ip.access to supply small cell technology to Zain Bahrain

CAMBRIDGE, UK: Leading provider of small cell mobile solutions, ip.access, today announced that leading Middle East operator Zain Bahrain will be deploying its nano3G femtocells and picocells, which will be supplied and installed by E-Pay International.

The contract follows hard on the heels of ip.access confirming last month that it had formed a partnership with E-Pay International to specify, supply and install the market-leading range of ip.access small cell solutions to operator customers in the Middle East.

In Bahrain, E-Pay International will be deploying ip.access' 2G and 3G small cells both for public access and also private business and residential users. The small cell deployments will increase network capacity in busy locations and improve private and public network access both indoors and in hard to reach locations.

Announcing the contract with Zain, Simon Brown, ip.access CEO said: “This is a very rapid vindication of our decision to partner with E-Pay International in the Middle East and we are delighted with the way our relationship is progressing. Zain is one of the region’s leading carriers and this contract is a fabulous endorsement of our technology and E-Pay’s expertise.”

Mohammed Zainalabedin, GM, Zain Bahrain, said: “There is tremendous and growing demand in Bahrain for mobile broadband services and increased voice coverage. With the market-leading ip.access small cell solution we will be able to better serve the needs of our customers by boosting network coverage and capacity.”

Mohammed Al-Barrak, CEO of E-Pay International, said: “We foresee strong demand for small cells solutions in the region – helping operators to deliver voice and data coverage and capacity both in hard to reach and high traffic areas. This agreement will help Zain and its customers get the most from their mobile phones.”

In 2011, ip.access passed the milestone for having globally deployed more than 500,000 3G public and private small cells, confirming its status as the world’s leading vendor. ip.access is exhibiting the nano3G solution, among other small cell innovations, at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (Hall 1 Stand E02).