Launch marks the fifth Zain operation to launch 4G LTE

Amman, Kuwait - 15 February, 2015

Zain Group, a leading telecom innovator in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, announced that its operation in Jordan officially launched 4G LTE services on 14 February, 2015, making it the first and only operator in the Kingdom to do so. The launch marks the 5th country that Zain has launched 4G LTE services across the region and the ninth country to introduce the technology in the Arab world.

Zain Jordan held a press conference that was attended by HE the Minister of ICT, Dr. Azzam Sleit, and TRC Commissioner Eng. Mohammad Ta'ani, Zain Jordan CEO Ahmad Hanandeh alongside local, regional, and international media.

The recently launched network covers all governorates in Jordan, with approximately 1,000 sites connected, guaranteeing the quality of coverage wherever in Jordan customers may be. Zain opted to utilize the same geographical scheme that was undertaken four years previously when it launched HSPA+ services, with the company providing comprehensive coverage to all areas connecting the Kingdom's governorates by the end of 2015.

Commenting on the successful launch, Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer said, "This historical milestone in the Kingdom's telecom industry marks the 5th market in which Zain offers 4G LTE services across the region. As the leading operator in the Kingdom, we are committed to offering the Jordanian community life-enriching mobile services and playing a key role in the economic and social development of the country."  

Addressing the attendees at the press conference held in Amman, Zain Jordan CEO, Ahmad Hanandeh said: "Zain's 4G LTE service is a quantum leap in the daily lives of Jordanians, as it provides advanced solutions and enriches the experience of businesses and consumers alike." 

He continued: "The technology caters to the growing demand for Internet services in several segments, and its availability with lead to a positive impact on economic activity given the ability users will have to do things more efficiently."

Zain Jordan's investment in 4G LTE in 2014 amounted to 200 million JOD (US$ 282 million), and the company will dedicate a further 100 million JOD (US$141 million) in the new technology through to 2017.

Furthermore Hanandeh added: "We announced our 4G LTE plans in 2013, holding a trial of the technology at the Dead Sea during the MENA ICT Forum. Following that trial we acquired the frequencies in April 2014, and were honored that His Majesty King Abdullah II launched the first phase of the network rollout in November 2014."

Zain Jordan's Chief Operating Officer, Yousef Abu Mutawe commented: "We are proud of our technical team that was able to establish the network in less than 10 weeks, taking into consideration the delay in receiving the equipment due to the strike in Aqaba port, and the harsh weather conditions. Our teams overcame these complications and proceeded to also expand our 3G footprint in the fourth quarter of 2014."

Zain Jordan's 4G LTE features high-speed Internet that reaches speeds of 150 Mbps, contributing to the doubling of the quantity of information available online, in addition to the support of a number of mobile handsets, which opens up further opportunities for new digital deployments.

The new technology enables customers to enjoy video calls; communication through social media, high-quality downloads through multimedia, use of business applications on the go, in addition to high-quality integrated services that cater to the evolving needs of customers. Zain intends to add further features to its current services, including IPTV, Machine to Machine (M2M), IP-based television and cloud computing.

Zain Jordan customers will benefit from various 4G LTE bundles and products including an array of dongles, smartphones and customer premise units. Zain will also introduce 'Zain MiFi' devices, which are the smallest portal Wi-Fi devices available, and can be carried anywhere, supporting 10 connections.

-Ends-

About Zain Group
Zain is a leading telecommunications operator across the Middle East and Africa providing mobile voice and data services to over 44.3 million active customers as of 31 December, 2014. With a commercial presence in 8 countries, Zain operates in: Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and South Sudan. In Lebanon, the Group manages 'touch' on behalf of the government. In Morocco, Zain has a 15.5% stake in 'INWI', through a joint venture. Zain is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (stock ticker: ZAIN).For more, please email info@zain.com  or visit: www.zain.com; www.facebook.com/zain; www.twitter.com/zain; www.youtube.com/zain; www.instagram.com/zaingroup; www.linkedin.com/company/zain

© Press Release 2015