Télécoms en Algérie

[Al-khiyal]

Chief-Executive Officer (CEO) of Algérie Telecom, Mr Kheiredine Slimane, revealed that citizens and companies owe the company 50 billion dinars. AT is seeking to get them paid back gradually, he said, adding that the company managed to overcome last year’s crisis regarding deals and contracts.

To a question about Algérie capital opening and the reasons why it witnessed such a backlog, even after the Santander investment bank had finished writing its report, Mr Slimane replied that the merchant bank presented its reports, in 2005, to Algérie Telecom which presented a dossier in relation to the issue to the Information and Telecommunication Technologies Minister. We‘re waiting for the opening of the company’s capital especially as it would include new training and new quality services, he said. The operation needs certain procedures and specifications.

Mr Kheiredine Slimane said that there isn’t any delay as to AT’s capital opening since it concerns an important company and government has to consider the operation’s plan. The file has been sent to government and it doesn’t need a long time to be studied, so the operation could be launched late this year, he explained.

“We have significant projects, including technical ones, for this year’s first semester”, Algérie Telecom’s CEO said, adding that the company will witness the launch of the “Wimax” technique as a new technology, early next week, "which will make it possible for us to initiate the very high speed internet”. As regards recorded projects, FTTH is being generalized across big cities such as Algiers (centre) Constantine and Annaba (East) Bechar and Ouargla (South) besides improving the wireless DLL as it witnesses some troubles relating to the internet, explained Mr Selimane. There is a new technologies’ axis which is being prepared to be held at Oued Souf as from the beginning of May. In addition, 10 thousand Algérie Telecom workers will profit from technology-related new training sessions as well as several professional graduations.

Algérie Telecom is now following the previous admistrative running with few amendments, and despite some troubles, we were able to launch bonds of credits thanks to the staff‘s huge efforts, added the CEO.

Algérie Telecom CEO to El-Khabar: 50 billion dinars unpaid bills

[Al-khiyal]

Wednesday 21 February 2007 - - Algeria has reached around 21 million mobile subscribers, announced ICT minister Boudjemaa Haichour on a visit to a new technology centre in Oran.

[Al-khiyal]

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Citigroup downgraded Polish phone group TPSA and Telefonica O2 Czech Republic, formerly Cesky Telecom, to "sell", but raised its price target on three stocks including Orascom Telecom.

In a research note, the brokerage said the telecommunication services markets including Poland, South Africa and Turkey are likely to be disappointing and are unlikely to show upward surprises.

Citigroup considers Russia, Pakistan and Algeria as markets with the best opportunity for upward surprises, based on high earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization margin, low tariffs, low usage and high inflation so long as currencies remain strong.

For exposure to Russia, the brokerage likes MTS and Vimpelcom, and Orascom's unique exposure to Algeria and Pakistan makes it attractive.

The brokerage raised the price target on Orascom Telecom to $100 from $75, on MTS to $64 from $52 and on Vimpelcom to $106 from $75.

Citigroup raises Orascom, MTS target

[Al-khiyal]

DUBAI: National Mobile Telecommunications, the second-largest Kuwaiti mobile phone operator, may be sold by its controlling shareholders after receiving several approaches.

Kuwait Projects, an investment company with assets of more than $18 billion, is leading a group of National Mobile shareholders with a combined 51 percent stake that will consider offers, Robert Hipkins, a Kuwait Projects spokesman, said during an interview Sunday. Several potential purchasers have expressed interest, he said, declining to identify them.

"It's a question of making sure that the return for the shareholders is maximized," Hipkins said.

National Mobile — known as Wataniya — has a market value of $4.9 billion. It has four million customers in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria and the Maldives. The company's 2006 profit increased 39 percent to 73.2 million Kuwaiti dinars, or $252 million, from 52.8 million dinars, a year earlier. Its shares have climbed 31 percent in the past year.

The stock did not trade Sunday because of a public holiday in Kuwait. Executives of Wataniya could not be reached for comment.

Mobile Telecommunication, or MTC, is the largest Kuwaiti mobile phone company.

Emirates Telecommunications — known as Etisalat — is one of several companies that may buy the stake in Wataniya, Mohammed Omran, chief executive of the company, based in Abu Dhabi, said last month.

Arab phone companies are expanding abroad as their home markets mature.

9 bids for Saudi license

The Saudi Arabian telecommunications regulator said that nine groups had submitted bids for the country's third mobile phone license.

Bidders include Orascom Telecom Holding, Oger Telecom in Saudi Arabia and Kingdom Turkcell, a joint venture between the biggest Turkish mobile phone company and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, the Saudi billionaire, the Saudi Arabian Communications and Information Technology Commission said Saturday.

Bids from Samawat-Bharti group, MTN Group, Mobile Telecommunications, Reliance-Al-Rajhi, Tawasul-Digicel and MTNL were also accepted, the regulator said.

The third license could fetch more than $5.3 billion, the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported, citing unidentified industry sources.

Etisalat of the United Arab Emirates paid $3.2 billion for the kingdom's second mobile telephone license in 2004.

Kuwaiti mobile operator, National Mobile Telecommunications, may be sold

[Al-khiyal]

Haichour: 45 foreign companies interested in Algérie Telecom

[Al-khiyal]

Doha • Qatar Telecom (Qtel) and Kuwait Projects Company Holding (Kipco) announced yesterday that they have entered into a binding agreement in which Qtel will acquire a controlling shareholding in Kuwait-based National Mobile Telecommunications Company (Wataniya Telecom), a Qtel release said..

Qtel will acquire 233.69m shares in Wataniya Telecom from Kipco and other related parties, representing 51 per cent of Wataniya Telecom’s share capital. The transaction will include two additional stakes of nine per cent in each of Wataniya Telecom’s operations in Algeria and Iraq.

Total consideration for the transaction is of approximately KD1.1bn ($3.7bn). Qtel intends to fund the acquisition from a combination of existing cash and debt facilities.

Commenting on the investment, Qtel Chairman Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani, said: “This deal is undoubtedly the most significant in the region and totally changes the face of mobile telecommunications. This is yet another critically important move in our aim to be among the top 20 telecommunications companies in the world by 2020.”

Following the acquisition, Qtel will have an equity interest in operations in 11 countries in the Mena region and Asia — Qatar, Kuwait, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives and Palestine. The Palestinian operation will commence later this year, the release said. Qtel’s other interests are in Oman (its subsidiary Nawras), Singapore (StarHub) and Indonesia (IndoSat).

Qtel Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Nasser Marafih said: “This investment represents another major step forward in Qtel’s growth strategy in achieving our stated objective of growing a significant business outside Qatar. For over two years now, we have stated that we would look for growth beyond our home shores and today (yesterday) is proof positive not only in our determination to succeed but also of our ability to thrive in a demanding and challenging but eminently rewarding sector.”

He said Wataniya’s joint ventures in five countries in the region will also be a source of learning for Qtel and will also enable Qtel to share its “technical and management expertise to help these businesses grow”.

Faisal Hamad Al Ayyar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kipco, stated: “Kipco is proud to have sponsored Wataniya’s development from its inception in Kuwait to where it is now — a leading provider of wireless services throughout the Middle East and North Africa.

“We are confident that as a key shareholder, QTel will enable Wataniya to continue its development and provide the necessary support in the company’s expansion, growth trajectory and its position as a leading emerging markets wireless telephony provider. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the staff and management team of Wataniya for the dedication, commitment and hard work they have demonstrated while building this company. Without their efforts, Wataniya would not be the success story it is today.”

Qtel buys 51% stake in Wataniya Telecom

[Al-khiyal]

Conduite par M. Boudjemaâ Haïchour, Ministre de la Poste et des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication, une importante délégation du secteur, composée de Mlle Ghania Houadria, de MM. Slimane Khireddine et de Hachemi Belhamdi, respectivement PDG d’Algérie Poste, d’Algérie Télécom et de AT Mobilis, a pris part à une visite de travail dans la région de Djelfa.

Une visite qui aura permis à la délégation de se faire une idée précise des chantiers et des différentes réalisations concrétisées à ce jour ainsi que de la situation de certaines Actels, de l’agence AT Mobilis et des bureaux de poste.

C’est en présence de M. le Ministre de la Poste et des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication que le PDG du groupe AT a annoncé le lancement du projet réseau fibre optique dans la région. Un réseau qui est appelé à relier la Wilaya de Djelfa au Nord comme au Sud du pays. D’une longeur de 550km pour un montant estimé à plus de 23 milliards de centimes, il sera réceptionné à la fin du mois de mai prochain. A noter, que cette réalisation va satisfaire tous les besoins en fibre optique d’une population de 897 920 habitants et renforcer les 650 km du réseau déjà existant.

Lancement de 550 km de fibre optique à Djelfa