Zain wins Global Telecom Business award for One Network

Zain took home a 2008 Global Telecom Business Innovation Award last week in London in recognition of its One Network service -- the world's first borderless mobile telecommunication network.

The One Network service allows customers travelling throughout 16 countries in Africa and the Middle East to communicate freely across geographical borders by eliminating surcharges for receiving calls and roaming. In addition, customers are able to top up their prepaid accounts with airtime purchased from more than 1 million sales outlets in any of those 16 countries.

"...Up to 500 million people in Zain's markets, stretching from Manama in Bahrain to Freetown in Sierra Leone, can be treated as 'local' customers should they have a Zain mobile line," Zain CEO Saad Al Barrak said. "This award is testament to the considerable investment and commitment to a project that connects customers across the many countries in which Zain operates."

Zain plans to roll out One Network to all of its operations, subject to regulatory approval. The continued expansion of One Network will play a key role in Zain attaining its goals of reaching 150 million customers and becoming one of the top 10 global mobile operators by 2011, Al Barrak added.

"The One Network offer is not built around pricing but around simplicity and user friendliness leveraging our cross-country networks," explained George Held, One Network architect and program director, who received the award on behalf of Zain.

Zain has acknowledged the cooperation and support of telecom regulators and ministerial bodies in all of the countries where it has launched One Network.