Etisalat Group & Huawei Sign New Agreement for Telecom Consultancy Services

BARCELONA, Spain, February 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Consultancy agreement between the two companies focused on enhancing Etisalat broadband and digital services

Etisalat Group, the leading telecom operator in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, and Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, have announced the signing of a new global agreement in which Huawei will support Etisalat Group by focusing on the enhancement of its broadband and digital services.

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130227/599672 )

The agreement was announced at this year's Mobile World Congress 2013 taking place this week in Barcelona, Spain, and it marks one of the largest ever consultancy services agreements between Etisalat and Huawei. In attendance at the signing ceremony from Etisalat Group was Eissa Al Suwaidi, Chairman, Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, the Chief Executive Officer, as well as Huawei's Sun Yafang, Chairwoman, Ding Yun, CEO of Huawei Carrier Business Group, Shi Yaohong, President of Huawei Middle East region, and Alan Wang, Head of Etisalat Global Key Account from Huawei.

As per the agreement, Huawei's business consulting team will partner with Etisalat stakeholders to assist in further advancing the operator's mobile broadband services as well as its digital services portfolio. The primary objective of the agreement will be to support Etisalat in further enhancing its profitability through new traffic monetization schemes, premium customer-support solutions and cooperation on go-to-market strategies for new Etisalat services.

The agreement will include cooperation on key Etisalat projects such as recent investments in 4G LTE mobile networks and Etisalat over-the-top (OTT) media offerings such as its popular e-Plus packages.

"This agreement continues a long and successful history of collaboration between both companies and presents us with a win-win situation," said Mr. Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Etisalat Group's CEO. "With a large and growing global presence of over 139 million customers in fifteen countries, Etisalat Group has built up a large and talented international workforce. This agreement will enable us to further collaborate to bolster the international expertise that already exists in the group."

Mr. Shi Yaohong, President of Huawei Middle East region, said: "Investments being made today in future-oriented information and communication technologies are widely recognized as an immense driver of economic development, and for many years Etisalat has been at the forefront in offering businesses and consumers across the globe exceptional communication services.

"Leveraging Huawei's strengths in providing end-to-end ICT solutions and our heritage in research and development, this latest consultancy agreement between Huawei and Etisalat will help to further advance such offerings while at the same time supporting Etisalat to reap the maximum value of its future network investments," added Mr. Yaohong.

Etisalat and Huawei have partnered on numerous occasions over the past decade including recent collaborations on deploying 4G LTE networks in UAE and Saudi Arabia, introducing the Middle East's first certified LTE training programs through Etisalat Academy in 2012, and a memorandum of understanding between the two companies in 2011 to bolster Etisalat's business across Africa and Asian markets.

Other notable collaborations include the Arab world's first commercial deployment of a 3G UMTS network in 2003, the launch of the region's first HSPA+ network in 2006, and the building of the world's largest GPON FTTH fiber network during 2008 in UAE.

For Huawei, the latest agreement is a particularly significant milestone as the company has in recent years made strategic adjustments to better serve its customers by extending the reach of its offerings from telecommunications network infrastructure to full end-to-end consultancy and managed services; helping operators sustain their business growth and improve overall quality of service.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Through our dedication to customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, we have established end-to-end advantages in telecom networks, devices and cloud computing. We are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers by providing competitive solutions and services. Our products and solutions have been deployed in over 140 countries, serving more than one third of the world's population.  

For more information, visit Huawei online: http://www.huawei.com

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About Etisalat

Strong commitment to excellence and innovation has seen Etisalat become one of the world's fastest-growing telecom groups, rapidly expanding across Asia and Africa. Its UAE operations, strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, enables Etisalat to be the major hub in the Middle East for Internet, voice, broadcast, roaming and corporate data services. Etisalat has been recognised as 'Best Operator' 10 times since 2006 and 'Best Wholesale Provider' four times in the last three years. Servicing over 139 million customers in 15 countries Etisalat continues to reach out to new customers and markets.

Please visit Etisalat at Mobile World Congress in Hall 2, Stand #2B110.

SOURCE Etisalat