Dubai, UAE, 16^th December 2002

Comtrust, the e-solutions business unit of Etisalat, has achieved another milestone in its drive to increase customer satisfaction with the announcement it has been awarded ISO 9001:2000 certification. The achievement is recognized by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), one of the world’s leading international providers of value added, high integrity Management System Certification Services.

ISO 9001:2000 certification is seen as a foundation step towards excellence and is the world’s most recognized standard for Quality Management System. Under the ISO 9001:2000 certification, Comtrust is valid to design and provide e-commerce infrastructure solutions including user and business digital certification services; secure e-payment solutions; QuickShop e-retailing solutions and Dedicated Internet hosting services.

Ahmad Abdul Karim Julfar, General Manager, Comtrust commented, “The only constant within the e-business market in the Gulf is its continued evolution and change. Therefore, to be awarded such an accreditation in a demanding industry such as ours is testimony to the high standards we set ourselves in customer service and best practice initiatives throughout the organization. It is crucial that we continue to foresee possible market developments and deliver solutions that our customers demand, at a competitive price, but with unrivalled quality support.”

The Comtrust announcement is just the first phase of Etisalat’s long-term corporate ISO certification programme, which will see the Corporation’s departments and business units certified.

“Today’s announcement is just part of phase one of our comprehensive certification programme,” commented Abdulla Jadah, Senior Manager Corporate Quality, Etisalat. “The certification programme is divided into three phases and we will continue to spare no efforts in ensuring that customers really notice the benefits over time. ISO 9001:2000 certification is fundamentally different from previous certification, because it demands continual improvement and measurement control of key processes while ensuring that we strive to meet our customer expectations.”

Yngve Amundsen, Middle East Manager, Det Norske Veritas commented, “The certification represents the leadership values and focus towards quality of product and service that Comtrust is dedicated toward. The DNV audit team performed an extensive verification process of compliance toward the standard and found high levels of compliance and commitment. As a service provider, this will mean recognizable benefits to Comtrust’s customers in the future.”