CNN breaking news is now available via mobile for Fastlink subscribers, who will be the first to know about the latest news and happenings in the world even while on the move. The service, the first of its kind in the Kingdom; seeks to provide subscribers with multiple news sources against a backdrop of increasing demand on news services through mobile phones.
Mobile news services provided by Fastlink, one of MTC group companies, have attracted a large segment of subscribers whose number exceeded two million. This service enabled them to follow up on the political, economic developments, and sports news anywhere and anytime.
“The company is keen to provide the best services for its subscribers in cooperation with the leading service providers,” said Fastlink’s Marketing Chief Officer Bashar T. Arafeh. “We have chosen to be with the pioneers in news services like CNN and Al Jazeera channel so that our subscribers can enjoy an array of news services from the best international sources.
He added that the mobile phone and the SMS services have become a worldwide phenomenon that has changed the means of communications and interaction amongst people. “News services are one of the most important services provided through mobile phones, which is now competing with print and audio media.” he added.
With one out of every four persons owning a mobile phone, competition between other media means and the mobile is becoming fierce, according to Arafeh.
Arafeh said that Fastlink in cooperation with the Future Communications Company provided CNN breaking news service in the region via SMS short text messages in addition to other services as well. The news service is owned by Turner Broadcasting Company.
Today, Fastlink is the region’s pioneer in exploiting the full potential of mobile phones. It offers customers a wealth of data services that serve to reinforce its leading position in Jordan's mobile market, thus enhance its role in developing the information sector.
CNN has assumed a leading position in transmitting financial news globally, according to a 2006 capital market study conducted annually by Objective research. The international network is the leading news station and number one choice for senior financial executives, and decision makers in the most important institutions in the world, whether financial or commercial.
The study revealed that CNN has reached 78.7 per cent of those who working in the economic sector, which is a 44 per cent higher compared to the closest competitors.
Customers will be able to access the CNN News Information Service from their mobile phones in Arabic or English and enjoy having at their fingertips the latest news including top stories, regional and world news, as well as business and financial news. In addition, they can receive a wide range of useful information on sports and entertainment. A subscriber needs to send SMS to 90040 to access the service.
In order to access Arabic Breaking News Services round the clock, subscribers can send an SMS with the Command (SUB CNNA), while for the English Breaking News service, they can send an SMS with (SUB CNN). As for the Regional News Middle East service in English, the word is (SUB CNNME). As for economic News; subscribers can send (SUB CNNB) and for the Sports World in English (SUB CNNS), Market Data Key Currencies (SUB CNNC), Indices in English (SUB CNNI), sports news in the United State (SUB CNNSUS), and entertainment news in English (SUB CNNE).
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) is the pioneer of mobile services in the Middle East and now a major player in Africa. We began life in 1983 in Kuwait as the region’s first mobile operator, and since the initiation of our “3x3x3” expansion strategy in 2002, we have expanded rapidly.
As a leading mobile and data services operator in five Middle Eastern and 14 sub-Saharan African countries with 6500 employees, we provide a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services to over 14 million individual and business customers.
We operate in Kuwait and Bahrain as mtc-vodafone, in Jordan as Fastlink, in Iraq as mtc atheer, in Lebanon as mtc touch, and in 14 sub-Saharan countries in Africa as Celtel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia and most recently Madagascar.
Listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange (Code; Tele), MTC’s market capitalization exceeded US$13 billion as of December 31, 2005.
For more visit, www.mtctelecom.com
