Télécoms en Algérie

[Al-khiyal]

May 18, 2006--LCC International, Inc., (NASDAQ:LCCI) a global leader in wireless voice and data turn-key services, announced today the 12 month extension of its turnkey services agreement with Algerie Telecom Mobiles, a fully owned subsidiary of Algerie Telecom. This EUR 15 million contract extension aims at providing full turnkey services to support Algerie Telecom Mobiles growth efforts over the next year. This agreement solidifies LCC's continued participation in supporting Algerie Telecom Mobile's strong growth, which has seen its subscriber base climb by more than 62% over the past year. "We are pleased to continue our strong relationship with Algerie Telecom and support their ever increasing growth efforts. This is also a reflection of LCC International's continued efforts within Algeria whose economy is experiencing rapid growth fuelled in part by the booming energy sector," said Carlo Baravalle, Sr. Vice President, LCC International.......

LCC International continues to play a key role in Algerie Telecom's growth

[Al-khiyal]

Etisalat may bid for a stake in Algérie Telecom, the state-owned telecoms company of Algeria, according to Bloomberg citing a local newspaper report. The UAE-based telco is one of 43 potential bidders in the company that operates Algeria's fixed line and mobile network.

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[TonyStarks]

I'd rather see Algerians take over the company (even if they do a crappy job). I'm tired of these Khaleeji's taking advantage of our country.

[phylay]

Ittissalates is one of my customers and I must say they have a lot lot of money.
It is good that foreigners invest in DZ but I hate when they come and buy healthy national companies financed by our taxes

[Al-khiyal]

British Telecom (BT) is preparing to open an office in Algeria, instead of keeping its presence being limited to a regional office in Tunisia, before the end of the current year. It also starts advancing suggestions concerning investments in Algeria. The number two of the group, who was on a visit to Algeria yesterday, gave an invitation to President Bouteflika to visit its infrastructures during his visit to London in the coming July, apart from meeting with the group president.

Aslid Chikhaoui Arselan, the spokesman of the Algerian-British council pointed out to El Khabar that the delegation that is visiting Algeria under the presidency of the number two, Paul Faulkner, has met representatives from the Control Board and Ittissalat Aldjazair. The delegation, during the two coming days, will hold discussions with private investors in the mobile phone sector and with phone through internet and internet providers, plus meetings with the minister of participations Mr Hamid Temmar and the minister of post and telecommunication technologies Mr Boujamaa Haichour. Arselan clarified that another meeting will be held between the British delegation and the minister of energy and mines Mr Chakib Khalil.

He also unveiled that a British delegation under the presidency of the number two of the company will return to Algeria in late June, accompanied by technicians and experts as a confirmation on the interest that is being held towards different sectors and the start in the realisation of projects in Algeria. Amongst the company goals is the participation in the privatisation of Ittissalat Aldjazair, and on these grounds, the group will open, before the end of the current year, an office here in Algeria, as an addition to its regional bureau that was representing the Arab Maghreb from Tunisia.

Alongside this, the British investor confirmed, during the visit, a commitment to knowledge and technology transfer and participation in the restructuring of the telecommunication sector and its modernisation, plus the creation of a centre for training specialised in technologies that is related to media and communications.

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[Al-khiyal]

Privatisation of Algérie Télécom is useless

[Al-khiyal]

ALGIERS (Reuters) - Dubai-based Emirates Telecommunications Corp. (Etisalat) plans to take part in the partial privatisation of Algerie Telecom to expand its presence in North Africa, Algerian state news agency APS said.

Algeria's minister for postal services, IT and communications, Boudjemaa Haichour, received a team from the United Arab Emirates company on Saturday.

The team "expressed their willingness to participate concretely on the occasion of the opening of capital of Algerie Telecom", APS cited the ministry as saying in a statement.

Observers said other firms including France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom are likely to bid for a stake of around 35 percent in the Algerian operator, expected by analysts to raise around $3.5 billion.

No date has been set for the sale, which is part of efforts by Algeria to end decades of economic isolation, but officials say it should take place before the end of this year.

Algerie Telecom has an estimated half a million fixed-line clients and over 4 million mobile subscribers.

"The UAE telecoms firm has serious chances to get this deal," economic specialist Hafid Sualili told Reuters. "It wants to expand in the region, and Algerie Telecom represents a good opportunity to be seized."

Egyptian company Orascom Telecom and the Kuwait's Wataniya are also present in the booming Algerian telecoms market.

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