Page 7 - SAMENA Trends - August 2019

FEATURED SAMENA TRENDS

All the above initiatives and launches experience across channels including the launch of Bahrain the FinTech Bay, the
demonstrate VIVA’s commitment and highly advanced self-service machines regulatory sandbox, which allows firms to
efforts towards evolving into a digital allowing services such as payment, experiment with new FinTech products and
service provider. recharge, SIM-replacement, plan services in a controlled manner amongst
change, and activation of add-ons, other initiatives.
For VIVA Bahrain, digital transformation cloud-based queuing system at
is not just another management project, it retail stores allowing customers to At VIVA, we have always been committed to
has become a way of life. book appointments in advance and a introducing the latest digital technologies
sophisticated mobile app that allows to the people of Bahrain and help the
Bahrain’s telecommunic- complete selfcare country unlock its full digital potential,
ations market was the Furthermore, being a part of the STC and have been actively supporting
Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 by driving
first in the Middle East to group allows us to offer unique roaming technological advancement, investing
launch internet services propositions allowing our subscribers to heavily in cloud services, connectivity
benefit from high quality of service with
ecosystems, IoT, and broadband access
in 1995, and the first our unmatched roaming add-ons across technologies. And in that regard;
in the GCC region to more than 140 destinations - We initiated national-scale projects
liberalize and open up its On the B2B segment, VIVA is offering a including Bahrain’s first Cyber Security
Centre (CSC), built to enhance Bahrain’s
ICT sector to investment. holistic suite of services including our cyber security capabilities and provide
Today, it’s one of the cloud based unified communication enterprises a one-stop shop for all
service and our cloud-based ERP and POS
data
and
communication
digital
most ICT developed systems protection requirements.
countries in the Middle As we continue to innovate and grow our - We were the first to break through
Bahrain’s digital space by introducing
East. This is all thanks business, we will continue to ensure that “VIVA Connected Life”, Bahrain’s
to a liberal government delivering the best possible customer first, and award-winning collection of
policy, forward-look- experience remains our top priority. smart solutions designed to connect a
customer’s home, car, health and family.
ing regulator and Q. What have the top 5 key transformation - We launched a ground-breaking service;
substantial infrastructure highlights of Bahrain’s ICT sector over VIVA Cash, the mobile wallet – which
has been one of the key digital enablers
the past nine years, and where are VIVA
investments made by Bahrain’s contributions most visible? for us to venture into the Fintech sector
telecom players such as A. Bahrain’s telecommunications market and reiterates our commitment to
ourselves. was the first in the Middle East to launch invest and develop in the most agile
infrastructure products and services
internet services in 1995, and the first in
the GCC region to liberalize and open up - As experts in the ICT Cloud Computing
Q. What are your key differentiators in your its ICT sector to investment. Today, it’s services, we helped businesses
core market? one of the most ICT developed countries address advanced information security
A. A key pillar of VIVA’s launch strategy in the Middle East. This is all thanks to a threats and fulfil their cyber security
was differentiation and building a strong liberal government policy, forward-looking management requirements through
unique selling proposition. We have been regulator and substantial infrastructure providing our business partners with
through a multiple of “firsts” in the market investments made by telecom players
whether it was launching of 3.5G, 4G, 4.5G such as ourselves. We were the first to break
and 5G or being first to market with the through Bahrain’s digital
latest handsets. Today we offer a highly Looking back at the past nine years, there
unique value proposition to our subscribers were several things that played a role in space by introducing
across voice and data with some of the key transforming the industry to what we see “VIVA Connected Life”,
differentiators being: today. One of the important changes that Bahrain’s first, and award-
- High quality of service on the best we have seen was the introduction of new
network in Bahrain (based on multiple regulations and updating existing laws and winning collection of
independent tests and TRA reports) policies to support the development of the smart solutions designed
- Highly diverse portfolio of devices ICT sector such as the Cloud First Policy,
and accessories including innovative which encourages all government entities to connect a customer’s
offerings such as the iPhone for Life to utilize the cloud for data storage. We home, car, health and
program have also seen many initiatives and
- Differentiated and digitized customer developments around FinTech, such as family.

7 AUGUST 2019