| Type | Bahraini Shareholding Company (B.S.C) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Headquarters | Hamala, Bahrain |
| Area served | Middle East , North Africa and India |
| Key people | Hamad Bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa (Chairman) Mohamed Bin Isa Al-Khalifa (CEO) Group Peter Kaliaropoulos (CEO) Strategic Assignments Kataryna Stapleton (CFO) Group |
| Services | Integrated Communications |
| Revenue | $902.7 million (2010) |
| Net income | $230.2 million (2010) |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Website | batelco.com |
Bahrain Telecommunications Company - (Batelco) - (Arabic: بتلكو) is the principal telecommunications company of Bahrain. The company is headquartered in Bahrain and is listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange.
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Batelco was established in 1981 as a Bahraini shareholding company and has an authorized share capital of BD100 million (US$265 million). Batelco's major shareholders include the Government of Bahrain, Quasi-government institutions, financial and commercial organizations, and private Bahraini and GCC investors. Earlier, these parties together held 80% of Batelco, while Cable and Wireless held the remaining 20%.
On 6 December 2006, Cable & Wireless International (CWI) sold its 20% stake in Batelco. The acquiring entities are Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Co. B.S.C.(c), General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) and The Pension Fund Commission. All three are existing shareholders of Batelco, and have acquired CWI’s stake for an agreed purchase price of US$506.1 million.
The Batelco Group comprises a number of telecommunication companies across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia regions. It is a listed entity on the Bahrain Stock Exchange since 1989, trading under the symbol Batelco and known as BATELCO (Bahrain Telecommunications Company). The origin of the Batelco Group and its core operations for many years were centred on serving the needs of the Bahrain public and organisations operating in Bahrain.
Today, the Batelco Group of Companies serve both the consumer and corporate markets in Bahrain, the most liberalised and competitive environment in the Middle East and Africa region and, also delivers fixed and wireless telecommunication services to its customers in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt and India.
The Batelco Group of Companies includes the following operations, subsidiaries and joint ventures:
The Batelco Group’s Bahrain Operation, is the leading integrated communications’ provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Batelco Group of Companies offer end-to-end telecommunication solutions to its residential, business and government customers in Bahrain on Next Generation, all IP fixed and 3.5G wireless networks, MPLS based regional data solutions and, GSM mobile and WiMax broadband services across the countries in which it operates.
To view Batelco Group key personnel profiles follow the link .[1]
To view Batelco Bahrain key personnel profiles follow the link.[2]
Batelco employs approximately 1,500 people in the Kingdom of Bahrain, of which over 90% are Bahraini nationals.
In 1998, 44% of Qualitynet was acquired by Batelco in a public offering by Kuwait’s Ministry of Communication, as part of a strategy to privatise Internet and data communications services within the State of Kuwait.
2001, Batelco Jordan was formed following the merger of National Equipment Telecommunications Systems (NETS) and First Telecommunications Group (FTG) with Batelco.
October 2003, Batelco Egypt Communications (S.A.E.) was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of Batelco Middle East, in Cairo as an Egyptian Joint Stock Closed Company.
June 2006 - Batelco purchases 96% share of Umniah Mobile Communications – Jordan.
March 2007, Batelco purchased a 20% stake in Yemens' SabaFon mobile communications company, for USD 144 million in cash.
February 25, 2008, consortiums led by Batelco, Hong Kong's PCCW and U.S. Verizon Communications won final approval to operate new Saudi fixed-line phone network called Etihad Atheeb Telecom Company (ATHEEB). ATHEEB has since gone public in February 2009, offering 30 million shares at SAR 10 per share (US$2.67) representing 30% of its capital in an IPO; which was 2.5 times oversubscribed. The IPO raised US$80 million.
February 2008, Batelco Group offers to purchase the remaining 20 percent shares not already held by the Group in Batelco Jordan, for a total consideration of JD2.126 million ($3m). Through its 96 percent-owned subsidiary Umniah Mobile Communications, Batelco made the offer to all Batelco Jordan shareholders, valuing the company at JD10.629 million.
January 2009, Batelco partnered with Millennium Private Equity to form Batelco Millennium India Company Limited (BMICL) to purchase 49% stake in Chennai based S Tel Limited, a recently established Indian mobile operator for US$225 million.
As well as being Bahrain's principal telecom operator, the company serves customers in Jordan, Kuwait, Yemen, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Subsidiaries
Principal site
Subsidiaries