Etisalat Extends Its Customers’ Reach across USA, Canada and Latin America with Global Crossing

Etisalat Extends Its Customers’ Reach across USA, Canada and Latin America with Global Crossing
Dubai, Feb 27, 2010: Etisalat, a leading carrier in the Middle East, today announced an agreement with Global Crossing, (Nasdaq: GLBC), a leading global IP solutions provider, to provide seamless connectivity alternatives to customers who want to expand their connectivity to the United States, Canada and Latin America from the United Arab Emirates.
As part of this alliance, Etisalat has set up its own node in New York with last mile connectivity provided by Global Crossing to offer global connectivity solutions through a secure and fully owned IP/MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) network. This is part of Etisalat‘s long term strategy of enhancing global connectivity options for its corporate customers.
“This partnership with Global Crossing is significant in terms of expanding the connectivity alternatives for our customers across the US, Canada and Latin America,” said Abdulla Hashim, Senior Vice President, Business Solutions, Etisalat. “This will enable us to leverage their local presence and the capabilities of their integrated IP-based network to support our customers. Moreover, the presence of our own nodes is a major differentiator for customers across this region that now can rely on us for world class connectivity solutions with advantages like reliable quality of service and network management capabilities.”

“We’re very pleased to join with Etisalat in offering our Extended Reach Solutions, comprised of the Global Crossing Fast-Track Services™ portfolio,” said Habib Issa, Global Crossing’s head of Carrier Sales for South Europe, Middle East and Africa. “As Etisalat’s business clients take advantage of globalization and IP convergence market trends, they can benefit from Etisalat’s support model, strong regional presence and the global seamless network enabled by Global Crossing’s IP infrastructure.”

With the setting up of these new nodes, Etisalat will offer secure IP/MPLS links to carry data traffic on its own network. This also will translate into pricing advantages which will be passed on to customers since Etisalat will manage its own network from end-to-end in a seamless manner.

Etisalat joins a select list of top-tier service providers offering Global Crossing Fast-Track Services portfolio to their enterprise end users. Global Crossing Fast-Track Services combine the business processes, products, services and system tools necessary for service providers to quickly offer their enterprise customers end-to-end global data solutions, backed by consistent SLAs. In addition to Converged IP Services and Private Line, Fast-Track Services include Ethernet, Collaboration and Managed Services. The portfolio can help service providers avoid the costly expenditures and long lead times generally associated with service expansion. It also can help drive incremental revenue for a carrier by helping it provide additional opportunities to enterprise customers that need out-of-region IP-based solutions.

By virtue of its strategic agreement with Global Crossing, Etisalat will be able to further extend its customers connectivity in countries where it doesn’t have coverage by being part of the Global Crossing MPLS network. This will enable UAE based customers to extend their connectivity through Etisalat across the US, Canada and Latin American markets.

The IP VPN services offered will deliver feature-rich capability of a fully managed IP network while providing the reliability, quality and security of an MPLS-based private network environment. Both companies will also work towards offering value added services like Managed Services utilizing their respective infrastructure.

Etisalat enables UAE businesses to reach out to their favourite countries at upto 55% discounted calling rates

Etisalat enables UAE businesses to reach out to their favourite countries at upto 55% discounted calling rates
Abu Dhabi, February 24, 2010: In a move to bring more economical communication solutions to businesses across the UAE, Etisalat today announced the introduction of the Favourite Country Plan for businesses, offering an additional 20% discount on the current international direct dialing rates (IDD), for calls made to any 3 countries of their choice on business landlines.
The Favourite Country Plan is applicable to all calls made on landlines and gives customers the flexibility to choose any 3 countries best suited for their frequent calling requirements. This is in addition to the existing off-peak rates currently available to customers around the clock, thereby giving savings of upto 55% on their selected countries as per the plan.
Etisalat’s new introduction is aimed at providing UAE based companies with additional peace of mind when they communicate over their landline telephones through more attractive rates and substantial savings. It will also aid companies in their day-to-day interaction with partners, suppliers and employees across the globe, with a better control on monthly communication spends. The plan is also valid for landlines provided at the residence of company employees where the landlines are in the company`s name with applicable business line charges.
Commenting on the benefits of the additional discounts to Favourite countries, Mr. Abdulla Hashim, Senior VP, Business Solutions at Etisalat said, “Etisalat is totally committed to offer increased ways of more cost effective communication to businesses in the UAE. The Favourite Country Plan on landlines for businesses has been introduced to ensure maximum customer ease and savings, especially at a time when cost efficiencies are a priority given the current economic climate.”

Etisalat Remains Positive and is Reaching beyond the Economic Crisis

Etisalat Remains Positive and is Reaching beyond the Economic Crisis

20th Feb 2010: Etisalat is currently participating or investigating opportunities across North Africa and the Middle East. Omran indicated six possible markets which would involve both the acquisition of green-field licenses within markets with low penetration levels and industry consolidation stressing that size and scale are extremely important for to avoid small operators being marginalized. “Etisalat is in an excellent position – financially and operationally to capitalize on these opportunities,” Omran added.
Etisalat is committed to investing in new technologies across the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Broadband and fiber-optic fixed-line infrastructure is a clear example of such an investment. Etisalat has deployed fiber-optic networks in Sudan and also in the UAE to great effect and will shortly begin offering GPON connectivity to the home with a capacity of 10Gbps shared between 32 residences –a 400% increase to what is currently on offer today.
Etisalat also announced that it has started the commercial trial of LTE, an important step towards 4G. The expected date for launching LTE services in UAE is by the end of 2010. Later in the first half of this year, Etisalat will be introducing new technology which will enable downloads of up to 42mbps, which will grow to 84mbps by end of year.
In conclusion Mohammad Omran highlighted Etisalat’s commitment to environmental initiatives. “Etisalat has successfully combined the welfare of the environment and advanced technology by investing in fiber optic networks can enhance the energy efficiency of our networks and reduce our carbon emissions. We are also implementing ‘green building’ policies to reduce operating costs.”

Etisalat Reached 100 Million Customer Base

Barcelona, 15 February 2010: Etisalat announced that its subscriber base has exceeded 100 million subscribers across its 18 markets in the Middle East, Asia and Africa covering 2 billion people.
This comes shortly after Etisalat announced it has acquired an additional share equal to 18% in “Atlantic Telecom” thus increasing the shareholding to 100%. Added to that is its application to the Indian Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), to obtain approval to raise its 45% stake in its Indian subsidiary Etisalat DB to 50%plus one share. Etisalat targets majority stakes in its subsidiaries and associates for more operational and financial synergy.
Recently Etisalat reported annual Net Revenues of AED 30.831billion and Net Profits of AED 8.836 billion marking a 5% and 16% increase respectively, compared to 2008.

Etisalat has operations and investments in 18 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Sudan, Pakistan, Tanzania, Benin, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Niger, Togo, Republic of Central Africa, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.