Batelco, Bahrain’s leading telecom operator, plans to invest up to BD75 million ($199 million) over the next three years on developing infrastructure in Bahrain, the company said.

The company will invest BD25 million each year.

The company’s Bahrain chief executive Rashid Abdulla said Bateclo had a commitment to Bahrain and, over the years, planned to become even more customer-centric.

"More focus in the next few years will be on developing broadband Internet services as well as high value businesses, while at the same time not ignoring our other customers," Abdulla said. "We have also launched several new offers to coincide with and commemorate our 30th anniversary in Bahrain and many more will come."

He said Batelco is not expecting a very large increase in the number of customers in Bahrain in the near future so it would look at adding value to those who it already had.

Earlier, Batelco group chief executive Peter Kaliaropoulos said the company had completed a deal for a 25 per cent stake in Zain Saudi for which due diligence is set to begin.

"Everything has been finalised but the deal will be operative soon," he said. "When that happens, the Batelco group’s total customer base would touch nearly 20 million subscribers, which is twice as much as it is now."