Kuwait

Viva, STC in Gulf LTE roaming deal

Kuwaiti mobile operator Viva on Monday introduced commercial LTE roaming services with neighbouring Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC), marking the first 4G LTE roaming agreement between Gulf operators.

Gulf cable deployment to spur regional growth

The telecoms industry in the Gulf region is in the throes of change with mobile markets becoming more competitive and saturated. As a result the big players are expanding into Africa and Asia Pacific to continue growing, but there is also a need for more domestic capacity to support growth and home in both the mobile and fixed markets.

Vivendi calls off talks with Zain

French conglomerate Vivendi has called off its talks with Kuwait-based Zain, over the acquisition of the operator’s African assets.

Zain fuels African sale rumours

Speculation that aspiring global carrier Zain is looking to sell off its African portfolio was fuelled further this week, after it emerged that Swiss bank UBS has been appointed to help the firm assess its operations.

Zain sets sights on Morocco

Kuwaiti carrier Zain has teamed up with an investment fund to acquire 31 per cent of Moroccan operator Wana.

Growing Zain

Kuwaiti headquartered Zain is an operator with ambition. The firm’s stated aim is to become one of the world’s top ten international operators – judged by a range of parameters from market capitalisation and revenue to the size of its overall subscriber base. Today the firm operates in 22 markets across the Middle East and Africa, which it says positions it as the fourth largest player in the world in terms of footprint.

Zain reports record profits

Middle Eastern carrier Zain announced that in the fiscal year 2007 it recorded the highest ever net profits in Kuwait’s private sector history. The operator, formerly known as MTC, repotded consolidated revenues of $5.91bn (KD1.677bn) for 2007, an increase of 32 per cent compared to 2006. The consolidated EBITDA increased by 25 per cent compared to […]

Zain acquires Iraqna for $1.2 bn

Zain, the Kuwaiti operator formerly known as MTC (Mobile Telecommunications Company), announced on Saturday that it will buy Orascom Iraq-based subsidiary Iraqna Company for Mobile Phone Services for $1.2bn. In August 2007, Zain’s existing Iraq-based subsidiary, MTC-Atheer, made a successful bid of $1.25bn to secure one of three 15-year nationwide licences awarded by the Iraqi […]