"In order to lower the price, improve quality of communications in Afghanistan and bring healthy competitions in the field of telecommunications, Ministry of Communications started issuing two new GSM licenses in Afghanistan. Fortunately this process was carried out successfully, and today third GSM operator (Areeba) started GSM services in four provinces (Mazar, Kabul, Ningrhar and Kunduz),” said His Excellency Eng. Amirzai Sangin Minister of Communications.

Areeba is a subsidiary of Investcom, an international mobile provider with operations in nine countries in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Investcom operates GSM, networks, mostly under the Areeba brand, in Syria, Ghana, Yemen, Benin, Liberia, Cyprus, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea-Conakry and Sudan.

There are now three GSM operators in Afghanistan and a fourth operator will be added before the end of 2006. Afghanistan has just over 1.1 million mobile users, representing a penetration rate of 3.7%.

Source: cellular-news.com - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News