Orascom Telecom Signs Up to Link2One Roaming Hub

Link2One Hub Helps Orascom Telecom Reduce Costs and Increase Revenue through Simplified Expansion into New Markets

Link2One Hub Helps Orascom Telecom Reduce Costs and Increase Revenue through Simplified Expansion into New Markets Madrid, 7th April 2011 – Leading multilateral roaming hub provider, Link2One, has signed an agreement with Orascom Telecom Holding (“Orascom Telecom” or “OTH”), one of the largest and most diversified mobile network operators in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, to provide it access to its roaming hub. The agreement has grown Link2One’s membership to more than 220 networks in 80 countries.

The deal sees Orascom Telecom minimise the need for costly and time consuming bilateral roaming agreements with an ever increasing number of service providers, instead leveraging the Link2One Hub framework of multilateral roaming agreements for data, prepaid, voice and 3G services. Uniquely, the Link2One Hub also provides Orascom Telecom with access to a single financial and clearing settlement pool with integrated payments, reducing the operator’s need for associated manpower and funding. The group is greatly benefiting from this significantly simplified approach to roaming, which allows it to more quickly and profitably grow and expand into new markets.

The management and expansion of roaming services and relationships can be costly and time consuming – a situation set to become increasingly complex with the additional challenge of providing maximum roaming coverage for voice services, CAMEL, GPRS and 3G. Access to a multilateral roaming hub, such as that provided by Link2One, which unlike competing roaming hubs also comes with integrated financial reconciliation, provides a cost effective and simple solution to these growing challenges for mobile operators.

“As a leading operator with networks in 11 emerging markets, one of our key aims is to rapidly expand our networks so that we can provide high quality communications services to our customers at affordable prices,” comments Khaled Bichara, Orascom Telecom’s Group CEO. “With the Link2One roaming hub, the process of managing our roaming relationships and operating our roaming business is greatly simplified, allowing us to expand our coverage more rapidly and focus on getting new services to market faster.”

Ralf Weigand, General Manager at Link2One, concludes: “This deal allows Orascom Telecom to quickly and efficiently expand, and at the same time increases the value proposition for other Link2One hub customers who will now be able to move into, and provide access across the MEA region. This agreement is testament to the value of the roaming hub proposition. It will mark the 220 network milestone for Link2One and clearly establishes the business as the world’s fastest growing multilateral roaming hub.”

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About Orascom Telecom

Orascom Telecom is a leading international telecommunications company operating GSM networks in high growth markets in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. It has a total population under license of approximately 506 million with an average mobile telephony penetration of approximately 48% as of September 30th, 2010. Orascom Telecom operates GSM networks in Algeria ("OTA"), Pakistan ("Mobilink"), Egypt ("Mobinil"), Bangladesh ("banglalink"), North Korea (“koryolink”) and has an indirect equity shareholding in Globalive Wireless Canada (“Wind Mobile”). In addition it has an indirect equity ownership in Telecel Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe) and through its subsidiary Telecel Globe; OTH also operates in Burundi, the Central African Republic and Namibia. Orascom Telecom reached almost 98 million subscribers as of September 30th, 2010. Orascom Telecom is traded on the Egyptian Exchange under the symbol (ORTE.CA, ORAT EY), and on the London Stock Exchange its GDR is traded under the symbol (ORTEq.L, OTLD LI).

About Link2One

Founded in February 2008, Link2One is the fastest growing, multilateral GSM/3G roaming hub. It provides signalling, clearing and settlement, plus partner management for network operators worldwide. In addition, the Link2One Roaming Hub provides new connectivity services on an ongoing basis. Its multilateral approach enables operators to have worldwide coverage for voice, data, SMS and CAMEL with just one agreement and one link to the Link2One Hub. Link2One is a joint venture between MACH and Telefonica. For more information, visit: www.l2one.com.

Contact:

Link2One
Eileen Preston, Global PR Manager
T: + 44 0207 959 8119
M: +44 07860 456 193
E: Eipr@mach.com

Orascom Telecom Holding
Rasha Mohamed, PR Manager
T: +202 2461 5713
E: Rmohamed@otelecom.com