IRAQ | Telecommunication Sector

[sheytanElKebir]

they are the only GSM providers. There area also 4 CDMA providers:
-Itisaluna
-Fanoos
-Omnia
-Kalimat

for a total of 7 cell phone providers.

Broadband internet is mainly by:
-Earthlink
-Kalimat

[IraqiPlan_et]

Six million dollars for the establishment of an Iraqi satellite
May 1 2012


Announced the CMC that the Iraqi government allocated six million dollars to complete the procedures on a project for the establishment of an Iraqi satellite.

The Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Ali Nasser Khuwaildi in a press statement that the Authority considered with the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers and the specialists on the project, prompting the government to allocate six million dollars to complete the procedures for the establishment of the satellite, adding that there is cooperation between the Commission and the Ministry of Communications on the one hand , and the International Telecommunication Union on the other hand, on the construction of the satellite.

The Media and the Messenger of sound that this step even though many of positive, but he questions the need for Iraq to the satellite at the present time the interest and feasibility of it.

And describes the media Hadi Marei JLo Palmtsrah this step because of the incomplete structure of the technical contacts in the Iraqi state.

In the opinion of the media sweet Ahmed Salim said there is a need in the provision of domain space from which an Iraqi broadcast Iraqi channels, and said that those responsible for working on it, especially since the development of the telecommunications sector reflected positively on the citizens in general and the media in particular.

It is said that the project of establishing an Iraqi satellite has already been discussed by the Ministry of Communications after it passed by the Council of Ministers decision No. (493) for the year 2011.

[Sinjar]

زين العراق تدرج جزءاً من أسهمها في السوق العراقية وتعلن عن وصول مشتركيها إلى 12.5 مليون

شفق نيوز/ كشف الرئيس التنفيذي لمجموعة زين للاتصالات، الجمعة، عن أن المجموعة تعول على السوق العراقية بصفتها واحدة من أسواقها الواعدة في المنطقة، اذ تتمتع بمستويات نمو "هائلة"، مشيرا الى إدراج جزء من أسهم شركة زين العراق في سوق الأوراق المالية العراقية.

وقال نبيل خلف بن سلامة في تصريح، ورد لـ"شفق نيوز"، لقد "ساعدتنا مشاريعنا التوسعية والتطويرية في العراق على نشر المزيد من عملياتنا التشغيلية في المناطق الشمالية، وقد أحرزنا نجاحاً كبيراً على مستوى عملياتنا التجارية خلال هذه المدة، والتي شهدت زيادة ملموسة في حجم قاعدة عملائنا بنسبة 4 % مقارنة مع المدة المشابهة من العام 2011، لتصل إلى 12.5 مليون عميل فعال".

وتابع أن "اتفاقية التعاون المشترك التي أبرمتها شركة زين العراق قبل مدة مع إحدى الشركات العالمية لتقديم خدمات تطويرية على شبكتها، باتت تؤتي ثمارها بشكل جيد، اذ ساعدتها كثيراً في التركيز على عملياتها التجارية والتسويقية.

وبين أن "المجموعة تعول كثيراً على السوق العراقية في تنفيذ ستراتيجيتها التشغيلية بصفتها واحدة من أسواقنا الواعدة في المنطقة، حيث تتمتع بمستويات نمو هائلة".

وعن آخر تطورات عملية إدراج جزء من أسهم شركة زين العراق في سوق الأوراق المالية العراقية، أشار بن سلامة إلى ان المجموعة "أخذت خطوات متقدمة في تنفيذ إجراءات عمليات الإدراج لجزء من أسهم الشركة، وذلك بحسب متطلبات الرخصة، ومن ثم الإعلان عن موعد الاكتتاب".

يشار الى ان شركة زين العراق هي الفرع العراقي من شركة الاتصالات الكويتية "زين"، وقد بدأت عملها في عام 2003 تحت اسم MTC اثير، وفي عام 2007 اشترت الشركة التي تمت تسميتها في العام نفسه بـ"زين", شركة عراقنا وكونت كل من الشركتين شركة واحدة تسمى الآن "زين العراق.

ص ز/ م ف

[sheytanElKebir]

Mumbai, July 2 — Reliance Globalcom, a unit of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group, Monday said it has launched a subsea cable service in Iraq that will substantially increase the war-ravaged country's communication and broadband links to the outside world.

Reliance Globalcom has introduced the new service in partnership with Iraqi Telecommunications and Post Company (ITPC). Both these firms have jointly developed Al-Faw Cable Landing Station in Iraq that will be used to provide the service.

With this development, Reliance Globalcom is now the first private subsea service provider to activate submarine capacity and directly connect Iraq seamlessly to the countries in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and North America, Reliance Globalcom said in a statement.

Considering the low broadband penetration in Iraq, the Falcon (submarine cable) landing provides a significant milestone towards establishing direct connectivity from Iraq to the rest of the world, and will help boost the country's telecom sector.

"Falcon offers seamless connectivity globally and will help connect Iraq to the rest of the world through the reach of our global network. This opens a new opportunity for multi-national companies around the world to have a better communication with Iraq and operate from this country," said Rory Cole, chief operating officer of Reliance Globalcom.

Consumers can now enjoy better quality in broadband services and higher internet speeds.

The new station built with an initial design capacity of 680 Gbps with two diverse routes, would use 50 Gbps on each route in order to cater to the existing market demand.

The two diverse routes are integrated into the Falcon network, thereby offering a resilient network.

"The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions in the world and Reliance has a very strong presence, with a network reach spread across 11 countries," Cole.

"Our association with Iraqi Telecommunications and Post Company (ITPC) is yet another testimony to our leadership position and commitment to the region in providing network infrastructure that will play a major role in the development of business opportunities in Iraq by leveraging on Reliance Globalcom's network assets globally," he added.

Al-Faw Cable Landing Station will connect Iraq to all the key Middle East countries like Oman, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Egypt, through Reliance Globalcom's Falcon submarine cable.

Falcon's interconnection with FEA ensures further seamless connectivity and diversity to major global destinations on the Reliance Globalcom network including London, New York, Mumbai and Hong Kong.

Commenting on the deal, Iraq's communication minister Mohammed Allawi said: "This is an extremely important strategic initiative undertaken by ITPC and Reliance Globalcom. This will facilitate the connectivity of all the countries in the Middle East region to Iraq and will also significantly improve the quality and speed as well as the reliability of Iraq's connectivity to the rest of the world."

[Basrawii]

is this good and when will they start operating for real?

[Sinjar]

Asiacell wins initial approval to list on Iraqi bourse


* Asiacell fined for missing deadline

* Rivals Zain and Korek still not listed

Thu Aug 9, 2012 by Aseel Kami

BAGHDAD, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Mobile phone operator Asiacell has reached an initial agreement to list on the Iraqi bourse, the chief executive of the Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) said on Thursday, making it the first mobile operator to do so.

"Asiacell made a request to be listed on the Iraqi bourse and the Iraq Securities Commission has agreed initially to the request," Taha Abdulsalam told Reuters.

The Iraq Securities Commission (ISC) is the ISX regulator.

Iraq did not have a mobile phone market under Saddam Hussein and the sector has boomed since his fall from power in 2003, offering double-digit subscriber growth. It is the fastest growing industry in the war-battered country after oil.

Listings for mobile phone companies could boost foreign interest in the stock exchange, which is dominated by banks.

Asiacell, a unit of Qatar Telecommunications, and its two rivals in the market, Zain Iraq and Korek, have to make initial public offerings as a condition of their $1.25 billion operating licenses.

All three companies missed the deadline of August 2011.

Iraq's communications regulator in June decided to fine Asiacell $8,500 per day beginning on September 1, 2011 for its failure to list. Zain Iraq and Korek have also been paying fines from the same date.

Asiacell said in a statement that it was working through the final paperwork necessary to complete the listing.

Iraq's bourse is still tiny in comparison with other regional or international stock markets with a market capitalisation of around $3.6 billion. That could jump once the mobile operators are listed.

(Editing by Barry Malone and Helen Massy-Beresford)

[elusive]

awesome

[Sinjar]

What puzzles me is how such companies could miss the deadline to be listed in the Iraqi bourse?

[Sinjar]

Kuwait's Zain says Iraq unit CEO steps down

By Andy Sambidge, 15 August 2012

Kuwait's Zain Group said on Wednesday that the CEO of its Iraq unit was stepping down with immediate effect.

Zain Iraq, the country's biggest mobile operator by market share, confirmed that Emad Makiya was leaving the company.

It also said that its chairman, Mohammed Charchafchi, will take over the role of acting CEO on an interim basis, without giving a reason for the change.

It added in a statement that Makiya will remain as an adviser to Charchafchi in his new role.

Emad Makiya became CEO of Zain Iraq in June 2010, guiding the company through a significant period of transition.

Charchafchi said: "We are extremely grateful for the excellent contribution that Emad made to Zain Iraq, building a strong company that is the market leader in a fast growing sector of our economy.

"He worked effectively to build enduring relationships with the government, regulators and the wider market."

Nabeel Bin Salamah, CEO of Zain Group, added: "Zain Iraq is a successful business with a clear strategic focus and a strong senior management team. We thank Emad for his diligence and can look to the future with confidence."

Established in 2003, Zain Iraq is the largest operator of mobile telecommunications services in Iraq providing mobile and data services to more than 12.4 million customers as of September 30 2011.

[Sinjar]

Vodafone to Partner with Zain?

By John Lee, 24 August 2012

Vodafone, the world’s second-largest mobile-phone company, is said to be nearing an agreement with Zain to expand access to networks across countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Bahrain.
According to a report from Bloomberg, the deal would let UK-based Vodafone lower roaming fees and share handset- purchasing costs.

Vodafone is seeking to tap a market where wireless calling and data usage is soaring.

Annual smartphone shipments in the Middle East and Africa are set to climb to 152 million devices, or 21.7 percent of the population, by 2015, from 36.7 million in 2011, according to London-based research firm Ovum.

(Source: Bloomberg)

[sheytanElKebir]

sadrists showing their intelligence.

BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Ahrar bloc MP Mohammed Redha al-Khafaji said today that the passage of the internet cable coming from Europe to Iraq is "an international spy that will violate Iraqi security."

In a statement today, he added that the contract signed by the Ministry of Communications with Newroztel, upon the approval of Iraqi national internet company, will result in Iraq being the country the cable passes through, and not Iran, due to US rejection of it is passing through Iran.

He pointed out that Premier Nouri al-Maliki cancelled this contract.

US intelligence reports disclosed fears that Iran has some sophisticated systems that can penetrate the cable system, thus bugging the telephone calls and electronic letters; as a result they suggested it should pass through Iraq.

"Though it has economic gains as a transit country, but has, also, security apprehensions", he warned.

He described the cable as "the new international spy that can control all phone calls and electronic letter of the country."

[Spin Cycle]

Originally Posted by sheytanElKebir

sadrists showing their intelligence.

and embarrassing us in the process.


Can't help but think he was made "aware" of this plot by his friends from across the border, who naturally feel a little sore about it.

[Spin Cycle]

Iraq regulator freezes telecom operator Zain's funds

Iraq's media and telecoms regulator has frozen all of Kuwaiti mobile phone operator Zain's funds held in local banks over an unpaid fine, an official said on Tuesday.

The freezing of the accounts of Zain Iraq, the country's biggest mobile phone company, comes amid negotiations between the Communications and Media Commission (CMC) and the firm over the size of the fine, originally set at $262 million when it was imposed in February 2011 over the selling of SIM cards.

"We have frozen the funds of Zain in Iraqi banks only," Ahmed al-Omari, a CMC commissioner, told AFP. "They have appealed the fine.

"We are in negotiations with them, and they have given very good responses. They said they are willing to pay the fine, but the difference is over the amount of the fine."

Omari said he expected the dispute to be resolved in the coming days.

In a statement to the Kuwait Stock Exchange, Zain Iraq's parent company said the decision was "not based on any court ruling", but added that it was in "contact and coordination with all regulators and supervisors."

"Talks are still going on in this regard," the statement said.

The CMC said in February 2011 it was fining Zain Iraq $262 million for placing five million SIM cards on the market without obtaining prior legal approval.

The company said at the time that the penalties were "unfair and unjust".

http://wires.univision.com/english/a...lecom-operator

[fazl1991]

I hate all the mobile companies in Iraq, they rip people off real bad

[BigDreamer]

Originally Posted by Spin Cycle

and embarrassing us in the process.


Can't help but think he was made "aware" of this plot by his friends from across the border, who naturally feel a little sore about it.

Indeed ! we know who he works for ! he should be asked to leave our parliament and join the one in tehran instead ! idiot.

[Ali - Iraq]

[Ali - Iraq]

Cabinet’s media, communication directorate formed
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) -The General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers, during its meeting on Sunday, formed a communication and media department to assume the tasks of the public communications and the governmental media.

The General Secretariat of the Cabinet quoted the General Secretary of the Cabinet, Ali al-Allaq, as saying in statement received by IraqiNews.com ”The purpose of the formation of this department is to activate the communications with the governmental institutions rather than being for publicity and advertisments.”

The statement added that ”The communication directorates are considered of great importance since they are carrying out wide duties in the governmental institutions in the developed countries.”

Allaq pointed out that ”This directorate will be supportive for all the departments of the General Secretariat since all the outputs for these departments will be inlets for this directorate which will provide the information which can serve explaining the laws and the resolutions issued by the Cabinet.” \

[Sinjar]

A vendor shows how to use wireless Internet to a customer at an Internet shop in Baghdad November 10, 2012. Iraqi telecommunications operators have warned that government plans to charge for the extra spectrum which they need to launch long-awaited 3G services could slow Internet adoption and economic growth. Picture taken November 10, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen



A woman uses wireless Internet at an internet shop in Baghdad November 10, 2012. Iraqi telecommunications operators have warned that government plans to charge for the extra spectrum which they need to launch long-awaited 3G services could slow Internet adoption and economic growth. Picture taken November 10, 2012 . REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen

[Sinjar]

A customer buys wireless Internet at an Internet shop in Baghdad November 10, 2012. Iraqi telecommunications operators have warned that government plans to charge for the extra spectrum which they need to launch long-awaited 3G services could slow Internet adoption and economic growth. Picture taken November 10, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen



People surf the Internet at an Internet cafe in Baghdad November 11, 2012. Iraqi telecommunications operators have warned that government plans to charge for the extra spectrum which they need to launch long-awaited 3G services could slow Internet adoption and economic growth. Picture taken November 11, 2012. REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen

[Ali - Iraq]

Iraq telecom operator to go public in early 2013
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Iraq Stock Exchange says one of the country’s largest mobile operators will start publicly trading its shares early next year. It will be the first stock float since the reign of Saddam Hussein.

The ISX said in a statement Sunday that a quarter of the Iraqi telecom operator Asiacell shares will be traded publically as of Feb. 3.

The statement says the Initial Public Offering will take place from Jan. 3 to Feb. 2 and that the share price must be determined by Dec. 25.

Asiacell, an affiliate to Qatar Telecommunications, is one of three mobile operators in Iraq. The other two are Zain Iraq, part of Kuwait’s Zain, and Korek, an affiliate of France Telecom.