From Zain to Bharti Airtel

The visiting Chief Executive Officer, International and Joint Managing Director of Bharti Airtel Ltd Manoj Kohli has said that his company recently acquired African operations of Zain including Sierra Leone.
The CEO made this statement at a press conference held yesterday at the Miata Conference Centre in Freetown.
He said Zain Sierra Leone will rebrand to Bharti Airtel in October this year in a bid to offer affordable services, deep network coverage that touch the common man.
The CEO also said that Bharti Airtel has investment plan of $25m for Sierra Leone to expand and provide high quality telecommunications.
He further reiterated the company has plans to introduce its corporate social responsibility program in Sierra Leone under which it will set up schools that offer free quality education to underprivileged children in rural areas.
Manoj Kohli also said that Bharti will be working with the government and the regulator to reduce inter connectivity rate and to provide high speed broad network for customers.
He also explained that Bharti Airtel will be distributed like sugar and salt in Sierra Leone thereby creating job opportunities for locals in their respective communities.
The CEO noted that plans are underway to commercial mobile phone mast to other networks and communications so as to ensure effective service delivery to customers for an affordable rate.
Jayant Khosla Bharti, Anglophone Director said his company will connect schools and also provides wireless connectivity for an affordable fee adding that mobile phone penetration will be increased from 25% to 50% when Bharti commences operation.
Bharti Airtel bought Zain Africa for $10.7b; it is now the world fifth largest mobile company in the world with over 185 million customers providing operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa.
The company offers mobile voice and voice data services, fixed lines high speed broad band, IPTV, DTH turnkey telecoms solutions for enterprises and national and International long distance service to carriers.
Zain Sierra Leone Managing Director Ted -Sauti Phiri commended the visiting Bharti team and assured them of continued service delivery to valued customers of the brand.