Bintel, one of the key telecom service providers in the Middle East and Africa region, has unveiled major investment plans as part of its strategic expansion programme.

The Bahrain-based company plans to enter into at least three new markets in Africa in the next two years and has allocated $250 million for investment in the region, said a statement.

Alawi Baroum, CEO of Bintel, said: “As one of the most dynamic and innovative companies in the regional telecommunications sphere, Bintel is aligned to its strategic ambitions and has set its sights on becoming one of the leading players in Africa and other emerging markets. We are moving to expand steadily our geographical reach and service portfolio as we look to consolidate our market position and realise our long-term goals.”

“With a short-term investment budget of $250 million for the next two years, one can be sure to hear a lot more about Bintel in the months to come,” Baroum added.

Established in 2007, Bintel, whose Middle East offices are located in Bahrain, Dubai and Lebanon, has already built a significant presence in Africa, operating GSM networks in Central African Republic (since mid-2007) and Somaliland (since mid-2008).

The company has entered into strategic alliances with a number of leading telecom solutions providers and Integrators such as Huawei, ZTE and SITEG Telecom.

In early 2008, Bintel acquired a majority stake in Telesonique, a Swiss-based wholesale traffic company, as part of its strategy to build a reliable network of telecommunications services strategic partners, the statement said. –TradeArabia News Service