Vodafone Wins Landline Operator License in Qatar
The telecoms regulator in the Middle-East country of Qatar has awarded a landline operators license to a group made up of Vodafone and the Qatar Foundation Consortium. This decision breaks the monopoly on landline services currently held by Qatar Telecom (Qtel).
The losing bidders were Jordan Telecom Consortium and PCCW-QIPCO Consortium.
Earlier this year Vodafone and Qatar Foundation Consortium was granted the country's second mobile operator license. Mobile service under that license is expected to be launched on or before 1st March 2009, and the second Fixed Telecom License is expected to be granted before the end of 2008 with services being launched in 2009.
ictQATAR's Secretary General Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber said, "Today's announcement is another significant step toward liberalizing our market for communications networks and services and creating a knowledge-based information society. The result of the entrance of Vodafone into our fixed line market will bring to consumers better value and innovation in products and services."
ictQATAR was established in 2004 to oversee liberalization of the telecommunications sector in order to spur investment in infrastructure and services.
Posted to the site on 15th September 2008
