By John Lee. The Station Foundation for Entrepreneurship has opened its fourth branch in Erbil, According to a press release from The Station, the opening marks a significant step forward in ensuring that Kurdistan's youth can contribute to the ecosystem's enhancement and build a connected network of entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators who can reach across […]
By John Lee. TipTop has announced a new investment of $5 million to expand its online food and grocery delivery service in Iraq. CEO and Founder Hassan Alsoud told readers on LinkedIn that the funding will be provided by Kurdistan-based mobile operator Korek. (Source: LinkedIn)
By John Lee. [Amended 7th Oct 2021 to include comment from Korek Telecom.] UAE-based Agility has announced an arbitration decision by the Lebanese Arbitration Center of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount Lebanon, in the lawsuit filed by its subsidiary Iraq Telecom against the Intercontinental Bank of Lebanon (IBL) and […]
By John Lee. French telecoms company Orange Group has reportedly launched legal proceedings against the Iraqi government with the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), part of the World Bank, for more than $400m that it alleges was expropriated by the country's regulator. The case relates to the company's investment in Korek, the […]
By John Lee. At its regular meeting on Tuesday, the Iraqi Cabinet has decided to renew the licenses of mobile phone companies for a period of five years. The offer is conditional on the companies paying 50 percent of their outstanding debt, and agreeing to provide 4G services. (Source: Govt of Iraq)
By John Lee. Court filings in the United States have reportedly shed new light on corruption in Iraq. Louis Auge, of EU Reporter, writes that two members of Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) recieved houses in London in return for their role in the expropriation of over $800 million from French telecom firm Orange […]
By John Lee. Iraq's Communications and Media Commission (CMC) has reportedly ordered operators to block calls between their customers and Korek users in a dispute over number portability. According to Rudaw, the regulator told mobile network providers that Erbil-based Korek had failed to meet its “contractual obligations” to allow customers to keep their phone number […]
By John Lee. Mobile phone operators based in Iraqi Kurdistan have reportedly been told by the Iraqi government to move their headquarters to Baghdad, following the region’s recent vote for independence. Asiacell is based in the Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah, while Korek is based in Erbil; Zain, however, is based in Baghdad. According to a […]
The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC), in its capacity as the sole entity responsible for regulating telecommunications, broadcasting and information Services in Iraq, is initiating the process of launching the Mobile Number Portability service (MNP). In line with their respective obligations, Asiacell, Korek and Zain, the three Iraqi mobile telecommunications operators, are initiating the […]
By John Lee. Iraq has invited interested companies to submit proposals to run a fourth mobile phone service in the country. The state-run Communication and Media Commission (CMC) said the planned license will run for 15 years, with the possibility of renewal. Interested companies have until 20th November to submit papers. Iraq's existing three mobile […]
By Simon Kent. Zain Iraq is now listed on the Baghdad stock exchange, some 4 years after the company was required to do so under the terms of their market entry to Iraq, Reuters reports. Analysts such as Hassan Aldahan, chairman of Baghdad investment company Bain Alnahrain, explained that the 50% rise on share value was artificially […]
By John Lee. An Iraqi court has reportedly rejected a $4.5-billion (5.4 trillion Iraqi dinar) lawsuit against Zain. The case centers around Zain's $1.2-billion acquisition of Iraqna from Egypt's Orascom Telecom in December 2007, after the Egyptian company dropped out of the running for a long-term mobile licence. According to Reuters, the Kuwaiti firm then […]
