As announced at the conference for investors on 11 April 2013, Wind Mobile entered into a partnership for the development of an Open Ringback initiative with a partner in the United Arab Emirates.
The new partner of Wind Mobile is a leader in the digital music field with 60%-70% market share in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa. The agreement was concluded for the period of four years with the possibility of extension. The partnership includes the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The potential of the countries covered by the agreement reaches 200 million people and 240 million SIM cards.
We convinced our partner that Open Ringback is a breakthrough business concept that will allow both our companies to make a big step forward. Good results of Open Ringback gave us such a strong position in negotiations with our partner that the agreement was concluded exclusively. Our partner is operating in 22 countries, but in the first phase we decided to focus on the six key markets and 17 mobile operators. The countries covered by the agreement are inhabited by two hundred million residents – largely young people, who are open to innovative value-added services. The opportunity to reach a population of consumers five times larger than our present situation and the possibility of cooperation with a base of mobile operators more than four times larger is a unique opportunity, which we will use effectively, says Igor Bokun, the CEO of Wind Mobile.
The implementation of our new agreement is treated as a strategic and long-term initiative of Wind Mobile. It is such a large undertaking and, on the other hand, a great opportunity for Wind Mobile that it may be necessary to strengthen our team and make greater investments in the Middle East. In the first half of June, we will organize a few-day long workshops in Dubai, during which we will particularize with our partner the action plan and the required resources. We will also establish events worth noting and other necessary sales and marketing tools for the Open Ringback tones to play loudly in the Middle East,says Tomasz Kiser, the VP of Wind Mobile.