Atheer Telecommunications, appointed by the US led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) as the GSM telecoms service provider for the southern region of Iraq, has announced that the service had now gone live and was already providing communications for the people, and business community in the region.
Atheer's network coverage extends from Iraq's southern borders of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia up to the border of the Central region and includes the cities of Al-Basra, Az Zubyr, Umm Qasr, Safwan, Al-Nassiriyah, Al-Amarah, Al-Qurnah, Majar Al-Kabair and Samawah. A network of authorized distributors and retailers has been put together to support the distribution of eeZee, Atheer's pre-paid service.
The Atheer Vision is one of fast and optimum deployment of a fully independent GSM network with capacity for up to 300,000 customers by 2005. A roll out of coverage of voice and other value added services with Atheer are available now to approximately 40,000 customers.
Atheer's investment is estimated at little over $120 million across the 24-month license. Through deployment of, and subcontracting to, local businesses and the local workforce, in coordination with local industry and the ITPC, Atheer believes it will support the stimulation of engineering, sales and merchandising sectors. The sale of handsets, eeZee scratch cards and accessories would be managed through outsourcing to qualified Iraqi distribution companies.
Atheer Telecommunications was selected to develop and operate the GSM network and service in the Southern region of Iraq by the CPA last year. Atheer is operated and managed by MTC, the leading mobile telecommunications operator in Kuwait. — (menareport.com)
© 2004 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
