The Palestinian GSM network operator, Jawwal says that it has passed the one million subscriber mark. The company says that the landmark represents the success Jawwal has achieved despite lots of obstacles facing it, such as; the confiscation of its equipments and information systems in the Israeli ports and preventing Jawwal from establishing its towers in Jerusalem and C areas to enhance reception services and expansion strategies in the territories it covers. In addition to having four Israeli giant competitors in the mobile industry competing with it illegally.
The Mobile World subscriber database notes that at the end of the first half of this year, within the Palestinian Territories some 1.7 million mobile phones are in use. This is due to the Israeli networks "leaking" over the borders and providing service to Palestinians. About 41% of the Palestinian population own a mobile phone.
Jawwal is also about to face competition after its (official) monopoly in the market is broken by Kuwait's Wataniya who was granted the necessary radio spectrum to start operating the second GSM network in the Palestinian Territories. Wataniya International has established a new company in Palestine which is 40% owned by Wataniya International, 30% will be offered to the Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) and 30% owned by the general population through an IPO.
Posted to the site on 23rd November 2007
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/27632.php