Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has been the sole fixed and mobile telecom operator in Qatar since 1987. Its monopoly is expected to be broken when the Qatar?s telecom regulatory authority issues second fixed and mobile telecommunications licenses to potential market entrants.

Qtel traces its roots back to Qatar Public Telecommunications Corporation (QPTC), which was the result of an asset merger in June 1987 of Qatar National Telephone Service, Cable and Wireless and the Telecommunications Department of the Ministry of Communications and Transport.

QPTC was privatized and floated on the Doha Securities MarketDoha Securities Market in 1998 through an initial public offering. It was also listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1999 and then on the Bahrain Stock ExchangeBahrain Stock Exchange and Abu Dhabi Securities MarketAbu Dhabi Securities Market in 2001 and 2002 respectively.

Qtel began expanding its presence when it won, as part of a consortium it led, the license to operate the second Omani GSM network in 2004. The Omani Qatari Telecommunications CompanyOmani Qatari Telecommunications Company (Nawras) was established in 2005, attracting 572,000 subscribers, 31% of the Omani market, by the close of 2006.

Qtel acquired a 51% stake in the Kuwait-based Wataniya TelecomWataniya Telecom in March 2007, for QAR13.84 billion (USD3.8 billion), which became one of the largest telecom deals in the MENA region and included a 9% Qtel share in each of Wataniya?s Iraqi and Algerian operations. This acquisition added over 10 million Qtel subscribers in Kuwait, Algeria, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives and Iraq. Qtel will be able to serve customers in Palestine through its subsidiary Wataniya, which was granted Palestine's second mobile services company, in March 2007.

Qtel acquired 38% of the enterprise information technology provider NavlinkNavlink Incorporation in November 2006, for QAR100 million (USD28 million), joining US-based AT&T as a stakeholder. Qtel also acquired 25% of the Singapore-based Asia Mobile Holdings, for QAR2.3 billion (USD635 million) in January 2007.

Qtel partnered with A. A. Turki GroupA. A. Turki Group to jointly acquire 75% of Pakistan's Burraq Telecom for QAR44.8 million (USD12.3 million) in May 2007. Burraq Telecom had QAR72.9 million (USD20 million) in revenues, at the close of 2006.

Qtel?s revenues rose to QAR4.42 billion (USD12 billion) by the close of 2006, 48% higher than the previous year. Qtel group subscribers for the Oman and Qatar operations rose at the end of 2006 by 55% to 1.5 million.

Qtel aims to be one of top 20 telecommunications companies in the world in 2020 by expanding its operations in the Middle East and internationally. Qtel was the third largest publicly listed company on the Doha Securities MarketDoha Securities Market with QAR22.7 billion (USD6.24 billion) in market capital by year end 2006.