World's
first Roaming Broker announces opening Key2roam® partner after successful
completion of tests
Comfone launches Key2roam® at 3GSM
World Congress and names Atheer Telecom Iraq as the first strategic
partner to be connected to the broker platform, helping to reconnect
Iraq with the international community Cannes,
France – 24 February 2004 - Comfone has completed the final
tests of its roaming broker concept - Key2roam® - and has secured
its first strategic partner network. The innovative solution,
where Comfone plays the role of broker, allows an operator to
have access to all roaming partners already commercially roaming
via Key2roam® once a single roaming agreement with Comfone has
been concluded. This is a major step towards the goal of a plug
and roam solution.
Having secured Atheer Telecom Iraq as its first
strategic Key2roam® partner, Comfone's solution brings the Iraqi
coalition government's aim to internationally reintegrate Iraq
through rapid worldwide roaming closer to reality. Atheer Telecom
was one of the three operators awarded a GSM license to provide
Iraq with mobile telecommunications in October 2003. With Key2roam®,
mobile operators across the globe can now easily set up roaming
within Iraq in a very short lead time.
Oscar Derrer, Comfone CEO, commented that "Key2roam®
is set to revolutionise international roaming as we know it today.
The strength of Comfone's concept is its simplicity, ensuring
mobile operators fast and efficient connection to operators worldwide,
all through one single contract and without any change to existing
signalling and clearing standards and practices."
The final testing of the Key2roam® concept was successfully
executed with Comfone's 3 partners - Orange (Liechtenstein) AG,
Monaco Telecom and IMC Island, together with EDS, the clearing
solutions partner of Comfone.
About Comfone
Comfone supplies mobile operators services that are needed for
the worldwide interconnection of mobile networks, so called 'roaming'.
Founded in 1997 with the goal to provide efficient solutions in
the field of international roaming, Comfone's service portfolio
is currently unique in the world. Comfone is the first Roaming
Broker and the only operator of an international roaming platform.
With head offices based in Berne, Switzerland, Comfone is 75%
owned by four management members who are actively involved in
the company. Comfone comprises of 70 employees, consisting of
13 nationalities who speak a total of 16 languages. Further services
include; Signalling Solutions (SS7), Roaming Management, GRX services
for GPRS and Data, Financial and SMS Interworking Clearing.
About Atheer
Telecom Iraq
Atheer Telecom Iraq's primary investors include the Mobile Telecommunications
Company of Kuwait (MTC), Dijla Telecommunications Corp of Iraq
and the Kuwaiti construction firm Kharafi National. As one of
three mobile operators in Iraq, the Coalition Provisional Authority
(CPA) of Iraq awarded Atheer Telecom with a two-year GSM mobile
phone license in October 2003. Atheer Telecom's network is to
cover the south of the country.
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