Cellis is marketed by France Telecom Mobile Liban (FTML), which is a joint venture between France Telecom Mobile International (66.7 percent) and a group of local investors (33.3 percent), known as the Mikati Group, whose chairman, Najib Mikati, is the current minister of transportation.
FTML was incorporated in August 1994 with a capital base of $30 million. Marketed under the name of Cellis in May 95, the cellular phone services have known a rapid growth. The company provides a national network, with an outdoor coverage of over 95 percent and an indoor coverage of over 80 percent in Greater Beirut and in major cities.
A total of 309 base stations have been installed and two additional switches were installed in 1998. Cellis presently serves approximately 350,000 subscribers.
Ericsson, Alcatel and Siemens are Cellis’ primary suppliers of technology.
