Abu Dhabi, February 23rd , 2014 -  Etisalat Group, the leading telecoms operator in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, is represented by a senior delegation at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain, from 24th to 27th of February, 2014.

The Opportunities and the impact of the mobile industry in the Middle East Asia and Africa are among the topics Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Group, will touch upon in his keynote speech in the official opening session at the forthcoming Mobile world Congress.

"Telecom is playing an increasingly important role in our societies with both financial and socio-economic benefits and helping these communities to aspire and reach forward" said Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Group

 Etisalat Group will set up one stand in Hall 2 stand 2020  and another at the GSMA Connected City Pavilion at the largest annual event in the telecoms industry

The event presents a unique opportunity to bring together manufacturers, mobile telecom operators, regulators, service providers and industry decision makers, enabling them to provide insights on the latest developments and discuss potential corporation opportunities.

This year, Etisalat Group will highlight "Flous", an  industrial grade, open-loop commerce ecosystem which includes mobile payments (merchants, utility, transportation), money transfers (domestic and International), bank accounts/payment cards management, secure access, ticketing, as well as merchant payment acceptance service "Mobile Cashier".  The award winning service "Flous" has been nominated again this year by the GSMA under the category of  the "Best NFC/Mobile Money Product or Service".

Among many other innovations that will be  demonstrated during the congress,  Etisalat Group will also demonstrate its innovative service of "Mobile Cashier" which transforms Merchant's mobile phones (or Tablets) into industrial-grade Point of Sales Terminals, enabling them to accept Debit/Credit/PrePaid cards and Mobile Money accounts payments in a secured, convenient, and simple-to-use environment.

Increasing awareness of the potential of enabling communities in rural Africa, Weena initiative, will also be a focus of Etisalat Group at this year's congress. 

The initiative involves empowering women in rural Africa by providing them with micro-loans and training them to start businesses distributing mobile services in their communities. Weena agents support the women by providing a tailored value proposition including relevant value added services and an innovative rewarding scheme through cash bonuses delivered directly to a mobile saving account that can be used exclusively for buying selected goods (e.g. school supplies or healthcare products). This innovative mechanism is leveraging on Etisalat mobile commerce platform "Flous" and its entire ecosystem.

The goal of Mobile World Congress 2014 is to demonstrate the impact of mobile on individuals and businesses - in developed and developing markets - across a range of industries. The Congress aims to educate attendees from around the globe, providing insights on the latest technological developments, market opportunities, services, and devices which are now shaping communications.

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.

For more information:
Etisalat Media Desk
E: gyoussef@etisalat.ae
T. +97126182877
www.etisalat.com

© Press Release 2014