By John Lee. Iran and Iraq have reportedly agreed to reduce mobile phone roaming charges, and to cooperate more closely on other issues relating to telecommunications. The development follows a visit by Iraqi Minister of Communications, Hassan Kadhim Al-Rashed [Kazem Hassan Rashed], to Tehran to meet Iran’s Communications and Information Technology Minister, Mahmoud Vaezi. Minister […]
By John Lee. Zain Group has announces that its mobile operation in Iraq launched 3.9G voice and data services across the country on January 1, 2015. The launch came following the finalization of an agreement with Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) on November 10, 2014, which culminated in Zain Iraq making an initial 25% […]
By John Lee. Asiacell has announced the launch of its third generation (3G) mobile phone services in Iraq. “Iraq has been underserved for far too long, it’s time to bring 21st century wireless service to this important economic hub in the world,” said Faruk Mustafa Rasool (pictured), Asiacell chairman. Asiacell has spent more than $1bn […]
This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Communication Shut Down: Why Extremists In Mosul Have Blocked All Telecommunications The extremist group controlling Mosul in northern Iraq has decided to shut down most mobile telecommunications inside the city. […]
By John Lee. Islamic State militants have reportedly blocked all mobile phone networks in Mosul. According to BasNews, an official at one of the mobile phone operators said his company was investigating the issue, but declined to give further details. According to reports, shutting down of phone lines is a notable change from what has […]
By John Lee. Zain Iraq is to launch its 3G mobile phone services in January. Reuters reports that Zain, along with rivals Asiacell and Korek, eventually agreed to the government’s terms and formally signed the contracts at a ceremony in Baghdad on Monday attended by prime minister Haider al-Abadi. Zain Iraq recently paid the first […]
By John Lee. Reuters reports that Iraq’s mobile phone companies have agreed to demands from the country's Communications and Media Commission (CMC) to pay $307 million each for radio spectrum to run 3G mobile phone networks. Current 2G services are supplied by Zain Iraq (a unit of Kuwait’s Zain), Asiacell (a subsidiary of Ooredoo) and Orange […]
By John Lee. In its results for the first nine months of 2014, Qatari telecom provider Ooredoo has reported that revenues at its Iraqi unit Asiacell are down 10 percent. The company gave the following update on operations in Iraq: "Asiacell continued to face the challenge of political and social instability during the period, allied […]
By John Lee. Mobile operator Asiacell has posted an 8 percent drop in sales in the first half of 2014, due to the security situation and increased competition. In its first half results its parent company, the Qatar-based Ooredoo, made the following statement: "Asiacell faced a growing wave of political and social instability during the […]
By John Lee. Reuters reports that mobile phone company Zain is being sued for $4.5 billion over its 2007 acquisition of Iraqi telecom operator Iraqna. The company bought Iraqna for $1.2 billion from Egypt's Orascom Telecom after it dropped out of the running for a long-term mobile licence in Iraq. According to Reuters, the Kuwaiti firm […]
This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. E-Waste Comes to Karbala: Old Phones and Computers Threaten Public Health In the relatively prosperous city of Karbala, locals are used to buying cheap mobile phones, then simply throwing them out […]
By John Lee. French-based telecommunications company Orange has said that it expects rapid customer and revenue growth in Iraq, where it took a 20 percent stake in mobile operator Korek two years ago. Marc Rennard (pictured), the company's executive vice president for Africa, the Middle East and Asia, told Reuters: "We have just reached five […]
