FREE Access to the E-Government portal & Ministry websites for all Batelco Fixed Line and Mobile Customers
Manama, Bahrain: In line with the National Day celebrations, and in an initiative that aims at providing free access to E-government services to citizens and residents, Batelco, Bahrain's leading internet service provider and eGovernment Authority (eGA) jointly entered into a collaboration that will provide - for the first time - free web access to the E-Government portal & Ministry websites for all Batelco fixed line and mobile customers. This would include all web pages and electronic services provided from within the portals. The free access will also include those who do not have an active fixed broadband or mobile data subscription with Batelco.
The key project, that supports Batelco and eGA's ongoing commitment to deliver world class services to Bahrain will be a major contributor to the country's social and economic development. Furthermore, the initiative is in line with the Kingdom's 2030 Economic Vision and the government's objectives that aim towards achieving a fully-automated electronic government, considered as one of the citizens' rights.
Batelco Bahrain CEO Rashid Abdulla and eGovernment Authority CEO Mohammed Al Qaed recently met at Batelco's Hamala headquarters in the presence of officials from both organizations in order to discuss the free service facility.
The Batelco CEO explained that Batelco was delighted to offer its customers free access to all government portals.
"Through this partnership with eGovernment Authority we can raise the lifestyle standard in Bahrain and support the government's aspiration to develop Bahrain as a centre of excellence in the region for established businesses and to attract new enterprises to invest or set-up organisations here," said Mr. Abdulla.
"The combined high Batelco mobile and fixed line penetration rate in the Kingdom means that free access to the E-Government portal & Ministry websites is available to virtually everyone in the Kingdom" he added.
"The initiative is the first-of-its-kind in Bahrain, and will without a doubt significantly benefit users of the government portals," stated Mr. Al Qaed while praising Batelco's keenness in satisfying their customers by providing higher quality services.
"This initiative meets one of the numerous objectives of the new recently-launched National eGovernment Strategy 2016, which is to increase partnerships and private sector ICT readiness," he added.
Mobile customers who wish to access other websites, outside the boundaries of eGovernment services, will be charged. Fixed line customers with no active broadband subscription will be redirected to Batelco's prepaid portal and will be requested to purchase a Batelco prepaid card, in order to access other non-governmental websites.
Batelco believes that extending such free-of-charge access facility to the government portals will benefit the citizens as well as residents of Bahrain and encourage the usage of governmental services which is a national objective.
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About Batelco
Batelco Group, listed on the Bahrain Bourse, is the leading integrated communications' provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain and a company of reference among the region's key telecommunications players for innovation and customer experience.
Batelco serves both the corporate and consumer markets in the most liberalised and competitive environment in the Middle East region. It delivers cutting-edge fixed and wireless telecommunications services to its customers in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Yemen and Egypt.
The Batelco Group of companies offers end-to-end telecommunications solutions for its residential, business and government customers in Bahrain on Next Generation, all IP fixed and 3.75G wireless networks, MPLS based regional data solutions and, GSM mobile and WiMax broadband services across the countries in which it operates.
About eGovernment Authority
The eGovernment Authority (eGA) was established in August 2007 by Royal Decree No (69). Reporting to the Cabinet, the eGA is responsible for coordinating and executing e-government initiatives in line with the strategies, plans, and programs set by the Supreme Council for Information Communication Technology (SCICT), headed by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain
The eGA's role entails everything from proposing overall policies and appropriate legislations to the SCICT for approval to overseeing the execution of the approved SCICT programs. This includes suggesting required IT programs, facilitating communications and services between all government entities, opening new e-channels for eGovernment services, and offering technical and knowledge-based support to the ministries and other government entities.
Currently, the eGA is working on executing the plans contained within Bahrain's eGovernment strategy to achieve the ambitious Bahraini e-initiatives, it offers over 235 governmental services electronically via various communication channels within 3 years to all citizens, residents, and businesses of Bahrain.
For further information please contact:
Sahayer Ebrahim Al Hashimi
eGovernment Authority
Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel +973 17 388252
Fax: +973 17 388338
Email: salhashimi@ega.gov.bh
This press release has been issued by Batelco Corporate Affairs department.
For further information, please contact Batelco Public Relations Office: Public.Relations@btc.com.bh / Fax +973 17611898
© Press Release 2012
