Bahrain-based Viacloud, an alternative telecommunications operator focused on providing affordable, high quality voice services, has signed a deal with T-Mobile UK to provide mobile telecom services in the UK.

The agreement makes Viacloud the newest entrant into the UK's mobile telecommunications industry, and the first alternative operator from the Middle East to enter the European mobile market.

Established in Bahrain in late 2004 as one of the kingdom’s first licensed alternative operators, Viacloud has expanded into several markets both organically and through acquisitions in Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, the US, and now the UK. The company's product range includes mobile services, carrier services, carrier pre-select, post-paid calling accounts, and calling cards.

Mutaz Otaibi, Viacloud's CEO, said: 'We are delighted to partner with an industry-leading organization such as T-Mobile, and are looking forward to offering a unique and reliable range of mobile services to customers in the UK.'

The deal will position Viacloud as a Mobile Virtual Network Aggregator (MVNA), allowing it to leverage and supplement T-Mobile's wireless infrastructure in order to enable new and existing mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) to cost-effectively develop targeted service offerings for the UK market and expand their marketing and distribution activities, he said.

T-Mobile UK chief marketing officer Srini Gopalan, said: 'T-Mobile UK is delighted to be supporting Viacloud’s ambitious expansion plans for the UK market. This deal signals our intent to become a major player in the ethnic MVNO arena. With international calling card minutes rapidly migrating to mobile, this is an excellent time to be forging new partnerships in this segment. Viacloud builds on our existing MVNO partnerships and underlines our ambitions to target new growth areas in the wholesale market.”

“We are extremely proud that Viacloud is the first alternative operator from the Middle East to enter the European mobile market,” added Otaibi. “The UK market represents a key milestone in Viacloud's evolution to becoming one of the world's leading voice carrier focused on the communities of the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia.”

The UK deal will allow Viacloud to support the development of strategically targeted mobile services and tap into a market with a population of over 60 million. – TradeArabia News Service