Roshan and Vodafone Sign Strategic Partner Market Agreement

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Roshan, Afghanistan's total communications provider, announced today that it has signed a "Partner Market" agreement with Vodafone, one of the world's leading international mobile communications groups. The strategic partnership is exclusive to the Afghan market and will help Roshan better serve its 5 million customers through the sharing of best practices, innovation and knowledge. The Vodafone network includes over 600 million customers (including partners) in over 70 countries.

Under the agreement, Roshan customers will have access to a wider range of products and services, improved voice and data roaming services in countries where Vodafone is active, and added expertise through ongoing workshops, site visits and product innovation, to name a few of the possibilities. In parallel, Vodafone will use Roshan's state-of-the-art network to offer their customers the best network quality, data capabilities and coverage, while roaming in Afghanistan.

"The Partner Market Agreement with Vodafone will enable Roshan customers to join the world's largest mobile network family of over 600 million customers. We are pleased to be partnering with Vodafone to bring best-in-class products, services and experience to Afghanistan, and to bring our customers together with whom and what is important to them," said Karim Khoja, chief executive officer, Roshan.

"We have enjoyed a strong strategic partnership with Roshan for nearly five years. We are very proud to be associated with a company who has not only maintained their leadership in a highly competitive market, but also, through their innovation and corporate social responsibility have become one of the most admired companies in the region. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship to provide an enhanced customer experience," said Colin MacDougall, Director – Middle East, Africa and the Americas, Vodafone Partner Markets.

The Partner Market agreement also builds on Roshan's existing partnership with Vodafone on M-Paisa, which uses Vodafone's technology and Roshan's network to provide the first mobile money service to Afghanistan. M-Paisa recently completed a software upgrade to enable international money transfer and cater more to the unique needs of the Afghan market. Vodafone's Group of mobile money services is the most successful deployed worldwide with over 22 million customers across six countries.

About Vodafone

Vodafone Group Plc is one of the world's largest mobile communications companies by revenue operating across the globe providing a wide range of communications services. Vodafone has equity interests in over 30 countries across 5 continents and over 40 partner markets worldwide. The Group operates in two geographic regions – Europe and Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific (AMAP) – and has an investment in Verizon Wireless in the United States. There are approximately 358 million registered mobile customers in Vodafone OpCos (March 2011)

About Vodafone Partner Markets

Vodafone Partner Markets are a series of strategic alliances across the globe between Vodafone Group and mobile network operators which Vodafone does not own. Instead, Vodafone has leveraged its global brand, and international products and services to agree partnerships which enable its partners to offer products and services under the Vodafone name. Partner Markets vary from full Vodafone branding agreements through to product branding, roaming and service resale agreements. In addition to offering Vodafone products and services to partner companies' customers, Vodafone customers, when roaming on partner networks, are able to seamlessly access a range of services familiar to them from their home markets.

About Roshan

Roshan (Telecom Development Company Afghanistan Ltd) is Afghanistan's total communications provider, with coverage in over 230 cities and towns and over 5 million active customers. Roshan directly employs more than 1,200 people and provides indirect employment to more than 30,000 people. Since its inception eight years ago, Roshan has invested over $500 million in Afghanistan and is the country's single largest investor and tax payer. Roshan is deeply committed to Afghanistan's reconstruction and socio-economic development. The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), is a major shareholder of Roshan and promotes private initiatives in building economically sound enterprises in the developing world.  Also owned in part by Monaco Telecom International (MTI) and TeliaSonera, Roshan brings international expertise to Afghanistan and is committed to the highest standards of network quality and coverage for the people of Afghanistan.

Media Contact

Farah Kurji
Manager, Public Relations
Roshan
Mobile: +93 (0) 799 99 6813
Email: [email protected] 
Web: www.roshan.af

David Woodley
Head of Marketing
Vodafone Partner Markets
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.vodafone.com  

SOURCE Roshan