Zain launches World’s first Cross-border local GRX-based data access Mobile Roaming Service.

Zain launches the world’s first cross-border local GRX-based data access service, which ensures faster access speeds at cost effective local rates, according to international roaming marketing manager Ayman Sami Al-Alawi.

Zain’s subscribers in Bahrain will be able to access their data services at local rates under its networks in the Middle East and Africa. The One Office scheme, an expansion of Zain’s existing “One Network” voice service will enable subscribers to use data services like BlackBerry and plug-in Internet devices at local rates of the country they are in, according to Zain Bahrain general manager Mohammed Zainalabedin.

In the middle-east, the service will be active in Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Sudan immediately. Kuwait is not on board due to regulatory constraints currrently.

In Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be live immediately and all other African countries are expected to go live by the end of 2009.

It is interesting to note that customers do not need to pre-register for this, which will greatly benefit roamers. customer can credit their accounts with locally purchased top-up cards asd well at any of Zain’s points of sale across the region.