The Islamic Bank has started offering mobile banking services using Fastlink network in a step aimed at developing its financial services to customers who use Fastlink as a mobile phone provider. The step also comes to harmonize with the Bank’s objectives of providing better, more advanced service to the commercial sector and using modern technology to facilitate people’s transactions.
Fastlink Data Services Manager, Ziad Masri, said the mobile phone industry has witnessed great advances, namely with respect to data exchange and the utilization of the mobile phone to carry out commercial and marketing operations. He added that the service sector, including banks, insurance and transport companies, has come to rely more on the mobile phone to carry out customers’ services, pointing out that Fastlink has always led the way in adopting latest technologies and in staying updated with developments in the mobile industry.
SMS Banking, one of several Mobile Banking services, now offered to bank clients, is an added value service that provides individuals with a flexible means to stay connected with their financial institutions. Through the SMS, clients can obtain any information relating to their bank accounts, including transactions and standing balances, in addition to receiving news alerts and marketing messages about their bank. A total of 14 banking services can be carried out through the mobile phone.
Masri said the new service should benefit both sides as it saves clients time and effort whenever they need to obtain banking information from their bank. Masri added that Fastlink has established partnership agreements with seven financial institutions in Jordan since the mobile banking service was first introduced. Fastlink was the first provider in the Middle East to offer such services and continues to strike similar deals with other banks operating in Jordan.
Fastlink’ one of MTC group companies the leading mobile operator in the Middle East & Africa, now works to spread knowledge among customers of the important role of data services in their lives as a facilitator to businesses and everyday life. The company, with the largest customer base among other operators in the Kingdom, continues to maintain a leading status as a provider of mobile services. It provides data, commercial and entertainment services to various segments and constantly works to stay updated with latest technologies so as to keep its edge in the market.
About Fastlink
Jordan Mobile Telephone Services Company Ltd. “Fastlink”, founded in 1995, was the first operator to introduce mobile phone services into Jordan. In just a few years, the company earned its reputation as the most progressive telecom operator in the region in terms of competitiveness and readiness to adopt new technologies and deploy cutting-edge services. Since its inception, Fastlink has tallied subscriber growth at an exponential rate, with the number of users currently exceeding 2 million subscribers. Through more than 1,700 cell sites, Fastlink covers the entire populated area of the Kingdom. In January 2003, Mobile Telecommunications Company K.S.C. (MTC) acquired Fastlink in what was considered the largest single acquisition in the Middle East area, and the largest private sector investment in Jordan.
MTC Group
Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) was founded in 1983 and today is one of the largest mobile operators in the Middle East and Africa, with more than 9.5 million customers in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and 13 countries in Africa. MTC is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange.
In September 2002, MTC entered into a Partner Network Agreement with Vodafone, the world’s leading mobile community, in Kuwait creating MTC Vodafone Kuwait. In 2003 MTC continued its expansion with the acquisition of 96.4% of Fastlink in Jordan.
MTC’s aspiration did not slow down and in 2003 MTC-Vodafone Bahrain was launched with the first 3G/EDGE nationwide network in the world. In 2004 the MTC Atheer service was launched in Southern Iraq, and today covers Baghdad as well.
2004 also witnessed the government of Lebanon handing over the management of one of two mobile networks (Mic2) to the MTC Group, which is known now as mtc touch.
Most recently in March of 2005 MTC acquired Celtel International, a Duch communications network company with major interests in 13 Sub-Saharan African countries, in one of the biggest telecom deals in the Middle East and Africa worth $ 3.36 billion.
MTC Group now operates in 18 countries. With this deal MTC Group has completed its first phase of its 3x3x3 strategy which entails becoming a global operator with more than 15 million customers by 2011. MTC will continue to expand internationally through acquisitions, partnerships and green-field opportunities.
