Algeria to launch 3G, m-payment in Q1 2013 - minister

News Wireless Algeria 12 DEC 2012
Algeria to launch 3G, m-payment in Q1 2013 - minister
Algerian operators will launch 3G and m-payment services in the first quarter of next year, postal and ICT minister Mouusa Benhamadi announced to the local press. He said that the 3G licensing process would begin at the start of the year and services would begin before the end of March. The minister explained that 4G licensing was rejected due to the elevated cost of handsets, greater investment by operators, the requirement for a specific frequency band and the need for more base stations, authorisations to build them and the availability of necessary locations. Algeria launched a tender for 3G licences in September 2011, but suspended the process and delayed it several times due to a legal dispute between the government and Orascom Telecom Algeria, which operates under the Djezzy brand. In his latest statement to the press Benhamadi recognised that Algeria was behind in some services, such as m-payment, adding that Algerie Telecom, Mobilis and the postal service would introduce an m-payment service by the end of January.

Categories:

Mobile

Companies:

Algerie Telecom,  Mobilis

Countries:

Algeria

Tags:

Government telecommunications licensing, Voice services, Data services, 3G, Messaging, e-Payment, Launch, Consumer, Enterprise

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