In a step considered to be the first of its kind in Jordan

Amman, February 2010 – In an unprecedented step and within its efforts to be the first to offer innovative services both inside and outside the Kingdom, Umniah – the fastest growing telecom service provider in Jordan – announced the signing of an agreement with Vodafone Roaming Services. It aims at enhancing services including international roaming calls, the use of Internet GPRS outside the Kingdom, and the prepaid “Camel Roaming” service through expanding these services in countries connected to Vodafone’s global roaming hub.

Umniah is the first telecom company in Jordan to sign with Vodafone Roaming Services, and aims through this agreement to further advance its international roaming services which it offers at the best prices. Through this mutual agreement, Umniah also strives to encourage all its subscribers to use their mobile devices when they travel, and gives subscribers from connected operators the opportunity to benefit from Umniah’s roaming services when visiting Jordan.

Umniah will be joining a community of already more than 80 mobile operators taking advantage of Vodafone’s roaming hub in order to expand and improve their international roaming services. The cooperation includes a single wholesale roaming agreement between Umniah and 14 Vodafone operating companies which dramatically simplifies the roaming relationships for both sides.

Commenting on this service, Mr. Ihab Hinnawi, Umniah’s CEO, said: “This step is a testament to our commitment at Umniah to continuously offer products and services that exceed our clients’ expectations at the best value for money and ensure that they benefit from the privileges we offer them when they travel. We are proud of this agreement with Vodafone Roaming Services, the roaming arm of the world-renowned telecom operator Vodafone. We are confident that this relationship will bring forward value added services for our subscribers while we look towards developing technologies that are at par with what is being offered internationally.

In turn, Mr. Edward Van Kuijk, Executive Vice President at Vodafone Roaming Services, stated: “Mobile subscribers expect continuing improvements in roaming services – in coverage, quality and functionality. Through today’s agreement, Umniah’s subscribers will enjoy even more roaming choice when travelling to Vodafone markets as well as other countries. As the first mobile operator in Jordan, Umniah leverages the benefits of Vodafone’s fast growing roaming hub – upgrading the roaming experience through more destinations, more roaming services, in a faster and more cost-effective way.”

Vodafone Roaming Services enables mobile operators to lead in roaming
We want mobile roamers around the world to experience easy and worry-free communications wherever they are. Through our roaming hub services, we empower mobile operators to deliver against this ultimate need. As the world’s leading hub, we efficiently manage roaming relationships with a large number of operators and make useful roaming services available through a central platform. We take pride in generating tangible bottom line benefits for operators by maximising their roaming coverage and by upgrading their handle on roaming quality. As a member of the Vodafone group, we unite extensive roaming know-how with global scale and local operating experience. Vodafone operates a GSMA Open Connectivity compliant roaming hub and has been a driving force in hubbing since its early days.

This news release has been distributed by Bidaya Corporate Communications on behalf of Umniah.
For more information or assistance please contact us on the below number:

Tel: +962 6 5692008/9
Fax: +962 6 5692007
P.O.Box: 930391, Amman 11193, Jordan
E-Mail: media@bidayacorp.com