Press Release: Etisalat Nigeria Teams Up With Opera Software

Oslo, Norway — 2 August 2012. Etisalat and Opera Software are providing an even better mobile web experience to consumers in Nigeria, with Etisalat offering a co-branded Opera Mini browser, the bundles come in two flavors – Sport and Social – available to all of its over 13 million Nigerian customers. Already more than 200 million people around the world use Opera’s mobile browsers each month.

The days of mobile phones simply being for calls and texting are long gone, and operators are already offering more types of content, including streaming media, video, entertainment, maps and gaming, as well as a host of other useful apps and tools.

Opera Mini is a highly customizable mobile web browser that is compatible with more than 3,000 different makes of handsets. Operators can build their own user web experience with a co-branded Opera Mini solution, giving consumers a consistent experience, look and feel relevant to their market and operator of choice. Opera Mini reduces the data delivered to any handset by up to 90%. For cost-conscious consumer this means they can access the web more, for the same price.

Etisalat is launching two flavors of its co-branded offering – a Social bundle and a Sports bundle, running on the latest Opera Mini browser version 7. The Social bundle gives subscribers daily access to social networking sites – Facebook, Twitter and Naijapals, while the Sports bundle gives subscribers daily access to sites like Goal, Opera Sport, and ESPN.

Opera Mini is the most loved mobile browser in the world, bringing a rich internet experience to all devices, regardless of phone or operating system,” says Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software. “We believe that access to the internet is a basic human right, and the number of operators we team up with, like Etisalat, means we can really deliver on that conviction. The World Bank recently issued numbers showing that for every mobile subscriber base increase of 10%, a developing country’s GDP grows by 0.8%. We think that’s awesome.

Speaking of the new offerings, Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Wael Ammar said the introduction of the new service will enhance the experience of mobile web surfers.

At Etisalat, listening to customers is a crucial part of our business which we take very seriously. Not only have we launched the Opera Mini browser, we have also taken it a step further by creating data bundle plans for the convenience of our customers. We created data plans that will enable our subscribers to enjoy all-day browsing at the top mobile sites for an affordable daily fee. Our customers are in for an unparalleled experience with our network and the Etisalat Opera Mini bundles,” he said.

Director, Products and Services, Etisalat Nigeria, Lucas Dada said that for customers to take advantage of this service, they must first subscribe to the bundle and thereafter visit m.opera.com to download the browser for free.

Subscribers who do not wish to purchase any of the bundles can simply download the Opera Mini browser at the normal data rates.

About Etisalat
In just 3 years of operations, Etisalat Nigeria has become a major industry player with a growing subscriber base of over 13 million in a highly competitive market. Its portfolio of voice and data-centric products include – easy starter, easycliq, easyblaze, elite world and easy business all tailor-made to meet the needs of its subscribers. For its outstanding performance, it has won it several awards including ‘Brand of the Year’, ‘Best Telecom Customer Service’ Telecom Innovations Company of the Year, and ‘Most Innovative Corporate Social Responsibility Company’, among others. Etisalat Nigeria is one of the 17 operations of the Etisalat Group that spans across Africa, Middle East and Asia serving over 135 million subscribers; and it is committed to delivering innovative and quality services to its growing subscribers.
About Opera Software ASA
The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 270 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. ‘Opera’, ‘Opera Software’, ‘Opera Mini’ and the ‘O’ logo are trademarks of Opera Software ASA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Learn more about Opera atwww.opera.com.