SabaFon links up with Microsoft [Archives:2004/712/Community]

SabaFon GSM Company has recently signed an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft, the world's largest software company, covering software and support for 600 desktops.
According to this agreement, Microsoft will provide the company with the latest, legal versions of Microsoft software, and entitles them to unlimited product support from Microsoft's Arabic-language service engineers.
Apart from that and under the terms of the Enterprise Agreement, SabaFon is automatically entitled to any upgrades to the software it has purchased that are released during the period of the agreement, as part of the Software Assurance scheme.
“We recognized that we needed a technology partner who would provide us with both the tools to do our job well, as well as supporting and developing those technologies we deployed as the industry moved forwards, which is why we chose to sign an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft,” said Tarik Al Haidary, CEO of SabaFon.
“Like the telecoms industry, technology is a fast paced journey, and we realized that we could harness Microsoft technology to not just help us in the present, but to be a partner for the future,” Al Haidary added.
SabaFon will also be entitled to have 20 days of full training for its staff on the applications side plus additional training to develop staff knowledge on the operating system.
“This Enterprise Agreement is a step forward for the software industry in Yemen,” said Majdi Al-Masri, General Manager, Al-Salam Establishment – I.T. Division.
“We recognize that a strong partnership with Microsoft will assist us to keep the leadership in the IT field in Yemen, as we work with more customers to maximize the value of Enterprise Agreements. We intend to champion the benefits of agreements such as this to build a strong enterprise segment in the country.”
The deal also includes a TechNet subscription, targeted to the IT department to ensure that they have an outlet for sharing ideas and queries, as well as monitoring industry trends and accessing technical briefings.
“We're delighted to be working with SabaFon to support them in their quest to build a telecommunications company that will enable local development as well as delivering great value both in Yemen and potentially across the region,” said Abdullatif Al Mulla, GM, Microsoft South Gulf.
“Using Microsoft applications will allow them to save time, costs and concern as they can have confidence in the Enterprise Agreement that covers a wide range of services on top of the software itself.”
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