Tuesday, Nov 21, 2006
BEIRUT (Zawya Dow Jones)--U.S.-based telecoms operator AT&T Inc. and IT services provider NavLink Monday signed a contract with Saudi Telecom to make available more AT&T networks in Saudi Arabia, an AT&T spokesman said.
The Jeddah-based daily Okaz reported Tuesday the contract involves establishing a global data service center in Saudi Arabia. The center would be operational in the first half of 2007, it said.
After the deal is implemented, the Saudi Telecom network will cover 150 countries, the paper quoted Saud Al Dowaish, STC's president, as saying.
AT&T and NavLink are working together to provide global services to large companies in the Middle East, Niall Hickey, AT&T's spokesman, told Zawya Dow Jones.
NavLink, a global venture of AT&T, has offices in Dubai, Beirut, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
AT&T Monday signed a similar agreement with U.A.E.'s Emirates Telecommunications Corp., or Etisalat, Hickey said.
Qatar Telecom, or Qtel, said Monday it signed a contract to acquire 38.2% stake in NavLink.
"With Qtel investing in NavLink, we believe this strengthens NavLink's position," Hickey said.
AT&T in November was licensed to provide its services in India. It is the first foreign telecoms operator to secure national long distance/international long distance licenses in the South Asian country.
AT&T is also deploying a network in Vietnam in partnership with local telecom company Viettel, Hickey said.
-By Shikrallah Nakhoul, Zawya Dow Jones, +961 1 985757, shikrallah@zawya.com
Copyright (c) 2006 ABQ Zawya Ltd.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
11-21-06 0451ET
