Bahrain ’s first telecommunications link to the rest of the world dates back to 1864, when the island was connected to the Indo-European undersea telegraphic cable. This remained the only telecom medium until 1931 when Cable & Wireless’ predecessors started to operate radio links that provided telegram and telephony services.
During the 1930’s the Electricity Department operated the country’s first telephone exchange with 15 staff members, two motor cars and 39 lines in operation. The first telegraphic office opened in 1947, closely followed by the installation of Bahrain’s first automatic telephone exchange in 1949. The company was known at that time as the Imperial and International Communications Company, later to be incorporated in the Wireless Telegraph Company in early 1949.
In 1969 Bahrain entered the age of Satellite communication as the Middle East’s first satellite station was opened by the late Amir HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa at Ras Abu Jarjour.
1979 - Bahrain became a partner in the Gulf submarine coaxial cable linking Bahrain to Qatar and the UAE
1980 - First digital telephone exchange opened 1981: Batelco established, with Cable & Wireless taking a 40 per cent stake 1982: Batelco connected the 50,000th fixed telephone line in Bahrain
1983: Work commenced on laying the coaxial cable to link Bahrain to Qatar and the UAE
1984: Batelco opens its first ARABSAT earth station
1985: Bahrain’s first Fibre Optic cable; first section installed
1986: BLEEP (Bahrain Long Executive Electronic Pager) superseded by a fully automatic alphanumeric paging system
1987: Contract signed to construct phase 2 of new 11 storey Diplomat Area building to provide public counters and offices 1988: Construction begins on Batelco’s Hamala Headquarters
1989: Cable & Wireless sells 20% of its shares to Bahrain Government
1990: A Fibre Optic cable, first of its kind in the ME, laid along the 26km King Fahad Causeway, becomes operational
1991: The first 128 kilobits-per-second data circuit in the Arabian Gulf established to the UK
1992: Bahrain becomes one of the first countries in the world with complete digitalization of its national and international telephone switches, at a total cost of over BD17 million
1993: VoiceMail launched 1994: Contract signed to introduce GSM (Global System for Mobiles) at a cost of BD6 million 1995: Batelco joined the Information Superhighway with the launch of inet
1996: Batelco becomes first Telecoms Company in the Middle East to qualify for ISO certification, recommended by the British Standards Institute
1997: Batelco Out-Patient Unit of the Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa Cardiac Centre at the BDF Hospital inaugurated
1998: FOG becomes operational as the first high-grade link between Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE
1999: Batelco’s 100,000th mobile phone customer connected and the 100th International Roaming operator link established 2000: Batelco Jordan established to provide Internet, managed data and associated value-added services within Jordan
2001: Batelco launched Speednet, based on ADSL technology
2002: KwikServe Autopay machines installed across Bahrain
2003: New company identity unveiled, incorporating the colours and design of the Bahraini flag
2004: Batelco provided the complete telecoms infrastructure for the first-ever Bahrain Grand Prix
2005: Batelco declared overall winner in the Best Business Transformation Category of the Landor Awards beating out such global brands as Frito-Lay, Smirnoff, Bailey’s and Japan Post 2006: Batelco purchases 96% share of Umniah Mobile Communications
2007: Batelco purchases shareholding in Sabafon, Yemen. Batelco Network Operating Centre (NOC) opens in Bahrain
2008: Batelco, as part of Atheeb Telecom consortium to deliver wireless broadband, data solutions and voice services in Saudi Arabia. Next Generation Network (NGN) completed in Kingdom of Bahrain
2009: Batelco purchases shareholding in S Tel, Indian Mobile operator, with licenses to operate in 6 Indian states.