Lagos, 4 June 2008

…as Etisalat concludes interconnection agreements with major operators
 
Etisalat’s resolve to offer quality services to Nigerians through a phased roll-out strategy has won regulatory acknowledgement with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The commission has emphasized adequate preparation and readiness as key imperatives in the roll out of services by GSM operators.

Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, said that the government is more interested in telecom firms understanding the real need of the customers. Engr Ndukwe added that: “My message to Etisalat is: make sure you are ready and roll–out quality services so that people will be happy”.

Engr. Ndukwe and the Minister of State for Information and Communications, Alhaji Ibrahim Nakande were among VIPs that visited Etisalat’s pavilion during the West African International Telecommunications and Information Communication Technology Exhibition (W.Afri.Tel 2008) holding in Lagos from June 3 to 5, 2008. They also experienced the quality of Etisalat’s network firsthand at the exhibition as they made live calls on Etisalat’s network.

Alhaji Nakande commended Etisalat’s entry and investment of US$400 million into the Nigerian telecom market as a major boost to the economy.

Etisalat pushed further to assure the Nigerian public of its readiness to offer them quality services with the announcement that it had concluded interconnection agreements with the other major GSM operators in readiness for full service launch.

Speaking at the Etisalat Day held on June 4, Saoud Al Shamsi, CEO of Etisalat Nigeria in a message delivered on his behalf by Ibrahim Dikko, Director, Government Relations declared: “we are not driven by profits to rush to sell services that are not robust. Our objective is to give consumers a world-class GSM network”. He added that its service offering will be simple but of superior quality; stressing that at all times the company will show that it is a caring network.

During his visit to Etisalat’s pavilion, Jide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment and Training, expressed delight at the assurance by Etisalat to offer world-class services, saying telecom customers are eager to enjoy quality services just like they do in other markets.

Makanjuola Alabi, the Managing Director of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), during his visit to Etisalat pavilion at W.Afri.Tel described Etisalat stand as excellent.

Etisalat made its maiden participation at the fifth W.Afri.Tel expo a unique and historic one as it hosted industry-wide Nigerian journalists that cut across ICT/Telecom, brand and communication and business segments at its pavilion.