Beirut, 02 Nov 07, 17:12
Lebanon Launches Privatization of Mobile Phone Network
Debt-laden Lebanon, where mobile phone calls are among the most expensive in the world, on Friday launched the privatization of its mobile network, a process slated for completion by early next year.
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority president Kamal Shehadi and Ziad Hayek, president of the Higher Council for Privatization, told a Beirut news conference that applications for the tender must be submitted on February 1.
A public auction will then be staged in the presence of the media on February 21, when the highest bidders will be chosen to take over the two existing mobile phone licenses, they said.
Each winning bidder will be required to create a joint stock Lebanese company, they said.
The winning bidders will then have to transfer to the government one third of the equity of the joint stock company as part of the payment of the tender.
The government will then sell shares through an initial public offering on the Beirut Stock Exchange within 12 months, with share ownership restricted to Lebanese citizens, they said.
The country's GSM network of 1.1 million mobile phone lines is currently state-owned and operated by Kuwait's MTC Touch and Lebanon's Alfa, whose contracts expire in mid-2008.
Shehadi told Agence France Presse on Thursday that under the privatization plan, a third operator will own and run a third GSM license by the first half of 2008.
Mobile telephones provide the government with its main source of revenue, generating about 900 million dollars annually.
The decision to sell the mobile network is part of government plans to introduce reforms as a precondition to obtain much-needed financial assistance pledged by donors at a Paris conference in January.
Lebanon secured pledges of 7.6 billion dollars in grants and loans to help alleviate the country's economic woes, made worse by last year's devastating war between Israel and the Shiite Hizbullah movement.
Privatization will also help to reduce the cost of mobile phone calls in Lebanon.
"Our local and international tariffs are among the highest in the world, if not the highest," Shehadi told AFP on Thursday.(AFP)
Beirut, 02 Nov 07, 17:12
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
A REPORT FROM THE MINISTRY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS ON ITS ACTIVITIES FROM 2005 TO 2008
في ما يشبه جردة بالاجراءات التي اتخذتها وزارة الاتصالات وهيئة اوجيرو في الاعوام الثلاثة الماضية بين 2005 و2008، قدمت الوزارة تقريرا مفصلا عن اعمالهما للفترة الممتدة بين عامي 2005 و 2008.وابرز ما جاء فيها:
- مشروع خدمات الإنترنت السريع “DSL”: بلغ عدد المشتركين في هذه الخدمات حتى تاريخه حوالى 25 الف مشترك. أنجزت وزارة الإتصالات وهيئة أوجيرو اعداد النصوص القانونية والأطر التنظيمية والمراسيم ومذكرات التفاهم.
- إعطاء إمكان التخابر الدولي لجميع مشتركي الهاتف الثابت تلقائياً مما اسهم في زيادة عدد المشتركين الموصولين مباشرةً على الشبكة الدولية الآلية الرقمية من 355 الف مشترك إلى 455 الفا وصولاً الى 512 الفا فـ 710 الاف مشترك في الفترة الممتدة من تشرين الثاني 2007 حتى اليوم.
- تحديث البنى التحتية للاتصالات ومن ضمنها توسعة الكابل البحري الذي يصل بيروت بقبرص، وعبرها الى بقية أنحاء العالم، شراء سعة دولية لنقل المعلومات عبر الكابل البحري الدولي FLAG، توسعة كوابل الألياف الضوئية Berytar و Alytar بما يؤمن ضمان تقنية في حال حصول أي طارئ أو عطل، إبرام مذكرة تفاهم مع جمعية المصارف اللبنانية لتشجيع توطين الفواتير في المصارف ولتبادل المعلومات المتعلقة بالفواتير معها بشكل الكتروني فقط.
- تمتد شبكة الـ DSL حالياً على كامل منطقة بيروت الكبرى وطرابلس والميناء وزحلة وصيدا والنبطية وجونيه والشويفات ومدن عديدة في جبل لبنان، لتشمل اليوم 31 مركزاً تغطي أكثر من مليونين ونصف مليون مواطن لبناني، وما يفوق الـ250 مدرسة حكومية وأقل قليلاً من المدارس الخاصة، وكذلك الإدارة المركزية للجامعة اللبنانية وعدداً من الكليات والمعاهد والفروع العائدة اليه.
- إصدار الفاتورة الهاتفية شهرياً مما اسهم في تسريع عملية تحصيل الفواتير الهاتفية المطروحة، كما اسهم في تغذية الخزينة بالسيولة بطريقة منتظمة وسريعة.
- تحصيل الفواتير الهاتفية عبر شركة Libanpost والمصارف.
- خفض تعرفة التخابر الدولي وإعتماد تعرفة واحدة موحدة مع كل دول العالم لتبلغ 500 ليرة نهارا و400 ليلا. وقد اسهم الامر في ارتفاع ملحوظ بحركة التخابر الدولي بحيث ارتفع عدد الدقائق الصادرة من نحو 196 مليون دقيقة بقيمة 174,5 مليار ليرة عام 2006 الى 251,5 مليون دقيقة قيمتها 178 مليار ليرة.
- تصحيح ملفات المشتركين وتطويرها:
- رفع وتيرة إشراك القطاع الخاص في أسواق الإنترنت ونقل المعلومات.
- تغذية البلديات بشكل دوري ومنتظم، وذلك بتحويل مستحقاتها من الرسم البلدي على فواتير الهاتف، مباشرة إلى حساباتها في مصرف لبنان، وذلك حتى الفصل الأول من 2008 ضمناً.
- إنشاء شبكة لاسلكية ذات حزمة عريضة وتشغيلها لنقل المعلومات وخدمات الإنترنت السريع حسب تقنية WiFi في مطار رفيق الحريري الدولي:
- هيكلة قطاع الاتصالات العام في لبنان.
- قفل ملفات النزاع القائمة مع وزارة الاتصالات واهمها:
أ - ملف النزاع مع شركة فرانس تيليكوم الفرنسية حيث تم التوصل إلى اتفاق نهائي بقيمة 124.5 مليون دولار تم دفعها في نهاية نيسان 2007 لقاء تنازل نهائي عن كل الدعاوى وتبرئة ذمة الدولة، عوضاً عن قرار التحكيم القاضي بدفع 273 مليون دولار عدا الفوائد؛ أي بوفر يزيد عن 149 مليون دولار.
ب - إغلاق ملف النزاع القائم حول ملف الشبكة الخليوية مع شركة ليبانسيل وذلك عبر توقيع عقد مصالحة نهائي بمبلغ 150 مليون دولار عوضاً عن قرار التحكيم القاضي بدفع مبلغ 266 مليون دولار أميركي ما عدا الفوائد، أي بوفر صاف يبلغ /116/ مليون دولار أميركي.
ج - إغلاق ملف النزاع مع المصرف البريطاني HSBC الذي عمل مع وزارة الاتصالات والمجلس الأعلى للخصخصة خلال تولي الوزير جان لوي قرداحي مهمات الوزارة لإعداد شروط المناقصة الدولية للخليوي. بلغت قيمة المصالحة مع مصرف HSBC/3 مليون دولار أميركي، بدلاً من المبلغ الأساسي المطلوب بقيمة /3.5/ ملايين دولار.
(النهار اللبنانية)
- مشروع خدمات الإنترنت السريع “DSL”: بلغ عدد المشتركين في هذه الخدمات حتى تاريخه حوالى 25 الف مشترك. أنجزت وزارة الإتصالات وهيئة أوجيرو اعداد النصوص القانونية والأطر التنظيمية والمراسيم ومذكرات التفاهم.
- إعطاء إمكان التخابر الدولي لجميع مشتركي الهاتف الثابت تلقائياً مما اسهم في زيادة عدد المشتركين الموصولين مباشرةً على الشبكة الدولية الآلية الرقمية من 355 الف مشترك إلى 455 الفا وصولاً الى 512 الفا فـ 710 الاف مشترك في الفترة الممتدة من تشرين الثاني 2007 حتى اليوم.
- تحديث البنى التحتية للاتصالات ومن ضمنها توسعة الكابل البحري الذي يصل بيروت بقبرص، وعبرها الى بقية أنحاء العالم، شراء سعة دولية لنقل المعلومات عبر الكابل البحري الدولي FLAG، توسعة كوابل الألياف الضوئية Berytar و Alytar بما يؤمن ضمان تقنية في حال حصول أي طارئ أو عطل، إبرام مذكرة تفاهم مع جمعية المصارف اللبنانية لتشجيع توطين الفواتير في المصارف ولتبادل المعلومات المتعلقة بالفواتير معها بشكل الكتروني فقط.
- تمتد شبكة الـ DSL حالياً على كامل منطقة بيروت الكبرى وطرابلس والميناء وزحلة وصيدا والنبطية وجونيه والشويفات ومدن عديدة في جبل لبنان، لتشمل اليوم 31 مركزاً تغطي أكثر من مليونين ونصف مليون مواطن لبناني، وما يفوق الـ250 مدرسة حكومية وأقل قليلاً من المدارس الخاصة، وكذلك الإدارة المركزية للجامعة اللبنانية وعدداً من الكليات والمعاهد والفروع العائدة اليه.
- إصدار الفاتورة الهاتفية شهرياً مما اسهم في تسريع عملية تحصيل الفواتير الهاتفية المطروحة، كما اسهم في تغذية الخزينة بالسيولة بطريقة منتظمة وسريعة.
- تحصيل الفواتير الهاتفية عبر شركة Libanpost والمصارف.
- خفض تعرفة التخابر الدولي وإعتماد تعرفة واحدة موحدة مع كل دول العالم لتبلغ 500 ليرة نهارا و400 ليلا. وقد اسهم الامر في ارتفاع ملحوظ بحركة التخابر الدولي بحيث ارتفع عدد الدقائق الصادرة من نحو 196 مليون دقيقة بقيمة 174,5 مليار ليرة عام 2006 الى 251,5 مليون دقيقة قيمتها 178 مليار ليرة.
- تصحيح ملفات المشتركين وتطويرها:
- رفع وتيرة إشراك القطاع الخاص في أسواق الإنترنت ونقل المعلومات.
- تغذية البلديات بشكل دوري ومنتظم، وذلك بتحويل مستحقاتها من الرسم البلدي على فواتير الهاتف، مباشرة إلى حساباتها في مصرف لبنان، وذلك حتى الفصل الأول من 2008 ضمناً.
- إنشاء شبكة لاسلكية ذات حزمة عريضة وتشغيلها لنقل المعلومات وخدمات الإنترنت السريع حسب تقنية WiFi في مطار رفيق الحريري الدولي:
- هيكلة قطاع الاتصالات العام في لبنان.
- قفل ملفات النزاع القائمة مع وزارة الاتصالات واهمها:
أ - ملف النزاع مع شركة فرانس تيليكوم الفرنسية حيث تم التوصل إلى اتفاق نهائي بقيمة 124.5 مليون دولار تم دفعها في نهاية نيسان 2007 لقاء تنازل نهائي عن كل الدعاوى وتبرئة ذمة الدولة، عوضاً عن قرار التحكيم القاضي بدفع 273 مليون دولار عدا الفوائد؛ أي بوفر يزيد عن 149 مليون دولار.
ب - إغلاق ملف النزاع القائم حول ملف الشبكة الخليوية مع شركة ليبانسيل وذلك عبر توقيع عقد مصالحة نهائي بمبلغ 150 مليون دولار عوضاً عن قرار التحكيم القاضي بدفع مبلغ 266 مليون دولار أميركي ما عدا الفوائد، أي بوفر صاف يبلغ /116/ مليون دولار أميركي.
ج - إغلاق ملف النزاع مع المصرف البريطاني HSBC الذي عمل مع وزارة الاتصالات والمجلس الأعلى للخصخصة خلال تولي الوزير جان لوي قرداحي مهمات الوزارة لإعداد شروط المناقصة الدولية للخليوي. بلغت قيمة المصالحة مع مصرف HSBC/3 مليون دولار أميركي، بدلاً من المبلغ الأساسي المطلوب بقيمة /3.5/ ملايين دولار.
(النهار اللبنانية)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Privatisation of Lebanon Telecom delayed by political instability
Lebanon Delays GSM Network Privatisation
Lebanon's government has delayed the planned privatisation of the country's two GSM network operators until the beginning of May. The sale was due to have been carried out at the end of next month - and raise upwards of US$6 billion for the government. The sale will be for two-thirds of the networks, with one third retained by the government, which will then be floated on the Beirut Stock Exchange.
"The government decided to delay the auction for few months to determine if a broader cabinet will be formed," Ziad Hayek, the president of the Higher Privatization Council, told The Daily Star newspaper.
Opponents of the privatisation claim that the sale would deprive the government of US$1 billion per year in revenues from the networks - while supporters note the high tariffs charged to customers and lack of competition in the market is holding back the overall economy.
Hayek stressed that none of the companies which shown interest in the auction pulled out.
A source close to the process told The Daily Star that most companies will be reluctant to pay billions of dollars for mobile licenses if there is no political consensus on the issue.
"Some of the companies will think twice before making any commitment in Lebanon. They naturally want guarantees that any transaction in the future will not be blocked by the opposition," the source said.
The two operators have roughly equal market shares as they are tightly regulated by the government. The Mobile World notes that the two operators have some 1.2 million customers between them, representing a population penetration level of 30%
COMMENTS BY CPI
It appears that the stakes have been raised. The proceeds from the sale of two thirds of the mobile network are now expected to reach $6 billion. This means that the entire mobile network is now estimated at $9 billion. The question is:
This has nothing to do with the Loyalists and the Opposition. It is simply a matter of transparency.
Lebanon's government has delayed the planned privatisation of the country's two GSM network operators until the beginning of May. The sale was due to have been carried out at the end of next month - and raise upwards of US$6 billion for the government. The sale will be for two-thirds of the networks, with one third retained by the government, which will then be floated on the Beirut Stock Exchange.
"The government decided to delay the auction for few months to determine if a broader cabinet will be formed," Ziad Hayek, the president of the Higher Privatization Council, told The Daily Star newspaper.
Opponents of the privatisation claim that the sale would deprive the government of US$1 billion per year in revenues from the networks - while supporters note the high tariffs charged to customers and lack of competition in the market is holding back the overall economy.
Hayek stressed that none of the companies which shown interest in the auction pulled out.
A source close to the process told The Daily Star that most companies will be reluctant to pay billions of dollars for mobile licenses if there is no political consensus on the issue.
"Some of the companies will think twice before making any commitment in Lebanon. They naturally want guarantees that any transaction in the future will not be blocked by the opposition," the source said.
The two operators have roughly equal market shares as they are tightly regulated by the government. The Mobile World notes that the two operators have some 1.2 million customers between them, representing a population penetration level of 30%
COMMENTS BY CPI
It appears that the stakes have been raised. The proceeds from the sale of two thirds of the mobile network are now expected to reach $6 billion. This means that the entire mobile network is now estimated at $9 billion. The question is:
- Is it worthwhile to give away a revenue of $600,000,000 a year for a lump sum of $6 billion?
- Furthermore, would it not be preferable to increase the network's penetration and win over fifty per cent more customers instead of selling the network?
This has nothing to do with the Loyalists and the Opposition. It is simply a matter of transparency.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
27 December 2007
Qatar Telecommunications Co. (Qtel)Qatar Telecommunications Co. (Qtel)
Qatar Telecom
Quote Chart News Profile
Last: 230.800 QAR
- 23.00
-9.060%
» Disclosures
» Research
» Financials
» Chart Data announced on Wednesday that it would bid for a stake in one of two Lebanese mobile phone firms as part of the former monopoly operator's plans to expand in the Middle East and Asia. But despite the apparent interest in Lebanon's telecom sector, many local NGOs and consumer groups voiced reservations about the bidding process.
In a statement to the press, Consumer Lebanon, the Industrial Association and the General Labor Confederation said that the privatization of the two cellular networks is not entirely a technical matter but a political and economic one as well.
It said any privatization in Lebanon should first enjoy a full political consensus, warning that past experiences showed that all privatization efforts failed miserably due to lack of transparency and accountability.
The statement criticized the Telecommunication MinistryTelecommunication Ministry, which is trying to sell the telecom sector without the consent or advice of the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA).
There have been unconfirmed reports about sharp differences between the head of TRA Kamal Shehadi and the head of government-controlled OGEROOGERO Abdel-Munim Youssif over the rules and regulations governing Lebanon's telecom sector.
The statement called on the TRA to take full control of the bidding process.
It stressed that the privatization of the cellular networks will not yield the desired results because the number of actual subscribers is very low compared to other countries in the region.
"Before selling the telecom sector, the authorities must first reduce the rates, end the financial embezzlement in this sector and modernize and upgrade the networks before it crumbles," the statement said.
Lebanon expects to sell majority stakes in AlfaAlfa and MTC TouchMTC Touch in February and offer the rest to the public to raise as much as $7 billion, the country's telecommunications minister said in October.
"We will bid," said Adel al-Mutawa, QtelQtel's executive director for group communications. When asked for which company QtelQtel would bid, Mutawa said, "We are still evaluating."
"We're looking at any opportunities for expansion in [the Middle East and North Africa] and Asia and Lebanon is going to be the first potential market in the region," he said, declining to give more details.
Emirates Telecommunications Corp. (Etisalat)Emirates Telecommunications Corp. (Etisalat) had said on Monday it was considering a bid to take over one of the firms.
Lebanon wants to use the funds to pay off huge public debts of about $41 billion, or 180 percent of GDP, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh said in October.
Any winning bid would have to get final approval from the country's president, he has said.
Lebanon's ruling coalition and the Hizbullah-led opposition have been locked in a power-sharing dispute, virtually paralyzing the country.
"Political stability has a very important role in the [bidding] process," Mutawa said.
QtelQtel Chief Executive Nasser Marafih told Reuters this month the firm planned more acquisitions after its $3.72 billion purchase of Kuwaiti operator National Mobile Telecommunications Co. (Wataniya)National Mobile Telecommunications Co. (Wataniya) in March.
It was mulling sales of shares in Qatar, depositary receipts in London or bonds as funding options, he said.
The firm, which operates in 16 markets, lost its telecom monopoly this month after the oil and gas producer awarded a group led by Vodafone Group Plc a second mobile phone license.
Shares of QtelQtel, which makes 76 percent of its profit in Qatar, fell 1.05 percent on Wednesday.
At present, MTC TouchMTC Touch and AlfaAlfa are running the one million line cellular networks on behalf of the government.
But informed sources expressed doubt that the government will be able to auction the networks in February if the political situation did not improve.
"Investors will not risk their money and spend billions of dollars for licenses if the next government decided to challenge the bidding process and call for a new privatization law," one source said. - The Daily Star, with agencies
Qatar Telecommunications Co. (Qtel)Qatar Telecommunications Co. (Qtel)
Qatar Telecom
Quote Chart News Profile
Last: 230.800 QAR
- 23.00
-9.060%
» Disclosures
» Research
» Financials
» Chart Data announced on Wednesday that it would bid for a stake in one of two Lebanese mobile phone firms as part of the former monopoly operator's plans to expand in the Middle East and Asia. But despite the apparent interest in Lebanon's telecom sector, many local NGOs and consumer groups voiced reservations about the bidding process.
In a statement to the press, Consumer Lebanon, the Industrial Association and the General Labor Confederation said that the privatization of the two cellular networks is not entirely a technical matter but a political and economic one as well.
It said any privatization in Lebanon should first enjoy a full political consensus, warning that past experiences showed that all privatization efforts failed miserably due to lack of transparency and accountability.
The statement criticized the Telecommunication MinistryTelecommunication Ministry, which is trying to sell the telecom sector without the consent or advice of the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA).
There have been unconfirmed reports about sharp differences between the head of TRA Kamal Shehadi and the head of government-controlled OGEROOGERO Abdel-Munim Youssif over the rules and regulations governing Lebanon's telecom sector.
The statement called on the TRA to take full control of the bidding process.
It stressed that the privatization of the cellular networks will not yield the desired results because the number of actual subscribers is very low compared to other countries in the region.
"Before selling the telecom sector, the authorities must first reduce the rates, end the financial embezzlement in this sector and modernize and upgrade the networks before it crumbles," the statement said.
Lebanon expects to sell majority stakes in AlfaAlfa and MTC TouchMTC Touch in February and offer the rest to the public to raise as much as $7 billion, the country's telecommunications minister said in October.
"We will bid," said Adel al-Mutawa, QtelQtel's executive director for group communications. When asked for which company QtelQtel would bid, Mutawa said, "We are still evaluating."
"We're looking at any opportunities for expansion in [the Middle East and North Africa] and Asia and Lebanon is going to be the first potential market in the region," he said, declining to give more details.
Emirates Telecommunications Corp. (Etisalat)Emirates Telecommunications Corp. (Etisalat) had said on Monday it was considering a bid to take over one of the firms.
Lebanon wants to use the funds to pay off huge public debts of about $41 billion, or 180 percent of GDP, Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh said in October.
Any winning bid would have to get final approval from the country's president, he has said.
Lebanon's ruling coalition and the Hizbullah-led opposition have been locked in a power-sharing dispute, virtually paralyzing the country.
"Political stability has a very important role in the [bidding] process," Mutawa said.
QtelQtel Chief Executive Nasser Marafih told Reuters this month the firm planned more acquisitions after its $3.72 billion purchase of Kuwaiti operator National Mobile Telecommunications Co. (Wataniya)National Mobile Telecommunications Co. (Wataniya) in March.
It was mulling sales of shares in Qatar, depositary receipts in London or bonds as funding options, he said.
The firm, which operates in 16 markets, lost its telecom monopoly this month after the oil and gas producer awarded a group led by Vodafone Group Plc a second mobile phone license.
Shares of QtelQtel, which makes 76 percent of its profit in Qatar, fell 1.05 percent on Wednesday.
At present, MTC TouchMTC Touch and AlfaAlfa are running the one million line cellular networks on behalf of the government.
But informed sources expressed doubt that the government will be able to auction the networks in February if the political situation did not improve.
"Investors will not risk their money and spend billions of dollars for licenses if the next government decided to challenge the bidding process and call for a new privatization law," one source said. - The Daily Star, with agencies
L'opinion de Hezbollah sur la privatisation de Liban Telecom
Hezbolla estime que la privatisation de 40% des lignes fixes et 60% des cellulaires devrait rapporter de $8 a $9 milliards de dollars
Thursday, December 27, 2007
QATAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS TO BID FOR LIBAN TELECOM
"(MENAFN) A senior official at the Qatar Telecommunications Co (Qtel) said that the company is planning to bid for a stake in one of two Lebanese mobile phone firms as part of plans to expand in the Middle East and Asia, Reuters reported.
Lebanon expects to sell majority stakes in Alfa and MTC Touch in February and offer the rest to the public to raise about $7 billion, the country's telecommunications minister
said in October.
It is worth mentioning that the Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) had said earlier this month that it was considering a bid to take over one of the firms."
Lebanon expects to sell majority stakes in Alfa and MTC Touch in February and offer the rest to the public to raise about $7 billion, the country's telecommunications minister
said in October.
It is worth mentioning that the Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) had said earlier this month that it was considering a bid to take over one of the firms."
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