Thuraya Signs Service Provider Agreement with TWC for Italy.
March 28, 2000
Strengthening its position as a leading mobile satellite operator in Europe.
Abu Dhabi, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Thuraya Satellite Telecommunications Company concluded a service provider agreement with Trans World Communication (TWC) on 28 March 2000, a move that reinforces Thuraya’s successful entry into European markets and furthers its advance towards launch in year 2000.
Thuraya Chief Executive Mr Yousuf Al Sayed and Mr Luca Di Martino, Adminstrateur Délégué of TWC presided over the contract signing which took place at Thuraya headquarters today.
The Thuraya Service Provider contract grants TWC all rights to distribute and market Thuraya’s services and products throughout Italy. The terms include distribution rights of user terminals and SIM cards as well as oversee aspects such as the billing and customer care management.
"Our agreement with TWC is significant and constitutes a strong building block in our service provider network for Europe," said Mr Al Sayed.
" Italy represents an important market for Thuraya, and we are confident that the highly sophisticated telecommunications market in that country will be well served by Thuraya’s advanced satellite telecommunications services. We are indeed pleased to be in alliance with a strong, forward looking company like TWC" he added.
On his part Mr Di Martino said: "Thuraya’s system fits perfectly with TWC’s general strategy, which consists in offering upper-middle class users a range of personalized and high value-added telecommunication services. We are confident that with our commitment in presenting the best possible product and service’s quality, we shall achieve interesting and very positive marketing results."
He said that TWC recognises the tremendous possibilities of satellite technology, and its role in the development of telecommunications infrastructures:
"The targets we are thinking of for Thuraya’s system are the traditional satellite market segments, professionals who travel frequently as well as GSM users moving in non covered or low covered GSM areas."
Headquartered in Monaco, TWC’s core business coming from international prepaid cards. TWC has a strategic cooperation with Telecom Italia and Intelcom San Marino, a company of which Telecom Italia owns the majority. TWC is now the second worldwide customer of Telecom Italia SpA, for purchased minutes of “innovative routing,” said M rDi Martino.