Through its Partnership with STE, Thuraya To Launch its Satellite Services in Syria
28 February 2000
Damascus, Syria: In a move that boosts Thuraya’s commercial success regionally and contributes to the current developments in the Syrian telecom sector, the Syrian Telecommunications Establishment (STE) has entered in a commercial partnership with Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company, becoming its service provider in Syria.
A Service Provider agreement has been signed between the two organisations today, signed on behalf of Thuraya by its Chairman Mr Mohammad Omran, and on behalf of STE by its Director General Eng. Makram Obaid. Present at the signing ceremony at STE’s headquarters in Damascus were the Syrian Transportation Minister Eng. Mohammed Radhwan Martini, UAE’s ambassador to Syria Mr Ali Saif Sultan Al Awami and senior officials from both organisations.
By becoming Thuraya’s Service Provider in Syria, STE will market and distribute Thuraya’s mobile satellite services in Syria. This will include distribution of user terminals, SIM cards, connection facilities, billing and customer care management.
Speaking on the occasion, Eng. Makram Obaid said: “We are very pleased for signing the Service Provider agreement with Thuraya, and for forging this commercial and strategic relationship with this leading regional company. We pride ourselves in all the successes achieved so far by Thuraya as a leading project initiated from the Arab world,”.
He added that Thuraya’s services will contribute, among other efforts exerted by STE, towards strengthening the Syrian telecommunications sector and bringing it on par with the tremendous developments being witnessed by the global telecommunications industry. “We are currently working on the introduction of all types of mobile services in Syria. Our partnership with Thuraya is being geared towards achieving that goal, by providing telecommunications coverage, especially mobile, throughout the country, including remote, rural and underdeveloped areas,” said Eng. Obaid.
“Thuraya’s services will contribute towards expanding our telecommunications services to meet the needs of various market segments especially those located outside the existing national networks. One of Thuraya’s important advantages is that it provides border-to-border coverage through its regional satellite system,” elaborated Eng. Obaid.
On his part, Thuraya’s Chairman Mr Omran said: “Establishing and boosting relations with STE is in line with Thuraya’s vision of enhancing and developing telecommunications services in the region through partnerships with national telecom providers throughout our coverage area. We are very proud for signing the Service Provider agreement with STE, the national telecom provider of Syria and an important player in region’s telecommunications industry. Of significance to this agreement is also the fact that Syria is considered to be one the major markets within the Arab world,”.
Mr Omran added that through this partnership, Thuraya will work with STE on expanding and enriching telecommunications services in Syria through its satellite-enhanced and feature-rich services. “We look forward to the commercial launch of our satellite system in the fourth quarter of this year, and to serving people throughout our coverage area of 99 countries including Syria.