Page 20 - SAMENA Trends - October 2019

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Batelco Launches National Broadband Network

Division

Batelco has officially launched National provide fiber broadband network services Khalifa commented: ‘The restructure of
Broadband Network (BNET), the group’s to all licensed operators including Batelco, Batelco is now complete with independent
new independent wholesale unit resulting whereas Batelco will focus solely on retail management teams and human resources
from the company’s legal separation and corporate operations. NTP4 notably in place. BNET’s teams are now working on
and restructuring into two separate aims to provide internet access speeds of the implementation of its strategic plans
entities focused on retail and wholesale at least 100Mbps for up to 95% of homes which focus on the development of the
operations, completed in May 2019. In in Bahrain and 1Gbps for all government fiber-optic network across Bahrain and the
line with the requirements of Bahrain’s and business entities. Speaking at a provision of high-speed internet services
Fourth National Telecommunications press event to announce the launch, for OLO’s on a fair and competitive basis.’
Plan (NTP4) agreed in 2014, BNET will Batelco Chairman Abdulla bin Khalifa Al

Batelco and Avaya Bring Cloud solutions for Bahrain’s Growing Small and
Medium Businesses

Batelco, the leading digital solutions
provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain has
signed with Avaya, an agreement whereby
Batelco will offer Avaya’s market-leading
portfolio of Contact Centre and Unified
Communications solutions on an as-a-
service basis through a cloud offering
hosted in Bahrain. The agreement was
signed by Batelco General Manager
Enterprise Division Abderrahmane Mounir
and Avaya Vice President – Middle East,
Africa and Turkey Fadi Hani, during GITEX
Technology Week 2019, where both
companies are demonstrating the latest
innovations for the communications
industry. The move is in line with the available across a range of deployments latest in a long partnership between Avaya
increasing customer demand for Avaya’s – including public and private cloud. and Batelco, which is a Gold Partner in
solutions to be delivered through a cloud- This fits in with Batelco’s strategy for the Avaya’s Edge channel program. Last year,
based model. Batelco will offer public enterprise division, offering cutting edge the two companies completed a number
and private cloud-based deployments of digital solutions. Batelco aims at providing of strategic digital transformation projects
Avaya’s cloud solutions to customers and the sector with practical, flexible and with the Kingdom’s private and public
channel partners in Bahrain, hosting the affordable solutions that enables growth sector organizations. Fadi Hani, Vice
solutions at its own data center. Avaya’s in the segment while providing high levels President – Middle East, Africa and Turkey,
cloud solutions are both flexible and of performance and efficiency through Avaya, said: “With this announcement, we
scalable, eliminating the need for upfront the application of the latest cloud based are taking our long-standing partnership
capital investments. Customers need only solutions,” said Abderrahmane Mounir, GM with Batelco to new heights, and we’re
pay for what they use, and can scale up Enterprise at Batelco. This launch forms helping to facilitate cloud freedom for
easily as their businesses grow. And the part of Avaya’s near global deployment of businesses in Bahrain. The idea is to
solutions’ enterprise-grade feature-sets its virtual cloud infrastructure, with over 3.6 enable local organizations, of any size, to
mean that they are suitable for businesses million cloud seats deployed to date. Avaya embrace cloud-based UC and CC solutions
of any size. “With businesses increasingly is a market leader with 145 million seats at the pace and through the path of their
moving to cloud-based solutions, we saw worldwide, making it uniquely positioned choice. Our partnership with Batelco will
a tremendous opportunity in partnering to help customers transition to the cloud support this.”
with Avaya to make its cloud solutions at scale. The announcement is also the

20 OCTOBER 2019