Spanish incumbent Telefonica and UAE-based telco Etisalat have agreed a new strategic partnership that will see the companies collaborating on new technology, R&D and new products. The announcement comes less than two weeks after a very similar agreement…
Spanish incumbent Telefonica and UAE-based telco Etisalat have agreed a new strategic partnership that will see the companies collaborating on new technology, R&D and new products. The announcement comes less than two weeks after a very similar agreement by Telefonica with French Bouygues.
In a statement today, the Telefonica and Etisalat said that they will be working together on procurement, international capacity, wholesale services and “enhanced support” for multinational customers.
They said they will also collaborate on new products and services for digital growth opportunities like machine-to-machine (M2M), financial services and cloud-based services.
“As a result, the companies will strengthen their capabilities to address global industry trends and compete in each of their markets, capturing efficiencies and advancing initiatives aimed at better serving their customer needs across their respective footprints,” they said.
The two companies currently operate in different areas. Etisalat operates in 18 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. By contrast, Telefonica operates in 25 countries in Europe and Latin America.
Telefonica announced a similar partnership deal with French mobile operator Bouygues Telecom on 11 July, which will see the two companies cooperate on roaming services, the provision of service to international customers and work on devices.
