TRC awards Pella Telecommunications a class license

The class license entitles Pella to provide fixed line services, international calls VoIP and internet services. H.E Muna Nijem, CEO of TRC, signed the agreement on behalf of the TRC and Mr. Mohammed Saqer the CEO of Pella on behalf of the company. The Commissioners of the TRC and representatives from the company attended the signing ceremony.

"The liberalization of the Jordanian telecom market is proving its success and effectiveness day by day, the huge demand on the licenses is evidence that applicants for licenses believe in the abundant opportunities available in the telecom market which is enjoying fair competition under the umbrella of the TRC." Said H.E Nijem.

"The TRC is helping fulfil the Kingdom's development objectives through building investment and growth in ICT. We believe that these investments are critical to us all. They are investments that will, in turn, bring other investments to Jordan in various sectors via providing technically capable and cost effective communications supported by advanced infrastructure."

Pella Telecommunications Company applied for the class license on the 14th of March 2005 and completed its application on the 16th of the same month. The TRC has reviewed and studied the application, and also published it for public consultation on its official website. On 26th July 2005, the board of the commissioners at TRC decided to approve the application of Pella and awarded the class license to the company.

On the other hand, on 14th July 2005, the TRC has published on its website a notice requesting comments on the development of instructions on "competition safeguards in the telecommunications sector". The purpose of these Safeguards is to establish the processes and definitions to be used by the TRC in analysing cases alleging anticompetitive behavior by telecommunications licensees.

In addition to set definitions related to the competition such as , the market, market power, and the market criteria in order to protect fair competition in the telecom market, and enhance it according to the telecommunications law and the new licensing regime.

"Signing the agreement today is another proof for the positive changes which will take place in the telecom's sector in Jordan. Fastlink is a major force in Jordanian telecommunications. Now granting of a class license to the company's subsidiary, Pella, has the potential to underpin a range of important new services and enhances the competition in an increasingly dynamic market that liberalization is building in Jordan today." Added Nijem.

Mr. Saqer, praised the leading role which the TRC is playing in supporting the companies among the sector, highlighting that the efforts which the TRC has made in the past few years has lead into liberalizing the Jordanian telecom market and providing new services to citizens.