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Orascom posts

CRTC blocks Canada's WIND from launching over ownership concerns

by Chris Ziegler posted Oct 30th 2009 @ 8:15AM

Globalive, which has recently been ramping up to launch a national Canadian phone service under the WIND brand using spectrum won in last year's auction, has been dealt a hell of a blow by the CRTC this week. The organization -- essentially the northern equivalent of the FCC -- has strict rules demanding that Canadian wireless networks be Canadian-owned, and an investigation of WIND's structure has apparently raised enough concern to cause it to call off the service's launch. Egypt's Orascom Telecom (which, strangely, also runs North Korea's Koryolink) owns some 65.1 percent of the operation and apparently "holds the overwhelming majority of the outstanding debt" for which Globalive is responsible, so yeah, we can see how that might not qualify as "Canadian-owned." For its part, Globalive says that it's "extremely disappointed" in the decision and "will be evaluating [its] options on how to proceed," but in all likelihood, that's going to have to mean cashing out a good chunk of Orascom if it's serious about making this happen.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - CRTC decision
Read - WIND response

North Koreans love their spotty cellphone service

by Joseph L. Flatley posted Aug 18th 2009 @ 3:36PM

It's been nary a year since the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (aka "the North") got its very own 3G network, and now the Daily NK is reporting that -- no surprise -- cellphone use has taken the capital by storm. "Demand for mobile phones has been increasing" said one source. "Almost 30 percent of Pyongyang citizens seem to be using them." Still, this is the same country that refers to Kim Jong-Il as "Dear Leader," so while things are certainly looking up for Pyongyangites, there are any number of restrictions. For instance, not just anybody with disposable income can pick up one of these things -- the devices are still off-limits to cadres in the Central Committee of the Party and foreigners. In addition, using two phones simultaneously is illegal, as well as using a phone in someone else's name. And you thought the T-Mobile store was a pain in the ass? When an individual or a group of workers buy a phone, they must get a stamp from their home village, and then submit an application to the Communications Center -- all this for the privilege of having the government listen to their phone calls. There is no word on what phone / phones are available, but we do know that one will cost you between $90 and $120. Charges are reportedly ₩3,000 (around $20) a month for eight hours of talk time, with an additional €15 (also around $20) surcharge if you go over. Service is currently only available in Pyongyang and Sariwon, but apparently the service in Sariwon "kinda sucks." So really, service is only available in Pyongyang. And you know what? If you're reading this, you're probably not in Pyongyang.

Orascom flips on 3G network in North Korea

by Darren Murph posted Dec 15th 2008 @ 12:11AM

North Korea can't even figure out how to sufficiently feed all of its citizens, yet Kim Jong Il and his comrades are about to read this on 3G speeds while throwing back a fifth of SoCo and catching a pirated Bollywood flick on BetaMax. Egypt's Orascom Telecom is about to flip the switch on the first 3G network in the nation, which was announced back in May. The outfit is expected to invest a staggering $400 million building it out over the next three years, thought it's expected to really only benefit the evil elite. Too bad it's easier to get out of a maximum security prison than it is to hop a flight into Pyongyang and see if this is more than some elaborate hoax to show the world how much life in the Hermit Kingdom is improving.

[Via textually]