The firm will install 400 additional base stations.

n November 2006, a milestone event captured the attention of Azerbaijan’s press corps. As television cameras and reporters clicked away, a ribbon was cut to commemorate the opening of a historic new venture. Parliamentary representatives and leaders of the local business community stood proudly among other honorary guests.

This celebration was not commemorating the opening of an international pipeline or an oil refinery.

Bakcell, a leader in Azerbaijan’s cellular industry, commemorated the launch of its commercial mobile services in the western region of Nakhichivan, heralding a new era for the Caspian Sea country’s rapidly growing information and communications technologies sector. Always ahead of the game, Bakcell’s launching of commercial mobile services in Nakhichivan signaled the company’s ongoing commitment to make inroads and expand its presence across the country.

Bakcell stands tall as the second largest mobile telecommunications company in Azerbaijan. Its market-led, quality driven approach is based on three core values: affordability, technological advancement, and simplicity. Bakcell’s competitive edge is evident by the growth of its ever-expanding network. The company now services coverage across the entire Azerbaijani landscape. Bakcell is forging ahead with its targets to open service centers in regions across the country including Ganja, Sumgait, Sheki-Zagatala and Lenkoran-Astara.

In March 1994, Bakcell was established as the first cellular communications operator in Azerbaijan, serving as the model for the nascent high-tech sector. In December 1998, Bakcell was the first in the country to implement GSM telecommunications technology. Since the company’s inception, it has provided personal communication in compliance with the most competitive international standards.

In December 2003, the company's privatization process was successfully completed and months later, Bakcell began functioning as a fully privatized company. Emphasizing a customer-oriented position in the emerging telecommunications market, Bakcell introduced a wide range of mobile products and services aiming to attract and retain customers with various service needs from both post paid and prepaid markets.

Bakcell moves into its second decade of service at a moment when the telecommunications industry is poised for new breakthroughs. According to Ali Abbasov, Minister of Communications and Information and Technologies, revenues from knowledge-based industries such as mobile communications will exceed income from oil exports by 2015.

Always at the forefront, Bakcell is ready to capitalize on its rising popularity. A customer-led approach is quickly catching on with its ever-growing subscriber base. In 2005, Bakcell slashed its prices between 33 percent and 82 percent as part of a plan to edge out its competitors. Recently, the pace of new subscriptions has increased dramatically to 700,000 subscribers. Bakcell has also dramatically improved its market share in part in implementing an aggressive and clever marketing campaign appealing to young, ambitious Azerbaijanis.

Since 1994, Bakcell has invested around $100 million in its services. A 3G network is being rolled out, and more network upgrades and equipment investments are in the pipeline. Taking the helm as General Manager in 2006, Martin Quirke (INTERVIEW) is moving forward with an ambitious plan to revitalize technological infrastructure and to expand Bakcell’s network coverage.

Customer service: the company offers a wide range of innovative, state-of-the-art products.

To mark its tenth anniversary as one of Azerbaijan’s top companies, the mobile operator invested massively in expanding its coverage to all territory and offering innovative, state-of-the-art products. In September, Bakcell installed 51 base stations in large part to expand its presence in Azerbaijan’s regions. In the near future, approximately 400 more stations will be installed.

Customer service is at the cornerstone of the company’s growing appeal. Bakcell presented KLASS, a service where customers determine their tariff plan. CinKart, a prepaid service, enables flexibility and freedom for customers. Wireless Application Protocol technology allows users to surf the internet. Bakcell’s Gold Club is yet another service established with the aim to provide a personal, efficient, and high-quality added value for the company’s expanding customer base.

“Bakcell is favorably disposed towards the concept of social responsibility,” says Mr. Quirke. “We are here to make a contribution, to take Bakcell to another level. I don’t just want to run a mobile phone company, but try as best as I can to make some kind of contribution to take Azerbaijan some steps up the ladder.” In its decade of service, Bakcell has reached out to children with disabilities and orphans. One of its longstanding partners has been the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society. Carrying out various projects in both the social and business areas, Bakcell understands its positive impact on society, and looks forward to bringing noticeable benefits to Azerbaijan’s new era of socioeconomic potential.

A premier telecoms company

Bakcell is one of the most influential private companies in the country. In 1994, Israel’s GTIB and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies established the joint venture which quickly became Azerbaijan’s premier digital telecoms company. In December 2003, GTIB fully acquired Bakcell by purchasing the remaining shares from the government for $5.1 million.

Upgrading coverage

IN October, Bakcell announced its goal to upgrade network to sophisticated 4G mobile technologies. Soon, Bakcell’s growing network will support advanced services such as WiMax, which will allow data to be transmitted over super high bandwidth connections. On this platform, different data types will converge, such as and voice over internet and streaming video.

New roaming service

BAKCELL continues to develop its mobile operations in Azerbaijan and abroad. By signing a host of roaming agreements, Bakcell subscribers can use international roaming services through 223 mobile operators in 125 countries. As the company increases the number of roaming partners among GSM operators worldwide, it is meeting objectives to become a regional player in Eurasia’s fast-paced telecommunications market.