OmanTel

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OMANTEL Proves That

USTAINABILITY Aids PRODUCTIVITY

“Together, we build a totally connecte community through innovation.”

This is the vision of the Middle East’s leading Inter provider, Oman Telecommunications (Omantel). It emphasi the company’s intentions to provide reliable, fast, a comprehensive Internet connections in Oman, to conn Middle Eastern countries into a network, and to link the Mid East with the rest of the world, using innovative methods do so. Sustainability is a priority in the company’s operat strategy, and they also promote it for the rest of the nation.

Oman, located southeast of Sau Arabian Sea, has a reputation f

It’s the favoured country in the Middle East in which to hold sensitive peace t Iran. It was the first stop in the inaugural flight of the first solar-powered plane There’s a certain kind of trust accompanying neutrality that makes Oman unique services to a majority of Middle Eastern nations and the Western world.

In 2013 Omantel, which is 70% government-owned, provided 61.6% of Oman’s 58.5% for mobile networking, and 85.8% for fixed lines and Internet access RO1.3 million (US$3.38 million) in sponsorships to help strengthen its comm marketing, good equipment, and fair treatment of employees, Omantel has b impact to a leadership level.

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udi Arabia on the for neutrality.

talks and negotiations, especially with e to fly around the world without fuel. ely able to provide telecommunications

’s market for fixed broadband services, s. That year the company gave away munities. With a combination of good built its market share and community

Contrary to many corporations in this “modern” world, Omantel’s main focus is on serving its customers - combining a great communication network with great services and innovation believing that a top level communication network helps local, regional, and international clients of all types to streamline and enhance their operations. Through this means, Omantel has the potential to: • Enable Omani citizens to access online news, services, social media, education, and employment opportunities.

• Increase the effectiveness of Oman’s government & legal systems, medical & emergency procedures, and local trade negotiations & deliveries.

• Enhance regional trade, help neighbouring countries get online, and strengthen the identity of a cohesive Middle East.

• Connect internationally, facilitating the exchange of medical/ emergency information, improving logistics of international trade, and speeding access to news worldwide.

Better planning, enhanced by more efficient communication methods at all levels, leads to less confusion and better project coordination. Public access to media worldwide leads to more accountable media reporting. More open communication between governments and the people they serve leads eventually to greater domestic and international peace.

Omantel is well aware of the potential effects of its operations and that, through good communication, it is helping to “unlock the full economic potential of the country,” according to its Sustainability Report. It is also well aware of its responsibility to act sustainably for the continuance of its services for future generations. In developing and carrying out its sustainability plans, the company has discovered how much those actions have enhanced its own productivity.

Here are some of the SUSTAINABILITY measures Omantel has or is carrying out: • Keeping expenses under control. Omantel has earned Moody’s A3 rating.

• Caring about the well-being of its more than 2,700 employees (90% Omani, 22% female): Paying good wages & benefits, educating their families, providing high quality on the job training, distributing work loads efficiently, providing good equipment and services that help employees focus (gym, child care), and finding ways to prevent illness and accidents.

• Designing facilities that have natural lighting, clean air and water, walking spaces, greenery, onsite exercise facilities and child care.

• Making the company’s operations transparent to the public.

• Supporting the government of Oman in training and providing Internet access to more than 70,000 low income beneficiaries through their ITA PC initiative for low income groups.

To make sure its customers are being served well, the company conducts several types of customer satisfaction surveys: Quarterly third-party surveys, mystery shopping and caller surveys and, starting in 2013, an online customer satisfaction survey. The company’s customer experience management team also conducts internal surveys throughout the year on key aspects of service. The company also exchanges information with customers via social media outlets.

The results have shown a far higher rate of customer satisfaction than what their competitors have.

Omantel has committed to building 100 kiosks for non-commercial access of 150 villages to make sure that villages are not left out of the digital age.

They have over 270 villages already connected to the Internet so far. By expanding its reach, Omantel is providing employment opportunities for some of the 24% of Omani workers unemployed (Al Jazeera, 08/17/2013). It’s also subtly counteracting worries that might be emerging with Oman’s recent weapons build-up.

A high priority with Omantel is providing a reliable network. Accordingly, the company tested its network in 2013 to make sure it could survive natural disasters - a time when communication lines especially need to be open. Its workers improved critical stations that couldn’t hold up, including installing backup systems where needed, and the company made sure its emergency response team could be deployed efficiently.

Separate from development of its telecommunications network and its internal sustainable operations, Omantel has a three-pronged community social responsibility program. This includes investing in community initiatives and programs that provide opportunities for sustainable incomes and jobs, raising public awareness about healthy lifestyles and environmental issues, and helping more people to enjoy the benefits of a digital society. Omantel also supports community by sourcing 87% of its purchases from local suppliers. This includes multinational vendors who have registered their businesses in Oman.

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Omantel staff are motivated by kno increases the well-being of Omani soc take part in community projects. In 2 of food, money, clothing, and other families, charities, and orphanages d campaign. They coached business University to help them develop innov and they helped lead Outward Bound

In addition, the company sponsored a programs for students, women, and u also with disabled people and child company spent RO1.3 million (US programs in 2013, according to that y

Compared to other industries, Oma negligible. Even so, the company is ev developing a plan to become as environ Most of its network is supported by company recently started installing so kiosks are solar-powered. It’s new o extensive natural lighting and meets G

Probably the biggest impact Omant environment is in the overall effect of The telecommunications network, subscribers of all sizes to lower th paper use (saving trees) by conducti and replacing vehicular travel (and th conferencing and email communica benefits of telecommunications, has a Oman and, by extension, the Middle

owing that the company’s work ciety and they are encouraged to 2013 they handed out donations r necessities to underprivileged during the company’s Ramadan students at the Sultan Qaboos vative ideas for new businesses, d activities for youth.

a variety of community leadership underprivileged families, working dren with dyslexia. All told, the S$3.37 million) on community year’s sustainability report.

antel’s environmental impact is valuating its carbon footprint and nmentally sustainable as possible. gas-powered electricity, but the olar panels and all of its outlying office headquarters incorporates Gold LEED standards.

tel has on supporting a healthy its telecommunications services. itself, helps Middle Eastern heir carbon footprint - reducing ing transactions via the Internet, he fuel it uses) with online video ations. This, plus the economic already made Omantel a leader in East.

Oman Telecommunications Company (S.A.O.G) PO BOX 789, PC 112, Ruwi, Sultanate of Oman, Tel: +968 2424 2424 Fax: +968 24240112 www.omantel.om

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