15 Dec 2022

VEON’s Jazz and Turkcell Announce BIP Partnership

Amsterdam, 15 December 2022: VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ and Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and online services, and Turkey’s leading digital operator Turkcell (NYSE: TKC, BIST: TCELL) collaborated to spread the latter’s instant free communication and life platform BiP in Pakistan through VEON’s Jazz digital operator. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed by Aamer Ejaz, Chief Digital Officer, Jazz and Gökhan Yüksektepe, BiP CEO. 

BiP, is available for 194 million mobile subscribersin Pakistan.  Already used across 192 countries, BiP is a free instant communication app that goes beyond secure messaging to offer a full communication and life platform, including high quality voice and video calls, secret messages, instant translation along with channels on food, sports, entertainment, and fashion. Mobile users in Pakistan can download the BiP app through their chosen app store.

“Messaging is a strategic application and a key enabler of our digital operator strategy,” explains Kaan Terzioğlu, Group CEO, VEON. “We aim to provide messaging solutions with a wide range of services in the countries we operate, offering high levels of security and enhancing the local technology economy. BiP is an excellent service that is already proven in different parts of the world and its expansion in Pakistan by Jazz will benefit both users and digital ecosystem.”

“Expanding our digital services is a critical growth factor for Turkcell, as we try to deliver on the evolving needs of our customers,” says Murat Erkan, CEO Turkcell. “We strongly believe in the power of partnership and we look forward to collaborating with Jazz to expand BiP within the Pakistani market. This cooperation with Jazz is a milepost in achieving Türkiye’s goal of boosting high-value-added technology transfer. Once BiP’s usage grows in Pakistan, we will look to extend this partnership model across other VEON operating countries as well. We are happy to contribute to the development of these countries’ digital economies.”

“Pakistan is one of the most vibrant countries in the world and messaging is a core application for its population,” explains Gökhan Yüksektepe, CEO of BiP. “We are proud to announce that our communication and life platform BiP is gaining ground with Pakistani users. We are dedicatedly working towards our goal of making BiP a global communication application, providing customized local experiences to its users. Regarding this strategy, it is important for us to collaborate with a partner in the region like Jazz. Today, BiP and Jazz are starting a strategic partnership with the aim of increasing the penetration of BiP in Pakistan.”

Aamir Ibrahim, CEO Jazz, said, “Our digital operator strategy focuses on serving as a lifestyle partner for 120 million mobile broadband users in Pakistan whether they want to perform financial transactions or stream TV shows, listen to music or buy insurance. With the launch of BiP, we are further strengthening our digital services portfolio and providing subscribers with a multi-purpose communication app."

 

1: As at 31 December 2021

About VEON

VEON is a NASDAQ and Euronext Amsterdam-listed global provider of connectivity and digital services. Our companies are transforming lifestyles through technology-driven services that empower opportunity in some of the world’s fastest-growing emerging markets. For more information, visit: https://www.veon.com  

Disclaimer

This release contains "forward-looking statements", as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and include statements relating to, among other things, the potential benefits of the appointment described above. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and some of which VEON might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws, any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such dates or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Furthermore, elements of this release contain or may contain, “inside information” as defined under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014.

Contact Information

VEON Group
Group Communications Director
Marina Levina
PR@veon.com

TUVA Partners
Julian Tanner
Julian.tanner@tuvapartners.com