Wataniya Telecom drives for regional expansion, competition

The company has already pursued its intent to bid for licenses in Lebanon, which is expected to open its market to operators in 2005 and Iraq, where bids are currently being evaluated by the CPA from a reported total of 35 bidders. 'There are other clear regional opportunities in the Middle East that we are pursuing strongly and we believe that Wataniya has a compelling case to make,' said Wataniya Telecom CEO David Murray.

Speaking at the 'GSM in the Middle East and Gulf conference', held in Dubai on the 7th and 8th October 2003, Murray pointed out that competitive markets have brought significant benefits to subscribers. 'When monopoly markets have moved to a competitive model, we have seen vast increases in mobile penetration, typically over ten times that of penetration under a monopoly. But we have also seen major movement in the provision of advanced services aimed at providing subscribers with easier, better, richer communications. The regional technology leaders, in terms of the innovations that have made it into consumers' hands, are the competitive markets, without doubt.'

As the company that brought competition to Kuwait, Wataniya believes that it understands intimately the dynamics of fast-growing, competitive GSM markets. The company has moved into clear market leadership in Kuwait, with over 800,000 subscribers using a growing range of services which now includes Action - positioned by Wataniya as the Middle East's most extensive range of multimedia wireless content services based on the most recent developments in 2.5 Generation MMS and GPRS technologies. States Andrei Torriani, Wataniya Telecom's Marketing and Product Development Director, 'The essence and spirit of Action services are built on innovation - a direct result of competition and the need in our market to provide our customers unique services that stimulate new opportunities and fulfil customer demands'

Wataniya Telecom maintains that the benefits of GSM competition for national economies in the Middle East are not limited to growth in subscriber bases and richer services, but also have effects on direct employment and opportunity for local content developers and service providers. In addition to investments in network equipment and the creation of jobs, the company also sees major opportunities to support the growth of new businesses and indirect employment through content and services partnerships. 'We're looking at a three way win here: developing first class telecommunications infrastructure for government, services for people and businesses, and value for consumers,' said Murray.

Wataniya also owns 50% of Tunisian GSM operator Tunisiana. Wataniya is a publically traded company on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, an affiliated company of Kuwaiti Projects Company (Holding) - (KIPCO), a major diversified company with interests in finance, media and entertainment and with over $10 billion of assets under its control.