Iraqi Network to Discuss Sucess

In its first public appearance outside Iraq, Asiacell, the GSM network operator in Iraq, will share its regional and national expansion plans for the provision of public GSM mobile communications services. Asiacell Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Ahmad Haleem, will be addressing delegates at the Beirut Forum during a special first session dedicated to the development of national mobile communications in Iraq.

"Asiacell is a unique success story already. We have seen subscribers rocket to over 125,000 since the granting of our license to operate a mobile network by the Iraqi Ministry of Telecommunications in October 2003," said Haleem. "We're looking forward to sharing our experience and our plans for the future at the Beirut Forum."

Asiacell is the only Iraqi operator with over 125,000 lines in service, a full transmission and switching network serving multiple cities and the capability to expand rapidly and build advanced network services today. A partnership with Kuwait's Wataniya Telecom, the leading GSM provider in Kuwait and a key regional operator, gives Asiacell access to technical expertise and financial backing to drive its ambitious expansion plans.

"We believe in the critical importance of driving widespread telecommunications services to Iraq's people, fast. And we're able to act on that belief," said Haleem. "This opportunity to share that belief is one we take very seriously."

The company operates a fast-expanding network that covers the cities of Sulaymaniya, Mosul and Kirkuk. The Asiacell network has current network capacity to serve some 400,000 subscribers.

"Asiacell is ready to expand. We have the financial strength to expand. We have the experience to expand and we have a fully operational network in Iraq today that we can expand,' said Haleem. "We are driving economic growth opportunities in Northern Iraq by providing effective access to telecommunications facilities for people and businesses and this is the story we are sharing at the Beirut Forum."

The Iraq Telecom forum is being held at the UN House in Beirut on the 9th-10th march 2004 and features speakers from UN ESCWA as well as the Iraqi Ministry of Telecommunications, Ministry of Electricity and Ministry of Oil as well as expert speakers from the public and private sectors."

Posted to the site on 5th March 2004