Asia-Cell, the consortium lead by Kuwait's Wataniya Telecom, Asia-Cell Telecommunications and United Gulf Bank of Bahrain, have signed its license for mobile operations in Northern Iraq.
The license, awarded by the Iraqi Ministry of Telecommunications in October, appoints Asia-Cell to provide GSM services to Iraq's Northern region for the first year and to expand to the rest of Iraq in the second year. Initial services are already available in Sulaymaniya. Wataniya will launch commercial services in Kirkuk this week and within two weeks Mosul will follow.
Rapid mobile adoption is predicted, with an estimated 500,000 new customers expected to take-up new lines in the first year of operation. The consortium is now able to provide services immediately due to the existing network infrastructure of its local partner, Asia-Cell Telecom.
The Iraq license has been significant for Wataniya Telecom in its strategy to expand and develop its regional presence. The company's regional portfolio of mobile operations now includes; Kuwait, Tunisia, Iraq and Algeria. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
