UAE-based Etisalat has met with the government of Turkmenistan to discuss a potential telecoms partnership, according to media reports.
The Middle Eastern company could reportedly take over the mobile licence of Barash Communications Technologies (BCTI),…
UAE-based Etisalat has met with the government of Turkmenistan to discuss a potential telecoms partnership, according to media reports.
The Middle Eastern company could reportedly take over the mobile licence of Barash Communications Technologies (BCTI), which was suspended last year. MTS, which owns BCTI, has taken legal action to regain its licence, claiming to have approached the ministry of communications on time to formalise the extension of its licence.
MTS had signed an agreement in November 2005 with BCTI and ministry of communications to operate in Turkmenistan.
According to reports, the suspension of its licence has had a negative impact on the market since it had about 80% of market share and TM-Cell, the mobile unit of state-owned Turkmentelecom, has not been able to respond to the demand of mobile subscription.
Last February, Turkmenistan’s president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov asked the government and the ministry of communications to look at the set-up of private mobile operators and joint ventures with international companies to provide mobile services. He was quoted saying that the share of national companies in the JV should be more than 50% and that the state would help these companies by providing soft loans. He also said that at least three independent mobile companies should be set up.
