Telecom Lead Middle East: Batelco, a mobile services provider in Bahrain, has selected Ericsson for deploying its 4G/LTE network in the kingdom.
Ericsson will supply LTE radio access network and Evolved Packet Core, while the deal includes upgrade to the Circuit-Switched core and Operations Support System to support the new LTE / 4G services.
Ericsson’s LTE solution will enable Batelco to offer better connectivity and customer experience. Hyper competition in Bahrain has pulled down the company’s revenue from Bahrain in 2012. Its gross revenues declined 6 percent in 2012 to BD304.7 million BD327 million in 2011.
Rashid Abdullah, CEO of Batelco Bahrain, said: “Our subscribers have become accustomed to the best in telecommunication services and as their demands grow and evolve, so does our strategy to ensure their satisfaction.”
The telecom group, which operates in six countries in the MENA region, reported net profits of BD60.3 million ($160 million) in 2012, down 24.6 percent compared to the previous year’s profits of BD80 million.
EBITDA for 2012 was BD101.8 million, representing 33 percent margin, versus EBITDA of BD126 million for 2011.
Victoria Strand, president and head of Ericsson Gulf Council Countries & Pakistan, said: “The widespread use of smartphones, coupled with mobile access to the Internet has emphasized the need for network technology to reduce latency and improve efficiencies by the adoption of new technologies, such as 4G/LTE.”
4G launch is vital for Batelco that said that some 41 percent of revenues were generated from markets outside of Bahrain, compared to 37 percent of revenues in 2011.
