The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) - JORDAN signed an agreement yesterday with Pella for Telecommunications Communications, which is owned by Fastlink one of the Jordanian GSM operators, awarding it the third class license. The class license entitles Pella to provide fixed line services, international calls VoIP and internet services. H.E Muna Nijem, CEO of TRC, signed the agreement on behalf of the TRC and Mr. Mohammed Saqer the CEO of Pella on behalf of the company. The Commissioners of the TRC and representatives from the company attended the signing ceremony.
"The liberalization of the Jordanian telecom market is proving its success and effectiveness day by day, the huge demand on the licenses is evidence that applicants for licenses believe in the abundant opportunities available in the telecom market which is enjoying fair competition under the umbrella of the TRC." Said H.E Nijem. "The TRC is helping fulfil the Kingdom's development objectives through building investment and growth in ICT. We believe that these investments are critical to us all. They are investments that will, in turn, bring other investments to Jordan in various sectors via providing technically capable and cost effective communications supported by advanced infrastructure."
Pella Telecommunications Company applied for the class license on the 14th of March 2005 and completed its application on the 16th of the same month. The TRC has reviewed and studied the application, and also published it for public consultation on its official website. On 26th July 2005, the board of the commissioners at TRC decided to approve the application of Pella and awarded the class license to the company.
On the other hand, on 14th July 2005, the TRC has published on its website a notice requesting comments on the development of instructions on "competition safeguards in the telecommunications sector". The purpose of these Safeguards is to establish the processes and definitions to be used by the TRC in analysing cases alleging anticompetitive behavior by telecommunications licensees. In addition to set definitions related to the competition such as , the market, market power, and the market criteria in order to protect fair competition in the telecom market, and enhance it according to the telecommunications law and the new licensing regime.
"Signing the agreement today is another proof for the positive changes which will take place in the telecom's sector in Jordan. Fastlink is a major force in Jordanian telecommunications. Now granting of a class license to the company's subsidiary, Pella, has the potential to underpin a range of important new services and enhances the competition in an increasingly dynamic market that liberalization is building in Jordan today." Added Nijem.
Mr. Saqer, praised the leading role which the TRC is playing in supporting the companies among the sector, highlighting that the efforts which the TRC has made in the past few years has lead into liberalizing the Jordanian telecom market and providing new services to citizens.
- All providers of public telecommunications services that do not use scarce resources, or those whose use of scarce resources is determined by TRC not to give rise to a need for an Individual License, will require Class licenses
- Initial fee for an Individual License JD 100,000 and for Class License JD 30,000 and is payable upon grant of license, in addition to annual fee for license of either type. In addition to a percentage of revenues arising from activities carried out under the license. The fee should recover only the economic cost incurred by TRC in regulating the Sector.
- The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) announced that it has completed all procedures for the transition of class licensees to the new licensing and regulatory regime that was approved by the Council of Ministers.
- The TRC issued a public consultancy on the new licensing regime, which was followed, as of 18 May 2005, by official hearings of the objections raised by some class licensees on the amendments made to their current class licenses.
- After the Board of Commissioners completed the official hearings, it made its decisions regarding these objections in accordance with Article 39 of the Telecommunications Law No 13 of 1995, and the final amendments were adopted so as to be effective as of 3 July 2005. In doing so, the TRC has completed all procedures for the transition of class licensees to the new licensing and regulatory regime.
- The TRC has published all these decision and the final format of the license on its website: www.trc.gov.jo
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About the TRC
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) is the independent government agency in Jordan that regulates the information and communications technology and postal sectors. The TRC is responsible for issuing regulations and licenses that cover the activities of telecommunications operators in Jordan. The TRC has the responsibility under the Telecommunications Law "To regulate telecommunications and information technology services in the Kingdom in accordance with the established general policy so as to ensure the provision of high quality telecommunications and information technology services to users at just, reasonable and affordable prices; and, by so doing, to make possible the optimal performance of the telecommunications and information technology sectors."
According to the Telecommunications Law, the TRC operates independently from the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology but must take action in accord with the Policy issued by the Ministry and approved by the Government.
The TRC Board is composed of five members, including the Chairman of the Board/ CEO. Current members of the Board are H.E. Muna Nijem (Chairman and CEO), Mamoun Balqar, Mohammed Khasawneh, and Massoun Shocair and MR. Muwafaq Abu Aqouleh.
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Alia Kezbary
PR Coordinator
Spot On Public Relations
Tel: 971 4 3491686
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© Press Release 2005
