Bahrain-Mubasher: Batelco, a publically-traded telecom operator in Bahrain, has signed a master bilateral supply agreement with China Unicom Hong Kong, the international business development arm of China Unicom group in Asia Pacific and the Middle East regions.

The agreement was concluded during the annual Capacity Middle East 2015 event, held recently in Dubai.

This new partnership will allow the two organisations access into each other's networks, enabling them to extend their reach into new locations. It will further reinforce Batelco's positioning, especially in the Asian market, and will allow customers and carriers more access and reliability.

Similarly, China Unicom will be able to utilise Batelco 's presence across the Middle East and other regions to reach its customers in more locations.

Adel Al-Daylami, Batelco’s General Manager - Enterprise Division, said this partnership comes at a time when Batelco has been actively establishing a strong reputation in the MENA telecommunications industry and promoting Bahrain as a gateway for global providers who require connectivity into and out of the MENA region.

"Not only will this partnership enable our business customers to connect using China Unicom's network, but this also allows Batelco to be a driving force behind capturing investment opportunities for the MENA region," he said.