As a result of a June 1997 law to liberalize Morocco's telecommunications sector, ANRT was created as an independent regulatory body, replacing the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. The law also divided the Office National des Postes et Télécommunications (ONPT) into two separate entities: Maroc Telecom, for public telecommunications, and Barid Al Maghrib, for postal services.

ANRT embarked on the liberalization process with the award of several licenses including the GSM license awarded to Médi Télécom. Other licenses where for GMPC data to US-based Orbcom and for GMPC voice to Global Star/Tesam of France. Three VSAT licenses were aslo awarded to Space.Com (an affiliate of STM Wireless), Argos/Telenord of Norway, and Kuwait-based Gulfsat.