For
immediate release
30 January
2014
Ooredoo
formally accepts licence to operate in Myanmar
World class mobile communication services to be available for the
people of Myanmar six months from now
Naypyidaw, Myanmar
Today Ooredoo announces that it has
officially accepted a telecommunications licence to operate in Myanmar.
The Ooredoo Group Chairman and the
Ooredoo Myanmar Chief Executive formally accepted the licence at a ceremony in
Naypyidaw hosted by the Union Government of the Republic of Myanmar.
Speaking from the ceremony, Ooredoo Group
Chairman, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, said:
“It has been an honour to be here today to accept our licence. We look forward to working in partnership
with the government of Myanmar to develop a world class network which brings
the benefits of mobile technology to Myanmar’s people.”
The Union Minister Minstry of
Communications and Information Technology H. E. U Myat Hein said: “On behalf of
the Union Government and of the Ministry of Communications and Information
Technology, I would like to express our confidence in as a government in Ooredoo
that they will be able to meet their commitments and also contribute to the
Union Government’s development objectives. I have seen Ooredoo Myanmar already
actively involved in some CSR activities, and I am pleased to acknowledge that
you will be taking in quite a significant number of new local recruits and give
job opportunities for a large number of Myanmar women besides your other
commitments.”
This marks an important milestone for
Ooredoo as the company remains on track to meet its commitment to deliver life-enriching
mobile communication services for Myanmar’s people in six months’ time. At launch it is expected that the company’s
services will be available in a majority of the major
cities, expanding rapidly to include rural areas and more remote
communities.
Since its successful bid for a licence
Ooredoo has been establishing itself and laying the foundation for its business
to become an integral part of the Myanmar community. In Myanmar, as in operations across its
international network, Ooredoo will offer a wide range of mobile communications
services to enrich people’s lives that go beyond voice and data to include
mobile money services, mobile health, services to support farmers and
agriculture and targeted initiatives for women and young people.
Speaking from Myanmar, Ooredoo Group CEO
Dr. Nasser Marafih said: “We are delighted to have reached this next important
milestone in the development of a world-class telecommunications network in
Myanmar. Ooredoo firmly believes in the
transformative power of mobile communications services and we have committed to
making next-generation mobile technology available and accessible to as many
people as possible in Myanmar. The Union
Government of Myanmar can be proud of a well-run licence process and we look
forward to continuing to work alongside them as Myanmar develops socially, economically
and technologically.”
Ooredoo Myanmar CEO Ross Cormack added: “Today
is an exciting day for Ooredoo as we move closer to bringing world class mobile
services to the people of Myanmar, helping empower communities and people with
affordable and easy to access mobile telecommunications. We are a community focused company and our
commitments go beyond the creation of infrastructure. We are working to develop
a vibrant communications ecosystem that places Ooredoo at the heart of every
community, fostering local entrepreneurial talent, creating jobs for local
people and offering opportunities for local businesses."
Ooredoo’s operations in Myanmar are
developing rapidly. In recent months Ooredoo
has started building out its 3G network, partnering with industry leaders where
necessary to create lasting infrastructure which will support a next-generation
telecommunications network. A network
which will be future-proof, meaning that the 3G network infrastructure being
developed will be able to comply with technological advancements such as 4G in
years to come.
Ooredoo is also
implementing its distribution plan, developing its market plan and has opened an
official branch office in Myanmar ICT Park, Yangon. The company’s in-market team is growing daily
with training centres providing valuable learning and preparatory experiences
for customer champions and sales staff.
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