Orange Jordan invests $114m to bring in 3G

Tuesday, Apr 03, 2012

Gulf News

Dubai: Orange Jordan, an integrated telecommunication services provider, has invested $114 million (Dh418 million) to introduce 3G services and increase the broadband penetration rate in the kingdom to drive economic growth, a top official said.

We have invested around $700 million on building infrastructure in the last 10 years as an enabler, and we are the first to introduce 3G in the country, Sami Smeirat, vice-president of Jordan Telecom Group for Business Services and CEO of Jordan Data Communications Ltd (Orange Internet), told Gulf News at the telecom conference.

He said broadband helps drive economic growth by providing individuals with the tools to take part in the globalised economy.

Network

We cover around 95 per cent of the country with our broadband network. We have 5,000km of fibre optic cable to businesses and are increasing it by 2-3km per day.

He said 85 per cent of the phones used in the country are smartphones and the remainder are conventional models.

According to Jordans Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), mobile penetration reached 120 per cent last year, with about 7.482 million subscribers. At the end of 2011, internet penetration rate stood at 51 per cent.

Of the total subscribers, 2.75 million were Jain Jordan, followed by 2.693 million users subscribed to Orange Jordan and 2.038 million subscribers to Umniah, according to TRC.

The other two operators Zain Jordan and Umniah plan to launch 3G services this year. Zain Jordan is investing $112 million in 2012 and Umniah plans to launch 3G services in the first half of the year.

The developed network increased our international business, where 30 per cent of the revenues are from wholesale services. We have witnessed a shift in customer behaviour, largely as a result of proliferation of smartphones and other types of internet-enabled phones, he said.

Orange Jordan has signed an agreement with Ericsson to expand and modernise its 3G network to meet the demands of its growing subscriber base.

By Naushad K. Cherrayil, Staff Reporter