BATELCO'S GESTURE FOR THE DEAF

From: Gulf Daily News - Jan 28, 2004

MORE Bahrainis with hearing difficulties will soon be able to communicate by SMS text messages, thanks to a generous donation by Batelco. Batelco is giving 50 SMS phone extension units and 20 SMS-enabled text phones to the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry, to be donated in turn to customers with special hearing needs.

The donation was presented to Assistant Under-Secretary for Social Affairs Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa by Batelco's chief customer services operating officer Samir Nooruddin.

A phone extension unit is a small extension that fits on the telephone line. It works as a caller ID and also enables users to send and receive SMS from it. The SMS phones have a keyboard that makes this possible.

Batelco already offers a Special Needs Mobile Phone Offer with a reduced monthly rental of BD4 that includes 50 free minutes and 100 free SMS messages each month. These adjustments have been made to cater especially for the needs of the deaf and blind. The extension units and phones will be distributed according to income-based criteria.

Copyright © 2004, Gulf Daily News