Fastlink Rings in the Savings with Cisco Systems' Multi- Service IP Contact Centre Solution

AMMAN, Jordan, February 25, 2003 - Fastlink, Jordan's leading mobile service provider, today launched a new IP Contact Centre (IPCC) in response to rising customer demand. The new contact centre, which hosts around 200 agents, will use solutions from Cisco Systems to service Fastlink's customers' base, which is approaching one million users, and ensure continuous service delivery as Fastlink's operations grow.

Cisco's solution will allow the contact centre to process more than 65,000 calls per day and will enhance the service experience for Fastlink's customers through an IP Intelligent Voice Response (IVR) solution. Based on Cisco's AVVID solution (Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data), Fastlink will be able to handle multi-media communications, and scale its operations to include new agents or applications, such as e-learning, without suffering downtime.

"Fastlink is proud to consolidate its position at the forefront of innovation telecommunications technology in the Middle East by being first in introducing this state-of-the-art solution. Our Jordanian subscriber will reap tangible benefits of our revolutionized contact centre which promises significant improvements in the user experience," said Michael Dagher, CEO of Fastlink.

"Given the lightening pace of change in the Jordanian telecommunications industry, it was essential that our IPCC solution promised maximum flexibility and could support a variety of new applications and services. Cisco's converged network offers ease of management and also allows us to efficiently use our investment for fast growth," added Mr. Dagher.

"Fastlink has a futuristic vision of service for its clients. Its management team recognises that changing behaviour among consumers is driven by the new capabilities of mobile phones. They have wisely chosen a solution that will enable their call centre staff to meet the current and future needs of their customers, and extend the scope and range of the services Fastlink is able to provide," said Tony Ghattas, Cisco's Regional Manager for Levant.

Fastlink is the largest of all telecommunications networks in Jordan, and was the first operator to offer mobile phone services in Jordan at the time of its founding in 1995. The company is gearing up for second wave of Jordanian mobile boom which observers predict will more than double mobile penetration over the next three years. With it's solid track record in technology innovation and customer service, Fastlink is poised to be the prime beneficiary of this rapid growth in mobile phone subscriptions. The company is also bracing for a heightened regional presence with its parent company Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) of Kuwait, a forward-looking operator with an ambitious regional expansion strategy. In January 2003, MTC acquired a majority stake in Fastlink in a transaction considered the largest single acquisition in the Gulf/Middle East area and, by far, the largest private sector investment in Jordan by a G.C.C. private sector company.

Fastlink's IPCC includes Cisco's AVVID architecture, Fully redundant Cisco Call Manager, Internet Service Nodes, a high capacity IP IVR designed specifically for services providers with large call volume, Intelligent Call Management (ICM), the nervous system of the call centre, responsible for routing subscriber calls based on business rules and associated skilled groups call treatment that best servers the caller, while enabling with the Contact Centre with Multi-service Computer Telephony Integration (CTI). Additionally, Fastlink deployed Voice Gateways comprised of Cisco AS5400 connected directly to their Mobile Switching Centres, IP Telephony using Cisco high end 7960 phones equipped with agent headsets.