Amman, February 18, 2008—Zain, part of the Zain Group, the leading mobile telecommunications provider in the Middle East and Africa, and the Next Generation Technologies Company (NGT) won a tender to facilitate the provision of government services through mobile phones, specifically through SMS. The tender was launched by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoICT).

This initiative aims to provide Jordanians living inside and outside Jordan with a range of government services, thus streamlining all procedures for Jordanians. During the first phase of this project, Jordanians will be able to benefit from services of the main government institutions only.

For its part, Zain will contribute to achieving the main goal of the e-government program, which is promoting and facilitating the communication process between Jordanians and government institutions and departments through alternative communication channels, mainly the SMS, taking into consideration the increase usage of mobile phones among Jordanians with a total of 85% of Jordanians presently use mobiles phones, and this number is still increasing. 

NGT, a local company engaged in providing mobile data services, and specializing in SMS services, will use Zain’s network exclusively, to send information by SMS from government institutions and departments to Jordanians who live in and out of Jordan. This service is known as Push SMS.

Meanwhile, Zain will also provide Pull SMS service, which will allow customers to send enquiries about services through SMS. Customers will then receive their answers from the government institution or department in question through SMS.

To subscribe to the Pull SMS service, send an empty SMS to 94444. Subscribers will promptly receive a choice of the services provided from which customers can chose the service needed form the institution in question.

Through the service, subscribers can enquire about vehicle licensing and ticketing, vehicle customs, water invoices, company tax balances, land sales in the Department of Lands and Surveys, weather conditions, competitive ranking in the Civil Service Bureau, as well as other services.

Zain Senior Data Manager Ziad Al- Masri, said that winning this tender is a manifestation of Zain's competitive edge and its pioneering role in providing the best services to its subscribers. He added that this service is in line with the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II towards delivering government services efficiently and practically to Jordanians.

Al- Masri emphasized the importance of this service to meet the daily needs of Zain subscribers and save them time and effort. He confirmed that Zain is striving to follow new technologies and developments by providing advanced and innovative services, as mobiles are not only communication devices, but also effective devices to ease the lives of Jordanians.