designs & Trading, Union Press, Palace Enterprises, Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa and the Intercontinental Regency as contributing Sponsors and GDN, Gulf Weekly, CoEds, Business In Gulf, Al Watan, Al Ayam, Akhbar Al Khaleej, Al Wasat, Daily Tribune, Radio Voice and Amwaj TV as Media Sponsors.

Throughout the weekend Mentors who are entrepreneurs themselves or come from leading local and global organisation will be on hand to give advice, support and answer questions to help the teams to develop their ideas into a viable business plan. Mentors already confirmed to attend come from Mumtalakat, Microsoft, Ericsson, Tamkeen, University of Bahrain, Bahrain Development Bank, O2, Venture Coms, Dynavate Technologies, 4 Spots and Batelco. On Saturday evening the teams will present their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts who will select the winning ideas.

Organisations such as Tenmou, Tamkeen and BDB are participating in the event with the aspiration to find new startups to fund and support. These organisations have established programmes to offer advice and support to innovative entrepreneurs to help bring their business ideas to life and in doing so enhance the economy of Bahrain.

Furthermore, Batelco, through its newly established Innovation Centre, hopes to select a relevant project to offer its financial and technical support to following the weekend.

Young aspiring entrepreneurs of all nationalities are invited to visit the Startup Weekend Bahrain web page (bahrain.startupweekend.org) to learn more about how Startup works and register to attend and participate. Interested parties may also keep up to date with details by following the progress on the Facebook page (facebook.com/StartupWkndBH) and Twitter (@StartupWkndBH).

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was bringing Startup Weekend to Bahrain to provide a great opportunity for young people to receive valuable feedback from those with experience in a range of industries and also have the opportunity to benefit from practical and financial support from potential investors.

“It has been found in numerous events that have taken place all over the world that about half of Startup Weekend participants attend the events to learn a new skill, learn how to develop a product, or learn how to start a venture—there are many opportunities to share experiences and learn from each other and from the mentors and judges who will be on hand,” he said.

“We extend our great appreciation to the companies that have committed their support to help us deliver such a worthwhile event that will undoubtedly benefit all the young aspiring entrepreneurs who take part,” concluded Mr. Al Janahi.

More information on Startup Weekend including video clips from previous events is available online at www.startupweekend.org]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=762 D527A7CD-24BD-4341-9A8A-6A6C5E404B2E Sun, 23 Oct 2011 15:27:31 +0300
Batelco management and staff with invited guests following Batelco’s 5th ‘Call before You Dig Workshop’

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider, held its 5th annual ‘Call before You Dig’ workshop at the Company’s headquarters in Hamala recently. The workshop was attended by a number of Utility Engineers in charge of implementing public services projects along with a representative from the TRA (The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority).

The main aim of the ‘Call before You Dig’ Workshop was to increase co-operation between Batelco and the Utilities Departments and highlight the importance of protecting Batelco’s infrastructure from any damage to ensure continuity of services to customers. The attendees were urged to contact Batelco Plant Protection office on 80001101 prior to beginning any new construction project.

The TRA representative Mohamed Al-Durazi highlighted the roles and responsibilities of the authority to the audience and emphasised on the necessity of leveraging awareness among all to reduce damages and service outages.

Batelco Chief Technical Officer John Ford thanked the participants for their attendance and praised the level of co-operation between Batelco and all concerned parties as a result of previous workshops.

“Thanks to our previous efforts, we have witnessed a significant decrease in the number of incidents causing damage to Batelco’s underground cables,” he said.

“Holding this regular workshop gives us the opportunity to exchange information and collaborate to enhance mutual communications between Batelco and the concerned teams who are involved in the building trades or in the building and maintenance of Bahrain’s utilities.”

Mr. Ford thanked the gathering for their feedback stating that such information was invaluable for Batelco in the development of relevant plans that will help to maintain the interests of all customers at all times.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=761 3C8B05C2-192A-496A-87D4-80F445B792C6 Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:25:26 +0300

Batelco Group CE Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa proudly holds the award. From left to right, Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Al Saad, Smart Media Chairman Dr. Vijith Kannangara, Shaikh Mohamed, TWI Managing Director & CEO Dilip de S. Wijeyeratne and Affno Middle East Country Manager Kevin Kumarasinghe


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company and Smart Media, the award winning Annual Report Company, are delighted to announce that Batelco’s 2010 Annual Report has won a Bronze Award at the prestigious International ARC Awards.

The International ARC Awards, which has being held for the past 25th years, has been dubbed the Academy Awards of Annual Reports. It is the largest international competition honouring excellence in annual reports with twenty-one hundred entries received this year from nearly 40 countries around the world.

Fox Business Network Anchor Cheryl Casone presented the awards at a gala evening held in New York’s Plaza Hotel, attended by a large gathering of corporate executives from around the world.

Smart Media Chairman Dr. Vijith Kannangara, who collected the award on behalf of Batelco, recently visited Batelco Headquarters in Bahrain to present the award to Batelco Group Chief Executive Shaikh Mohamed Bin Isa Al Khalifa. Dr. Kannangara was accompanied by Dilip de S. Wijeyeratne Managing Director & CEO of Third Wave International who represents Smart Media in the Kingdom of Bahrain and Affno Middle East Country Manager Kevin Kumarasinghe. Affno is a sister company of Smart Media.

Earlier this year, Batelco’s 2010 Annual Report won a Silver Award at the LACP (League of American Communications Professionals).

Smart Media is one of the world’s very few specialist Annual Report producers and over the past 15 years has produced over 1,400 annual reports for clients from a wide spectrum of enterprises.

“We are very proud that our 2010 Annual Report has won an award at such a prestigious ceremony as the annual ARC Awards, which are held in very high regard internationally,” said Batelco Group CE Shaikh Mohamed.

“I am also grateful to Batelco’s talented PR people and the strong partnership they forged with Smart Media professionals to produce the winning Annual Report,” he added.

Dr. Kannangara said that amongst the telecommunications companies that competed in the ARC Awards this year were global heavyweights such as Deutsche Telecom, Rogers Telecommunications of Canada, China Telecom and SK Telecom of South Korea.

“Batelco has by competing very effectively in this global forum brought honour to the Kingdom of Bahrain and we at Smart Media are proud to have been a part of this effort,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=760 C1CAE661-CCE7-4C09-997A-6632546D24E0 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:22:24 +0300
All Batelco Postpaid mobile customers travelling in Saudi Arabia may subscribe to the Unlimited GPRS Roaming Bundle priced at only BD3 per month on Mobily network in Saudi Arabia only. The special promotional deal is available only from Batelco, for a limited period.

For subscription, customers should send “R1” to 4554 or call 196 or visit any Batelco Retail Shop where a Batelco Customer Service representative will assist them.

With unlimited data roaming for only BD3, Batelco’s customers can enjoy the freedom to email and browse the internet to their heart’s content while travelling in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, thanks to the existing Batelco World Freedom, customers always benefit from FREE incoming calls while roaming in Saudi Arabia as well as a number of other Middle East and Arabic countries.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that thousands of Batelco’s customers annually travelled to Saudi Arabia during Haj and that the Company was therefore delighted to deliver this special deal created especially with them in mind.

“Many residents of Bahrain also travel extensively in Saudi Arabia for business and vacation and this two month deal will also provide a great added bonus for them,” he added.

Batelco’s Postpaid customers are encouraged to subscribe today to benefit from the top value for money unlimited data roaming offer, which is only available with Batelco. For details about this and many other special offers, visit batelco.com or any Batelco Retail Shop.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=759 A49CCAC2-E7D7-4F67-89A4-550E5160BB20 Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:52:45 +0300
Brigadier Ali Saqor Al Noaimi, left, with Ahmed Al Janahi


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading Telecommunications Company has announced its support for H.M. King Hamad’s 4th Golf Trophy, organised by the Bahrain Golf Association, which is taking place at The Royal Golf Club, Riffa, from November 24th to 26th.

Bahrain Golf Association has invited over 100 players from Bahrain, GCC, Asia, Europe and South Africa to participate in the annual event.

“We extend our thanks to His Majesty for this great initiative to promote golf in the Kingdom of Bahrain and are delighted to help contribute to the success of the event,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“This sponsorship is an inseparable part of Batelco’s sponsorship & donation programme designed to support a wide range of events in Bahrain and promote the Kingdom’s name overseas,” he added.

Bahrain Golf Association 2nd Deputy President Brigadier Ali Saqor Al Noaimi said that Batelco has always supported major events organized by Bahrain Golf Association. In addition to supporting the King Hamad Trophy, Batelco sponsored the last two Pan Arab Golf Championships held in Bahrain in 2000 and 2004.

“The event serves to promote Bahrain as a sporting and tourism destination with facilities that compare to the best the world has to offer. The Montgomery designed course at Riffa is among the leading courses in the region and reflects the high standards that the Kingdom strives to uphold,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=758 C1CFBDAA-0C45-4C02-8422-FF813475FFA0 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:51:24 +0300
The White Samsung 19100 Galaxy SII in White, available at Batelco Retail Shops


Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications company, is delighted to add the Samsung 19100 Galaxy S II in White colour to its great selection of handsets available at Batelco Retail Shops throughout Bahrain. Since its introduction, the Galaxy S II has proven to be very popular due to its stunning appearance coupled with smart specifications to suit the most demanding requirements.

The newly arrived device is now available at Batelco Retail Shops in combination with Batelco’s Super Smart package which features 4GB of Free Data, 200 minutes of FREE local calls and 75 FREE SMS, inclusive for BD25 per month.

The Galaxy S II is Samsung`s slimmest and lightest Dual Core smartphone, weighing just 116 grams at a thickness of only 8.49mm. Users can experience sharper images and smoother graphics with the Super AMOLED Plus display.

With super-fast response times and outstanding contrast ratio, the 4.3" display is Samsung`s most colourful and brightest screen.

To add further impact from the slim device, the Galaxy S II features an 8MP Camera with LED Flash, Full HD Recording & Playback and Dual Core Application Processor. A device as powerful as this needs a long battery life and the Galaxy SII meet the requirement with a new smaller battery that is even more powerful that previous models. Samsung`s advance power consumption technology significantly improves standby and talk time.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco strives to deliver the latest devices to keep abreast of market trends.

“We are committed to delivering an excellent line-up of in-demand devices in addition to relevant services at value for money prices. We offer many world-class products on interest free instalment plans to accommodate all budgets,” he added.

Visit Batelco Retail Shops to experience first hand the Samsung 19100 Galaxy S II in White in addition to the original Black model.  Both models are available in a variety of payment options ranging from cash to flexible payments in monthly Installments.  Furthermore, Batelco offers a wide range of top branded phones, in addition to Samsung devices, as part of the popular Super Smart package.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=757 A0E1139C-F076-48BA-8B69-5DA2092274A4 Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:50:19 +0300
Batelco Public Relations Specialist Ahmed Zainal presenting the sponsorship cheque to President of Awali Golf Club, Andy McAlpine

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading Telecommunications Company is proudly sponsoring Awali Golf Club’s 48th Bahrain open, which will take place on Friday and Saturday, October 21st and 22nd 2011. Golfers from around the world, which includes ex-members of the club, are expected to participate in the Bahrain Open, alongside top expatriate and Bahraini golfers.

Prior to the Bahrain Open, the Awali Golf Club will hold a Corporate Day Tournament on Thursday October 20th, when Batelco staff will compete against teams of other sponsors.

“At Batelco, we place great importance on supporting and encouraging local sporting events. Therefore, we are very happy to announce our support for Awali Golf Club’s 48th Bahrain Open,” said Batelco Group Media Relations General Manager Ahmed Al-Janahi.

Batelco’s sponsorship also includes support for the 24th Awali Ladies Open which will take place on November 25th and 26th.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=756 B55685B3-42B2-4FAD-ADDF-C211A7E58162 Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:49:17 +0300
Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and BBK Chief Executive Abdulkarim Bucheery signing the agreement to mark the strategic initiative during the ceremony held at BBK Riffa Financial Mall


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider and BBK, Bahrain’s pioneer in retail and commercial banking, have taken the first step forward in a strategic partnership that is aimed at creating a first class differentiated service to the market. Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and BBK Chief Executive Abdulkarim Bucheery signed an agreement to mark the strategic initiative during a ceremony held at BBK Riffa Financial Mall on October 17th.

As a first step in the partnership, Batelco will provide full retail services at five of BBK’s Financial Malls (FM); Riffa Financial Mall, Muharraq Financial Mall, Exhibition Road Financial Mall, Adliya Financial Mall and Budaiya Financial Mall, to provide the Bank’s customers with a full range of Batelco’s telecommunication services. This endeavour aims at enabling individuals and Small and Medium Enterprises to receive their banking and telecom services all under one roof. Moreover, mutual customers of Batelco and BBK will be able to receive regular promotions, targeted campaigns and special rewards by both partners.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla said that this partnership will be the beginning of many future joint campaigns that aims at providing added value to the market.

“The new Batelco shops at BBK’s Financial Malls are the future model for delivering first class services and creating a unique experience for customers. The FM model enables both partners to immediately observe and respond to the target customers, thus enabling both partners to deliver more targeted campaigns to customers,” Mr. Abdulla explained.

“The partnership between the two giant entities in the banking and telecom sector will connect both organisations and strengthen the brand equity of both partners as it will provide a new way of doing business with customers that is based on creating added value and a unique experience for customers,” he added.

Abdulkarim Bucheery, BBK’s Chief Executive said that the Bank is absolutely delighted to be embarking on a new partnership with Batelco.

“We welcome Batelco to BBK’s Financial Malls and we are very excited to cater to our valued customers by providing a comprehensive range of financial and non-financial services all under-one-roof, which is the main purpose behind BBK’s Financial Malls.”

“BBK has been a trusted brand for over 40 years and has always been at the cutting edge of banking and financial services’ innovation. With this alliance of two strong brands, we ensure added value for our customers and that is our goal,” Mr. Bucheery added.

The aim of the agreement is to extend and improve the existing relationship between the two organizations, while facilitating the best possible commercial terms, knowledge transfer, and marketing processes.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=755 4D9D4700-8FFA-494C-BE15-6C3AFF4E58EB Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:47:34 +0300 Batelco, as part of its commitment to fostering sports in the Kingdom is organising an Open Darts Tournament at Batelco Staff Centre located at Batelco Headquarters in Hamala.<br /> <br /> The Open Tournament will run from October 18th to 21st with games commencing at 8.30pm each evening. Registration is now open and the draw will take place on October 15th at 6pm at Batelco Staff Centre.<br /> <br /> Participants will have the chance to win big cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place plus there are additional prizes for the ‘highest finish’, ‘most 180 score hits’ and ‘best player’ for the tournament. Furthermore, Batelco is also providing daily prizes for the ‘highest score’ and ‘finish’ as well as a daily raffle prize for the audience for each of the four days.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco is delighted to sponsor the tournament which is open to all darts players from social clubs, companies and the general public.<br /> <br /> “We believe that by sponsoring and organising this tournament that is open to all, we can gather all ages and cultures together to have some fun as well as some friendly competition as the players vie for some great prizes.”<br /> <br /> All darts players are welcome to participate. Registration forms are available by phoning 17884171, 17884848, fax: 17611575 or email: staff.centre@btc.com.bh. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=754 D198AC67-4F0E-4CC5-BEDA-1799FAABB82B Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:32:18 +0300 Batelco has announced that an incident with RIM was affecting its Blackberry subscribers for a second day. <br /> <br /> Blackberry data services were down for a number of hours on Monday 10th across Bahrain, the Middle East, Africa and Europe but full services were resumed following repair work carried out by RIM, Batelco’s Blackberry services provider.<br /> <br /> Unfortunately, RIM has announced that they have again experienced an incident and have alerted customers across the region. RIM issued a statement Tuesday 11th October stating, “We are aware that some users in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, India, Brazil, Chile and Argentina are experiencing delays. We are working to restore normal service and we apologise for any inconvenience.”<br /> <br /> Batelco apologises to its Blackberry customers for this disruption to services which is beyond the Company’s control.<br /> <br /> “We are cooperating with RIM to resolve the outage as soon as possible,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=753 C29D5612-1700-418F-9761-4E39519F54DF Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:31:24 +0300                                                     
Subscribers to the Unlimited Weekends bundle will be eligible for unlimited usage every Friday and Saturday and any usage over these two days will not be deducted from their regular monthly threshold limit. Additionally, if their regular threshold has been fully used leading to the account being throttled, the speed will be reset to the maximum download speed as part of the Unlimited Weekends deal. This great offer will allow Broadband subscribers to enjoy fast connections during the weekend to enjoy downloading movies, streaming videos & online gaming without any restrictions.

Batelco has a wide selection of Residential Broadband Packages starting from as low as 640Kbps and going as high as 16Mbps. Any of the packages may be combined with the unlimited weekends bundle for as low as BD1.5 per month which will be charged in addition to the standard package monthly rental.

The following table shows the Unlimited Weekend rates per Broadband package:-



For example customers subscribed to the BD 10 2GB/640Kbps package can enjoy unlimited usage all day Friday and Saturday for only BD11.500 (BD10 + BD1.5). Please visit www.batelco.com for the full list of options and rates which can be added whenever required by visiting any batelco retail shop or calling 196.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that with the evolution of the internet, subscribers are now increasingly engaged in online activities and applications which utilises greater bandwidth.

“This bandwidth requirement is increasing at an extremely rapid pace and is likely to continue increasing as more advanced applications are introduced. Batelco has therefore designed and developed the optional Unlimited Weekends bolt on to benefit customers during the weekends when many customers spend their free time online,” he said.

“Enrich your weekend for as little as BD1.500 and enjoy your online activities such as streaming and gaming with no restrictions at full speed, only available with Batelco,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

Customers are invited to visit Batelco’s website, batelco.com, or any of Batelco’s Retail Shops for more information about the many options available as part of Batelco’s Broadband experience.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=752 21C43331-96C9-4719-AC38-F9B49315AF64 Sun, 9 Oct 2011 14:30:13 +0300
Accordingly, modernisation work, which may cause service interruption to some Batelco services, namely Business Broadband, MPLS, ISDN Primary and ISDN Basic, will be carried out between October 3 and 21.

The areas affected during the second week of upgrades are shown in the following table:-



To minimise the impact on Batelco`s Business and Residential customers the upgrade work will take place between the hours of 12am and 6am lasting for approximately 10 minutes per outage.

“We apologise for any inconvenience the work may cause and appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=751 73ACFB88-B53D-4D0C-8461-A2BC02D139AC Thu, 6 Oct 2011 14:28:56 +0300 As part of its ongoing commitment to enhance services for customers, Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications company has launched Full Number Flexibility for its fixed services, PSTN and ISDN. With Batelco’s Next Generation Network, it is now possible to relocate your business or move house and still keep your Batelco fixed number regardless of the location.<br /> <br /> Being able to move anywhere in Bahrain and still keep all your registered fixed numbers is considered a big benefit for businesses as it saves considerable costs by not having to reprint all the business related stationery including letterheads, business cards and advertising materials.<br /> <br /> “Businesses with widely recognized numbers or households with distinguished numbers can relocate anywhere within Bahrain and take their number with them,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.<br /> <br /> Moreover, Batelco is introducing a new fixed number range 17xxxxxx for the launch, where customers can select any number from 17000000 to 17009999.<br /> <br /> Customers who are considering moving locations or require a new fixed line number are advised to visit any Batelco Retail Shop or contact their Business Account Manager. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=749 93D14547-0200-480E-B4E9-BFD572EB172D Tue, 4 Oct 2011 08:12:33 +0300 The Kingdom Batelco Consortium announced today that it will not proceed with making a binding offer to acquire Zain Group’s 25% stake in Zain KSA.<br /> <br /> This follows a period of due diligence and discussions with Zain Group and other stakeholders.<br /> <br /> The Consortium concluded that the terms and conditions as set out in its non binding offer could not be met to its satisfaction.<br /> <br /> Kingdom Holding Company and Batelco Group stated that this decision is in the best interest of their respective shareholders. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=747 7426F1AB-5094-4B72-B028-820118B2FE91 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:14:18 +0300
Telecom World Middle East is the region’s leading Telecom event, attracting regional and international telecom operators in a four day event with conferences, seminars and an exhibition, and opening the doors of opportunity to meet with international and regional partners and players. A number of Batelco executives will be attending and speaking at the event.

Over 500 telecom professionals are expected to attend the event to hear 90 operators discuss their strategies for revenue growth and future investment. A large number of CEO’s and executive management, who play a pivotal in the region’s communications industry, will be on hand to share their views and exchange knowledge with their peers.

Batelco General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that members of Batelco`s management team annually attended a variety of telecommunications exhibitions and conferences.

“As a major company operating in the Middle East region Batelco can play an important part at industry specific events such as TWME by sharing knowledge gained over many years, while also benefiting from the exchange of information contributed by all participants through group presentations and individual encounters.”

“Batelco is a major provider and partner in providing multinational companies with regional and global connectivity over its state-of-the-art Global IP-VPN service,” added Mr. Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=748 8DA414F0-F999-4697-9F4D-48146B223185 Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:16:05 +0300
Services for Batelco`s Global MPLS customers were automatically diverted from the Falcon Cable to alternative routes, as part of Batelco`s best business practice which ensures resilience in the face of such unforeseen circumstances as a cable cut.

Batelco`s services are fully supported by the Batelco NOC (Network Operations Centre) which monitors all Batelco`s services around the clock, allowing the Company’s engineers to react immediately to deliver world-class telecommunications services to its customer base.

Investment in three international cable systems (FLAG, SEA-ME-WE 3 and SEA-ME-WE 4), a satellite earth station and additionally three diverse paths (SFO, FALCON and FOG) to access international connectivity, ensures that Batelco`s customers are provided with a world-class communications system.

Such network resilience and diversity is considered best practice in the telecommunications industry globally and continues to serve Bahrain well in minimising disruption to telecommunications services.

“Despite the Falcon cable cut, Batelco`s network has been carefully designed to provide significant resilience and diversity allowing Batelco`s affected traffic to be automatically re-routed,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Batelco`s multi-million dollar investments in multiple cable systems with significant diversity, expert network planning and extremely responsive restoration initiatives have protected Batelco customers from disconnection with the rest of the world," he said.

Specialised engineers, who attended to the Falcon Cable damage, managed to have the link back on track within a few hours.

Information about Batelco Global MPLS services is available on batelco.com under Business> Global Solutions. Additionally, business customers may contact their Account Managers directly.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=746 37091026-81C2-480D-8D47-B9B243F9DD2F Wed, 28 Sep 2011 08:13:49 +0300
Accordingly, modernisation work, which may cause service interruption to some Batelco services, namely Business Broadband, MPLS, ISDN Primary and ISDN Basic, will be carried out between October 3 and 21.

The areas affected during the first week are shown in the following table:-



To minimise the impact on Batelco`s Business and Residential customers the upgrade work will take place between the hours of 12am and 6am lasting for approximately 10 minutes per outage.

“We apologise for any inconvenience the work may cause and appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=744 F25E7D45-76C9-478F-B867-526EEFC4CD84 Tue, 27 Sep 2011 16:03:18 +0300
CPISP students with Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and Batelco staff at Batelco Hamala HQ

Batelco, Bahrain`s leading telecommunications provider continues with its support for the Crown Prince International Scholarship Programme (CPISP), as part of its ongoing commitment to educational initiatives in the Kingdom.

A group of CPISP recipients have recently completed two months of work experience at Batelco as part of the CPISP Action Learning Programme. The Action Learning Programme is an educational process where participants study their own actions and experiences in the workplace in order to improve their performance.

The summer learning initiative teamed-up CPISP recipients with representative from major companies in Bahrain, including Batelco, to work on real business challenges.  The summer programme culminated with the students making their presentations at the  Crown Prince`s Court in front of executives from the participating companies and CPISP officials. Also in attendance were Minister of Finance Shaikh Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa and EDB CEO Shaikh Mohamed Bin Essa Al Khalifa.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that the Batelco management team was very impressed by the calibre of work carried out by the CPISP students.

“The students were diligent and responsible and endeavoured to do their very best with their assigned tasks. It was very worthwhile to witness their efforts and support their career aims.”
One of the participants, Ali Baqeri, said that his summer in Batelco had been more than anything, a much needed reality check.

“It taught me what to expect in a working environment, what to overlook and what to embrace. I can assertively claim that I am a more aware and mature person today thanks to Batelco.”

Another participant, Mariam Maki said that working with Batelco was an amazing experience.

“Not only was the challenge presented to the team extremely relevant to the country`s economic atmosphere in general, it was well designed to allow the students to learn and develop critical skills as they worked.”

“Furthermore, the assistance of Batelco staff added an amazing dimension to the internship; their professionalism, knowledge, and constant support provided a very effective learning environment,” she added.

Esra`a Al Sabah, gained much from the Batelco experience saying, “It`s a welcoming community that works hard to achieve the best and because Batelco strives to do that, it encouraged me to do everything I can to achieve the best results and solve any problems that hinder me on the way.”

A fourth participating student, Wael Al Jishi, said that the experience and knowledge gained from the internship would definitely be put to good use in the future, and that it was an honour to be part of one of Bahrain`s leading companies.

Since the formation of the CPISP, Batelco has been a keen supporter and has donated significant funds to assist with the success of the innovative programme.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=743 E93236DC-749C-4431-B6BA-EA3695C2CF1D Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:01:53 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading mobile services provider is offering its SimSim customers a great opportunity to benefit from FREE MBs of mobile data usage with their voucher refills. For a limited period only, SimSim customers who refill their account with a minimum of a BD4 SimSim voucher will benefit from free data usage as a bonus on top of their main refilled credit as per the following:-<br /> <br /> <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/mobile-free-data.jpg"><br /> <br /> This special deal for Batelco’s SimSim customers offers great additional value for money by delivering free usage of mobile data with no additional charges. The offer is valid until October 4th 2011 and the free Data will be valid for 30 days only from the date of refill.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco strives to deliver the best added value for its customers at all times and an extra special deal like the Free data promotion is an excellent added bonus.<br /> <br /> Customers who avail of the Free mobile data offer may check their main balance by dialling *122# and check their data bonus balance by dialling *122*12#. The bonus is for data usage only and cannot be used for Blackberry service or by prepaid data O-net.<br /> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=741 F7E246ED-4C9E-4E18-B4C5-10ED56F8AEB8 Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:41:14 +0300
The market is now witnessing greater demand for innovative and managed security solutions and with this in mind, Batelco will offer its current and new Broadband customers, in both residential and business sectors, the opportunity to safeguard their valuable assets and homes by subscribing to the CCTV security solution offer.

Closed Circuit Television devices, better known as CCTV devices, are small surveillance cameras that can be installed both indoors and outdoors, at any premises. These devices enable customers to monitor and record all events taking place at their homes and businesses, at any given time during the day.

The offer allows subscribers to select from a variety of options based on their security needs. They can also benefit from Batelco’s interest-free installment programme that offers repayment on a 12-18 month period.

Additionally, the offer includes installing, testing and commissioning of the system with all its hardware and software components, as well as the required programming. Batelco’s partners will also offer basic on-site training during installation, and full technical support. The one-year warranted system features digital recording of events and live remote access via Internet, offering the subscribers new viewing methods using their laptops, smartphones, tablets, and any other devices that support Internet browsing.

“Security has become a prime concern these days for both individuals and businesses alike,” said Batelco General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We, at Batelco, fully understand such needs and proactively act to fulfill them through providing our customers with the most innovative products and services as soon as they are available in the market,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

“We urge all our customers to benefit from this great opportunity and enjoy the most reliable Broadband experience, only from Batelco,” concluded Mr. Al Janahi.

The launch of this offer is part of Batelco’s ongoing enhancement of its Broadband service that aims to offer more benefits to customers. Recent enhancements included automatic upgrades, higher speeds and bigger usage limits.

Customers are invited to visit their nearest Batelco retail outlet and sign up to get their CCTV security solution package today.

Visit Batelco’s website www.batelco.com for details about Batelco offers, products & services.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=740 F1DB37D4-F788-4851-BFCB-76A2B754C12F Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:40:36 +0300 Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading mobile services provider is offering a wide range of premium numbers FREE of charge in a special promotion running until the end of September. Customers can visit batelco.com to review the great list of choices and reserve a new number free of charge.<br /> <br /> The choice which includes premium numbers from the 3999 and 3888 ranges meets customers’ demands for prestigious mobile numbers, with the added bonus of being completely free of charge.<br /> <br /> The full range of available numbers is now presented on Batelco’s website, batelco.com giving everyone the opportunity to view the extensive range and reserve a number. Customers may then visit any Batelco Retail shop to collect and activate their new number. Alternatively, customers also have the option to activate their new number online. Batelco will then deliver the number to the customer’s door which makes acquiring a Batelco number a very simple and efficient process.<br /> <br /> Furthermore, Batelco customers can choose, at batelco.com, from various beneficial and flexible mobile packages or customise a package that fits their specific needs via Batelco’s ‘My Package’ option.<br /> <br /> “By using Batelco’s easy to use online services, customers can select a new mobile number including premium numbers and manage all their communications services without leaving the comfort of their home or office,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=739 92B4428A-C55A-4802-BDD7-D45A36059950 Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:39:43 +0300
Batelco and Ta’a Al Shabab officials prior to the first workshop at Seef Mall

Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications company, will hold its final workshop in which its products and services are showcased, as part of its contribution to the third cultural festival “Ta’a Al-Shabab”.

As the main sponsor of the Ta’a Al Shabab Youth Cultural festival, which is being held under the patronage of H.E the Minister of Culture, Shaikha May Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Batelco has created this workshop to provide insight into some of the more advanced products that Batelco offers its customers.

The first and second workshops took place at Seef Mall on September 11th and 13th and the programme will continue with the final workshop taking place on Friday 23rd September between 6pm to 8pm at the Seef Mall New Extension.

Ta’a Al Shabab is an annual youth cultural festival, launched in 2009 with the support of the Cultural Ministry, to direct Bahrain’s youth towards cultural and intellectual undertakings. Through a series of initiatives related to architecture, reading, research, literature, music and technology, young people are provided with the opportunity to interact and learn while sharing their knowledge and experiences.

This year’s theme, “Restoration  ...Intellection  ... Approximation” has built on the successes of the past two years by increasing the scope of the festival with the addition of a new programme under the theme of ‘Technique’. Batelco’s contribution supports this new programme which has an emphasis on the evolution of telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) with the aim of increasing youth awareness through a range of displays, seminars and workshops.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=738 BCC89868-8B99-4676-9B95-1B4DAB2522FD Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:07:16 +0300
Batelco Bahrain Chief Executive Rashid Abdulla said he is thrilled that Batelco is once again pioneering a unique and innovative product for its customers.

“The delivery of digital television channels via our Broadband lines enables Batelco to offer superb advanced interactive services with a wide range of channels and additional benefits including Video on Demand content in full HD (High Definition).”

“Among the key features of the new IPTV service is user friendliness, as customers can watch whatever they want, whenever they want and enjoy a wide variety of content on a single Set Top Box,” Mr. Abdulla said.

Batelco’s IPTV service will be capable of delivering comprehensive content with FTA (Free to Air) channels and all subscription-based bouquets such as Orbit Showtime Network, Abu Dhabi and more to come soon.

In addition, a free Video on Demand (VOD) library will offer approximately up to 200 movies, series, documentaries etc., with monthly updates to the programme menu. Moreover, the latest movies will be available in the comfort of your own home with a single click at very affordable prices through transactional VOD.

Customers will be able to search for content by actor, director, key words, viewers’ ratings and mostly watched shows.

Furthermore, IPTV also offers subscribers special features such as TV On Demand, Time Shift, Personal Video Recording, and Advanced Interactive Electronic Programme Guide. Such excellent features will allow viewers to watch programmes that are up to one week old from a selection of channels and have the full control to rewind, forward or stop any channel at any time and come back to watch it later.

“With IPTV, Batelco will offer high quality entertainment to Bahrain’s residents. Whether you are a sports fan, a movie buff or hooked on Series or 24 hour news from around the world, our Broadband IPTV service is certain to meet your very specific demands,” added Mr. Abdulla.

Batelco will deliver IPTV in partnership with Selevision, one of the leading innovative companies in the Interactive TV technologies market. Batelco will continue developing the service as it prepares to extend the service to more areas and additional subscribers.

Batelco subscribers who are residents of Reef Island are invited to visit any Batelco Retail Shop to sign up for IPTV today, visit batelco.com or call 196 to find out how to get connected to a whole new world of viewing pleasure.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=737 B1300D3D-EE2B-4A6D-826B-F39F2A54F7C7 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 09:43:14 +0300
Batelco General Manager Enterprise Division Adel Daylami said that this strategic bi-lateral understanding is an important addition to Batelco’s portfolio of OSS agreements, which enable the Company to extend its Global IP VPN solutions to its international customers through its partner’s reliable, state of the art network.

“Accordingly, the benefit of Batelco and Qtel’s shared network can be extended to our international customers,” said Mr. Daylami.

“This  agreement complements Batelco’s range of global connectivity services such as Global IP-VPN, IPLC, Global Satellite services and a Global Datacenter that not only enhances efficiency by offering seamless, secure and dedicated interconnectivity but also the reliable support of a professional team working 24x7 in one of the regions most sophisticated NOC’s (Network Operation Centre’s).

Qtel provides a comprehensive range of corporate managed services for companies, and this new agreement with Batelco increases the depth of its MPLS VPN portfolio, adding additional regional capability. The company is proud to work with Batelco, which is a long-term partner of Qtel.

This agreement will allow bi-lateral Data IP Services to be sold between Bahrain and Qatar, as well as providing one-stop-shop transit services to Batelco’s carrier partners. The partnership comes in line with Batelco’s International Carrier Relations (ICR) strategy, which focuses on the interconnection of GCC regional carrier MPLS networks in order to expand the company’s IP Data Services reach to all major GCC countries and provide seamless MPLS VPN services.

Among the key benefits of the service for Batelco’s carrier partners in Bahrain are seamless IP data services between Bahrain and Qatar, greater reach in the respective markets for data service connectivity, competitive pricing (dependant on volumes and commitment) and a one-stop-shop offering for the advantage of all parties, where Batelco is the GCC partner of choice for services into Qatar.

In addition, Bahraini-based enterprise clients will benefit from the extension of carrier grade VPN to their Qatar-based office, a multiple-purpose service offering to cater to different office applications, and competitive pricing, as well as a one-stop-shop offering, where Batelco is the partner of choice for global VPN solutions.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=736 A6D25F98-60F1-4126-AAB3-F5BC2C8462C0 Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:42:20 +0300
Batelco is very pleased to offer such in-demand services in cooperation with the leading providers of in-flight communications. This service continues to grow in popularity fuelled by the advancements in technology and also driven by customers’ demands to be connected to their head office, family and friends 24/7.

“We live in a rapidly changing world due to the evolution of technologies that enable always-on telecommunication with each other,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“At Batelco we continuously develop new services to meet customers’ expectations for the newest emerging products and services,” he added.

Now all passengers are able to use their own portable electronic devices including laptops, mobile phones, smartphones and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) as well as the airlines’ in-seat equipment, to communicate in flight, just as they do on the ground.

Currently the international roaming for voice and data covers the following list of participating airlines:-

Emirates:- Services available on 95 aircraft

Qatar Airways:- Currently 20+ Airbus A319/A320/A321 aircrafts deployed - operating routes between Qatar and to/from Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Saudi Arabian Airlines:- Currently eight Airbus A330 aircrafts deployed - operating routes from/to Saudi Arabia to Europe and Middle East.

BA (British Airways):- Currently two Airbus A318 aircrafts deployed - operating a business class only route between London City Airport and New York JFK

EgyptAir:- Currently one Airbus A330 aircraft deployed - operating routes between Cairo Europe and North Africa.

Oman Air:- Six Airbus A330 aircrafts deployed - operating routes between Muscat International and to/from Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Royal Jordanian Airlines:- Currently two Airbus A319 aircrafts deployed - operating routes between Jordan and to/from Europe, Middle East, North Africa and India.

AirAsia:- Currently six Airbus A320 aircrafts deployed - operating routes from Malaysia across Asia.

TAP (of Portugal):- Commercial trial with one Airbus A319 aircraft. Routes to/from Europe including Cape Verde and Azores.

Malaysian Air:- Commercial operation onboard one Malaysian aircraft.

TAM (Brazil):- Currently one Airbus A321 aircraft deployed - operating domestic Brazilian routes (GRU-FOR-POA-NAT). An additional 26 aircraft are expected by end 2011.

Air New Zealand:- Currently two Airbus A320 aircrafts deployed - operating domestic routes.

As more in-flight communications services become available internationally, Batelco will enhance its delivery accordingly.

Customers may refer to Batelco’s website www.batelco.com for more information.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=735 3F8F2301-C2C2-4B55-93C4-CDC0F1B5F1DD Tue, 13 Sep 2011 09:41:39 +0300
As the main sponsor of the Ta’a Al Shabab Youth Cultural festival, which is being held under the patronage H.E the Minister Of Culture, Shaikha May Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Batelco has created this workshop to provide insight into some of the more advanced products that Batelco offers its customers.

The first workshop took place at Seef Mall on Sunday the 11th of September and the programme will continue on as per the following schedule:

Location: Seef Mall-New Extension
Time: 6PM - 8PM
Date: Tuesday 13/09/2011

Location: Seef Mall-New Extension
Time: 6PM - 8PM
Date: Friday 2011/09/23

Ta’a Al Shabab is an annual youth cultural festival, launched in 2009 with the support of the Cultural Ministry, to direct Bahrain’s youth towards cultural and intellectual undertakings. Through a series of initiatives related to architecture, reading, research, literature, music and technology, young people are provided with the opportunity to interact and learn while sharing their knowledge and experiences.

This year’s theme, “Restoration  ...Intellection  ... Approximation” will build on the successes of the past two years and increase the scope of the festival by the addition of a new programme under the theme of ‘Technique’. Batelco’s contribution supports this new programme which has an emphasis on the evolution of telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) and aims to increase youth awareness through a range of displays, seminars and workshops.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=734 DAE6A336-195B-4465-B3CD-59DCF4A68B12 Mon, 12 Sep 2011 09:40:57 +0300
Batelco, The Bahrain leading telecommunication provider has announced a two month promotion on its eFax service. New residential and business customers will benefit from free registration and two months free rental when they subscribe to Batelco highly flexible eFax service starting from today, 11th of September 2011.

Batelco eFax service allows customers to receive fax messages directly to their email accounts or send email messages with attachments to fax machines. To send a message, eFax subscribers may compose a normal email message, attach document if any, and send it to the requested fax number as faxnumber@efax.com.bh. Alternatively, customers can send a message from a fax machine to the requested eFax service number.

The versatile eFax service supports sending a variety of electronic document formats, such as MS Office, PDF or .TXT. Customers can also enjoy the service by using any of their email addresses such as Batelco, Gmail and Hotmail. They will be able to save on the costs of purchasing equipment, such as fax machines and stationary through paperless faxing and enjoy a great amount of mobility and convenience. With eFax, customers will never experience paper-jams or, busy signals, pay for telephone subscriptions, or worry about installation and maintenance fees. Thus they will be saving on hundreds and thousands of dinars yearly.

"eFax is a highly attractive service for both individuals and businesses, because it is easy to use, secure and very convenient as it can be used anywhere from any personal computer, notebook or mobile device connected to the Internet," said Batelco Group General Manager Media & Government Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

"Being 100% paperless, customers can contribute in preserving and promoting the green environment while saving great deal of money spent on stationary and fax machines"

Residential customers interested in subscribing to Batelco eFax service may visit any of Batelco  retail shops, or contact 196 for any enquiries.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=732 BC4CF62E-08E5-4987-98E3-FB432709CC10 Sun, 11 Sep 2011 08:34:35 +0300 A number of Batelco management will attend the official opening ceremony of the Third Culture Festival Taa Al-Shabab, under the patronage of H.E the Minister of Culture, Shaikha May Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, which is scheduled to take place at Bahrain Fort Museum on September 9th.<br /> <br /> Batelco, as Bahrain leading telecommunications company and a keen supporter of community events, is delighted to be the main sponsor as well as take part in this years festival by lending support to the organising committee of Taa Al Shabab.<br /> <br /> Taa Al Shabab is an annual youth cultural festival, launched in 2009 with the support of the Cultural Ministry, to direct Bahrain youth towards cultural and intellectual undertakings. Through a series of initiatives related to architecture Darayesh, reading We All Read, research Hafawa, literature & music Tansees and fine arts Tashkeel, young people are provided with the opportunity to interact and learn while sharing their knowledge and experiences.<br /> <br /> This years theme, Restoration&nbsp;&nbsp;...Intellection&nbsp;&nbsp;...Approximation will build on the successes of the past two years and increase the scope of the festival by the addition of a new program under the theme of Technique. Batelco contribution will support this new program which has an emphasis on the evolution of telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) and aims to increase youth awareness through a range of displays, seminars and workshops. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=731 30AC505C-F255-402E-A8F2-9730F8001FAF Thu, 8 Sep 2011 08:33:57 +0300 Please find below Batelco’s comment re the TRA notice for an event that took place mid last year.<br /> <br /> <br /> Rashid Abdulla, CEO Batelco Bahrain stated:<br /> <br /> "regulatory and competitive laws of the Kingdom. We look forward to the opportunity to outline our case to the TRA and we are confident we will receive a fair hearing." http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=730 3AD00172-7B35-4A95-AB63-D5A962422D78 Tue, 6 Sep 2011 08:33:09 +0300
The new package is great news for new businesses or for those customers who already subscribe to Batelco 256Kbps/2.5GB package. For an additional BD2, Batelco current 256Kbps Package subscribers can double their speed and benefit from unlimited threshold.

This new package follows a recent upgrade whereby all Batelco Business Broadband packages, except the 256Kbps package, benefitted from a discount of up to 42% discount on their monthly package rates in combination with an increase to unlimited thresholds.

Batelco Broadband which utilises ADSL2+ technology delivers top quality reliable services for Batelco customers. Furthermore Batelco Internet service is provisioned over a cutting edge NGN (Next Generation Network) connected to the public Internet network through highly diversified international links connecting Batelco to the outside world through different locations. Such infrastructure provides diversity for international routes and hence ensures Internet continuity for customers.

Accordingly, Batelco is enabled to offer its business customers the latest and fastest wired broadband internet service supported by its technical expertise, network diversity and 24/7 support service.

Batelco Business Broadband Packages rates are amongst the most competitive in the GCC for businesses and support Batelco aim to transform the Company competitiveness, and to continually deliver a better customer experience.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco continuously reviews all its products and services to better serve all its customers.

We are very pleased to be delivering this new Start-Up Business Package for new / small business operations. Batelco considers the needs of its customers as its number one priority and responds to their feedback by developing services that improve their communication facilities, he said.

For details about any of Batelco business products and services please visit www.batelco.com or business customers may contact their dedicated Account Manager directly.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=729 B19F27C1-8D3C-4DD3-97B6-A4BD2BAF2A04 Mon, 5 Sep 2011 08:33:02 +0300
Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said that Batelco Board of Directors is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Group CEO and the creation of a new executive role, responsible for Batelco growth and transformation into one of the most admired communications companies in the Middle East Region.

The Chairman announced the appointment of Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa as Batelcos new Group CEO and Mr. Peter Kaliaropoulos as CEO Strategic Assignments responsible for the Groups Joint Ventures. He also noted that current Batelco Board director Mr. Murad Ali Murad would become the new Deputy Chairman of the Board in place of Shaikh Mohamed.

On behalf of my colleagues on the Board, I extend a warm welcome to Shaikh Mohamed and wish him tremendous success in his career as he takes on the most critical leadership role as Group CEO for Batelco, stated Shaikh Hamad.

Shaikh Mohamed is already familiar with Batelco strategic challenges and opportunities in Bahrain and across the region, due to his tenure as Batelco Board Deputy Chairman since 2002.  In addition, he is going to be supported by a strong team of experienced Executives from Batelco Bahrain and other regional companies. We firmly believe that he has the people leadership and commercial credentials to lead and expand Batelco Group as our industry is rapidly evolving, Shaikh Hamad added.

The Chairman expressed his further pleasure in that the new Group CEO is an experienced Bahraini business executive and the first National to hold the most senior role at Batelco Group.

Shaikh Mohamed will assume responsibility for Batelco Group on 1 October 2011, stated Shaikh Hamad.

I feel very honoured by the Boards decision to appoint me to lead Batelcos growth and evolution during a turbulent time in the information and communications industry in Bahrain and abroad, said Shaikh Mohamed.

Our customers demand innovation through the latest technology, great value and customised attention. As we expand, retention of our customers loyalty is most critical to our success. I am extremely keen to participate in and lead Batelcos transformation into an even more important Bahraini company across the region, he stated.

Prior to this appointment, Shaikh Mohamed bin Isa Al Khalifa, was the CEO of the Social Insurance Organization (SIO) which was formed by the merger of the General Organization for Social Insurance and the Pension Fund Commission in 2008.  Prior to this merger, he was the Director General of the General Organization for Social Insurance in Bahrain since 2005. He commenced his work with the General Organization for Social Insurance in Bahrain in 1989 and has held several senior positions such as the Director of the Finance and Investment Department from 2002, Foreign Investment Portfolios Manager and Investment Analyst.

In addition, Shaikh Mohamed represented SIO in several portfolio company boards in different capacities such as Chairman at the Securities and Investments Company (SICO), Vice Chairman at Batelco, Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait and Bahrain International Golf Course Company, as well as the post of Director at Bahrain Commercial Facilities Company.

The Batelco Chairman continued by saying that he was very pleased to welcome Murad Ali Murad, who is the longest serving member of Batelco Board, in his new role as Deputy Chairman.

I look forward to continuing working alongside him as we build on Batelcos successes both at home and overseas, stated Shaikh Hamad.
Mr. Murad has an impressive background in Bahrains business community and is a long serving executive of BBK having held the position of CEO from 1987 to 2002 and the post of Chairman since 2002. Additionally, Mr. Murad holds directorships in a number of organisations including Mumtalakat Holding Co. and Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Co.
Batelcos Chairman also thanked Peter Kaliaropoulos for his contribution to Batelcos growth over the last six years in his capacity as Group CEO.

The Board wishes to express its appreciation to Peter for his leadership in growing and transforming Batelcos operations since June 2005. Batelco not only retains a position of market leadership in the very competitive Bahrain market but has also become a company of reference across the Middle East through its investments. Peter and his team of executives contributed significantly in delivering better value to a combined customer base which has grown to over 10 million, whilst also ensuring significant returns to shareholders, said Shaikh Hamad.

Peter will continue his involvement with Batelco as CEO Strategic Assignments and will focus on accelerating value creation from new acquisitions, concluded Batelcos Chairman.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=728 8F048AAB-4BFA-4986-BC42-230D0D1849C5 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 08:30:25 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/albandar_Batelco_ramadan.jpg"><br /> Batelco Public Relation with Al Bander<br /> <br /> Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community has sponsored a number of Ramadan events and venues including the Ramadan Tent at Al Bander Hotel & Resort. Additionally Batelco has provided a number of raffle prizes to the venue for the added benefit of their customers.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to align itself with the very popular resort which draws crowds throughout the year thanks to its sea-side accommodation and fantastic facilities which includes a pool, gym and tennis courts.<br /> <br /> "Ramadan is a very special time on the Bahrain calendar and we therefore always support a varied range of activities that add value for our customers and all residents of Bahrain," added Mr. Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=726 96641C97-B20C-4F5F-9A92-16DEF1CB4E5D Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:29:23 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/gulf_hotel_&_batelco.jpg"><br /> Batelco Public Relations with Gulf Hotel<br /> <br /> Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community has sponsored a number of Ramadan events and venues including the Ramadan Tent at the Gulf Hotel. As part of its support, Batelco provided a number of great prizes which the hotel raffles for its customers every week.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to align itself with the long established luxury hotel which has been an icon in the Kingdom of Bahrain for many years.<br /> <br /> "Ramadan is a very special time in Bahrain’s calendar and we therefore strive to support a varied range of activities that add value for our customers and all residents of Bahrain," added Mr. Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=727 038F75F2-3D43-4F69-91DE-6F28938D5649 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:27:56 +0300
Batelco, The Bahrain leading communications provider is delighted to announce a number of new international operators as part of its Unified Local Data Roaming Rates scheme. International Roaming can cost between BD5 and BD7 per MB but under Batelco Local Unified Rates, customers only pay 600 fils per megabyte when they roam with the designated international operators.

Batelco introduced Unified Roaming Rates in 2009 for data roaming in a number of regional countries. The original line-up included Saudi Arabia (AlJawal & Mobily), UAE (Etisalat & du), Qatar (Qtel), Kuwait (Wataniya & Viva), Oman (Nawras), Egypt (Mobinil), Jordan (Umniah) and Yemen (Sabafon).

Now in this new delivery which will be a massive benefit for Batelco customers, Batelco has extended its line up of operators to include providers outside of the GCC and Arab region.

The new countries and operators are:

    * United Kingdom: O2
    * Spain: Moviles Espana
    * Czech Republic: O2
    * Ireland: O2

Click here for complete list with charges.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=725 A9117C0D-6A3F-4605-A16B-276A1B4AD356 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:21:51 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/ramadan_batelco_raffle_prize.JPG"><br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> A member of Batelco’s Sales Team, centre, presenting a prize to a winner in the Golden Tulip weekly raffle with the Tent manager, left<br /> <br /> Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community has sponsored a number of Ramadan events and venues including the Ramadan Tent at the Golden Tulip Hotel.<br /> Additionally Batelco has provided a number of raffle prizes to the hotel for their raffle draws which take place each weekend.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to align itself with the very popular venue which has been very busy throughout the month of Ramadan.<br /> <br /> "Ramadan is a very special time on the Bahrain calendar and we therefore strive to support a varied range of activities that add value for our customers and all residents of Bahrain," added Mr. Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=723 8F602E36-8D53-4135-9916-BBB6A5547D09 Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:20:06 +0300
Batelco GM Consumer Division Mona Al Hashimi presenting a prize to Layalina PR & Chief of Photography Mohammed Kheir

Batelco’s Public Relations Department welcomed over 150 of Bahrain’s Media representatives to a Ramadan Ghabga banquet at the Intercontinental Regency recently. The event, which was attended by Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, Group GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi, GM Consumer Division Mona Al Hashimi, Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad and a number of Batelco staff, was held in the celebrated Al Liwan Ramadan Tent.

The evening event gave Bahrain’s Media a valuable opportunity to network, socialise and meet Batelco senior management and PR staff in the welcoming surroundings of the newly refurbished hotel, while enjoying Arabic dishes, Ramadan specialties and a fantastic raffle draw which included high value prizes including TV’s, iPad’s and top of the line mobile handsets.

“This event was held in honour of the Bahrain Media, with whom we have a great bond developed over many years”, said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The evening was a resounding success and the whole Batelco team was delighted with the impressive turn out. From the feedback received, everyone enjoyed the great occasion.”

“Our Media Ghabga is an annual occasion which we look forward to very much as it gives us the chance to catch up with our friends from Bahrain’s press and treat them to a special evening of fun and entertainment in a relaxed atmosphere,” Mr. Al Janahi added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=722 7597DA5A-321A-4FA8-81FC-C1BDABC97AC0 Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:19:17 +0300
Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading Broadband services provider is delighted to announce its best news so far this year for its Broadband internet customers. Subscribers who sign a one year contract for their Batelco Broadband package will benefit from higher speed or  higher threshold usage depending on their package, with no change in the rates they already pay. The fantastic new Broadband packages are available for all new as well as existing customers.

The great new deals are available for all Batelco’s Broadband packages priced at BD15 and above. Customers who already subscribe to Batelco’s BD15/1MB Package can benefit from a boost in speed of up to 3MB under the new deal, while subscribers to the current 2MB and 4MB Packages can enjoy a boost in  speed up to 6MB and 8MB respectively.

Similarly, customers who subscribe to Batelco’s top three packages will beneift from a big increase to their usage thresholds. Customers who subscribe to Batelco’s  8MB/60GB, 10MB/80GB and 16MB/100GB Consumer Broadband Packages now have the option to increase their usage threshold to 90GB, 120GB and 150GB respectively and download to their heart’s content at their top speed, for no additional cost.

Additionally, as a further enhancement, the throttle speed of the BD15 and BD20 packages will be increased from 256Kb and 512Kb respectively to a fantastic 1MB, meaning all subscribers to these packages will benefit from unlimited usage with a mimumun speed of up to 1MB.

These unbeatable new Broadband Packages are available for existing customers and new customers who sign a one year contract with Batelco. All of Batelco’s Consumer Broadband Packages, starting from BD10 only, will still be available as non-contract packages also.

This is the third big Broadband announcement from Batelco in 2011. In February all Batelco Broadband customers received  automatic upgrades to benefit from a combination of faster speeds, higher thresholds and lower prices while in February Batelco introduced a new BD12/1MB package to augment its lineup.

“This is great news for our customers and is delivered as part of Batelco’s ongoing review of its products and services, which are developed to meet the changing needs of our customers ,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We place the needs of our customers as a key priority and listen to their feedback in order to deliver products and services that improves their communication facilities,”  he added.

Existing Broadband customers who want to benefit from the boost in speed or an increase in their threshold limits are invited to visit any of Batelco’s Retail  Shops to complete the required formalities.

New customers are also invited to visit any Batelco Retail  Shop to subscribe and start benefitting from Batelco’s reliable Broadband internet services, noting that registration is free for all new  subscribers.

For details about Batelco’s full range of Broadband packages or any of Batelco’s products, services and current promotions, please visit www.batelco.com  or visit any Batlco Retail Shop or phone 196.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=721 7D2CC430-DB51-4C63-BE45-D5CAF52A1ADB Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:24:54 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Galleria%202011.jpg"><br /> Minister of Human Rights and Social Development & Acting Minister of Health H.E. Dr. Fatima Bint Mohamed Al Balooshi presenting the appreciation reward to Batelco General Manager HR Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda<br /> <br /> A number of Batelco personnel including General Manager HR Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda attended the opening of Galleria 2011, which took place recently at the Gulf Convention Centre, under the patronage of Minister of Human Rights and Social Development & Acting Minister of Health H.E. Dr. Fatima Bint Mohamed Al Balooshi.<br /> <br /> Batelco, as Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company and a keen supporter of community events, was delighted to lend its support to Galleria 2011, organised by Pro-Vision Events Bahrain. The event provided a professional and stylish showcase for Bahrain’s female entrepreneurs and newly established businesses, under the categories of Fashion, Design, Accessories, Food and related products.<br /> <br /> At the opening ceremony, Mrs. Alnowakhda received a special memento from Dr. Al Balooshi presented in appreciation to Batelco for their support of the exhibition.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to be associated with this event as it particularly focused on the ladies of the community with the aim of fostering their talents and helping them to reach a wider audience to showcase their creativity. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=720 EDFE4DCB-68F4-49A5-80B0-171EB7372BAD Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:23:47 +0300
From left Mr. Rashid Al Sheikh & Mr. Ahmed Al Janahi

Batelco, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting sports in the Kingdom of Bahrain is the main sponsor for the Media Futsal Championship, which will run from August 17th to 24th at Shaikh Khalifa Sports Hall in Isa Town.

The week long event is being organised by Shaikh Khalid Bin Khalifa Office in cooperation with the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) and General Organisation for Youth and Sports (GOYS), and is being held under the directive of Supreme Council for Youth and Sports First Deputy Chairman and Bahrain Royal Equestrian & Endurance Federation President, Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The Championship will give members of Bahrain’s media the chance to pit their Futsal skills against each other in a knock out tournament. Twelve teams have entered the competition, all vying for cash prizes totalling BD27,000 with the winning team collecting BD7,000, runner up BD5,000, third and fourth placed teams each receiving BD2,000 and the remaining eight teams taking home BD1,000 each. In addition, the top scorer, best player and best goalkeeper will each win BD1,000.

Batelco General Manager HR Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda, Batelco Manager HR, Training & Development Shaikh Bader Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa and Batelco Manager Public Relations Osama Alsaad will represent Batelco at the opening ceremony on Wednesday 17th.

Batelco’s Group GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco had formed close bonds with the Media over many years and the Company was therefore very pleased to support the week long tournament.

“The tournament will provide a wonderful opportunity for media personnel to interact with each other during Ramadan evenings by providing a social and sporting occasion with the added excitement of the chance to win big cash prizes,” he said.

Shaikh Khalid Al Khalifa Office Manager Rashid Al Sheikh extended his appreciation, on behalf of Shaikh Khalid and the organising teams, to Batelco for their support in sponsoring the Futsol Tournament.

“Everyone is really looking forward to the action and fun which the event promises. As none of the teams will go home empty handed thanks to the generousity of all our sponsors, we expect to see the Shaikh Khalifa Sports Hall filled with happy faces,” he said.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=719 11FA5613-395F-4B43-A0F7-AA8375CA51DA Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:22:22 +0300
Batelco management, staff and customers at Batelco’s Ghabga for business customers, with Batelco CE Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, 6th from right and Batelco Group GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi, 2nd from right

Batelco’s Enterprise and Government Division welcomed over 250 of its business customers to a Ramadan Ghabga banquet at the Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa on Wednesday 10th August. The event, which was attended by Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and a number of Batelco Board directors and senior management, was held in the prestigious Al Nakheel Ballroom.

The evening event gave Batelco business customers a valuable opportunity to network, socialise and meet Batelco management in the lavish surroundings of the new luxury hotel, while enjoying Arabic dishes and Ramadan specialties.

“This event was held in honour of our business customers, to whom we owe much of our success”, said Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla.

“The evening was a resounding success and I and my team were delighted with the impressive turn out. From the feedback received, everyone enjoyed the great occasion.”

“As Bahrain’s leading provider of business oriented communications solutions, Batelco is always seeking to forge closer links with its business customers and such events provide the perfect relaxed setting,” he added.  
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=718 2DFA44B5-67B4-4CBE-9C7D-BBC5F1BB4D80 Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:21:21 +0300
Watch your cartoon portrait appear on the TV screen

Batelco welcomes everyone to visit their City Centre Retail Shop and enjoy some fun with cartoonist, Shahram, during Ramadan. The well known and popular cartoonist is waiting to sketch your portrait, cartoon style, on his iPad 2, during Ramadan evenings between 9pm and 12 midnight.

In line with Batelco’s commitment to support and encourage local talents, Batelco is helping Shahram to transcend over conventional drawing techniques and join the digital art community by providing him with the latest iPad 2 device complete with the best available drawing application installed.

While Shahram sketches on his iPad 2, visitors can watch the portrait appear on a TV screen allowing everyone to marvel at his talents. Customers can have their portrait emailed to them directly with no need to print on paper, for the convenience of customers while also supporting Batelco’s environmental initiatives to ‘Go Green’.

Best of all, this entertainment is provided by Batelco free of charge and furthermore, to enhance the spirit of the occasion, customers can enjoy some complimentary coffee and dates while waiting to be served by Batelco Customer Service personnel.

Visit Batelco City Centre and discover a wide range of great offers launched to mark the Company’s 30th anniversary year. Details about Batelco products, services and current special promotions can also be found on Batelco’s website, www.batelco.com  or by calling 196.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=717 4501CEDB-CD67-4216-96FC-FAEAF07D2684 Sun, 14 Aug 2011 10:20:18 +0300 Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications provider, has issued a warning to its customers to be on the alert regarding a spate of fraudulent calls informing customers that they have won a large sum of money.

The calls are being generated from a variety of Bahrain mobile numbers.  A small number of Batelco’s customers have been in touch with the company to enquire about the validity of the information.

“A number of Batelco’s customers have received calls or missed calls. The callers are using Batelco’s name and advising our customers that they have won a big cash prize and informing them that they need to transfer a sum of money to them in order to collect this prize,” said Batelco’s Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The caller also asks for details about the number on the customers Sim Card and other information,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

“We strongly advise our customers that these are fraudulent calls. Batelco will never ask for such information like this,” he stressed.

Batelco issued several similar warnings last year and again early this year alerting its customers to hoax calls offering large cash prizes.

“Furthermore, Batelco has issued many previous warnings to customers regarding fraudulent text messages and emails. Typically these messages ask for information about customers’ user names and passwords but these recent messages try to attract people by the promise of a big cash prize.”

“Customers should be aware that such calls announcing that they have won money are fraudulent. We advise anyone who receives such calls to either ignore them or report the incident to our 196 Helpdesk,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

Batelco always uses a professional process to contact its customers to inform them when they have won a prize and the customer would always be invited to Batelco’s Hamala Headquarters or a Batelco Retail Shop to collect any prize in person.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=716 0C44B2DE-C681-4A24-B619-7598CD9B70A1 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:22:38 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Awali--Bowling.jpg"><br /> Organisers with some of the competitors including young bowlers who took part in the youth competition<br /> <br /> he Batelco Ramadan Bowling Tournament was officially opened at a special ceremony held at the Bapco Club’s Bowling lanes recently. Batelco is the title sponsor of the major sporting event, which is being held for the second successive year in memory of Hasan Ramadan, who is remembered as a bowling legend. Funds raised at the event will go towards the education of Mr. Ramadan’s daughter.<br /> <br /> The tournament will run throughout Ramadan, with matches taking place every evening from 7.30pm to midnight. Batelco has provided financial assistance to ensure the success of the tournament and additionally has entered a team of their well known and competitive players. Besides the main tournament, a youth bowling tournament has taken place to encourage and nurture young talents which was a main interest of Hasan Ramadan who was involved in the coaching of young bowlers.<br /> <br /> Batelco’s sponsorship of this event forms part of the Company’s annual commitment to community sporting events. All bowling fans are welcome to attend the Batelco Ramadan Bowling Tournament, which will be held nightly at the Bapco Club’s Bowling Lanes, in Awali. The event final will be held on August 20th. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=715 2717AD80-1DAF-41AD-8E1A-E691A92816F0 Tue, 9 Aug 2011 09:01:53 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Regency%20and%20Batelco.JPG"><br /> Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad, 2nd from left, presenting the sponsorship to Intercontinental Regency Director of Sales & Marketing Cyril Mouawad, 3rd from left with Intercontinental Regency PR & Marketing Manager Diana Ionescu, left and Batelco PR Specialist Ahmed Zainal, right<br /> <br /> Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community has sponsored a number of Ramadan events and venues including the Ramadan Tent at the Intercontinental Regency Hotel.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to align itself with the newly refurbished luxury hotel which has been an icon in the Kingdom of Bahrain for many years.<br /> <br /> “Ramadan is a very special time on the Bahraini calendar and we therefore strive to support a varied range of activities that add value for our customers and all residents of Bahrain,” added Mr. Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=714 05C8B64D-6866-4BB8-86D0-75DD455D79B4 Tue, 9 Aug 2011 09:00:04 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications services provider has announced a great new deal for its Mobile Prepaid customers (SimSim) as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations. Following the success of Batelco’s BD4 Monthly Unlimited Calls offer, Batelco has rolled out the new deal for Prepaid customers who can now benefit from unlimited calling time for Batelco to Batelco calls, to mobiles and land lines, for only BD1 per week.<br /> <br /> To activate the service, Prepaid customers need to send ‘A1’ to 4554 and start enjoying more talk time for less money. The service will be automatically renewed each week, as long as the customer has a minimum of BD2 credit available. <br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that the great new offer adds to the many and varied special promotions currently available and should give Batelco’s Prepaid mobile customers plenty to smile about.<br /> <br /> “The low priced unlimited calls bundle delivers unbeatable value for money and will be a big help for our customers allowing them to keep in touch with their family and friends during Ramadan,” he added.<br /> <br /> To unsubscribe from the BD1 Unlimited National Weekly Calls service the customer must send the text “D1” to 4554, noting that he/she will still benefit from any remaining days of free calls until the end of the week.<br /> <br /> Customers are invited to visit Batelco’s website, www.batelco.com&nbsp;&nbsp;or any of Batelco’s Retail Shops for more information about the many fantastic deals available from Batelco, all designed to add value and convenience. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=713 CF957EB1-12B5-4B3B-B35D-2598D53DCF13 Sun, 7 Aug 2011 08:59:27 +0300
Participants and officials at the Video Conference

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider continues with its support for the Crown Prince International Scholarship Programme (CPISP), as part of its ongoing commitment to educational initiatives in the Kingdom.

Amongst its most recent endeavours, Batelco hosted a Video Conference at its Hamala Headquarters with representatives from CPISP, Mumtalakat and Batelco in attendance in addition to a number of scholarship recipients taking part in the CPISP Action Learning Programme. This year’s Action Learning Programme includes the participation of Batelco, Alba, and Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company.

The summer learning initiative teams-up CPISP recipients with delegates from major companies in Bahrain to work on a real business challenge.  The programme is based on the concept of action learning, which is an educational process where participants study their own actions and experiences to improve performance.

The Video Conference on the topic of Complexity Theory, was held with Professor Paul Cilliers, Centre for Studies in Complexity, Department of Philosophy, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco continues to invest in education as it plays such a crucial role in the future of any country.

“In the case of the CPISP students, who have all achieved outstanding results from their schools, Batelco is delighted to witness these high flyers as they blossom thanks to the opportunities they are given to study at leading international universities.”

“We are also looking forward to reviewing the work carried out by the Action Learning students who will be running different projects at Batelco,” he added.

Since the formation of the CPISP, Batelco has been a keen supporter and has donated significant funds to assist with the success of the innovative programme.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=712 D6856607-9F9C-4BB2-9336-750650E7EA0B Sat, 6 Aug 2011 09:35:54 +0300
Mr. Alsaad, right, presents the cheque to Mr. Al Mastoor, in the presence of Batelco PR Specialist Ahmed Zainal, left

Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community and sports, is the main sponsor of the annual charity bowling tournament taking place at Funland during Ramadan in honour of the late Faisal Abdulhameed, formerly a key player for Al Najma and Bahrain National Bowling Team.

This is the 6th year that Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications company has sponsored the prominent tournament, which is taking place for the 18th year. The tournament will run until August 24th, with matches taking place every evening from 7.30pm onwards.

At the conclusion of the Batelco Charity Bowling Tournament, the first 32 placed players will each receive a cash prize. Additionally, the participant with the highest score in a game for the whole tournament and the player with the highest aggregate score over nine games throughout the competition will also receive cash prizes. Furthermore, everyday of the tournament will see the entrant with the highest average score for three games walk away with a cash prize. Batelco representative will be on hand nightly to present prizes to the daily winners.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presented a sponsorship cheque to Mohamed Al Mastoor, a member of the organising committee at a recent meeting held at Batelco in Hamala.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to support the very popular annual tournament which provided great entertainment for bowling players and fans during Ramadan evenings.

Head of the Tournament Organising Committee Jaffar Al Qassab extended his thanks to Batelco for their generous financial support, without which the tournament could not take place.

“The participants look forward to this tournament which provides so many players with the chance to enjoy their favourite sport and also have the chance to pick up a nice cash prize,” he added.

]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=711 DF398C6D-BFE6-4DE5-863E-4E18FDC98D31 Fri, 5 Aug 2011 09:34:24 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Sofitel%20and%20Batelco.JPG"><br /> Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presenting the sponsorship deal to Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa General Manager Bert Plas. From left to right, Batelco PR Specialist Ahmed Zainal, Mr. Alsaad, Sofitel Executive Director of Protocol for VIP & Government Affairs Hassan Alansari, Mr. Plas, Sofitel Director of Human Resources Pradeep Shinde and Sofitel Director Food & Beverage Hakim Karoui <br /> <br /> Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community has sponsored a number of Ramadan events and venues including the Ramadan Tent at the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp; <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to align itself with Bahrain’s newest luxury hotel by supporting Sofitel for their first Ramadan in the Kingdom of Bahrain.<br /> <br /> As part of the sponsorship, Batelco is also providing prizes to be raffled by Sofitel for the added entertainment of its guests.<br /> <br /> “Ramadan is a very special time on the Bahraini calendar and we therefore strive to support a varied range of activities that add value for our customers and all residents of Bahrain,” added Mr. Al Janahi. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=710 576821BB-E22E-41B4-9781-FC9C1E547961 Thu, 4 Aug 2011 09:30:12 +0300
Batelco Public Relations team members with the representatives from Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence. From left to right, Batelco PR Manager Osama Alsaad, Batelco Care Centre General Coordinator Osama Yaqoob, Batelco PR Specialist Eman Faqih, Batelco PR Specialist Ahmed Zainal and Batelco Care Centre General Manager Hamad Alshehabi


Batelco has received recognition from the Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence, in appreciation of its ongoing support. As part of Batelco’s commitment to the community, the Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence was originally established, and Batelco continues to lend its support to the Centre on an ongoing basis.

Batelco Care Centre General Manager Hamad Alshehabi and General Coordinator Osama Yaqoob recently visited Batelco Hamala to present the certificates of appreciation to the company. The certificates were received by member of Batelco’s Public Relations Team.

Over the years the Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence has provided much needed support in the community. The Centre is a crucial lifeline for the safety and security for all those affected by violence in their own home. It is staffed by volunteers, including doctors, nurses, lawyers, social workers and psychiatrists who offer their services and aid to all victims of domestic violence – including men, women and children of all nationalities. The Centre operates on a confidential basis and everyone who seeks help can be assured of sensitive, thoughtful care that is tailored to their specific case.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco is committed to helping the most vulnerable members of the community.

“We are proud of the part we have played in establishing the Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence and very pleased with its success in reaching out to those who need a safe haven,” he added.

Batelco Care Centre General Manager Hamad Alshehabi thanked Batelco for their invaluable input over the years to provide a refuge for victims of family violence.

“Batelco’s support has ensured that those affected by domestic abuse have somewhere to go and someone to turn to for advice or aid,” he said.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=709 2F71C2A5-F160-4B18-8ED2-28270B9A9A45 Thu, 4 Aug 2011 09:27:16 +0300
Batelco Public Relations Specialist Ahmed Zainal presenting an iPad to Yousif Yaqoob who collected the prize on behalf of Jasim Yaqoob


Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications services provider has presented prizes to 26 customers who were the lucky winners for the month of June in the Company’s ‘Pay your bill Online and Win’ promotion. Two customers, Hussain Ali Ali and Jasim Yaqoob Alaskari each won an iPad and 24 customers each won a BD50 cash prize.

As part of their campaign to introduce customers to Batelco’s e-billing services, Batelco launched a three month promotion giving customers the chance to win BD50 cash and iPads by paying their phone bills online. Each month, 24 lucky customers will win BD50 cash, a total of 72 winners over the duration of the promotion. Additionally, the two highest payers each month win an iPad, a total of 6 iPads throughout the campaign.

Customers who already have an e-Service account may visit batelco.com and access eServices via the new login link now available on the homepage. New customers are also invited to register via the batelco.com homepage. The site is user friendly and includes educational tutorials for the assistance of customers.

The promotion will continue until August 31st giving all customers time to use the Batelco eServices portal to pay their telecom bills using credit or debit cards, from their PC’s at home or at the office, or via their smart phones or laptops no matter where they are. Customers who pay their telecom bills via Batelco QuickServe Machines are also entered into the draw to win the cash prizes and iPads.

Batelco’s e-Services portal provides ease of access for customers to a range of additional services such as managing their broadband or mobile accounts, subscribing or upgrading to a range of broadband and mobile services, customizing mobile packages, reserving ‘nice’ mobile numbers plus much more, in addition to viewing and paying their bills.

Batelco will announce the next batch of winners in mid August and the final batch in the middle of September.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=708 CDEC8DA3-CF50-4FA2-BF10-452E10B6FB45 Wed, 3 Aug 2011 09:25:10 +0300
B-Lite….The best option to enjoy a high quality phone at a low price

As part of Batelco’s fantastic offers to mark the occasion of its 30th anniversary year, Batelco is delighted to introduce B-Lite, the first Batelco branded Phone for Prepaid customers.

B-Lite, which comes complete with a FREE starter pack and one year validity for SimSim lines, is priced at only BD17! This is great value for money and is the perfect choice for those who want to enjoy Batelco’s top quality telecom connections at a very low price.

The B-Lite Batelco branded phone delivers in-demand features such as a camera, radio, advanced music player, internet access and Bluetooth, packaged in a sleek design that is highly convenient for every day use. Thanks to Batelco’s modern and advanced network, B-Lite customers can enjoy an excellent internet experience to access such popular social sites as Facebook, Twitter and Opera.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco’s passion for connecting Bahrain continues to drive the Company’s delivery of new products and services that offer the best telecommunication choices for customers.

The B-Lite device comes with a three month warranty and is now available at all Batelco Retail Shops.

“B-Lite is a great and convenient option for prepaid customers and extends our excellent portfolio of SimSim products,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

For details about Batelco’s latest products and services to mark their 30th anniversary year, please visit www.batelco.com or visit any Batelco Retail Shop or phone 196.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=706 2AC09DC9-5431-4A0A-8254-CC5E7D03F095 Mon, 1 Aug 2011 14:48:57 +0300 <br /> Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company is delighted to announce the launch of Batelco UrFilez for its mobile customers, to provide them with the facility to stream thousands of music files directly on their handsets.<br /> <br /> The UrFilez music streaming application is now available for free download from major App Stores. The much awaited App delivers content from international labels for users to stream to their mobile handsets by creating their own personalized radio stations. The application is available for Batelco’s postpaid and prepaid Blackberry, iPhone and Android users.<br /> <br /> Batelco customers can receive a link to download the application by sending an SMS message ‘REQ’ to 4777, and then try the application for free with limited functionality, or subscribe to an exclusive Batelco package that offers the first month absolutely free. Following the first month, customers can continue to enjoy unlimited UrFilez usage for only 1BD per month, and enjoy all their favourite music tracks, with standard data usage rates applying as per the user’s mobile package.<br /> <br /> “This is great news, especially for the youth market that has a huge demand for music on their mobiles. With a vast choice of international music, UrFilez and Batelco will be a winning combination,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.<br /> “Batelco continues to look for new and exciting ways to add value for their customers, and this easy-to-use application to deliver music to suit each individual taste, is an excellent addition to our portfolio,” he added.<br /> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=704 AB5D9A31-1A6E-4D65-B940-7FFB3BBF798E Sun, 31 Jul 2011 13:34:06 +0300
Mr. Alsaad, right, presents the cheque to Mr. Alsulaiti, in the presence of Batelco PR Specialist Ahmed Zainal, left

Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community and sports, will take the lead as the title sponsor for the upcoming Bowling Tournament to be held at the Bapco Club in Awali in memory of the late Hasan Ramadan.

The Batelco Ramadan Bowling Tournament is being held for the second successive year in memory of Hasan Ramadan, who is remembered as a bowling legend and to raise support for Mr. Ramadan’s daughter’s education.  The tournament will run throughout Ramadan, with matches taking place every evening from 7.30pm to midnight.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presented a sponsorship cheque to President of the event organising committee Nasser Alsulaiti at a recent meeting held at Batelco in Hamala.
In addition to its sponsorship, Batelco will also enter a team in the tournament.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco’s support for community sporting events was an integral part of its social commitment.

“We are keen to support a number of events that take place during Ramadan in order to bring people together at this special time. Sports activities of this type play a very important role in bringing a diverse range of people together which helps to strengthen community bonds,” he added.

Mr. Alsulaiti extended his thanks to Batelco for their generous financial support, without which the tournament could not take place. He also expressed his appreciation that Batelco’s bowling team would take part in the event.

“Batelco Bowling team is very well known on the Bahrain sports scene and their participation will undoubtedly elevate the level of play.”

“The funds raised during last year’s event allowed us to provide a monthly salary for the year to Mr. Ramadan’s daughter and we are hoping for even greater success this year,” he added.

All bowling fans are welcome to attend the Batelco Ramadan Bowling Tournament, which will be held nightly at the Bapco Club’s Bowling Lanes, in Awali.

]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=705 3CE757D4-4048-4FF6-BEE6-2BCB3AB5A02A Sat, 30 Jul 2011 13:32:52 +0300
Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presenting the sponsorship cheque to Ministry of Culture, Head of Media Dept., Randa Farouk with Batelco PR Representative Hasan Al Maskati, left

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company and a keen supporter of youth programmes, is delighted to join hands with the organising committee of Ta’a Al Shabab to enhance the variety of programmes at this year’s festival which will take place in September.

Ta’a Al Shabab is an annual youth cultural festival, launched in 2009 with the support of the Cultural Ministry, to direct Bahrain’s youth towards cultural and intellectual undertakings. Through a series of initiatives related to architecture, reading, research, literature, music and technology, young people are provided with the opportunity to interact and learn while sharing their knowledge and experiences.

This year’s theme, “Restoration  ...Intellection  ... Approximation” will build on the successes of the past two years and increase the scope of the festival by the addition of a new programme under the theme of ‘Technique’. Batelco’s contribution will support this new programme which has an emphasis on the evolution of telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) and aims to increase youth awareness through a range of displays, seminars and workshops.

H.E. the Minister of Culture, Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa expressed the Ministry’s keen interest in the youth of Bahrain, stating that they had an ongoing commitment to support and sponsor innovative youth related activities.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that initiatives that added value to the lives of young Bahraini’s were high on Batelco’s priorities under their CSR programme.

“Furthermore, we are very keen to support programmes that foster awareness about telecommunications and IT with the aim to expand the knowledge of participants with regard to understanding the rapidly changing  industry,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=703 E0230C90-233A-40C2-A5E6-E4B0BB0BA8E0 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 13:31:21 +0300
Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad, with a display of Ramadan Baskets

Batelco has completed the delivery of 27,000 Ramadan Baskets to the Kingdoms’ charitable societies as part of its annual donations programme. The Charities will soon begin to distribute the baskets to needy families across the Kingdom as preparation begins for the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Each basket weighs about 10 kg and includes essential foodstuffs that are traditionally in high demand during the Holy Month. They will be delivered to families who have been identified by the charities as needing extra support during the holy month.

“The baskets have already been distributed to the societies for onward delivery to those most in need in their communities,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We are delighted each year to make this contribution to the Bahraini community. It is without doubt a very worthwhile initiative that is highly appreciated by the charitable societies and needy families,” added Mr. Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=702 B6793831-BDBE-4333-9052-F899E038B139 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:30:18 +0300 Batelco has issued a warning to its customers to be on the alert regarding reports of fraudulent emails. A number of Batelco customers have reported receiving emails asking them to `Resolve their Accounts` where a link in the email redirects customers to a phishing site that has the look and feel of Batelco eServices, but is in fact nothing to do with Batelco

Batelco eServices is VeriSign and ISO certified and functions fully on secure mode with the SSL certificate. It is extremely important for customers to be aware of any site address that they are directed to and the security of the certificate before they attempt to log in or provide information.

An example of a phishing attempt is an email message asking you to "click here" to verify your information. Phishing scams are crude social engineering tools designed to induce panic in the reader. These scams attempt to trick recipients into responding or clicking immediately, by claiming they will lose something (e.g., email, bank account) in order for the scammers to obtain the customer`s login credentials or credit card details. Such a claim is always indicative of a phishing scam, as responsible companies and organisations will never take these types of actions via email.

“If you feel the message may be legitimate, go directly to the company`s web site - i.e., type the real URL (address) into your browser, or contact the company to see if you really do need to take the action described in the email message.”

For the highest level of trust and security while visiting web sites, it is recommended to make sure that the address (URL) of the site that you visit matches the address that you would expect.

“Lack of awareness can lead to such incidents but with some education into what to look out for and by taking some simple steps, people can be spared a great deal of inconvenience,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

Batelco has also posted detailed information on its website: www.batelco.com/portal/broadband/security.asp

“The posted information includes a glossary of all the terminology customers may come across such as Phishing, Virus, Trojan, Spyware, etc. as understanding all this jargon can be very difficult for many users. We have also included guidelines and useful tips on how to protect your system,” Mr. Al Janahi said.

Batelco also offers Inet Security Suite, a software package that can be installed on PCs or Laptops to protect the systems from a variety of threats. The software package also provides an advanced parental control feature which ensures maximum child and family safety on the Internet.

Customers may download the internet security product through Batelco e-Services for BD9 only.

Customers who are already registered to Batelco e-Services may log into their account and follow the instructions. Customers who are not registered need to do so by logging on to http://www.e-services.com.bh  and click on ‘Register’.

For any enquiries regarding phishing attempts, Batelco customers may contact Batelco’s Inet Helpdesk on 196, or email ibs@batelco.com.bh and Batelco staff will take the appropriate actions.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=697 5FB79442-A09C-4D09-B806-9429634B8765 Sun, 24 Jul 2011 13:29:25 +0300
From right Shaikh Hamad bin Abdulla Al Khalifa & Peter Kaliaropoulos


Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa announced that Batelco Group has exceeded the 10 million customers mark across its operations as the Company celebrates its 30th anniversary serving the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Following a Board Meeting on July 20th 2011, Batelco’s Chairman announced for the half year 2011, a net profit of BD38.8 million ($102.9 million) against gross revenues of BD163.2 million ($432.9 million). Earnings per share were 26.9 fils and the Board of Directors approved an interim cash dividend of 20 fils per share.

“We are extremely pleased with the continuing growth of our customer numbers, which have increased by nearly 500,000 since Q1 to now reach 10.3 million. Despite the intense competitive nature of the Bahrain market, we are also pleased that we have retained market leadership for mobile services and data network solutions,” said Shaikh Hamad.

“We will continue to invest in the Kingdom growing the economy by delivering our best range of products and services, through innovative technology to benefit consumers and businesses in Bahrain,” Shaikh Hamad added.

Batelco Group Chief Executive Officer, Peter Kaliaropoulos said that Batelco’s financial results for the half year 2011 remain consistent with market guidance.

“Batelco’s consolidated gross revenues of BD163.2 million declined by 4% compared to the same period last year. However, our Q2 versus Q1 results delivered 2% growth in gross revenues, flat operating profit at BD22.7M and growth in net profit,” said Mr. Kaliaropoulos.

The Batelco Group Chief Executive reiterated Batelco’s achievement in growing its customer base.  

“We continue to focus on executing our business strategy which is underpinned by growth in customer base and diversification of revenues and profits,” stated Mr Kaliaropoulos.

“The collective efforts of our people have resulted in a customer base of over 10.3 million. Also 37% of our revenues and 25% of our operating profit are now sourced from markets outside Bahrain delivering sound diversification of our business operations.”

“Our Group mobile customer base grew by 12% to 9.89 million since Q4 2010 while our Group Broadband customer base has grown by 8% during the same period.”

The Group’s 96% owned subsidiary in Jordan, Umniah, continues to deliver a solid performance and reported an 8% increase in its number of mobile subscribers since the beginning of the year, with their customer base now standing at 2.3 million.

STel in India now delivers mobile services to 3.3 million customers, a 43% increase since the beginning of 2011.

In Bahrain, Batelco’s total mobile customer base has improved marginally showing an increase of 2% since Q1, 2011. However, while Batelco’s wireless broadband services grew by 14% the fixed line services continued to show decline, as more and more customers migrate to mobile services.

“Mobile and broadband operators in Bahrain continue to add new customers; however, revenues per customer are declining whilst costs to acquire and retain customers are growing. In a highly penetrated market for mobiles (150% of population) and broadband (110% of households and businesses) with 3 mobile operators, this is a natural competitive consequence,” Mr. Kaliaropoulos said.

“Our priority in Bahrain is to offer better value to our customers and focus on retention and higher usage per customer. Selective cost reductions and cash flow management are also key priorities for our Bahrain Operations whilst ensuring we remain innovative with new services and customer care. Our cash balance of BD87 million grew by 94% since the same period last year and we remain debt free and in a strong position to raise funds for future expansion of our group,” he added.

Best Product line up for our 30th Anniversary Year

Mr. Kaliaropoulos stated that Batelco continues to meet the dual challenges of competition and market regulation by intensifying its strategy to introduce competitive mobile and broadband offers.

“As part of our 30th anniversary year celebrations we have already launched some tremendous offers to benefit our customers including a BD4 Bolt On offer with unlimited National Calls for mobile customers and an unmatched deal for BlackBerry SimSim customers which includes a free handset and 100MB data usage per month, for a year, all for a once off payment of BD100.”

“Furthermore, between February and June of this year, we carried out automatic upgrades to benefit our Broadband consumers and business customers by delivering a combination of faster speeds, higher threshold limits and lower prices across all our Broadband packages. Batelco delivers speed of up to 16MB for its range of fixed Broadband packages and up to 21MB for Mobile Broadband.”

“This is just the beginning and we look forward to rolling out our best ever line-up that aims to deliver something special for all Batelco’s customers for all services,” he added.

Overseas Expansion on Track

Batelco Group’s collaboration with Kingdom Holding Company to acquire 25% of Zain KSA continues to make steady progress.

“The Batelco-Kingdom Consortium has addressed all key matters of interest to Zain KSA and Zain Group relating to the due diligence exercise. All parties are now working closely to complete this phase of the transaction,” said Mr. Kaliaropoulos.  


Supporting the Community

Shaikh Hamad, Batelco’s Chairman stressed that as well as delivering relevant products and services at competitive prices to enhance residents’ lifestyles, Batelco is also committed to a beneficial CSR programme.

“Over our 30 years as a Bahraini shareholding company we have been amongst the leading local companies when it comes to supporting the local community through sponsorships and donations.

“In line with our policy to support health, education, sports and cultural initiatives, we have already paid out over BD500,000 in the first six months of this year,” said Shaikh Hamad.

Batelco Group CEO Mr. Kaliaropoulos concluded by saying that Batelco is clearly focused on market leadership in Bahrain by providing excellent customer care, a full range of services and better value to its customer base.  The Group is also pursuing the profitable growth of market share in key overseas locations and delivering synergies across operations.

“We all are privileged to have the opportunity to serve the public and the industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain over the past 30 years.  We will continue to innovate and offer many reasons to our customers to ensure we enjoy their loyalty over the years ahead,” concluded Mr. Kaliaropoulos.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=695 F1A230D2-D86B-4AC9-9863-3E041F6756E5 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:27:13 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications services provider has announced a great new deal for its Mobile Postpaid and Prepaid customers (SimSim) as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations. Customers can enjoy unlimited calling time for on-net national calls, to mobiles and land lines, for only BD4 per month.

To activate the service both Postpaid and Prepaid customers need to send the text ‘A4’ to 4554 and start enjoying more talk time for less money. For Postpaid customers the service will automatically be renewed monthly, while for Prepaid customers (SimSim) the service will be available for 30 days from the subscription date.

The offer is available for all Postpaid and Prepaid customers with the exception of those on Batelco FreeTime 20 and Super Zero packages; however these customers may transfer to a different package to benefit from the service.

Furthermore, Batelco Postpaid and Prepaid customers who already have free minutes as part of their current packages can enjoy the bonus of off-net calls. For example, customers who subscribe to Batelco Super 30 which features 3000 free minutes may use these free minutes for off-net calls, while simultaneously enjoying unlimited on-net calls by adding the BD4 service.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that the great new offer adds to the many and varied special promotions currently available and should give Batelco’s mobile customers plenty to smile about.

“The optional low priced unlimited calls bundle has been designed especially for our customers to meet their needs and has been introduced following feedback from our mobile customers” Mr. Al Janahi added.

Customers are invited to visit Batelco’s website, www.batelco.com  or any of Batelco’s Retail Shops for more information about the many superlative deals available from Batelco, all designed to enhance customer lifestyle.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=691 BE05A48B-F97C-487A-A247-0C4BB4CC694B Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:57:30 +0300
A group of Batelco management and staff wearing red, gather at Batelco’s Hamala HQ

Meeting challenges, availing of opportunities and a willingness to adapt to address the growth of competition in the local market have transformed Batelco into the most accomplished telecommunications company in Bahrain and a company of reference in the Middle East and beyond.

Bahrain Telecommunication Company’s roots can be traced back to 1864 when Bahrain’s first communications link to the rest of the world was established.

BATELCO as we know it today was established as a Bahraini shareholding company in 1981 and over an illustrious 30 year period has grown hand in hand with the growth of Bahrain’s economy.  From the beginning, the requirements of Bahrain’s residents for telecommunication services that matched international standards have been the driving force and inspiration for our evolution.

“We want to share our success with our customers and to that end we have designed a number of fantastic special offers. The first of these, unlimited on-net calls for Postpaid and Prepaid customers for BD 4 per month, and a new SimSim BlackBerry offer will be launched on Sunday 17th July, and there are many more super offers to follow for the rest of the year,” said Batelco CE Bahrain Rashid Abdulla.

Customers are invited to check out Batelco’s website www.batelco.com for information about Batelco’s products & services and for details about the latest offers. Information about the latest products, services and special offers are also available at Batelco Retail Shops located all over the Kingdom.

“We have come a long way in 30 years and today provide communications products and services to around 10 million customers across Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Egypt and India,” said Mr. Abdulla.

“Our foundation and our heritage are embedded in the Kingdom of Bahrain and on our 30th anniversary year; we renew our commitment to deliver the best value and the best products & services for our customers for the next 30 years and beyond.”]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=690 FEC537A1-FC4B-41D5-88E1-A7DE0012F3AD Sun, 17 Jul 2011 09:31:50 +0300
Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, back row 7th from left, Batelco General Manager Enterprise Division Adel Daylami, back row, 9th from left and Avaya Instructor Samuel Gabra, seated, 5th from left with participants from the course and Training Centre staff

Batelco Training Centre is proud of its role in hosting a regional training programme for Avaya ACIS (Avaya Certified Implementation Specialist) certification. Avaya is a global leader in enterprise communications systems that improve efficiency, collaboration, customer service and competitiveness.
    
A group of Delivery & Assurance engineers from Batelco and other leading System Integrators from Bahrain and GCC countries attended the programme, which took place from June 19 to July 4 at Batelco’s Training Centre, located at Hamala Headquarters.  Course instructor, Samuel Gabra, a visiting Avaya professional, utilised Batelco’s Broadband Network to access the Avaya Laboratories in the USA, to enhance the learning programme and facilitate online interaction between the students and the international lab.

The Avaya Certification programme , consisted of four courses under the titles of - Avaya Aura  Communication Manager Implementation; System Manager Administering User Profile Accounts; Advanced System Manager Administration and Session Manager Administration.

The ACIS programme certifies a candidate who has achieved a level of proficiency required to install, configure and address implementation issues for a specified Avaya product family.  The knowledge gained through the Avaya programme ensures that Batelco engineers are trained to the highest standards in order to provide professional service and advice to customers. Furthermore, such training complements Batelco’s Business Solutions Portfolio and extends the technical capability that Batelco personnel offer in delivering and supporting solutions for their customers.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla said that training and development for Batelco’s staff was a key priority to ensure that they have access to the relevant knowledge to carry out their jobs in a professional manner.

“Batelco places a strong emphasis on training and development and annually invests heavily to ensure that Batelco’s staff  have all the necessary tools to compete effectively in today’s competitive market place,” he added.

The successful certification programme follows on from an earlier Avaya training programme which took place at Batelco’s Training Centre in April. At that time 34 Batelco Account and Sales Managers successfully completed an Avaya Professional Credential Programme.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=687 1A2383ED-82CB-488E-A566-600FE3FEE1DF Sun, 10 Jul 2011 10:56:25 +0300
Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, centre, presenting the cheque to Bahrain Tennis Federation Chairman Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, right, with Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi, left

Batelco, a major supporter of sporting events in the Kingdom of Bahrain, is delighted to announce its three year partnership with the Bahrain Tennis Federation to ensure the success of a major tennis league, organised by the Bahrain Tennis League Committee.

The Batelco Bahrain Tennis League will feature three categories:-  the Super League, which is open to tennis players of a high level, the Social League, for members of tennis clubs throughout Bahrain and the Junior League, for entrants under 16 years old. All nationalities are welcome to participate in the great sporting challenge  and the winners will be the players who accumulate the most points in league matches over the six months of the competition, which begins in October, 2011.

The Super League and Junior League matches will take place at Bahrain Tennis Federation’s courts located at the University of Bahrain, Isa Town, while the Social League matches will be played at club courts throughout Bahrain.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very happy to support the Bahrain Tennis  Federation to ensure the success of the league for the next three years.

“The sponsorship forms part of our commitment to the community and sports initiatives that aims to encourage everyone, particularly young people, to participate in a variety of sporting challenges. Being involved in sports helps to foster good relationships as well as being a great way to remain healthy and fit,” said Mr. Al Janahi.

Bahrain Tennis Federation Chairman Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa visitied Batelco recently to meet with Batelco officials and receive Batelco’s sponsorship cheque.

Shaikh Ahmed extended his sincere thanks to Batelco for their invaluable support without which the league could not take place.

“We very much appreciate Batelco’s contribution which will revive this league which was once a major fixture on the Bahrain sports calendar. The event will also provide a great opportunity for young tennis players to experience competition and hone their game with a view to winning a place on Bahrain’s National Tennis Team.”

For further details about the Bahrain Tennis League, please contact the Bahrain Tennis  Federation on 17687236 or visit their website www.BahrainTennis.com]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=686 84A1ECAB-D2A5-45D4-9006-EB70D09DCDE2 Wed, 6 Jul 2011 10:55:09 +0300

International Telegram rates can be found on Batelco’s website – www.batelco.com

The telegram service has been existent for several decades and is still used extensively today, especially for government and VIP entities. Telegrams are a convenient and economical way to send important messages. Customers can easily access the numerous pre-written telegram messages for a variety of occasions that are available online on http://www.batelco.com/portal/fixed/. Otherwise, customers may create their own customised messages.

To send a telegram, customers may phone (973) 1788 1131 or visit any Batelco Retail Shop. Alternatively, telegram requests may be received by fax on (973) 17 261152 or via email on telegram@batelco.com.bh. Full service details are available on the above website.

“Batelco’s Telegram service is just one of a huge number of products and services delivered by Batelco to meet the needs of all its valued customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=685 184A620C-7B54-4EC0-9FDD-154AEDB95685 Tue, 5 Jul 2011 10:41:16 +0300
Batelco General Manager Government Relations Nadia Hussain presenting the sponsorship cheque to inJAz Bahrain Deputy Executive Director, Badria Naqi, at a meeting held recently at inJAz Bahrain’s office in Manama

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider has announced its ongoing support for inJAz Bahrain, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme.  inJAz Bahrain is a non-profit organisation which aims to educate Bahraini students about the fundamental concepts of economic based education.

In addition to providing financial support to inJAz Bahrain, Batelco will also provide Job Shadow opportunities for a number of inJAz Bahrain students during 2011.

The inJAz Bahrain Job Shadow programme provides the opportunity for students to gain workplace experience and learn more about career options. Such experience builds invaluable skills such as realising the importance of showing up on time for work, dealing with supervision in the workplace, learning how to handle stress, developing interpersonal skills to work in harmony with team players plus much more. It gives the participants the opportunity to experience a typical day on the job and realise how the skills learned in educational establishments relate to the workplace.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to continue with its support for the very worthwhile inJAz Bahrain programme.

“Through our support we hope to benefit many participants of the programme and we look forward to seeing students take part in the work shadow programme here at Batelco.”

“Such learning opportunities that can be gained through participation in the workplace should greatly enhance classroom learning,” he added.

In her capacity as the Deputy Executive Director of inJAz, Badria Naqi said, “We have always counted on Batelco’s support both financially and through the provision of volunteers. This finacial aid will enable us to extend the Job Shadow programme to as many as 100 students.  We are truly grateful for Batelco’s continuous support which has so evidently contributed to inJAz Bahrain’s sustainbilty and growth.”

Since the formation of inJAz Bahrain, Batelco has been a keen supporter and additionally a number of Batelco employees have actively supported inJAz Bahrain by volunteering their time to deliver the programmes and share their skills with inJAz Bahrain students.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=684 3A61605A-1D5F-4E84-890A-A8652BCBBB8E Mon, 4 Jul 2011 10:39:59 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading ISP has enhanced its Broadband portfolio to offer its customers the ultimate Broadband experience. Customers now have the option to customise their Broadband package by adding extra usage bundles via Batelco’s e-Services portal at batelco.com or by visiting any Batelco Retail Shop. Additionally, Broadband customers can avail of a terrific opportunity to own a Sony LCD or Sony 3D TV and the latest PS3 320GB game console as part of an unbeatable combo offer.

Batelco has eight Broadband Packages starting from the 2GB/640Kbps entry package up to the 100GB/16Mbps package. In order to meet customers’ demands to increase their package threshold, Batelco has designed a choice of four Bolt-On Usage Bundles which includes 1GB for only BD1, 2GB at BD1.5, 5GB at BD4 and 10GB for only BD7. The Bolt-Ons can be added as required or set up on a monthly auto-renewal basis.

Adding even more to smile about with Batelco’s  Broadband experience customers can enjoy the best of home entertainment by availing of Batelco’s Combo offer which features a choice of the latest Sony TV’s with Internet capability   in combination with the Sony Slim PS3. Additional free benefits include Skype Cameras, wall brackets and 3D glasses.

The instalment offers, with the choice of 12 or 18 month options, are open for both current and new Batelco Broadband customers who subscribe to one of Batelco’s Broadband packages. Customers can benefit further from the instalment scheme and take on more than one device on instalment, which includes a wide selection of laptops, with different price ceilings applying depending on the customer’s Broadband package.

Customers are invited to visit Batelco’s website, batelco.com, or any of Batelco’s Retail Shops for more information about the many options available as part of Batelco’s Broadband experience.

“Our instalment deals have been very popular to date and we are delighted to add the fantastic combo deal to buy a TV and Playstation in a convenient and reasonably priced way,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The optional low priced GB Bolt On bundles have been designed especially for our customers with varying download needs and have been introduced following feedback from our Broadband customers,” Mr. Al Janahi added.

Visit batelco.com or a Batelco Retail Shop today and explore the many ways that Batelco can enhance your lifestyle.  ]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=683 59916B54-E537-4F12-9494-3A6CCC3B2528 Sun, 3 Jul 2011 10:39:07 +0300
Batelco General Manager Consumer Division Muna Alhashemi, 4th from left, Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer Karim Makhlouf, 5th from left and Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi, 2nd from left with other Batelco and Gulf Air representatives


Batelco, the Kingdoms leading Telecommunications Company and Gulf Air, Bahrain’s National airline have announced an added benefit for their customers.  Members of Batelco Al Dana Club and Gulf Air’s Frequent flyer programme can now benefit from a strategic partnership signed recently between both companies.

Batelco’s Al Dana Club members will be provided with Gulf Air Silver Frequent Flyer cards to accumulate Frequent Flyer miles, when they pay their Batelco bills. These miles can then be used towards payment for buying tickets to travel on Gulf Air to any of its destinations all over the world.

Furthermore, Gulf Air’s Gold Frequent flyer members, who are Batelco users, will be provided with special offers from Batelco on Postpaid, Smart Phone and Broadband Packages exclusively.

Al Dana Club is Batelco’s exclusive Customer Relationship programme for residential customers who meet a number of set requirements based on long term loyalty to Batelco’s products and services. The exclusive Club has been in operation for a number of years and Batelco regularly adds new special benefits for its members.

During 2010, Batelco unveiled exclusive Al Dana Club counters, which provide ‘red carpet’ treatment for its members, at Batelco’s Retail Shops in City Centre Mall, Seef Mall, Gosi Centre, Isa Town Mall and Hamad Town.

All Al Dana Club members are also entitled to a free Al Dana Dining Club card which entitles the bearer to receive discounts at hundreds of outlets throughout Bahrain including restaurants, hotels, beauty salons and coffee shops and at thousands of international locations also.

Among the additional privileges enjoyed by each Al Dana customer is access to a dedicated account manager to provide round the clock assistance with any telecom request. Al Dana Club members can also look forward to special offers and promotions throughout the year and be the first to be offered Batelco’s new products and services.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that the Al Dana Club is designed to give extra special treatment to those customers who consistently remain loyal to Batelco and avail of a range of the Company’s products and services on an ongoing basis.

“We are very pleased to enter into this agreement with Gulf Air to deliver free Frequent Flyer cards and miles to our customers,” he added.

Gulf Air Chief Commercial Officer Karim Makhlouf said that as the National Carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Air are proud to join hands with Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecom services provider,  in this commercial tie-up.

“With the Gulf Air Silver Card Frequent Flyer membership, Batelco customers can start earning miles that can be exchanged for a number of benefits with Gulf Air including free flights, upgrades, lounge access and excess baggage.”

“We are looking forward to a fruitful long-term relationship with our country’s leading telecom services provider.”

“The Gulf Air Frequent Flyer programme is one of the popular Frequent Flyer programmes that offer generous benefits and incentives to loyal customers. The Gulf Air Frequent Flyer programme already has over 800,000 members, “added Mr. Makhlouf.

Membership to the Al Dana club, which requires meeting certain criteria, is at the sole discretion of Batelco only.  For further details, please visit Batelco web site at  www.batelco.com/aldana]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=682 AB320F34-DA82-4B82-B4B4-B35B76DBFAC3 Sun, 3 Jul 2011 10:35:51 +0300 Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading BlackBerry services provider has launched SimSim Unlimited data for BlackBerry customers, giving them unlimited BlackBerry access for only BD11 each month.

To set up the unlimited access, SimSim customers need to simply send an SMS ‘ABBU’ to 4554 and enjoy access to BlackBerry Messenger (BBM), the very convenient service to deliver free communication between BlackBerry users, no matter where they are located. Additionally benefit from access to all your favourite web content, such as videos and pictures as well as email facilities and popular social media such as Facebook and Twitter.  This service will also benefit the customers to freely enjoy application downloads via App World.

“Blackberry, which was once considered the device of choice for business customers, continues to grow in popularity with all ages across all sectors. Therefore we continue to evolve our product offerings to meet the needs of all sectors of customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Batelco has invested to deliver the latest technology providing the best-in-class services so that our BlackBerry customers benefit from a fast connection over Batelco’s Global Network, the fastest and most reliable in the Kingdom.”

“The prepaid SimSim Unlimited option for BlackBerry delivers great value for money and removes any worries about threshold limits, our customers can enjoy our services anywhere, anytime.” added Mr. Al Janahi.

For details about all Batelco products and services log on to batelco.com  or visit any of Batelco’s Retail Shops.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=681 1B562022-7756-46E3-A259-34F35545BC0A Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:34:43 +0300
Batelco Public Relations Manager, Osama Alsaad, 2nd from left presents the sponsorship cheque to International Leadership Conference Chairman Khalid Al Quod in the presence of Batelco PR Specialist Noor Behzad, left, Prince Events Management Business Development Manager Zahra Baqer, 2nd from right, and Prince Events managements Marketing Manager, Kevin Craig, right.

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications company has made an early commitment to be the Prime Sponsor of The 1st Bahrain International Leadershift conference, which is scheduled to take place at Bahrain Crown Plaza on November 21st and 22nd, 2011. The event is being held under the patronage of the Minister of Oil & Gas Affairs and Chairman of the National Oil & Gas Authority H.E. Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza. It is anticipated that the CEO’s of Bahrain’s leading companies and around 200 delegates will be in attendance at the two day event.

Following the financial crisis which gripped the world’s economy from 2008 to 2010 many organisations are now in the process of recovery, restoring and rebuilding. It is imperative not to lose the lessons learnt during those testing times. Much has been learned from leading through crisis management and the event will provide the opportunity for an exchange of knowledge to discover the new forms of leadership that will be required to set the right goals, communicate the right ideas and deliver effective results going forward.

Bahrain International Leadershift Conference is designed to be transformational by challenging the established mindset and aiming to equip attendees with the tools to perform at the  top of their ability. The Conference aspires to help delegates to become the kind of visionary leaders that are required at this point in history.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to lend its support and contribute towards a successful event.
“While Bahrain may not have been as badly affected as  some leading nations, some industries have experienced difficult times and this conference will provide an excellent opportunity for the leading business brains of the Kingdom to come together and discuss the type of leadership required for a successful future,” he said.
Mr. Khalid Al Quod, Chairman of the conference, expressed his delight at Batelco’s commitment to the event saying, “We would like to thank Batelco for their outstanding support and commitment for the Bahrain community and for sponsoring the key conferences in Bahrain which aim to develop the future leaders of the kingdom. ”

“The Leadershift Conference will be one of the gatherings most popular with and most beneficial for corporate leaders. This moment in history demands a new form of leadership that can set the right goals, communicate the right ideas, and deliver effective results,” he added.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presented the sponsorship cheque to Khalid Al Quod , Chairman of the 1st Bahrain International Leadershift Conference, at a meeting held recently at Batelco Hamala Headquarters.

Caption: Batelco Public Relations Manager, Osama Alsaad, 2nd from left presents the sponsorship cheque to International Leadership Conference Chairman Khalid Al Quod in the presence of Batelco PR Specialist Noor Behzad, left, Prince Events Management Business Development Manager Zahra Baqer, 2nd from right, and Prince Events managements Marketing Manager, Kevin Craig, right.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=679 FC6D140F-B1E4-477A-9A48-B3A83526B4C1 Tue, 28 Jun 2011 10:33:30 +0300

Batelco Chairman of the Board Sh. Hamad bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, third from right, together with Undersecretary for Civil Aviation (CAA) Captain Abdulrahman Al-Gaoud, fourth from right, Director of Corporate Planning (CAA) Husain Al Shuail, fifth from right, Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi and Batelco Manager Public Relations Osama AlSaad at the event.

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider, has announced its sponsorship of the Bahrain International Airshow 2012 which will take place at the Sakhir Airbase from January 19th to 21st, 2012.

Batelco Chairman of the Board Sh. Hamad bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and Farnborough International LTD Exhibition director Amanda Stainer signed the sponsorship contract with the organizing committee of the Bahrain International Airshow at the Paris Airshow 2011 in France.

“We are proud of Batelco as a national company that provides the highest quality telecommunications services both in Bahrain and abroad. Their cooperation with government agencies for the sponsorship of this event is an excellent example of cooperation between the private and public sectors,” said Captain Abdulrahman Mohammed Al-Gaoud, vice-president of the Bahrain International Airshow Organizing Committee and Undersecretary for Civil Aviation (CAA).

“We are truly pleased to partner-up with Batelco once again and look forward to another successful Airshow that brings international representatives of the industry to Bahrain,” he added.

“We are honoured and delighted to extend our support to this event which is taking place for the second time in the Kingdom,” said Batelco Group General Manager of Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The prestigious event is poised to once again put the Kingdom of Bahrain in the world spotlight and demonstrate to the international business community the outstanding capabilities offered by organisations operating in Bahrain.”

“Batelco sponsored a successful Bahrain International Airshow in 2010 and we look forward to making the event in 2012 even more extraordinary,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=678 52F71212-EF51-4E1B-995A-B231EBE5A88D Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:34:39 +0300 The Batelco- Kingdom Holding Consortium, was granted access to Zain Saudi`s records thus ensuring the deal can progress to the final stages.<br /> <br /> The Board of Directors of Zain Saudi, at a meeting held earlier today, approved a non binding Term Sheet with the Kingdom Holding Company and Batelco Group Consortium, which paves the way for due diligence to be completed for the sale of 25% stake in Zain Saudi .<br /> <br /> All companies involved expressed their complete satisfaction with the outcome.<br /> <br /> On behalf of Kingdom Holding Company, Mr. Ahmed Halawani, Executive Director and member of the Board said "we just cleared a major milestone towards a successful closure.All parties negotiated in a very consultative and professional manner to ensure value is created for Zain KSA and their respective shareholders. We will continue to work as one team to conclude the due diligence stage smoothly and successfully and ensure that Zain KSA rapidly and profitably builds market share"<br /> <br /> Batelco Group CEO, Peter Kaliaropoulos, commented that "we were always confident that the Consortium would satisfactorily address all matters raised by Zain Saudi. This is a complex transaction involving four different companies. Understandably all issues relating to the Due Diligence exercise and the scope and commercial terms of the Management Agreement required careful consideration and negotiation by all parties. We are all pleased with the agreement reached and remain focused on accelerating Zain`s growth and value to its customers in KSA".<br /> <br /> Due Diligence is expected to be completed by end of August and the transaction finalised by the end of Q3. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=677 BB8D0ABF-0ED5-4666-B197-97151BC7E23C Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:33:36 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Kanoo%20School%20Award.jpg"><br /> Batelco Senior Manager Marketing & Communications Maha Abdulrahman, 3rd from left and Batelco Public Relations Representative Hasan Al Maskati, 2nd from left, tour the exhibition of photos with students<br /> <br /> Batelco has received recognition from Abdul Rahman Kanoo International School (ARKIS) for its sponsorship earlier this year, which enabled students to participate in a charity trip to Kenya. ARKIS students take part in a charity venture as part of their International Baccalaureate Programme, on an annual basis. Each year, the venture visits a different country and Batelco has sponsored a number of students each year for a number of years.<br /> <br /> Batelco Senior Manager Marketing & Communications Maha Abdulrahman and Batelco Public Relations Representative Hasan Al Maskati attended the event on behalf of Batelco and viewed an exhibition of photos and a video which detailed the activities and captured the special moments from the students’ trip.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to support the Abdul Rahman Kanoo school students to enable them participate in such a worthwhile venture to support those less fortunate in underprivileged locations overseas.<br /> <br /> “Batelco is committed to a comprehensive Social Responsibility programme and charity ventures such as this help develop a sense of social responsibility and global awareness in those who participate,” he added. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=676 69AD2E14-D142-4C9A-9A09-DCD0EF8173B3 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:03:27 +0300 Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading communications services provider continues to enhance its online options for the benefit of its customers. Accordingly, Batelco is currently in the process of introducing more customers to its e-Services portal and eBilling service, to add to their convenience and put a wider range of Batelco’s online services at their fingertips.

Starting from mid June, Batelco will create e-Services accounts for all of its Broadband customers that are not already registered for the services and will also enable the eBilling feature so that customers will benefit from the convenience of receiving their bills via email each month. Batelco will provide the details of the new eServices accounts via email. Upon the customer’s verification for the email sent, the eServices account and eBilling feature will be activated.

Once confirmed, customers will start to receive their telecom bills via email and will have the option to use the eServices portal to pay their telecom bills using credit or debit cards, from the comfort and convenience of their home or office, or via their smart phones or laptops no matter where they are. Customers can also opt to stop their paper bills in favour of receiving them by email only.

Batelco’s e-Services portal also provides ease of access for customers to a range of services such as managing their broadband or mobile accounts, subscribing or upgrading to a range of broadband and mobile services, customizing mobile packages, reserving ‘nice’ mobile numbers plus much more, in addition to viewing and paying their bills.

Batelco launched eBilling in 2009, the first company in the Kingdom to offer electronic bills directly to customers’ email accounts. The free service was introduced to meet the demand from customers for electronic services that are easy to use, convenient and additionally environmentally friendly, by eliminating paper bills.

Customers who already have an e-Service account may visit batelco.com and access eServices via the new login link now available on the homepage. New customers are also invited to register via the batelco.com homepage. The site is user friendly and includes educational tutorials for the assistance of customers.

Furthermore, Batelco has launched a special promotion which will run until August 31st. Customers who pay their bills online will be entered into a monthly raffle to win BD50 cash and iPads. Each month, 24 lucky customers will win BD50 cash, a total of 72 winners over the duration of the promotion. Additionally, the two highest payers each month will win an iPad, a total of 6 iPads throughout the campaign.

Batelco continues to be a leader of innovate technologies and is working tirelessly to deliver world class products and services supported with excellent customer care via their 196 Helpdesk which operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=675 1B581BA4-96FD-4E8A-96AD-CEABAE89E7FB Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:02:46 +0300
Moreover, Batelco’s Business Broadband service now offers Unlimited Threshold on all packages with high speeds up to 16 Mbps using ADSL2 technology, ensuring Batelco’s customers benefit from top quality reliable service.

In addition to the unbeatable price reductions across Batelco’s Business Broadband packages, subscribers to Batelco’s 6 Mbps package will be automatically migrated to the 8Mbps package. This is excellent news as these subscribers will now benefit from a combination of higher speed and lower price.

Batelco’s Internet service is provisioned over a cutting edge NGN (Next Generation Network) connected to the public Internet network through highly diversified international links connecting Batelco to the outside world through different locations.  Such infrastructure provides diversity for international routes and hence ensures Internet continuity for customers.

Accordingly,  Batelco is enabled to offer its business customers the latest and fastest wired broadband internet service supported by its technical expertise, network diversity and 24/7 support service.

The reduced prices are amongst the most competitive in the GCC for businesses and support Batelco’s aim to transform the Company’s competitiveness, and to continually deliver a better customer experience.

This enhancement delivered by Batelco follows the recent major overhaul to Batelco’s Consumer Broadband packages whereby customers benefited from a combination of faster speeds, higher threshold limits and lower prices in automatic upgrades which took place in February.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that the Company continuously reviews all its products and services to better serve all its customers.

“We are very pleased to be delivering this great tariff reduction for our business customers. Batelco considers the needs of its customers as its number one priority and responds to their feedback by developing services that improve their communication facilities,”  he said.

For details about any of Batelco’s business products and services and the new rates please visit batelco.com or business customers may contact their dedicated Account Manager directly.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=674 8236F27D-3E51-47F6-AD5B-5AAF2CA4E2B3 Sun, 12 Jun 2011 11:00:50 +0300
Batelco Chairman, 4th from right, Batelco Group GM HR Shaikh Ahmed Al Khalifa, 4th from left, Batelco Group GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi, right, with other Batelco staff and event organisers


Batelco was proud and delighted to welcome the Swords of Allegiance entourage at Batelco Staff Centre – Multipurpose Hall, on Thursday 9th June.

Batelco’s Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa and Batelco’s management and staff attended during the morning to pledge their loyalty to the Kingdom of Bahrain and its leadership by adding their name to the tribute list. The tribute lists will be presented to His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, The Prime Minister and His Royal Highness Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, The Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander.

Additionally, employees had the opportunity to sign a special list to pledge their loyalty to Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport & President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee and have their names engraved on the Sword of Youth, which will be submitted as an entry for a Guinness World Record.

The Swords of Allegiance campaign is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Nasser, with the signing events organised in collaboration with the General Organisation for Youth and Sports Swords of Allegiance Committee, in cooperation with companies all over the Kingdom.

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad said that on behalf of Batelco he thanked the committee for honouring Batelco’s management and staff with their visit.

“As we celebrate our beloved country’s return to its former prosperity this was a valuable opportunity to come together as one big family and pledge our support for the wise leadership and the Kingdom of Bahrain,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=672 5B5CAE8F-231F-43F4-A6E7-EFE579B84319 Thu, 9 Jun 2011 10:01:56 +0300
Manager Pre-Sales &  Solution Safwan Zain, Riffa  Views Senior Sales Manager Mohamed AbdulRahman, Batelco General Manager Enterprise Division Adel Daylami, Riffa Views Managing Director Yasser Al Raee, Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla, Batelco Account Manager Sayed Ahmed Almusawi,  Batelco Senior  Sales Manager (Enterprise Sales) Yusuf Ahmed, Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama AlSaad and Riffa Views Head of Marketing & PR Karla Solano


Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading integrated communications provider and Riffa Views, Bahrain’s premium golf residential development, have signed an agreement that will provide residents of Riffa Views with state-of-the-art communications services.

The agreement will see Batelco design, supply, install and commission a Fiber Network for advanced Triple Play solution based on GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Networks) technology. GPON not only provides substantially higher efficiency as a transport network, but also delivers simplicity and superb scalability for future expansion in supporting additional services. The state-of-the-art technology will provide telephony, internet, VPN (Virtual Private Network) and IPTV capability for all residents of Riffa Views.

The announcement demonstrates Batelco’s position as a provider of cutting edge services for the consumer and business sectors. Batelco has a proven track record in delivering integrated business communication solutions and one-stop-shop convenience.

The agreement was signed by Batelco CEO Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and Riffa Views Managing Director Yasser Abdulrahman Al Raee at a ceremony held on June 6th at the Royal Golf Club.

“We are very pleased to sign this significant agreement with Riffa Views which provides us with an excellent opportunity to showcase our world class integrated solutions,” said Mr. Abdulla.

“The completion of the project will ensure that residents of the iconic housing development are amongst the best connected in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” he added.

Mr. Al Raee commented: “We are pleased to have signed this agreement with Batelco which will facilitate the provision of cutting edge triple play services at a competitive price for the residents of Riffa Views.

Homeowners will benefit from a state-of-the-art technology that offers reliable high-speed internet, telephony and video. Residents will only have to interact with one communications provider for the provision of these services and we trust this will enhance their customer experience.”

“This agreement represents the fulfillment of a commitment made at the outset of the project to the homeowners of Riffa Views.”
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=671 087A4479-F523-4062-A562-B510FDAD4CE9 Wed, 8 Jun 2011 09:57:42 +0300
Shaikh Ahmed received the award from an event official in the presence of Mrs. Alnowakhda


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications company has won the annual GCC Human Capital Award for Best Talent Management at the 3rd Annual GCC HR Excellence Awards 2011, which took place recently in Dubai.

The 3rd Annual GCC HR Excellence Awards held in conjunction with the 6th Annual Human Assets Middle East Summit, was designed to honour and recognise individuals and organisations that have demonstrated excellence in HR function and practices.  The awards annually reward organisations and individuals based on their initiatives which have taken place in the previous twelve to eighteen months.

Batelco Group General Manager Human Resources Shaikh Ahmed Al Khalifa and General Manager HR Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda were in attendance at the event to collect the award on behalf of Batelco.

“The Best Talent Management award recognises the company that has demonstrated unparalleled effort in managing its talent pool to achieve sustained levels of excellence in performance,” said Shaikh Ahmed.

“We are very pleased to have been selected from amongst many leading regional companies as the winner of this prestigious award,” he added.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=663 AB909E8B-D604-47F0-A34B-CDDF6382698A Mon, 6 Jun 2011 08:12:38 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Entrepreneurship%20Day.JPG"><br /> Batelco, BDB and AIESEC officials at Entrepreneurs Day 2011<br /> <br /> Batelco Bahrain CFO Dr. Ghassan Murad and General Manager Wholesale Division Hamza Ali were in attendance at Entrepreneurs Day 2011, which took place on May 31st at the Diplomat Radisson SAS Hotel. Batelco was a key sponsor of the one day event.<br /> <br /> Entrepreneurs Day was organised by BDB (Bahrain Development Bank) – which specializes in financing small and medium businesses – and AIESEC, the biggest student organisation worldwide which is a leading platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential. AIESEC Bahrain is recognised as a leading innovator in youth development programmes in the Kingdom.<br /> <br /> The aim of Entrepreneur`s Day, now in its 3rd year, is to create awareness about entrepreneurship and to introduce the concept as a career option for graduating Bahrainis, as opposed to the traditional employment route. Batelco is a keen supporter of initiatives that in turn support the youth of Bahrain and accordingly place such programmes high on the Company’s social responsibility agenda. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=662 1C6F27C0-0BF3-42F8-8717-08DA8D087009 Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:36:11 +0300
Some of the honoured staff with Batelco management at the Heroes Award Ceremony

Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications provider has held a special celebratory event, Heroes Award Ceremony, to thank and reward 140 employees who displayed outstanding loyalty to the Company during the recent times of unrest experienced in Bahrain.

The group of men and women were rewarded for their braveness for attending work under very difficult circumstances, in many instances putting their lives at risk to ensure that Batelco services were delivered for its customers.

The Heroes Award Ceremony, which was held recently at Batelco Staff Centre, was attended by Batelco Bahrain CEO Rashid Abdulla, Group HR General Manager Shaikh Ahmed Al Khalifa, General Manager HR Bahrain Suhaila Alnowakhda and a number of Batelco’s General Managers, who all presented the awards to the staff members.

The Bahrain CEO thanked and praised the group of staff for their valiant efforts stating that he was very proud of each one of them.

“Batelco is committed to putting the needs of its customers as a priority at all time. Without the great contribution of such dedicated men and women, upholding our promise to our valued customers would have been very difficult. I sincerely thank each and every one of them, they all make us proud,” he said.

Following the presentations of awards, lunch was served and a specially designed cake featuring the Bahraini flag was cut as the finale of the event.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=659 04DBFE94-3CA5-4425-9749-A64C669ACA31 Thu, 2 Jun 2011 14:35:12 +0300

Batelco Senior Executives with the World Finance Best Corporate Governance in Bahrain award. From left to right Batelco Group CFO Kataryna Stapleton, Batelco Group GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi, Batelco Group CEO Peter Kaliaropoulos and Batelco Bahrain CFO Ghassan Murad

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications services provider, has been presented with the Best Corporate Governance in Bahrain award by World Finance Magazine.

World Finance is a leading financial magazine, produced every two months by World News Media from its Headquarters in London. The World Finance Awards were created in 2007 to identify industry leaders, individuals, teams and organisations that represent the benchmark of achievement and best practice in the financial and business world. Votes are invited from users of the World Finance site as well as being requested via email from the World Finance database of over 40,000 industry decision makers.

Batelco Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Kaliaropoulos said that Batelco was proud to be selected from amongst the Kingdom’s many companies to win the coveted award.

“We are extremely honoured for Batelco and the Kingdom to receive such recognition based on a voting system from international finance industry experts. Winning the Best Corporate Governance award confirms Batelco’s high corporate governance standards and transparency.”

“In recent years, Batelco employees and management have significantly raised the bar by reviewing processes and implementing best practice Corporate Governance initiatives across all areas of the Company. We perceive sound corporate governance as being critical to a sustainable and innovative business culture in Batelco Group which contributes to our competitiveness in the market,” Mr. Kaliaropoulos said.

“World Finance Magazine is highly respected in business circles and we extend our thanks to its management team and its panels of voters who have selected us on this occasion.” he added.

Batelco’s commitment to principle-based, value-driven corporate governance is reflected in its approach which embraces the governance principles led by the Bahrain Ministry of Industry and Commerce and developed by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB).

Furthermore, in preparation for the introduction of mandatory Corporate Governance Compliance in the Kingdom of Bahrain from January 1st 2012, Batelco is taking all necessary steps during 2011, to ensure that the Company remains fully complaint and meets all the applicable requirements of the new Corporate Governance code.

The coveted award follows Batelco’s success in 2010 when amongst many varied awards the Company was voted as Bahrain’s Leading Quoted Company for Investor Relations (IR) at the Middle East Investor Relations (ME-IR) Awards ceremony held in Beirut, Lebanon.

“Winning such notable awards gives us the added motivation to remain abreast of developments in the area of Corporate Governance and to continue to evolve as one of the most reputable companies in the Middle East,” concluded Mr. Kaliaropoulos.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=657 E95095BF-D8C5-4D06-8219-15CB9238954F Mon, 30 May 2011 14:07:34 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading mobile services provider, has announced the launch of a terrific new postpaid mobile package which comes complete with the Smartphone 16GB.

Batelco’s latest postpaid package is aptly called Super Smart as it features 4GB of Free Data, 200 minutes of FREE local calls and 75 FREE SMS, in addition to the Smartphone 16GB. Any additional calls in excess of the free minutes are charged at 20 fils on-net and 25 fils off-net.

At only BD25 rental per month, this new offer will deliver the ultimate in mobile communications for those who demand the combination of a stylish handset with free data and minutes at great value for their money. The Smartphone 16GB comes with a two year local warranty.

With the new upgrade in this package, existing customers will now enjoy 4GB of free data instead of 600MB data. With the new Super Smart package existing and new customers will receive 75 free SMS monthly instead of 30SMS.

“We are delighted to deliver the Super Smart package which has been designed following feedback from our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The demand for sophisticated communication services ‘on the go’ is a top priority for many of our customers. With this new deal customers can browse the internet at high speeds thanks to Batelco’s top 3G infrastructure,” he added.

The new deal is available from May 29.  As stocks are limited, customers are urged to visit any Batelco Retail Shop without delay to avoid disappointment.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=656 8C658316-453A-4678-A582-DB6611B185D5 Sun, 29 May 2011 11:29:27 +0300
Stay in the game and don`t lose a minute`s opportunity with the exciting XOOM™ Tablet from Motorola!

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider, has announced the arrival of the innovative Motorola XOOM™, making it the first telco in the Kingdom to launch the exciting tablet from Motorola. The XOOM™ is the first device on Google’s new Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS (Operating System) which has been designed from the ground up specifically for tablets.

The Honeycomb user experience improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization and features the latest Google Mobile innovations. Boasting a dual core processor with each core running at 1GHz, delivering up to 2GHz of processing power, Motorola XOOM™ gives  customers a new type of mobile computing experience on a stylishly thin device.

Motorola XOOM™ redefines the tablet device category by providing more ways to have fun, connect with friends and stay productive on the go. It allows consumers to experience HD content right on the device, supports 1080p HD video and HDMI output to display content on larger HD screens, and plays video and other rich web content seamlessly with Adobe® Flash® Player.

Motorola XOOM™ features a front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chats over Wi-Fi, as well as a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera that captures video in 720p HD. It delivers console-like gaming performance on its 1280x800 display, and features a built-in gyroscope, barometer, e-compass, accelerometer and adaptive lighting for new types of applications.

For working on the go, Motorola XOOM™ provides constant connectivity - including connecting to Gmail or Exchange email; opening and editing documents, spreadsheets and presentations; and viewing calendars and sending out appointments or meeting notices.

The XOOM™ will be available from Batelco on a flexible installments scheme with no down payment and ZERO interest.

Batelco continues to be the leading operator when it comes to offering a complete user experience thanks to its round-the-clock customer service and delivery of the latest devices and technologies in the market.

“At Batelco we place great emphasis on best customer experience and strive to deliver the most up to date products and services to meet the sophisticated demands of our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Customers can enjoy browsing, socializing and working on-the-go with Batelco as a result of our commitment to enrich our customers’ lives through complete telecommunications solutions.”]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=655 05303D06-9615-4E4D-9A85-78F4EE037759 Thu, 26 May 2011 11:27:58 +0300 Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications provider, is proud to be the first in Bahrain to launch new packages for its mobile SimSim customers, offering a generous pack of local minutes (On-net and Off-net), local and international SMS’s and extra MB’s of data usage.

The new offer applies to all existing and new customers who subscribe to SimSim Super5 and SimSim Super10 packages. Customers on SimSim Super10 will enjoy 300 minutes, 100 SMS’s and 200 MB of data usage for BD10 only and 30 days package validity, while customers on SimSim Super5 will benefit from 100 minutes, 100 SMS’s and 100MB of data usage and  30 days package validity for BD5. In addition, SimSim Super5 and SimSim Super10 subscribers will benefit from 1 year line validity.

Customers can subscribe to the new packages now by simply sending an SMS with this short code “A5” to 4554 to activate SimSim Super5 package or “A10” to activate the SimSim Super10 package. Registration for the new packages is free, with the only charge being the standard SMS charge.

“This offer puts the control over our SimSim customers’ monthly usage in their own hands and at the same time allows them to enjoy the benefits of great cost saving with affordable prices.” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi

“With the introduction of these packages, Batelco is meeting its ongoing commitment to provide its customers with the most innovative products and services that take into account customers telecommunications requirements and budget,” he added  

There will be an automatic monthly renewal of the package on the 30th day from the first activation date. Should the customer wish to continue subscription, he should have sufficient credit in his account that covers price of the selected package.  

Batelco will send reminders to customers to refill their account to ensure they continue to benefit from this wonderful price plan for the next 30 days.

In the meantime, customers should make sure that they refill their accounts with a minimum of BD 6 to activate the SimSim Super5 package or BD 11 to activate the SimSim Super 10 Package.

For more details about the new packages, please visit any Batelco Retail Shop across the Kingdom.

]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=654 1FB61503-DBA4-4C02-9017-DA4546F77822 Wed, 25 May 2011 07:53:04 +0300 Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) and Bahrain Telecommunication Company (BATELCO) announce that all news surrounding the acquisition of 25% of the stake of Zain Group in Zain KSA are unsubstantiated and speculative in nature. Negotiations between all concerned parties are still underway and all parties are committed to starting the due diligence process and to concluding this transaction successfully. Both KHC and Batelco will keep their respective shareholders and regulators informed of any material development. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=653 C4AF9C39-6703-4B0F-B793-FAD68E50A4E2 Tue, 24 May 2011 07:52:28 +0300
The new offer allows Batelco Broadband customers the opportunity to purchase the latest Internet TV (Sony BRAVIA) with attractive exclusive bundles and combo offers; Internet TV with Play Station3, availing of the company’s flexible Broadband interest-free installment scheme.

Broadband customers now can enjoy the full entertainment experience with Batelco’s Broadband service and the Sony Internet TV (includes Catch-up TV and 20+ Internet TV Channels, Movies, Music on Demand, Skype, Facebook, Twitter and more) in addition to the best gaming experience in the Kingdom.

Being a leader in providing best technology and speeds, this initiative by Batelco is part of continuous efforts to maximize customers Internet experience and provide the latest Internet enabled gadgets. Batelco offers Broadband customers with wide range of laptops, tablets, game consoles and much more with interest free installments with repayment periods ranging from 12 to 18 months.

“Since the end of the World Cup offer which was very well received by customers, we have received many requests from our Broadband customers to extend it to enable those who missed the opportunity to enjoy the wonders of the offer,” said  Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi

“The launch of this new offer stresses the fact that Batelco provides a full Internet experience and considers the needs of its customers as its number one priority and listens to their feedback in order to deliver products and services that make their lives better, every day!,” he added

“With this offer, we are allowing all our new and existing Broadband customers the opportunity to enjoy the best entertainment experience with the best connection only from Batelco,” concluded Mr. Al Janahi

New customers are invited to subscribe and start enjoying the superb benefits of Batelco’s new offer.

For details about any of Batelco’s products and services please visit batelco.com or visit any Batelco Retail Shop or phone 196.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=652 6EBCAB52-8E60-4820-A517-D811F0C041E2 Mon, 23 May 2011 15:37:01 +0300
Batelco Introduces Avaya Flare at Bahrain International e-Government Forum

Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications provider will introduce the Avaya Flare for the first time in Bahrain, at the Bahrain International e-Government Forum on May 17. The e-Government Forum, is taking place at the Gulf Convention Centre on May 17 and 18, bringing together the brightest minds and the latest solutions in the eGovernment arena with a focus on the private sector. Batelco is a diamond sponsor of the key event.

By being first to deliver the Avaya Flare in the Kingdom, Batelco is adding yet another first to its prestigious portfolio. The Avaya Flare combines all your favourite communication tools, such as video, email, IM, social networks and phone in a single unified enterprise workspace. Designed to change the way you communicate and collaborate, the Avaya Flare experience delivers a seamless communications experience that is easy to use and convenient, enabling you to switch back and forth between IM, voice, video, email and social media sessions to efficiently deal with the immediate task at hand. The Avaya Flare features a high definition 11.6” multi touch screen with integrated HD camera, dual microphones and stereo speakers.

To experience the Avaya Flare first hand, visit the Batelco Stand at the e-Government Forum where Batelco skilled professionals will be presenting a range of the latest technologies available from Batelco on 17 and 18 May including the Avaya Flare.

Additionally, prominent international speakers will share their visions, experiences and future forecasts regarding e-Government technologies and innovations from across the world.

Batelco Group General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco plays a crucial role in enabling e-government initiatives including the provision of infrastructure, Broadband and the @ltijara payment gateway plus more.

“Batelco’s support for the e-Government Forum confirms its commitment to the Kingdom’s e-government project and to the Kingdom’s 2030 vision, established by HM The King, Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa.”]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=650 A29FD5C2-6789-49D4-9985-A38EA9E8D9EE Mon, 16 May 2011 11:31:13 +0300
Additionally, registration for the innovative new Super Zero postpaid package is FREE.
The credit back will be given every second month based on the previous month’s local usage of voice, SMS and Data with the reward credit being valid for local usage only.

So for example in your July bill, you will be credited with whatever amount you paid for local usage for the month of June, against any local usage for July. This means that if your June bill was BD20, you would receive BD20 credit against local usage of voice, SMS and Data included in your July bill.

“The new Super Zero package is designed to suit customers who do not want to be tied to a contract package, as there is no contract to sign, no registration fees and no monthly charges,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“All these advantages with the added benefit of bonus credit every second month adds up to a very innovative and attractive new package from Batelco.”

Customers must pay their billed amounts in full prior to the due date in order to benefit from the package benefits.

Visit the Batelco website, batelco.com to explore the Super Zero package’s full details or alternatively visit any Batelco Retail Shop for more information.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=649 1976C0B5-5610-4459-943F-9082A6386530 Mon, 16 May 2011 09:05:32 +0300
Accordingly a brief outage will take place in a number of areas on May 16th between 2am and 3am. The areas affected will be:-

    * Durrat Al Bahrain
    * Hamad Town
    * Jabal Al Dukan
    * Riffa
    * A’Ali
    * Jaw
    * Budaiya
    * Seef
    * Hamala
    * Saudi Causeway
    * Saar

The upgrade work, which will take place in the early hours of the morning in order to minimise the impact on customers, is expected to affect each area for only 10 to 15 minutes. During the upgrade, some customers in the affected areas may experience temporary disruption to voice, SMS or data via their mobile phone.

“We apologise for any inconvenience the upgrade work may cause and appreciate the understanding and cooperation of our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=647 D4534E7C-9AEE-4235-9633-0013E74743AE Sat, 14 May 2011 08:28:19 +0300

Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading mobile services provider has announced the launch of a new mobile number range 3222XXXX with a fantastic promotion offering 80% discount on premium numbers that are reserved online. Furthermore, if the number is purchased online, customers will get it for free by receiving a payback of the 20% paid, credited to their next bill!

The new range beginning with ‘3222’ meets customers’ demands for prestigious mobile numbers and adds another attractive range to Batelco’s popular Mobile ranges beginning with ‘39’ and ‘38’.

The new range is now available on Batelco’s website, batelco.com giving everyone the opportunity to view the extensive range plus other ranges (e.g. 393, 3999, 383..etc) to select the number of their choice and reserve it. Customers may then visit any Batelco Retail shop to collect and activate their new number. Alternatively, customers also have the option to pay and activate their new number online. Batelco will then deliver the number to the customer’s door which makes acquiring a Batelco number a very simple and efficient process.

Furthermore, Batelco customers can choose, at batelco.com, from various beneficial and flexible mobile packages or customise a package that fits their specific needs via Batelco’s “My Package” option.

“By using Batelco’s easy to use online services, customers can select a new mobile number including premium numbers and manage all their communications services without leaving the comfort of their home or office,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

To view and select a Batelco number, customers are invited to visit batelco.com and click on the banner for 3222xxxx numbers, or visit any Batelco Retail Shop for assistance.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=646 D00340D3-C2E0-4484-A8C2-D9F90AD1E566 Wed, 11 May 2011 07:34:12 +0300
At the signing ceremony to announce Batelco’s sponsorship, from left to right, Batelco Senior Manager Business Marketing Donya Al Ansari, Batelco Enterprise Division General Manager Adel Al Daylami, Chairman Bahrain International e-Government Forum Abdul Majeed Al Gassab and e-Government Forum Chairman Sponsorship & Exhibitions Ahmed Naeemi


Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications provider has signed a Diamond sponsorship agreement with the Chairman of Bahrain International e-Government Forum Majeed Alqassab, to support the Bahrain International e-Government Forum 2011, which will take place from May 16 – 18, at the Gulf Convention Centre.

Through this event the organisers plan to bring together the brightest minds and the latest solutions in the eGovernment arena with a focus on the private sector. Prominent international speakers will share their visions, experiences and future forecasts regarding e-Government technologies and innovations from across the world.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was very pleased to lend its support to the annual e-Government Forum with its noble aim to enhance the lives of residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain, an aim which Batelco’s is fully committed to.

“As our everyday lives become more and more dependent on technology it is crucial for decision makers and experts to get together and share their knowledge at such forums,” he said.

Batelco plays a crucial role in enabling e-government initiatives including the provision of infrastructure, Broadband and the @ltijara payment gateway plus more. Batelco’s support for the event confirms its commitment to the Kingdom’s e-government project and to the Kingdom’s 2030 vision, established by HM The King, Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa.

Chairman of Bahrain International e-Government Forum Majeed Alqassab said that they are very grateful to Batelco for supporting the Forum.

“Without such commitment we would not have such a wonderful opportunity to bring together IT professionals, communication solution providers, eGovernment agencies and other related experts,” he said.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=645 50C06110-54F4-4FDC-A6F9-472637A8972C Wed, 11 May 2011 07:33:13 +0300
Mr. Al Qattan receiving the sponsorship cheque from Mr. Alsaad in the presence of BDB Officer Advisory Unit, Nayef Al Ansari and Batelco PR Specialist Ahmed Zainal

Batelco has announced its support for Entrepreneurs Day 2011, organised by BDB (Bahrain Development Bank) – specialized in financing small and medium businesses – and AIESEC, the biggest student organisation worldwide, and a leading platform for young people to explore and develop their leadership potential. AIESEC Bahrain is recognised as a leading innovator in youth development programmes in the Kingdom.

The one day event, to be held on May 31, includes a number of training workshops on how to start new businesses and how to become acquainted with successful Bahraini organizations. The event is being organised for the 3rd consecutive year by BDB and AIESEC. The aim of Entrepreneur’s Day is to create awareness about entrepreneurship and to introduce entrepreneurship as a career option for graduating Bahrainis, as opposed to the traditional employment route.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that supporting initiatives that in turn support the youth of Bahrain was high on Batelco’s social responsibility agenda.

“Batelco is always keen to sponsor events that contribute to further the career prospects and education of young Bahrainis,” he said.

Bahrain Development Bank Head of Entrepreneurial Development, Tawfeeq Ali Al Qattan said that the bank’s aim in organising such an event is to create awareness amongst the Bahraini youths on entrepreneurship, provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge in this field and allow an opportunity for participants to be exposed to organisations that are in the forefront of Entrepreneurship development,” Mr. Al Qattan added.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Al Saad presented the sponsorship cheque to Mr. Al Qattan, at a meeting held recently at Batelco Hamala Headquarters]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=644 0E0C241C-45E3-433D-8BFA-AC6E4A69C993 Mon, 9 May 2011 08:23:36 +0300
BlackBerry® PlayBook™ Tablet

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunications provider has announced the arrival of the BlackBerry® PlayBook™, the first telco in the Kingdom to launch the latest smart BlackBerry® device.

Distinctively luxurious, the BlackBerry® Internet tablet boasts a 7" LCD multi-touch screen with gesture support. The ultra-portable PlayBook™ weighs less than a pound, is run by the BlackBerry® Tablet OS, has 1GB of RAM and a 1GHz dual-core processor for blazing speeds.

Dubbed as ’the world’s first and only professional-grade tablet’ and ’the fastest tablet ever’, users will enjoy seamless multi-tasking and be able to interchange their PlayBook™ and BlackBerry®® Smartphones without ever having to sync them up!

The new BlackBerry® PlayBook™ is built to perform and helps transform the way you work and play by combining the features you need with a powerful, ultra-portable design. The icing on the cake is the gaming and entertainment factor of the PlayBook™ – HD video, HD display, stereo sound and two cameras, one front and one back!

The device is available on a flexible instalments programme from Batelco with payback periods of up to 24 months with ZERO interest and no advanced payment. As initial stock is limited, don’t delay; visit any Batelco Retail Shop to buy your BlackBerry® PlayBook™ by cash or installment offer. Alternatively, customers may add their name to the waiting list to reserve a BlackBerry® PlayBook™ for delivery as soon as possible.

Existing BlackBerry® users can enjoy the full device organizer’s features such as e-mail, calendar and BBM contacts on their BlackBerry® PlayBook™. This can be achieved by linking their BlackBerry® Smartphone with their BlackBerry® PlayBook™ through the new BlackBerry® Bridge application that comes free with the device.

Batelco offers a variety of BlackBerry® price plans to suit all requirements and budgets including the lowest entry package in the market priced at only BD8 for both postpaid and prepaid customers.

“At Batelco we place great emphasis on best customer experience and strive to deliver the most up to date products and services to meet the sophisticated demands of our customers,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=643 C60AFE5F-4F5D-4C01-98D2-29C075C529C6 Sun, 8 May 2011 15:37:04 +0300
Winners and officials following the prize giving ceremony

Batelco, as part of its commitment to sports in Bahrain sponsored Bahrain Golf Club’s annual Batelco Tournament.  As one of the Kingdom’s leading companies, Batelco is fully committed to fostering the advancement of sports and its participants in the local community.

By providing financial support to Bahrain Golf Club, Batelco helped to ensure the success of this year’s Batelco Golf Tournament. In addition, Batelco’s Mobile Van was also located at the Golf Club for the day to provide special offers for the Club’s members and their guests.

Batelco Chief Financial Officer Bahrain Dr. Ghassan Murad attended the event to hand over the sponsorship cheque to Bahrain Golf Club Captain Hamad Salem Alathem and to present prizes to the tournament’s winners. The overall winner of the Batelco Tournament was Nasser Yaqoob who finished one under par with 70 points and the net winner was Abdulrahman Sultan Faraj, from the youth team, with 64 points.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was delighted to support Bahrain Golf Club and ensure the success of the Batelco Golf Tournament.

“We have been sponsoring the Club for over 15 year and are delighted to have witnessed the excellent progress made by a number of the Club’s members over the years.”

Bahrain Golf Club Captain Hamad Sultan extended his appreciation on behalf of the Club’s members to Batelco saying that without the support of generous companies such as Batelco they would not be able to host such valued tournaments for its member and their guests.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=642 974A2BDE-5D36-4E38-937E-3BC786EE1EAF Thu, 5 May 2011 15:37:14 +0300
Batelco QuickServe – Beat the queue and collect your cinema tickets

Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications provider, has issued a warning to its customers to be on the alert regarding a spate of fraudulent calls informing customers that they have won a large sum of money.

The calls are being generated from a variety of Bahrain mobile numbers.  A small number of Batelco’s customers have been in touch with the company to enquire about the validity of the information.

“A number of Batelco’s customers have received calls or missed calls. The callers are using Batelco’s name and advising our customers that they have won a cash prize and also request personal information such as name, bank account details and CPR numbers to arrange payment of the money,” said Batelco’s Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We strongly advise our customers that these are fraudulent calls. Batelco will never ask for bank account details, passwords or any personal details of this nature,” he stressed.

Batelco issued several similar warnings last year and again early this year alerting its customers to hoax calls offering large cash prizes.

“Furthermore, Batelco has issued many previous warnings to customers regarding fraudulent text messages and emails. Typically these messages ask for information about customers’ user names and passwords but these recent messages try to attract people by the promise of a big cash prize.”

“Customers should be aware that such calls announcing that they have won money are fraudulent. We advise anyone who receives such calls to either ignore them or report the incident to our 196 Helpdesk,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

Batelco always uses a professional process to contact its customers to inform them when they have won a prize and the customer would always be invited to Batelco’s Hamala Headquarters or a Batelco Retail Shop to collect any prize in person.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=641 85FF8AC0-BB03-4223-96DF-BC2ECD5D0702 Mon, 2 May 2011 08:52:21 +0300
The calls are being generated from a variety of Bahrain mobile numbers.  A small number of Batelco’s customers have been in touch with the company to enquire about the validity of the information.

“A number of Batelco’s customers have received calls or missed calls. The callers are using Batelco’s name and advising our customers that they have won a cash prize and also request personal information such as name, bank account details and CPR numbers to arrange payment of the money,” said Batelco’s Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We strongly advise our customers that these are fraudulent calls. Batelco will never ask for bank account details, passwords or any personal details of this nature,” he stressed.

Batelco issued several similar warnings last year and again early this year alerting its customers to hoax calls offering large cash prizes.

“Furthermore, Batelco has issued many previous warnings to customers regarding fraudulent text messages and emails. Typically these messages ask for information about customers’ user names and passwords but these recent messages try to attract people by the promise of a big cash prize.”

“Customers should be aware that such calls announcing that they have won money are fraudulent. We advise anyone who receives such calls to either ignore them or report the incident to our 196 Helpdesk,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

Batelco always uses a professional process to contact its customers to inform them when they have won a prize and the customer would always be invited to Batelco’s Hamala Headquarters or a Batelco Retail Shop to collect any prize in person.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=640 A863D569-0181-4D45-931F-AF257799DCCF Mon, 2 May 2011 08:23:37 +0300
The solution, which is available for both postpaid and prepaid customers, offers Batelco’s O-net E1550 USB device with the D105 Adaptor for only BD27, giving customers a saving of up to 18%. Customers who already own a Batelco O-net E1550 USB may purchase the O-Adaptor for BD18.

“Customers can create their own wireless hotspot at home, at work, at college, in fact anywhere with this versatile combination of the USB Stick and Adaptor,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Just plug the USB speed stick into the adaptor and you have a mobile wireless office or WiFi for your home that enables you, and other users, to simultaneously use your laptop, Smartphone, Netbooks and any other computers, all effortlessly and economically,” he added.

This is the ideal solution for those who move about to different locations or for those who want to eliminate cables. The USB and Adaptor work efficiently with both PC and MAC and at only 100g, the Adaptor is light and portable.

Batelco’s O-net Mobile Broadband solution delivers wireless broadband mobility with fast speeds enabling Batelco customers to work better and more efficiently and stay connected no matter where they are located in the Kingdom.

Batelco is offering the bundled package for cash or by installments for a limited period, so visit any Batelco Retail Shop today to avail of this great deal.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=639 A1EA7C7C-997E-4245-BEB3-39D76CCD80C7 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:11:15 +0300 Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading mobile services provider, is offering its SimSim customers the opportunity to refill with BD5 or BD10 and double their credit. Batelco continuously reviews its product offers and develops new and innovative deals based on the feedback received from its customers.<br /> <br /> Don’t miss this amazing opportunity; Refill with BD5 to receive BD10 credit or refill with BD10 to receive BD20 credit on your SimSim package.<br /> <br /> “A similar offer, which was offered in March of this year, proved to be so successful and well received by our customers that we decided to make this new offer,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.<br /> <br /> The offer, available for a limited period only until May 1st, is available for new as well as existing customers. The bonus credit is valid for ten days only from the refill date and will be automatically used before the basic credit. Furthermore, the bonus credit will only be applicable to local on-net calls and SMS, both local and international.&nbsp;&nbsp;Customers may check their Main Credit Balance by dialling *122# and their Bonus Credit Balance by dialling *122*2#.<br /> <br /> Batelco refill vouchers are available from Batelco Retail Shops and authorised outlets all over the Kingdom of Bahrain. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=638 A997C58A-99A1-44A5-A90F-9B5124DBF9A1 Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:10:54 +0300
Some of the staff from Batelco’s Enterprise Division who successfully completed the Avaya Professional Credential Programme

A group of 34 Batelco Account and Sales Managers have successfully completed an Avaya Professional Credential Programme at the Company’s Training Centre, at Hamala Headquarters. The Sales Certification course will help Batelco’s Account Managers on their path to Avaya Professional Sales Certification (APSS) accreditation.

Avaya is a global leader in enterprise communications systems that improve efficiency, collaboration, customer service and competitiveness. Batelco undertook this programme as in today’s marketplace customers expect a high degree of technical proficiency from solution providers. The knowledge gained through the Avaya programme complements Batelco’s Business Solutions Portfolio and extends the technical capability that Batelco personnel offer in delivering and supporting solutions for their customers.

Batelco General Manager Enterprise Division Adel Daylami said that training and development for Batelco’s Enterprise Division staff was a key priority to ensure that they have access to the relevant knowledge to carry out their jobs in a professional manner.

“We are very pleased with the group of Account and Sales Managers who all excelled during the programme and received certification for the professional credential programme,” he added.

Batelco’s staff base already includes a significant number of highly skilled technical professionals and the delivery of training with organisations such as Avaya brings more of its staff in line with up to date methods and ensures an enhanced service for customers.

Batelco offers a complete portfolio of solutions to cater to all the communication needs of its customers and provides support around the clock via its team of dedicated Account Managers and skilled professional technical staff.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=637 173FCBFA-B0FA-47E0-A92C-2A93B1251651 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:29:54 +0300

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa announced gross revenues of BD80.81 million (USD214.4 million) and net profit of BD17.46 million (USD46.3 million),  for the first quarter of 2011, at a Batelco Group Board Meeting held on April 20 at Batelco’s Hamala Headquarters.

“Across the Batelco Group of companies we have grown our customer base to 9.8 million, a further 600,000 customers since Q4 FY10 and a 54% increase since this time last year. However, our Group operation continues to be affected by the expected losses in establishing and growing our Indian joint venture, S Tel, and the intensity of competition in Bahrain,” Shaikh Hamad said.

“Supporting the Kingdom of Bahrain’s 2030 vision remains a priority for Batelco and accordingly we continue to invest in infrastructure and in enhancing our mobile and fixed networks. We expect to complete within weeks a major upgrade of our mobile network expansion programme at an investment of BD14.5 million. This will ensure we deliver very fast, up to 21Mbps wireless data services throughout the Kingdom and enhance coverage and quality of service in newly developed or remote areas,” he added.

Batelco Group Chief Executive Peter Kaliaropoulos stated: “Batelco’s Q1 results are consistent with market guidance.”

“Our gross revenue of BD80.81 million declined 4% against Q4 2010 whilst net revenues of BD63.07 million were flat, quarter-on-quarter. An increase in revenue by Umniah and QualityNet were offset by competition, regulation and the recent events in the Bahrain market. Our Operating Profit of BD23.27 million (USD61.7 million) declined by 9.4% against Q4 2010 due to increases in operating expenses and staff costs. However our share of losses from our Indian joint venture, resulted in a Net Profit of BD17.46 million (USD 46.3 million), a 16% drop versus Q4 FY10,” explained Mr. Kaliaropoulos.

“We remain focused on cash management and our cash balance of BD65.88 million grew by 10% year on year. We remain debt free and in a sound position to raise funds for future expansion,” he added.

Mr. Kaliaropoulos continued by stating that even though Batelco faces tough competition in every market it operates in, the Group has witnessed growth for both mobile and internet services across all their operations with few exceptions.

Batelco’s operations outside Bahrain contributed 37% of revenues and 27% of EBITDA in Q1 2011.

“Impressive performances from our overseas operations have grown the Group’s customer base to over 9.8 million. We are confident that we will cross the 10 million subscriber figure by the end of April 2011, just four months behind our original goal of end 2010, set out in 2005.”

“Thanks to customer confidence and top quality, competitively priced products and services, Batelco in Bahrain maintained 45.6% market share in mobiles with a total of 745,000 customer accounts, a decline of 3% versus Q4 FY10.”

In Yemen, Sabafon’s mobile subscriber base has grown to reach over 3.6 million customers while at S Tel in India, the subscriber base has swelled to 2.82 million at the end of Q1 FY11,” Mr. Kaliaropoulos continued.

“Umniah in Jordan has grown its mobile customer base to reach 2.2 million subscribers.”

The Group CEO added that the Broadband subscriber base across the Group is also growing steadily with an increase of 21% YoY.

“Atheeb’s GO Brand for broadband and voice services in Saudi Arabia continues to make inroads and now delivers to over 116,000 customers, representing a 50% rise in their customer base over the course of the past year.”

“In our home market, whilst our Fixed Broadband numbers have declined by 15%, this has been offset with an 89% increase in our Mobile Broadband subscribers, balancing out to a modest 3% growth overall.”

“We continue to meet the challenges delivered by competition and by regulatory measures which restrict our delivery of innovative products and services coupled with best prices, in Bahrain. Accordingly, we have enhanced our Broadband package line-up, rolled out new services for mobile customers and continue to launch new campaigns to support all our customers,” he added.

In  February Batelco announced a major enhancement  to its Broadband packages, with automatic upgrades which delivered a combination of faster speeds, higher threshold limits and lower prices. This was followed up by the introduction of a completely new Broadband package priced at only BD12 which delivers a speed of up to 1Mbps with 4GB threshold limit. Batelco delivers 8 consumer Broadband packages ranging from the entry level BD10/ 640kb/2GB package up to the 16MB/100GB package.

“On the mobile side, our delivery of up to 21MB coupled with a choice of voice & data package options, provides our mobile broadband customers with a first rate service whilst on the go,”   added Mr. Kaliaropoulos.

For postpaid customers Batelco introduced ‘My Package’, a totally convenient service which allows postpaid customers to customise their mobile package by adding different bundled services to suit their specific needs and budget. This is a first of its kind service for telecommunications in the Bahrain market. Following on from the successful launch, the Company announced a cash prize winning promotion which will run until June 13, for all My Package subscribers. At the end of the promotional period all My Package subscribers will be entered into a raffle draw to win cash prizes of BD1000, BD300 and BD200 for first, second and third prize respectively.

Batelco’s customers can also avail of some excellent ongoing deals such as receiving a FREE O-net device with each new subscription to its BD10 O-net package and interest free installment deals for Laptops and PC’s as part of Batelco’s Broadband packages.

Leader in the Field of Marketing

As part of its delivery of a wide range of products and services, Batelco’s marketing campaigns are winning accolades internationally. At the MENA Cristal Awards held in February 2011, Batelco was named as Client of the Year and took home a total of 19 awards for its innovative and successful advertising campaigns of 2010, implemented by Bahrain’s FP7, the region’s pre-eminent advertising company.

Batelco has also been presented with a huge collection of awards at the Dubai Lynx International Advertising Festival held in March. Batelco took home one Grand Prix, one Gold, 11 Silver and several Bronze awards for its 2010 campaigns, from the prestigious event.

Expansion a Priority

Mr. Kaliaropoulos stated that the Group’s growth strategy continues to be an area of priority.

“We were pleased to receive acceptance of the non-binding offer made in collaboration with Kingdom Holding Company to acquire 25% of Zain KSA, from the Board of Directors of Zain Kuwait and are proceeding with the process of due diligence. We remain optimistic for a positive outcome for the Kingdom-Batelco Consortium in due course,” he said.

The Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad provided an update on Batelco’s CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) programme saying that Batelco had entered 2011 focused on several philanthropic initiatives.

“As part of our CSR programme to support health, education, sports and cultural initiatives, we have already paid out over BD200,000 in the first quarter in sponsorships and donations,” he said.

Shaikh Hamad continued by thanking Batelco’s loyal staff who have continued to exert their best efforts in delivering services for customers during the recent difficult times experienced in Bahrain.

“As a complete telecommunications provider, Batelco has a responsibility to maintain its communication links in Bahrain and internationally for the benefit for all. Batelco’s Board of Directors appreciates the collective and continuous efforts of employees in making it possible to provide telecommunications services to all residents in the kingdom,” Shaikh Hamad added.

Mr. Kaliaropoulos echoed the Chairman’s sentiments in thanking the dedicated staff who pulled out all the stops to ensure the delivery of crucial communications services for the Kingdom recently.

“Batelco has a sound reputation for reliability built up over decades thanks to its comprehensive range of products and services for all segments of the market delivered with the tremendous support of Batelco’s employees. It is this commitment that helps us to maintain our lead in the Bahrain telecoms market and gives our Brand a competitive edge.

“We anticipate tough challenges ahead in the Bahrain market. However, we have the experience and knowledge to retain market leadership by providing excellent customer care, a full range of services and better value every day of the year,” he concluded.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=636 9FB78441-9D9B-44F9-8F24-B4DD79FF6CC6 Wed, 20 Apr 2011 14:22:38 +0300
Users can now discover, download and enjoy a wide range of mobile applications for their BlackBerry smartphones in a variety of categories including entertainment, games, IM and social networking, news, weather and productivity.

The store is available for all BlackBerry smartphones with a trackball, trackpad or touch screen running BlackBerry OS (device software) 4.2 or higher. Customers can download BlackBerry App World directly to their smartphone by visiting http://www.blackberry.com/appworld or http://mobile.blackberry.com.

BlackBerry App World can be conveniently accessed over both Wi-Fi® and mobile phone networks and automatically presents customers with the relevant catalog of applications available for their specific BlackBerry smartphone model.

Blackberry App World includes many excellent features such as:

    * Front Page Featured Items Carousel: BlackBerry App World showcases many applications on its front page, selected by a combination of country, carrier, device, OS so customers only see apps that are relevant to them.
    * Easy Application Discovery: Top 25 lists are easy to navigate making top applications easier to discover.
    * Scan a Barcode: Users can scan a QR code associated with an application. BlackBerry App World will quickly find the related application and automatically open the application`s information and download page.
    * BlackBerry ID: BlackBerry ID provides customers with a device-independent user identification (ID). It facilitates new payment options, including credit cards and integrated carrier billing, and allows customers to conveniently transfer their personal library of apps when they switch to a new BlackBerry smartphone.
    * Search/Filter: BlackBerry App World includes a keyword search with filtering capabilities.
    * Reviews: Applications on BlackBerry App World can be reviewed by users and those reviews are reflected in star ratings. Users can read reviews, see screenshots and read a description of each application before they download it.
    * Application Storage: BlackBerry App World includes a folder called My World, which keeps track of applications the user has downloaded. It is a personal storage space that allows users to manage application activity like uninstalling and re-installing applications.
    * Application Archiving: users can archive applications to a microSD card or built-in storage memory on their BlackBerry Smartphone.
    * Update Notifications: Users will be notified of updates to applications they’ve downloaded on BlackBerry App World.

Batelco Group General Manager Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco offers a full range of BlackBerry smartphone packages in Bahrain, including a postpaid BlackBerry smartphone package at only BD8, which includes 100MB Free Data.

“Batelco also offers ‘BlackBerry Unlimited’, priced at BD11 per month with unlimited local Free Data, as well as the ‘Super BlackBerry I’ and ‘Super BlackBerry II’ packages which both feature 200MB Free Data plus free voice minutes, free  SMS and a free handset. Our prepaid BlackBerry smartphone service for SimSim customers is available in two options, priced at either BD8 or BD15 per month,” he added.

“At Batelco we place great emphasis on best customer experience and strive to deliver the most up to date products and services to meet the sophisticated demands of our customers,” Mr. Al Janahi concluded.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=635 2833044B-4B2C-4DF9-B311-220425F9A501 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:21:28 +0300
Batelco’s First Retail Mobile Van…delivering Batelco’s Products & Services conveniently and in elegant, air-conditioned comfort


Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading communication services provider has introduced its first retail Mobile Van. The new van sporting Batelco’s iconic red colour and brand logo is also a first for the Kingdom of Bahrain and the GCC.

With a full range of Batelco’s products and services on board, the new shop on wheels is expected to be a real winner with residents of the Kingdom. A selection of mobile handsets will also be available from the shop. Additionally, customers can buy SimSim call credit, pay their bills and complete any Batelco transaction conveniently at the Mobile Van.

Customers will enjoy a very welcoming experience while carrying out their transactions. The van boasts comfortable seating in elegant surroundings and additionally features built in air conditioning and a DVD system to complete the relaxing experiencing.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was truly delighted to be first in the region to introduce a Retail Shop on wheels.

“This comes as part of Batelco’s continuous efforts to be innovative in its approach to serve our customers better and offer a superior customer experience. Our customers can now enjoy Batelco services on board the van adding to their convenience.”

“The Van, being Batelco red with our iconic brand logo really stands out from the crowd. It also opens up numerous opportunities for us to reach our customers in areas where we don’t have a Retail Shop and to deliver our quality products and services at major events being held anywhere across the Kingdom of Bahrain.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=633 299E7DB8-D554-444D-8CE6-441749E670B7 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:20:14 +0300
Mrs. Alhashemi, centre, Mrs. Abdulrahman, left and Mr. Abuidrees at the Dubai Lynx Awards


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecoms services provider has once again been presented with a huge collection of awards at a prestigious international awards ceremony. Batelco took home one Grand Prix, one Gold, 11 Silver and several Bronze awards from the Dubai Lynx International Advertising Festival for its innovative and successful advertising campaigns of 2010, implemented by Bahrain’s FP7.

The Dubai Lynx International Advertising Festival, which is part of Cannes international advertising festival, is a yearly event to award creative excellence in advertising and related fields in the Middle East and North Africa. This year, Dubai Lynx received more than 2000 entries from all over the region including telecom operators and big international corporations.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla said that he was absolutely delighted to receive the great news that Batelco had been recognised for its creative advertising programmes for 2010, and been presented with the coveted awards, including a Lynx Grand Prix award.

“For the first time in Bahrain’s and Batelco’s history, we have been awarded with not only one Grand Prix prize but additionally, one gold, 11 silver and many bronze prizes for our 2010 advertising campaigns,” he said.

The Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain also extended his sincere thanks to all concerned at Batelco and FP7 Bahrain for their dedication and great efforts which delivered the selection of Lynx awards for the Company.

Batelco’s General Manager Consumer Division Muna Alhashemi, Senior Manager Marketing & Communication Maha Abdulrahman and Head of Marketing Segmentation Abdulla Abuidrees were in attendance, to collect the awards.

Mrs. Alhashemi said that it was a great honour to be present at the awards ceremony to collect such an amazing selection of accolades on behalf of Batelco. She also noted FP7’s major contribution to Batelco’s success saying that the creativity of their team demonstrated the high quality of advertising standards available in Bahrain.

“This success gives Batelco a big boost and validates all our hard work. It also spurs us on to continue with our efforts with the aspiration to bring further success for Batelco in 2011.”

Batelco’s success follows on from its recent recognition at the MENA Cristal Awards when Batelco took home a total of 19 awards for their innovative and successful advertising campaigns of 2010. This was the highest number of awards from amongst 1200 entries and therefore Batelco was also named as the Client of the Year. Furthermore, at the end of last year, Batelco was the most successful entrant at the GEMAS Effie MENA Awards 2010, taking home more awards than any other entrant in the annual event. Batelco’s participation at both the MENA Cristal Awards and the GEMAS Effie MENA awards was also in cooperation with FP7.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=632 958737D8-ABD5-4D0D-AE82-F5DC8964BF40 Sun, 17 Apr 2011 13:52:59 +0300
Shaikha Mai receives the donation cheque from Mrs. Hussain in the presence of other Batelco and Shaikh Ebrahim Centre officials


Batelco, as part of its commitment to cultural initiatives has presented a BD10,000 donation to Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research. The cheque was presented to H.E. Minister of Culture and President of the Centre Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammed Al Khalifa by Batelco General Manager Government Relations Nadia Hussain at a meeting held at Bin Mattar House in Muharraq. Shaikh Mai, as a leading historian and scholar, is the founder of the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre.

Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Centre for Culture and Research opened its doors in 2002 following extensive restoration work. The Centre acts as a forum for dialogue between people in philosophy, literature, poetry, culture and the arts. Over the years hundreds of artists, speakers, philosophers and poets have visited the Centre to share their knowledge and exchange ideas.

Furthermore, to date, the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre has spearheaded the restoration of several traditional Bahraini houses in Muharraq and Manama including Bin Matar House, one of the most outstanding examples of traditional Bahraini architecture, which preserves the memory of the Bin Matars, a leading Bahraini pearl trading family.

On the occasion of the cheque presentation, Shaikha Mai extended her gratitude to Batelco for the Company’s generousity in making an annual contribution to support the work of the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre.

“The support from companies such as Batelco is invaluable in carrying out the extensive restoration work on these historical sites. Not only are we able to preserve a glimpse of our heritage for future generations but the beautifully restored buildings are important tourism sites for visitors to Bahrain,” Shaikha Mai added.

Batelco Board Secretary and GM Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco was delighted to support the wonderful work of the Shaikh Ebrahim Centre.

“We have been extremely impressed with the level of workmanship and highly recommend that residents of Bahrain take the time to pay a visit to these heritage sites to experience Bahrain’s rich past,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=631 F0E1227D-476A-43BE-8E1A-F9DDD411FAEA Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:50:53 +0300
The calls are being generated from a variety of Bahrain mobile numbers.  A small number of Batelco’s customers have been in touch with the company to enquire about the validity of the information.

“A number of Batelco’s customers have received calls or missed calls. The callers are using Batelco’s name and advising our customers that they have won a cash prize and also request personal information such as name, bank account details and CPR numbers to arrange payment of the money,” said Batelco’s Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“We strongly advise our customers that these are fraudulent calls. Batelco will never ask for bank account details, passwords or any personal details of this nature,” he stressed.

Batelco issued several similar warnings last year alerting its customers to hoax calls offering large cash prizes.

“Furthermore, Batelco has issued many previous warnings to customers regarding fraudulent text messages and emails. Typically these messages ask for information about customers’ user names and passwords but these recent messages try to attract people by the promise of a big cash prize.”

“Customers should be aware that such calls announcing that they have won money are fraudulent. We advise anyone who receives such calls to either ignore them or report the incident to our 196 Helpdesk,” added Mr. Al Janahi.

Batelco always uses a professional process to contact its customers to inform them when they have won a prize and the customer would always be invited to Batelco’s Hamala Headquarters or a Batelco Retail Shop to collect any prize in person.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=630 D37B99E8-855F-4E91-9395-2E78B1872701 Thu, 7 Apr 2011 14:40:05 +0300 Following suspension of Batelco shares on the Bahrain Bourse, Batelco Group Chief Executive Peter Kaliaropoulos said that the Kingdom-Batelco Consortium non-binding offer to acquire the 25% stake in Zain KSA received endorsement from Zain Group Board on 14 March 2011.<br /> <br /> “The Term Sheet is in line with the Consortium`s non binding offer as submitted on 13 March 2011 and Zain`s Group`s acceptance on 14 March 2011.”<br /> <br /> “All parties look forward to the due diligence phase and approvals from all relevant authorities in KSA including Zain KSA Board," Mr. Kaliaropoulos added. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=629 03897619-ADF5-4D5E-8B19-7AE2A6039BD9 Thu, 7 Apr 2011 12:14:45 +0300
Batelco launched ‘My Package’, the totally convenient service for postpaid mobile subscribers in February. My Package allows postpaid customers to customise their mobile package by adding different bundled services to suit their specific needs and budget. The mobile services are categorised as Voice, SMS, Data and Blackberry.

Following on from the successful launch, Batelco recently announced a cash prize winning promotion running until June 13, for existing and new My Package subscribers. At the end of the promotional period all My Package subscribers will be entered into a raffle draw to win a first prize of BD1000. There is also a second prize of BD300 while third prize is BD200.

Batelco realises that no two people have the same exact requirement and accordingly designed My Package to provide maximum flexibility. With this ultra convenient service, Batelco’s postpaid customers have the ability to select from voice, SMS and Data services to suit their specific needs based on usage and behaviour.

Customers are invited to visit Batelco website www.batelco.com for details and to register via the e-services portal, to start tailoring their mobile packages. Customers firstly need to select at least one of the basic services from Voice, SMS or Data; other services can only be added when one of the first three is active.

“The launch of My Package puts the control over our customers’ mobile packages into their own hands and gives them a simple and convenient way to tailor their mobile services to suit their requirements,” said Batelco Group General Manger Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“The opportunity to win cash prizes is a great added benefit for My Package subscribers,” he said.

“Furthermore, Batelco is the first telecommunication company in the Kingdom of Bahrain to offer its customers the ability to customise their mobile packages,” he added.

Visit batelco.com e-services today or any Batelco Retail Shop and explore the options available as part of My Package.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=628 6502BA94-3CFA-4EC6-8ADF-E61EBCE27319 Tue, 5 Apr 2011 12:14:06 +0300     
With SMS Chat, Batelco’s customers can send a text message to a group of selected people with a single text and any of the people in the group can reply to all with a single text message.
    
Customers can create as many as 50 groups, to make keeping in touch with friends and family even easier. For example, a family group, sisters, brothers, best friends, work colleagues etc. Each group can include up to 5 people and customers may choose any names they like for their groups.

Best of all, with SMS Chat there are no monthly charges or registration charges and each SMS is priced at 50 fils regardless of the number of people included in the group.

To start using SMS Chat is easy – simply send an SMS with ‘CHAT’ followed by the mobile number(s) you want to include, to 2000. For example send - CHAT 39xxxxxx, 38xxxxxx – to 2000 and you will receive a confirmation that the chat is now initiated.
All your messages are shared among the added mobile numbers and in turn they can reply back, with the message going to the entire group. It is also possible to add new friends to an existing group by sending ADD followed by the mobile number(s) you want to add to any existing group.

There are several other useful and fun options as part of SMS Chat. To discover all the options and commands, send the text ‘HELP’ to 2000, which is free of charge or visit www.batelco.com. Alternatively customers may phone 196 or visit any Batelco Retail Shop for details.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that SMS Chat was being introduced as part of Batelco’s ongoing commitment to deliver much-in-demand services for the benefit of their valued customers.

“Text messaging is one of the most popular means of communication especially with young people. We hope that our new services will suit their requirements perfectly,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=625 FA95BBF7-342A-42DA-99D9-F24CE5B158B9 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:51:26 +0300
Mrs. Alhashemi and Mr. Abuidrees at the Cristal Awards


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecoms services provider was named as Client of the Year at the recent MENA Cristal Awards. Batelco took home a total of 19 awards for their innovative and successful advertising campaigns of 2010, implemented by Bahrain’s FP7, which was itself named as Agency of the Year and Network of the Year.

Batelco’s General Manager Consumer Division Muna Alhashemi and Head of Marketing Segmentation Abdulla Abuidrees were in attendance, to collect the awards.

The MENA Cristal Festival was established in 2005 with the aim of introducing a new competition for advertising in North African and Middle Eastern countries. The Awards ceremony rewards the best advertising creations with the coveted Cristal Trophy. Batelco received the highest number of awards from amongst 1200 entries and therefore awarded as the Client of the Year.

The Festival attracts a wide field of communication companies, advertising agencies, producers, directors, media survey companies and TV representatives who participate in a series of rich and convivial exchanges over the events 3 day annual gathering.

During the event, Batelco and FP7 have shared their successful case studies with the delegates and attendees and opened the forum for live discussion to share their knowledge and experience.

Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla extended his sincere thanks to Batelco’s team for their dedication and great efforts throughout 2010 which delivered the selection of Cristal Awards for the Company.

“Such an excellent achievement requires close cooperation between all the members of the team and partners, with every member pulling his or her weight to ensure success,” he added.

Mrs. Alhashemi said that it was a great honour to be present at the awards ceremony to collect such an amazing selection of accolades on behalf of Batelco.

“This success gives Batelco a big boost and validates all the hard work. It also spurs us on to continue with our efforts with the aspiration to bring further success for Batelco in 2011.”

Mrs. Alhashemi also noted FP7’s major contribution to Batelco’s success saying that the creativity of their team demonstrated the high quality of advertising standards available in Bahrain.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=622 3C7C469C-F350-4DBB-9BD2-95CAB90B831F Sun, 27 Mar 2011 13:50:05 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Asian%20Cup%20Prize.jpg"><br /> Mr. Abuidrees presents Mr. Hussain with his prize<br /> <br /> Batelco, the Kingdom’s leading mobile services provider has presented a limited edition Acer Liquid E Ferrari mobile handset to the lucky winner of its recent SMS competition, held in conjunction with the Asian Cup tournament.<br /> <br /> Batelco’s customers were invited to predict the winner of the final of the Asian Cup and text their answers to Batelco short code number 95999. The SMS competition, which took place in January, was won by Ali Hussain who was selected from among the winning entries.<br /> <br /> Batelco Senior Manager Segment Marketing, Strategy & Planning Abdulla Abuidrees presented the Acer Liquid E Ferrari phone to Mr. Hussain during a prize giving ceremony held recently at Batelco Headquarters in Hamala. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=621 C6B5F0B7-6F52-4F2D-BB3F-9A7E087CD697 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:46:57 +0300
Adel Daylami, General Manager Enterprise, Batelco Bahrain, said, “This strategic bi-lateral understanding is an important addition to Batelco’s portfolio of OSS agreements, which enable us to extend our Global IP VPN solution to our international customers through our partner’s reliable, state of the art network.”

“Accordingly, the benefit of Batelco and du’s shared network can be extended to our international customers.”

“This  agreement complements Batelco’s range of global connectivity services such as Global IP-VPN, IPLC, Global Satellite services and a Global Datacenter that not only enhances efficiency by offering seamless, secure and dedicated interconnectivity but also the reliable support of a professional team working 24x7 in one of the regions most sophisticated NOC’s (Network Operation Centre’s).

Farid Faraidooni, Chief Commercial Officer, du, commented by saying: “We are pleased to offer a carrier grade MPLS VPN solution to our UAE-based business customers, as well as providing our carrier partners with a one-stop-shop solution for transit services into Bahrain. This facility, which will provide seamless IP data services between UAE and Bahrain, demonstrates our commitment to providing top-of-the-range, ultra-secure business solutions to our enterprise customers.”

Signing this agreement with Batelco will allow bi-lateral Data IP Services to be sold between Bahrain and UAE, as well as providing one-stop-shop transit services to Batelco’s carrier partners. The partnership comes in line with Batelco’s International Carrier Relations (ICR) strategy, which focuses on the interconnection of GCC regional carrier MPLS networks in order to expand the company’s IP Data Services reach to all major GCC countries and provide seamless MPLS VPN services.

Among the key benefits of the service for Batelco’s carrier partners in Bahrain are seamless IP data services between Bahrain and the UAE, greater reach in the respective markets for data service connectivity, competitive pricing (dependant on volumes and commitment) and a one-stop-shop offering for the advantage of all parties, where Batelco is the GCC partner of choice for services into UAE.

In addition, Bahraini-based enterprise clients will benefit from the extension of carrier grade VPN to their UAE-based office, a multiple-purpose service offering to cater to different office applications, and competitive pricing, as well as a one-stop-shop offering, where Batelco is the partner of choice for global VPN solutions.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=620 230B3BF3-2E4D-4708-B677-0826971EF925 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:45:33 +0300
The new BD12 package follows Batelco’s recent overhaul of all its consumer Broadband packages. During the past weeks, all Batelco consumer Broadband customers received automatic upgrades to their Broadband service to benefit from a combination of faster speeds, higher threshold limits and lower prices.

The new package brings the number of consumer broadband packages offered by Batelco to eight and, fits neatly between Batelco’s entry level BD10/ 640kb/2GB package and the BD15/1Mb/ 8GB package.

“The new BD12 package has been introduced in line with the evolution of internet usage trends in Bahrain. Activities like video and audio streaming which were once mostly used by the technology savvy have now become widely adopted activities enjoyed by many users including novices to the world of internet,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Batelco continuously reviews all its products and services to better serve its customers. We place the needs of our customers as a key priority and listen to their feedback in order to deliver products and services that improves their communication facilities,”  he added.

New customers are invited to subscribe and start benefiting from the low priced full throttle experience today by visiting any Batelco Retail Shop. Registration is free for all new  subscribers to any of Batelco’s Consumer Broadband packages. For details about Batelco’s full range of Broadband packages or any of Batelco’s products, services and current promotions, please visit www.batelco.com, or visit any Batelco Retail Shop or phone 196.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=619 77D276F5-9534-4CA2-AD0D-2F57D58F580A Sun, 20 Mar 2011 08:44:00 +0300
Mr. Kaliaropoulos expressed surprise at news stories suggesting that the Batelco Group was struggling to raise the necessary funds for its joint purchase of Zain KSA due to the political climate in the region.

“I would like to express our complete surprise on such highly speculative, unfounded and erroneous comments. Batelco Group (“Batelco”), based on proposals received from financial institutions, is confident that it has the capability to raise debt up to $ 1.2 billion,” Mr. Kaliaropoulos stated.

“Batelco delivered in 2010, $387 million in EBITDA and $289 million cashflow. Batelco, as at 28 February 2011 had effectively zero debt on its balance sheet.”

“With EBITDA and cashflows of such orders of magnitude, we are confident that we can raise the required funds to contribute to the Consortium with Kingdom Holding Company for the acquisition of 25% of Zain KSA,” he said.

“Events in the last few weeks may increase in the short term the cost for such financing but based on feedback from GCC and international banks, there is healthy interest and a competitive spirit, from banking partners to deliver the required financing,” Mr. Kaliaropoulos added.

“Upon completion of the due diligence exercise, detail funding arrangements will accompany the binding offer from the Consortium and will be communicated to all the stakeholders,” he concluded.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=618 A674ABFA-5373-4D39-9204-A08BF44594BA Sat, 19 Mar 2011 13:36:50 +0300 Further to announcements on 13 Mar 2011, by both Batelco Group (Batelco) and Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) to Bahrain Bourse, CBB, various Authorities and the general press, Batelco announced today that the Kingdom-Batelco Consortium has received acceptance of its non-binding offer from the Board of Directors of Zain Kuwait.<br /> <br /> Contrary to unfounded speculation in the press over the last 24 hours, the Consortium`s offer is based on (USD) $950 million in cash and is subject to the findings of the due diligence exercise and other approvals which could take at least six weeks. The consortium`s offer does not include undertakings for the assumption of (USD) $3.8 billion of Zain KSA`s debt.<br /> <br /> Shareholders of Zain Kuwait, Zain KSA, KHC and Batelco will be informed of any further material developments on a timely basis. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=617 66A77952-175B-4C24-8B0B-0B6B66A10A9B Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:25:37 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Batelco-Group-KHC-Meeting.jpg"><br /> From right to left: Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal AlSaud, Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Mr. Peter Kaliaropoulos & Eng. Ahmed Halawani<br /> <br /> Following preliminary discussions with Batelco Group (Batelco), and a meeting held between the two companies, Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), chaired by HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud, announces that it agreed with Batelco key terms for Batelco to be the telecom operator in a revised bid to acquire 25% of Zain KSA from Zain Kuwait. The meeting was attended by Prince Alwaleed, Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, Batelco Chairman, Mr. Peter Kaliaropoulos, Group CEO Batelco and Eng. Ahmed Halawani, Executive Director, KHC.<br /> <br /> Eng. Halawani commented: “We are pleased to announce that we reached agreement with Batelco Group to participate in the Kingdom Holding led consortium to acquire 25% of Zain KSA. Today we submitted a revised non-binding offer to Zain Group for its 25% stake of Zain KSA, valid till 9.00 am on 14 March 2011. Should our offer meet with acceptance from Zain Group Board Directors,&nbsp;&nbsp;Kingdom Holding looks forward to leading the due diligence phase and negotiating the terms and conditions of the final binding agreement between all parties”.<br /> <br /> Mr. Kaliaropoulos also stated: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to jointly bid and support KHC in its efforts to acquire 25% of Zain KSA, as their technical partner. Batelco Group, with extensive regional wireless telecom experience across 7 markets, supporting close to 10 million customers, is confident that it will deliver synergies to Zain KSA and accelerate value creation for all the shareholders. We value KHC’s leadership and we look forward to supporting them through an effective technical and business partnership.”<br /> <br /> Eng. Halawani further added: “We are pleased with Zain KSA’s growth and accomplishments and we look forward to working with its Management under Dr. Saad Al Barrak’s leadership”. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=616 D58792C1-C124-4066-96A2-7BD788C373A5 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:19:10 +0300
A group of grade 6 British School children who participated in the ‘Get Connected with Batelco’ Mad Science workshop with the ‘Mad Scientists’, BSB and Batelco representatives

Batelco Bahrain Chief Technical Officer John Ford attended the final ‘Get Connected with Batelco’ Mad Science programme, held recently at the British School of Bahrain.

Batelco sponsored the series of workshops which began in December and have taken place in 10 of the Kingdom’s private schools over the past three months.

Mad Science has been in operation for over 20 years and today has networks operating in 20 countries, including Bahrain since 2007. The Batelco sponsored workshop introduced children to the world of telecommunications and how it works, through a variety of visually appealing demonstrations and by building mini communication networks right in the classroom. Thanks to the amusing delivery, which gives all participants the chance to be involved, children grasp more about the topic in these one hour workshops than they would in several regular classroom sessions.

“The Mad Science team in Bahrain delivered highly entertaining, hands-on science experiences for children with customised programmes that are as enjoyable as they are educational. We are delighted with the success of the programme which has been very well received by all who participated,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=615 598151B2-151F-4AD2-BE5D-C7798829C1B0 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:25:45 +0300 Batelco has launched an unbeatable golden opportunity for its SimSim customers. Until March 21, customers who refill with BD10, BD20 or BD30 will receive double credit amount and additionally they will benefit from extended line validity of 2 years!<br /> <br /> Batelco, as the Kingdom’s leading mobile services provider is delighted to deliver this unmatched SimSim offer for its customers. The Company continuously reviews it product offers and develops new and innovate deals based on the feedback received from its customers.<br /> <br /> Don’t miss this amazing opportunity; Refill with BD10 to receive BD20 credit; Refill with BD20 to receive BD40 credit and refill with BD30 to enjoy BD60 credit on your SimSim package. Additionally, your line validity will be extended by two years which is the longest prepaid line validity being offered in the Kingdom of Bahrain today.<br /> <br /> This new offer, available for a limited period only until March 21, is available for new as well as existing customers. The bonus credit, which will be utilised before the basic credit, is valid for local calls and SMS to Batelco lines only and must be used within 2 weeks of refill.&nbsp;&nbsp;Customers may check their Main Credit Balance by dialling *122# and their Bonus Credit Balance by dialling<br /> <br /> *122*2#.<br /> <br /> Batelco refill vouchers are available from Batelco Shops and authorised outlets all over the Kingdom of Bahrain. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=614 AE69F8D9-A332-455C-9845-01C3F26162ED Wed, 9 Mar 2011 13:21:22 +0300
Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presenting the sponsorship cheque to Batelco HR staff member & BMI Representative Fatima Yousif in the presence of BMI President Adel Sultan, 2nd from left, BMI Liaison Officer & Fund Raiser Dreena Rogers MBE, 2nd from right and Batelco PR Specialist Ahmed Zainal

Batelco has announced its support for the 5th annual Shaikh Faisal Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Memorial Trophy, organised by Bahrain Mobility International (BMI). The event, which is among BMI’s biggest annual fund raisers, is held to honor the memory of the Late Shaikh Faisal, who was a staunch supporter of the organisation.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presented a sponsorship cheque to BMI representatives during a recent meeting held at Batelco Hamala Headquarters. A Batelco team will join over 150 golfers for the 2 day tournament which is scheduled to take place on March 25th and 26th on his Majesty the King’s private golf course.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco is delighted to once again partner with BMI to help them raise much needed funds for their noble work to provide educational, social, cultural and sporting facilities for the disabled members of BMI and their families.

BMI President Adel Sultan extended his sincere gratitude on behalf of all members of BMI to Batelco for their generosity in supporting the annual fundraiser.

“Without the support of companies such as Batelco we would not be able to provide ongoing care and facilities for our members. Our objective this year is to raise BD30,000 to enable our organisation to develop a driving school for the disabled, purchase additional mobility equipment and complete phase 3 of our swimming pool project,” he added.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=612 A36B58A4-F77C-4D9C-9160-C023702D9A5D Mon, 7 Mar 2011 11:41:34 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/St-Patricks-Day-Prize.jpg"><br /> Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad presents the donated prizes to Bahrain Irish Society Secretary Aisling Harrington-Tolfrey in the presence of Public Relations Coordinator Eman Faqih<br /> <br /> Batelco, as part of its commitment to support events in the community, has donated 2 high value prizes to the Bahrain Irish Society to be used at their annual St. Patrick’s Day Ball. The annual sell-out event is among the society’s biggest fund raising events of the year with proceeds going to a number of Bahrain’s charities.<br /> <br /> “We are very pleased to support the Bahrain Irish Society in their efforts to raise funds for Bahrain’s many charitable organisations,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.<br /> <br /> Batelco, in line with its CSR policy, is committed to supporting a diverse range of Health, Education, Sports and Cultural initiatives with the aim of enhancing the lives of as many residents of Bahrain as possible. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=611 4D8124E9-3B17-416C-8389-7438BF0F4912 Sun, 6 Mar 2011 14:40:18 +0300
Mr. Alsaad received a memento from Mr. Mirza in appreciation for Batelco’s support to the Deaf Sports Club, in the presence of Mr. Taqawi and Mr. Zainal


Batelco, as part of its commitment to the community, is supporting the Bahrain Deaf Sports Club by providing a free Broadband connection. This will greatly help the Club with their initiative to aid the hearing impaired through education, sports and creative activities, in order to become better integrated into society.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco is delighted to assist the Bahrain Deaf Society Sports Club by providing a free internet account.

“By having free high speed internet at the Society’s premises, its members can avail of some excellent opportunities to enhance their education in addition to enjoying the social interactivity of sports and creative programmes,” Mr. Al Janahi said.

Bahrain Deaf Sports Club Chairman Basim Mirza said that on behalf of all the Board members of the Bahrain Deaf Sports Club, he extended his sincere gratitude to Batelco for their generous assistance, in providing the Club with free internet access for club members.

“This is evidence of Batelco’s attentiveness to be supportive of the disabled members of the community and their commitment to the acceleration of the youth and sports movement in the Kingdom,” he added.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad and Public Relations Specialist Ahmed Zainal visited the Sports Club recently to meet with Mr. Mirza and Deaf Sports Club Vice Chairman Ahmed Taqawi and members of the Club.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=610 F247C028-3D1A-4382-80B2-41CB3B30660B Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:09:03 +0300
New residential and business customers will benefit from free registration and two months free rental when they subscribe to Batelco’s highly flexible eFax service. The promotion will continue until 22nd March, 2011.

Batelco eFax service allows customers to receive fax messages directly to their email accounts or send email messages with attachments to fax machines. To send a message, eFax subscribers may compose a normal email message, attach documents if any, and send it to the requested fax number as “faxnumber@efax.com.bh”. Alternatively, customers can send a message from a fax machine to the requested eFax service number.

The versatile eFax service supports sending a variety of electronic document formats, such as MS Office, PDF or .TXT. Customers can also enjoy the service by using any of their email addresses such as Batelco, Gmail and Hotmail. They will be able to save on the costs of purchasing equipment, such as fax machines and stationary through paperless faxing and enjoy a great amount of mobility and convenience.

With eFax, customers will never experience paper-jams or busy signals, or need to worry about installation and maintenance fees. Thus they will be saving substantially annually.

“eFax is a highly attractive service for both individuals and businesses, because it is easy to use, secure and very convenient as it can be used anywhere from any personal computer, notebook or mobile device connected to the Internet,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Being 100% paperless, customers can contribute in preserving and promoting the green environment while saving a great deal of money spent on stationary and fax machines.”

Residential and Business customers interested in subscribing to Batelco eFax service may visit any of Batelco’s Retail Shops, or contact 196 for any enquiries and additionally, Business customers may contact their Account Manager directly.
]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=609 7AAFC7A5-4729-4C87-9EC1-44AA76AB148A Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:07:54 +0300
Batelco Group CEO Peter Kaliaropoulos giving a presentation to Board members, shareholders, management and members of the press


Batelco’s Annual General Meeting took place on 23rd February at Batelco Headquarters in Hamala, with shareholders, company directors, senior management, employees and members of the press in attendance.

The minutes of the previous General Assembly, held on 24th February 2010 and the Board of Directors’ report on the Company’s operations for the financial year ending 31st December 2010, were read and approved.

The Batelco Group delivered steady year-on-year gross revenues for 2010 of BD340.3 million ($902.7 million) and net profit of BD86.8 million ($230.2 million), a decline of 17.4% over 2009.

The Board of Directors’ recommendation of a total cash dividend of 45 fils per share for 2010 amounting to BD64.8 million ($171.9 million), representing 45% of the paid-up capital, was approved at the AGM.  Batelco paid 20 fils per share as the interim dividend in July 2010 and the remaining 25 fils per share will be paid in March 2011.

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa said that Batelco’s steady revenues were delivered in spite of the continuing impact of declining market share in Bahrain caused by increased competition and regulatory decisions which have limited Batelco’s growth in a heavily saturated market.

“In addition to the reduced market share, Batelco Group’s annual financial results were affected by its share of expected losses for its start-up operation S Tel (India), which completed its first full year of operation in 2010,” he said.

“Our strategy to grow and diversify the group through our expansion programme continues to be successful and resulted in a 67% increase in Batelco’s customer base, which reached an impressive 9.2 million across the Group’s seven operating markets by the end of 2010,” Shaikh Hamad added.

Focus on Future Success

Batelco Group Chief Executive Peter Kaliaropoulos said that Batelco’s solid financial and operating results were delivered in undoubtedly the most challenging year for Batelco in the last decade.

“In spite of the challenges, we further diversified during 2010 and grew our business to over 9.2 million customers by the end of the year. We retained market leadership in Bahrain, Kuwait and Yemen. In Jordan we achieved almost equal second spot in the mobile market share whilst in India and Saudi Arabia, we achieved above expectations results after the first full 12 months of operations in the most competitive of market places.”

However, the entrance of the third mobile operator in the Kingdom of Bahrain has had a marked impact on the highly penetrated telecoms industry and Batelco’s operation in Bahrain. Additionally, establishing our Indian operation also affected our financial performance as such a start up venture is not expected to break even till 2014.

Mr. Kaliaropoulos said that Batelco’s Operating Profit for 2010 of BD106.5 million ($282.5 million) declined by 4.7% compared to the previous year.

“Whilst Batelco Bahrain’s operating profit was lower, stronger year-on-year results from Umniah reduced the overall decline in operating profit. Batelco’s overseas operations contributed 34% of gross revenues and 25% of EBITDA. Group Free Cashflow of BD109 million ($289 million), representing a 75% EBITDA conversion rate, exceeded expectations.

“Our net profit of BD86.8 million ($230.2 million), a 17.4% decline versus 2009, included our share of S Tel’s first year losses and the end of Sabafon’s investment tax exemption in Yemen, a total of BD13 million adverse impact,” he said.

Looking forward, Mr. Kaliaropoulos added that growing the Group’s operations overseas and also growing customer numbers continued to be strategic priorities for Batelco.

“Retaining our leadership in the Bahrain market is also of key importance. We are committed to delivering a full range of communication services, world-leading products and unmatched customer care and in 2010 invested BD22 million ($58 million) in new wireless and fixed infrastructure in Bahrain. ”

“In order to operate more efficiently and reduce our input costs we are leveraging our resources further to ‘deliver more with less’ through process re-engineering and innovation.  To that end we will continue to make our back office systems and processes ‘smarter’ across the Group and continue to implement cost reduction programmes and restructure our operations driven by market conditions.  Additionally, by reviewing procurement arrangements with our largest suppliers on a group-wide basis, we are striving to improve supply terms and service delivery,”  Mr.  Kaliaropoulos elaborated.

Appreciation for all Stakeholders

Batelco Chairman Shaikh Hamad extended his gratitude to Batelco’s shareholders for their continuous support towards the Board of Directors and Batelco’s senior executives.

He also offered sincere appreciation on behalf of the Board of Directors and senior management to all Batelco’s employees in Bahrain and abroad for their efforts during the past very demanding year.

“We anticipate that 2011 will also be a challenging year and I encourage all Batelco employees to retain their optimistic spirit and passion for success alive in facing competition across all the markets Batelco operates in,” he said.

“We are very lucky to employ dedicated men and women in the Group’s management teams across our operations. Their enthusiasm for success is unmatched and their efforts are very much appreciated by all members of Batelco’s Board.”

“I also offer thanks to our business partners and suppliers who contribute significantly to Batelco’s operations.”

“I am, as always, grateful to our customers for their loyalty that keeps us in our leading position in Bahrain, in spite of extensive competition. We are fully committed to delivering to our customers’ first class products and services throughout 2011,” added Shaikh Hamad.

Looking Forward

“For 2011, we renew our resolve to enhance the lives of residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain everyday by delivering an unmatched basket of products and services that more than meets all their communication requirements. “

“We also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening the Batelco name and brand across all markets in which we operate and look forward to reaching and surpassing the 10 million customer mark in 2011,” concluded Shaikh Hamad.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=608 856F7E30-5F7C-4AF6-9338-18AD32484123 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:17:38 +0300 Batelco Group confirmed today that its offer to acquire Zain Group’s 25% stake in Zain KSA expired.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group CEO, Peter Kaliaropoulos stated, “We believe the Batelco Consortium presented a very fair and reasonable offer to Zain Group.<br /> <br /> “Our offer also involved a significant amount of new cash to be injected into Zain KSA as working capital to accelerate its growth in a highly competitive market. Ensuring that both Zain Group and Zain KSA appropriately benefit was at the core of our offer,” added Mr. Kaliaropoulos.<br /> <br /> “Negotiations were amicable but we did not reach a suitable deal,” he concluded. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=607 3F4DCCC0-7E3C-458B-A9F2-8F135D6CED4C Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:16:52 +0300
Batelco Safety & Security staff with Batelco Manager Security & Safety, Adel Algaoud, middle row centre, Batelco Management Training Specialist Masalek Al Haddad seated, 2nd from right, and Sinai Training Solutions Training Specialists Brian Grimshaw, back row left and Raymond Hutchinson, back row 4th from right


Batelco Security & Safety Department, in line with Batelco’s commitment to delivering training opportunities for its employees, recently organised specialised training for a number of its security personnel.

The programme, in accordance with international standards, was conducted by Training Specialists Brian Grimshaw and Raymond Hutchinson from Irish based company Sinai Training Solutions.

Batelco Group Human Resources General Manager Shaikh Ahmed Al Khalifa said that Batelco invested heavily on an annual basis to deliver training and development opportunities, via the Company’s Training Department based at Hamala Headquarters.

Batelco Manager Security & Safety, Adel Algaoud, who spoke at the opening of the 10 day course, said that he is committed to providing Batelco and its employees with a security and safety service of the highest standards.

“Accordingly, under the guidance of Group HR General Manager, Sh. Ahmed Al Khalifa and with the support of Batelco Training Department, we were very pleased to provide an international standard training opportunity for the Safety & Security team,” he said.

The programme, which included classroom based learning and practical training, was attended by 30 staff who all completed the course successfully. The participants were presented with certificates for their efforts with Hafedh Mubarak being nominated as the best performing student from among the Security Officers group while Ismael Sharif was nominated as the best performing student overall.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=606 DA810682-8DA7-4831-B188-664AEF3A85C1 Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:14:17 +0300 Batelco has apologised to its Broadband customers for any service degradation they may be experiencing with their Broadband internet service.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco’s Technical Teams were working to restore full connections.<br /> <br /> “We appreciate our customers’ cooperation and understanding while we strive to restore full services, which we hope to do as soon as possible.” http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=605 261F177C-4767-4A96-8F18-33B4FEC32402 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:54:48 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/Batelco-at-Italian-Grand-Ball.jpg"><br /> H.E. Enrico Padula, 3rd from left with Batelco representatives at the Festival Italiano 2011 Gala Ball<br /> <br /> Batelco officials joined H.E. Enrico Padula the Italian Ambassador to Bahrain at the Festival Italiano 2011 Gala Ball which took place at the Diplomat Radisson on February 10th.<br /> <br /> Batelco was the Gold Sponsor for the Festival, which featured a variety of artistic and cultural programmes including the Gala Ball. A number of Batelco’s management and staff attended the events throughout the week of the Festival which concluded on Friday 11 February. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=604 4CCEB177-E03D-4D90-B441-CF8047511449 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:10:28 +0300
Batelco and Duraz Charity Fund officials in attendance at the blood donation event

Batelco representatives attended the 12th annual Duraz Charity Fund Blood Donation day, held recently at Budaiya Medical Centre. Batelco sponsored the event, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme’s commitment to health initiatives.  

With Batelco’s financial support, the Duraz Charity Fund campaign enabled volunteers to donate blood to support residents of the Kingdom in need of blood transfusions.

Batelco Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad and a number of Batelco representatives attended the Blood Donation drive.

“We were very pleased to provide funds to enable the Blood Donation campaign for Duraz Charity Fund for the 6th year in succession. Donating blood is an extremely worthwhile cause as it helps to save lives in emergency situations,” said Batelco Group General Manger Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

Batelco contributed over BD3 million to a wide range of health, education, sports and cultural programmes during 2010.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=603 8128CA3F-0EA5-4AC3-B30F-EDA80A1284C9 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:04:12 +0300
Table showing Batelco’s Broadband Package Upgrades

Batelco, Bahrain’s leading Broadband services provider, is delighted to announce a major enhancement  to its consumer  Broadband packages. All Batelco Broadband customers will benefit from the revamp which will deliver a combination of faster speeds, higher threshold limits and lower prices.

The new packages will be available from February 10  and existing customers’ package upgrades will automatically start from February 13.

Batelco’s BD10 – 2GB Broadband customers will now enjoy a speed of 640Kb which is more than double the current speed. Customers who currently pay BD16 for 5GB usage with speed of 640Kb will be migrated to a new BD15 package and benefit from a higher speed of 1Mb with an increased threshold of 8GB.

Subscribers to the 1Mb – 15GB package for BD25 will also benefit from enhancements of speed and price reduction. The new package will cost only BD20 per month with speed boosted up to 2Mb.

Subscribers to Batelco’s 2Mb, 20GB package priced at BD30 will benefit from an upgrade in speed and threshold to 4Mb and 25GB, to experience more benefits while still paying  the same price. Customers who currently pay BD50 for the 4Mb -25GB package will now only pay BD30, a huge discount of BD20, while enjoying the same speed and threshold.

Batelco’s professional user Broadband packages – 8Mb, 10Mb and 16Mb will all be enhanced with the addition of extra threshold limits while still paying the same price.

Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that the Company continuously reviews all its products and services to better serve its customers.

“We are delighted to be delivering this major enhancement of our Broadband packages. Batelco considers the needs of its customers as its number one priority and listens to their feedback in order to deliver products and services that improves their communication facilities,”  he said.

In addition to the excellent benefits of price, speed and usage enhancements, Batelco’s customers will also benefit from higher throttling speeds than they currently have. Furthermore, Batelco is also introducing new extra usage bundles for customers who wish to surf at maximum speed after exceeding the monthly threshold limit.

The Extra Usage bundles are 1GB for BD1, 2GB for BD1.5, 5GB for BD4, 10GB for BD7 and unlimited usage is charged at 1 fils per MB only.

New customers are invited to subscribe and start benefiting from super fast and reliable Broadband delivered by Batelco. Registration is free for all new  subscribers to Batelco’s Consumer Broadband packages. For details about any of Batelco’s products and services please visit http://www.batelco.com or visit any Batelco Retail Shop or phone 196.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=602 30B14D43-4FDC-4565-8343-F4006C6662B1 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:00:54 +0300
From left: Mr. Sharafi and Mr. Al-Janahi

As part of its ongoing support for youths in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Batelco has sponsored the Bahrain Youth Society by providing a free Broadband Internet connection at the Society’s headquarters in Budaiya.
                                        
“Our sponsorship for the Bahrain Youth Society translates to our commitment to enabling youths in the Kingdom to use their time in more productive activities,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

President of the Bahrain Youth Society Ali Hussain Sharafi said that it is not surprising that Batelco is sponsoring the Bahrain Youth Society, as it is one of the companies that always jumps at the opportunity to support events and activities aimed at the youth of the local community.

“Batelco has clearly made its mark through genuine partnerships with community aiding entities, and the Company is always in the forefront in supporting our youth,” he added.

“This free Broadband Internet connection will hugely support the society members’ activities.”

Mr. Sharafi expressed his immense gratitude for Batelco’s support and wished the company great success in its future endeavours.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=599 BC59471E-5594-4B8C-AB43-CB843E044C2C Mon, 14 Feb 2011 14:59:35 +0300 Batelco, Bahrain’s leading mobile services provider, will begin an upgrade of its mobile network starting from February 12, 2011. The upgrade is in line with Batelco’s ongoing strategy to enhance its mobile communication service and keep it on par with the highest international standards.<br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /> Phase One of the upgrade programme will take place over an 8 to 10 week period and will be carried out in stages to minimise the impact on Batelco’s mobile customers, affecting only one or two geographic areas at a time.<br /> <br /> All work will take place during low traffic periods, between 23:00 and 06:00 for working days and between 05:00 and 08:00 during the weekends, in order to cause minimal disruption to customers. Additionally, each planned outage is expected to take only 20 minutes to further minimise any inconvenience.<br /> <br /> During the upgrade hours, some customers in the affected areas may experience temporary disruption to voice, SMS or data via their mobile phone.<br /> <br /> Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi said that Batelco apologises for any inconvenience the upgrade work may cause and appreciates the understanding and cooperation of their customers. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=600 A5BA260E-EB1A-4831-BC2A-C49B04F72B24 Wed, 9 Feb 2011 14:58:33 +0300 Batelco Group, listed on the Bahrain Bourse (Bahrain Telecommunications Company - BATELCO), the leading telecommunications company in Bahrain and a regional operator with over 9.2 million customers, today announced that it has submitted an offer to acquire all the shares owned by Zain Group in Mobile Telecommunications Company Saudi Arabia (Zain KSA).<br /> <br /> Peter Kaliaropoulos, Batelco Group Chief Executive stated: “Batelco Group has submitted a confidential, non binding offer to acquire Zain Group’s 25% stake in Zain KSA. Our offer is subject to due diligence and a number of terms and conditions, including approvals from Regulatory Authorities such as Communications & Information Technology Commission (CITC) and Capital Market Authority (CMA), Zain KSA Board Directors, and other relevant parties.”<br /> <br /> “Our offer remains valid till 16 February 2011,” he added. http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=601 8C3A0F84-FD65-42DD-9C73-DA9F428B72E2 Wed, 9 Feb 2011 14:57:50 +0300
H.E. the French Ambassador Yves Oudin with Shaikh Ahmed Al-Khalifa, centre with French Trade Commissioner Mr. Pierre Fabre, left, and Batelco Public Relations Manager Mr. Osama Alsaad, right


Batelco, as part of its annual contribution to support cultural initiatives in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has announced its Platinum Sponsorship for French Week 2011. French Week 2011, which will feature a variety of artistic and cultural programmes, will take place at a number of locations in Bahrain between February 23rd and March 1st.

The French Week organised by the French Embassy in association with the Franco Bahraini Business Club, with Batelco as the main sponsor, will deliver a fantastic variety of French art, film, music, entertainment and gastronomy with events taking place in several venues. Additionally, a number of sporting tournaments will also be held during the week.

The annual event aims to provide a glimpse of French culture for residents of the Kingdom whilst also hoping to attract visitors from around the Gulf region to enjoy the wide variety of entertaining programmes. With such a varied calendar, there is something to suit all ages and nationalities.

Among the activities will be art exhibitions held at Sahar Art Gallery in Sanabis, at the Riwaq Art Gallery and Bahrain National Museum, a photography exhibition at Jamsheer House, tapestry exhibition at Kurar House and a variety of French movies held daily at Shaikh Ebrahim Centre. Among the sporting events will be a mini Tour de France held on Amwaj Islands and a golf competition held at the Royal Golf Club at Riffa Views.

French Week will open with a ceremony for invited guests at the Ritz Carlton featuring a fireworks display at 9pm on February 23rd and conclude with a dinner featuring dance and opera performances at the new Sofitel Hotel, which opens in February.

Batelco`s Group General Manager HR Shaikh Ahmed Al Khalifa presented the platinum sponsorship cheque to French Ambassador to Bahrain H.E. Yves Oudin at a recent meeting held at the French Embassy.

Ambassador Oudin extended his appreciation to Shaikh Ahmed Al-Khalifa for visiting the French Embassy to present the sponsorship cheque.

“We at the Embassy are very pleased to have the support of one of the Kingdom’s leading companies for our special event. Batelco’s financial assistance makes it possible for us to deliver a superb variety of programmes that are certain to provide something for everyone.”
Group General Manager HR Shaikh Ahmed Al Khalifa said that Batelco is delighted to support the French Week as it provides such a wide variety of entertaining programmes that will give everyone a true taste and feel of France.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=598 B02E2364-1D6F-4276-B3F2-7387190C96A1 Mon, 7 Feb 2011 08:30:00 +0300
Lazim Communications Chairman Hameed Pothimadathil and Batelco Senior Manager Small Enterprises & Indirect Channels Bader Ruwaihi with Batelco and Lazim Communications officials and invited guests in front of the new Batelco Franchised Shop


Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecommunication services provider is delighted to announce the opening of its first franchised outlet. Batelco has entered into a partnership agreement with one of the foremost telecomm market resellers, Lazim Communications, to jointly open the new outlet.

The Lazim Communications Batelco Shop which offers all of Batelco’s Products and Services is conveniently located in Juffair. The location was selected due to its proximity to many residential apartments, businesses, educational establishments and hotels.

Batelco Senior Manager Small Enterprises & Indirect Channels Bader Ruwaihi and Lazim Communications Chairman Hameed Pothimadathil cut the ribbon to officially open the doors of the new shop which is expected to be very busy due to its prime location.

“We are delighted to enter into the agreement with Lazim Communications to open the new Juffair retail shop,” said Batelco Group General Manager Media Relations Ahmed Al Janahi.

“Batelco strives to provide its products and services in all areas of the Kingdom to meet the requirements of its valued customers,” he added.

Lazim Communications Chairman Hameed Pothimadathil also expressed his delight in opening the modern outlet in partnership with the Kingdom’s leading telecommunications company.

“Batelco is the longest established telco in Bahrain and has an excellent reputation for its products and services. We are proud to be able to deliver such top quality offerings to the residents of the Juffair area. “

“Juffair is among the most cosmopolitan areas in the Kingdom being home to many nationalities and also a popular destination for visitors to Bahrain, so we look forward to a brisk business trade,” added Mr. Pothimadathil.]]> http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsStory.aspx?nid=596 47C54C19-5724-4EB3-A844-E781AC6E1BD7 Sun, 6 Feb 2011 08:28:20 +0300 <img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.batelco.com/batelco_cms/NewsPhotos/YMOG.jpg"><br /> Public Relations Manager Osama Alsaad handing the sponsorship cheque to St. Christopher’s Senior School Assistant Head Bryon Pearce<br /> <br /> <br /> Batelco Sponsors Young Musicians of the Gulf 2011<br /> Batelco, as part of the Company’s ongoing commitment to support a wide range of events in the community, is sponsoring the Young Musicians of the Gulf co