Saudi Business Machines (SBM), the marketing and services representative for IBM WTC in the Kingdom, has recently completed the installation of one of its largest computer projects in the Middle East. The technology, which utilizes IBM's AS/400 iSeries servers has linked up all of the Eastern, Western, Northern and Central province's telephone networks.
The computer network is part of the IBM Integrated Customer Management System (ICMS). “ICMS is a fully-automated and Arabized customer care and billing solution,” said the Saudi Telecommunication Company (STC)'s vice president of information technologies, Khaled Al-Jasser.
“The system was originally implemented for mobile phones (GSM) in February 1999…. the last phase – to integrate Western and Southern Regions – was implemented recently in July 2001. It is now fully operational for both GSM and landlines Kingdomwide, ” Al-Jasser added.
The system currently serves over five million landline and GSM customers, and by the end of the year it will serve upwards of an estimated six million. In addition, the system services over 3,500 STC users and it is scalable to handle thousands more. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
