General Terms and Conditions

The Internet service is provided by Bahrain Telecommunications Company BSC. "Batelco" under the general service name "inet". The "Agreement" is the Order Form, together with these Terms and Conditions, and all other general Terms and Conditions which apply to the provision of services by Batelco, and which become valid when signed by both the customer and Batelco. The "Customer" is the party, individual or corporation, which enters into an agreement with Batelco for the provision of inet services. "Overdue" charges are those charges, which have not been paid to Batelco by the payment date specified.

Service Provision and Access

2.1- Upon the signing of this Agreement, Batelco will provide inet services to the Customer according to the list of options specified on the application form by the Customer.

2.2- Minimum period of subscription is, one (1) calendar month for Dial-up access, Dial ISDN access, Dial Direct access, Banner Advertising and Web Hosting Services and three (3) calendar months for Dedicated Leased access.

2.3- Access:

23.1- Dial up Access:
A user identification (ID) and a password will be assigned to the Customer, who shall use his own means (e.g. telephone service and modem) to establish physical connection to inet for accessing the service.

23.2- Dial Direct Access:
A user identification (ID), a password and a dedicated modem number will be assigned to the Customer, who shall use his own means (e.g. telephone service and modem) to establish physical connection to inet for accessing the service.

23.3- Dedicated Leased Access:
Batelco will apply at the Customer's request and on a best endeavor basis to the regulatory body for a Domain Name and Internet Protocol (IP) address(es). A local Leased Line/Frame Relay circuit will be installed for the Customer at separate cost, who shall use his own equipment (e.g. router) to establish physical connection to inet for accessing the service. The Customer shall conform to Batelco's standard Equipment List, if any, and use Batelco's specified routers for setting up of an inet gateway.

Termination

3.1- At any time the Customer may terminate the Agreement of the service upon giving one (1) week notice to Batelco. Upon termination of the Agreement, all charges which are due to Batelco become payable immediately.

3.2- Batelco may suspend or terminate inet services if charges for other services provided by Batelco to the same Customer become overdue; and may suspend or terminate other services provided by Batelco to the same Customer if charges for the inet service become overdue.

Change of Location & Speed (Dedicated Lease Access)

4.1- Change of Location
Customers can change their location from one point to another by giving Batelco at least one (1) week notice. Standard Leased Line shifting charges will be applicable.

4.2- Change of Access Speed
Customers wishing to change the Dedicated Leased Access Speed may do so by giving Batelco one (1) week notice in writing.

Customer Responsibilities

5.1- The Customer shall protect the secrecy of the user Identification and/or password assigned to him at all times and shall ensure that the same is not revealed or disclosed in any manner whatsoever to any person or persons whomsoever. The Customer shall be fully responsible for and shall bear all charges, losses or damages arising from any use of his user identification and/or password, howsoever the same may arise.

5.2- The Customer shall at all times use only his own ID and password for accessing the service. The Customer should change his password from time to time to enhance its security.

5.3- The customer shall not:

5.3.1- Use the service:

i) For any unlawful purposes such as, but not limited, to vice, gambling, or other criminal purposes whatsoever, and for sending to or receiving from any person any message which is offensive on moral, religious, communal, or political grounds, or is abusive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or

ii) For persistently sending messages without reasonable cause or for causing by threat, harassment, annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to any person whosoever.

iii) For transmitting, displaying or posting to a bulletin board obscene, immoral, blasphemous, racially objectionable, indecent, unlawful or pornographic material or material that is harmful to minors.

5.3.2- Through the use of the user identification or password to infringe any copyright, trademark or other intellectual property rights to information or resources available nor shall the Customer retain such information or resources for re-use in any computer system or otherwise;

5.3.3- Attempt to gain access to any computer system connected to the internet without authorization by the owner of the computer system;

5.3.4- Use the service to access information or resources, which are private to individuals and organizations, unless permission to do so has been granted by the owners or holders of the rights to such resources and information.

5.3.5- Provide public information services without obtaining prior formal approval from the relevant government authorities within the State of Bahrain. Before provision of service, Batelco may not authorize any connection for information Providers without obtaining such approval from concerned authorities by the Customer.

5.3.6- Access any other networks and/or computers through the inet service, without complying with the rules appropriate for such other networks and/or computers.

5.3.7- Trade on connectivity, resell, hire transfer ownership, assign or otherwise dispose of the service without the prior written approval from Batelco.

5.3.8- Use the Internet in connection with surveys, contests, pyramids schemes, chain letters, junk e-mail, spamming or any duplicative or unsolicited messages (commercial or otherwise);

5.3.9- Harvest or otherwise collect information about others, including e-mail addresses, without their consent;

5.3.10- Create a false identity for the purpose of misleading others as to the identity of the sender or the origin of a message;

5.3.11- Transmit or upload any material that contains viruses, trojan horses, worms, time bombs, cancelbots, or any other harmful or deleterious programmes;

5.3.12- Impersonate any person or entity or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent his affiliation with any person, organisation or entity;

5.3.13- Commit any civil or criminal offence or breach any confidentiality obligation or use the service in any way which invades another's privacy or other rights;

5.3.14- Misuse or abuse the service. Any breach or violations of these conditions shall be at the sole risk and cost to the Customer. The Customer shall indemnify and hold harmless Batelco against any liability that it may suffer in this respect. However, nothing herein shall be taken or understood as prohibiting Batelco or restricting its right to initiate such criminal or civil proceedings, as it may deem appropriate against the Customer for enforcement of these conditions. Batelco shall also be entitled to disconnect the service to the Customer with or without notice.

5.4- The Customer shall:

5.4.1- Be solely responsible for the data retrieved stored or transmitted through the service. This shall include any distortion or corruption caused to Customer system or data as a result of such acts.

5.4.2- Be solely responsible for meaning the use of the storage capacity such that it is within the capacity allocated to him or as may be stipulated by Batelco from time to time

5.4.3- Pay Batelco monthly service charges on timely basis.

5.4.4- Be responsible for misuse of multi-access accounts.

5.4.5- provide, true, accurate, current and complete information about himself; and maintain and promptly update such information to remain accurate, current and complete.

5.5- Any breach of the Customer's responsibilities may lead to disconnection of the service without notice and legal action if applicable.

Batelco Rights

6.1- Batelco reserves the right to manage and control the access to computer systems and data stored in inet system in a manner deeded appropriate by Batelco.

6.2- Batelco has no obligation to monitor inet access or any Customer's use of it, or to retain the content of any user session. However, Batelco reserves the right to monitor, review, retain and/or disclose any and all communications or information as necessary to identify breaches of the Agreement or in order to satisfy any applicable law, regulation, legal process or government request.

6.3- Batelco may at any time without notice and at its discretion claim indemnity from the Customer against any claim, cost, damage or other liability that Batelco may suffer or incur, or that may be alleged against it (including reasonable legal costs incurred in responding to such claim or allegation) as a result of any act or omission by the Customer (including, but not limited to, a breach of these Terms & Conditions, or any other term of the Agreement). Nothing in the Agreement shall be interpreted as prohibiting Batelco from also initiating (or restricting its right to initiate) and pursuing such civil or criminal proceedings as it may deem appropriate against the Customer for breach of these Terms & Conditions or otherwise, or against any third party.

6.4- Should the Customer breach any term of the Agreement, or default from payment of any registration fee or connection charge for more than thirty (30) days, Batelco shall either suspend the Customer's access to the services till the Customer gives suitable undertakings or complies with Batelco's instructions; or Batelco may terminate the Agreement immediately.

6.5- Batelco shall have the right to manage, modify and otherwise regulate access to the Batelco network and the inet service in such manner as it may determine from time to time.

Use of Software

7.1- The Customer may use in the service the software distributed by Batelco in connection with other software not owned or distributed by Batelco. The use of the software shall be subject to the Terms and Conditions stated herein and shall be at sole risk and responsibility of the Customer.

7.2- Batelco makes no warranty and hereby disclaims all liabilities whatsoever in respect of and/or arising out of the software provided to the Customer. The Customer shall have no remedy against Batelco for defects in the software. In no event will Batelco be liable to the Customer for any damages whatsoever, including any loss of profits, loss savings, or other incidental or consequential damages arising out of the Customer's inability to use the software, even if Batelco or any of its authorized representatives has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any claim by any other party whosoever.

7.3- The Customer shall satisfy himself as to the suitability of the software for his needs. In addition, the Customer shall also be responsible for ensuring the compatibility of the software for use in any equipment, which may be used or owned by him.

7.4- In the event that changes are introduced to Batelco's network, Batelco shall not be responsible to ensure that the software will continue to be compatible with Batelco's network and the Customer shall have no claim whatsoever against Batelco arising therefore.

7.5- The Customer shall strictly comply with and ensure compliance by his servants and agents with all instructions or notices in whatever form and through whatever means given by Batelco from time to time regarding the use of the software.

Disclaimer

8- While every care would be taken by Batelco to provide the service, Batelco disclaims all liability whatsoever, for any loss of data howsoever caused including without limitation, non-deliveries, misuses, misdeliveries as a result of any interruption, suspension, or termination of service, or for the contents, accuracy or quality of information of resources available, received or transmitted through the service.

Compliance with Laws

9- The Customer shall strictly comply with all applicable laws of the State of Bahrain. Batelco and the Customer shall submit to the jurisdiction of the Bahrain courts of law.

Charges and Billing

10.1- The charges for the services shall be based on tariff/rates published by Batelco and any amendments thereto as may be introduced by Batelco from time to time.

10.2- Batelco will provide the Customer with a regular Bill detailing the charges, which are due to Batelco for the inet services provided to the Customer. The Customer will pay these charges to Batelco by the payment date printed on the Bill. If that payment becomes overdue, Batelco may suspend or terminate the Customer's inet services.

Amendments

11- Batelco reserves the right to amend the Terms and Conditions herein contained and/or the specific Terms and Conditions at any time. The Customer shall be bound by the Terms and Conditions as amended. Such amendments may be communicated by Batelco to the Customer in such manner as Batelco deems proper.

12- The Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement between Batelco and the Customer governing the Customer's use of the inet service.

13- Failure by Batelco to exercise or enforce any right or provision of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver.