Qatar Daily News

Vodafone Qatar is taking “legal action” against the country’s telecom regulator ictQATAR, for “allowing Virgin Mobile’s entry into the market without being licensed”.

The Qatari telecoms regulator is facing legal action from Vodafone Qatar, after it awarded a licence to Virgin Mobile to provide MVNO services in the Gulf country.

The move follows a deal that Virgin signed with Qatar Telecom (Qtel) to break the existing duopoly and launch pre-paid mobile service, Virgin Mobile Qatar, which Richard Branson launched on May 15 by riding a jetski.
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Vodafone Qatar has been awarded the second fixed line licence by the Qatar telecoms regulator, a company announcement said.

The award of the licence, by the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR), is subject to the change in the company’s articles of association which will be recommended to be approved at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

Commenting on the licence award, Vodafone Qatar CEO Grahame Maher said: “Vodafone is delighted as this will strengthen our ability to make a world of difference for all the people in Qatar. The combined strengths provided by the mobile and fixed services will allow us to deliver total communications services to our customers, whilst delivering value to our customers and shareholders.”
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Vodafone Qatar will be listed on the Qatar Exchange (QE) on July 22 with foreigners allowed to trade in its shares.

Data for shareholders will be available at brokerage firms on July 18, QE announced yesterday.

Once listed, 100 percent of the company’s authorised share capital will be open to foreign investment, with no limits on foreign ownership, a Vodafone spokesperson said.

According to Qatar daily The Peninsula the starting price for the IPO is QR10 per share with an additional AED25 levied as service charges.

The move will see the telecommunications company sell off 40 percent of its authorised share capital, with a total of 338.16 million ordinary shares on offer.

Subscribers can collect application forms and prospectus from 12 banks in the country – with the Qatar National Bank (QNB) and HSBC acting as joint lead managers, financial advisors as well as acting as the lead receiving banks.

Only Qatari residents, and 100 percent Qatari-owned companies are eligible to subscribe to the primary offer.
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Vodafone Qatar has switched on its network, connecting the first 100 customers. According to Gulf Times, quoting CEO Grahame Maher, the remaining 900 customers selected through a special promotion on 15 February will be connected to the network in the next few days. The network is expected to go commercially live in either July or August. Vodafone will compete with sole existing operator Qatar Telecom (Qtel).

Qatar’s second telecommunications operator Vodafone launched on Sunday with 1,000 new customers who signed up under a special promotion, it has been announced.

The first 100 new customers will be able to use the service from March 10, and 900 others days afterwards, Grahame Maher CEO of Vodafone Qatar said.

Initially customers will only be able to make local calls and text messages, but full-scale services should be available to customers in the next few weeks, Maher told Qatar daily Gulf Times.

The company would have 120 radio sites, mostly around the capital, and four Vodafone shops in Doha by March 10 to provide customer service.

Q. When is Vodafone Qatar launching?

A. Vodafone Qatar will turn on its network on 01/03/09

Q. What will your numbers start with and how can you reserve numbers?

A. Vodafone Qatar’s numbers will start with 7. Stay tuned for information on how you can reserve your number. We’ll be announcing this in due course.

Q. What products and services will you be offering and will you be competing on price?

A. Vodafone Qatar will compete aggressively and will deliver outstanding value to its customers by offering its full range of exciting products and services.

Q. Will you be selling handsets?

Yes. Vodafone Qatar will sell the major brands and Vodafone handsets.

Q. When is Vodafone Qatar’s Initial Public Offering (IPO)?

A. Vodafone Qatar is waiting for Qatar Financial Markets Authority approval to commence the Initial Public Offering

Q. Is the IPO open to everyone?

A. The IPO is open to Qatari nationals. International investors are welcome to purchase shares on the open market once it begins trading on the Doha Stock Market.

Q. How can I apply for a job at Vodafone Qatar?

A. Please send CV’s to joinus@vodafone.com

Vodafone, which plans to start operations in Qatar in March, said on Wednesday it still had no firm date for a proposed initial public offering (IPO).

The telecom giant, which will begin its final stage of network testing using 1,000 volunteers next month, said it was still awaiting approval from the Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA).

Based on a requirement in Vodafone’s Qatar licence awarded by the country’s telecom regulator ictQATAR, Vodafone should have made the IPO before November 30 last year, Gulf Times reported on Wednesday.

But due to the market conditions, QFMA requested that Vodafone Qatar submit a revised timetable but chief executive officer Grahame Maher said that had not yet been agreed.

He also told the paper that he was confident that outstanding issues with rival Qtel such as inter-connection charges would be sorted out prior to its scheduled launch of mobile services on March 1.
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Vodafone Qatar plans to select 1,000 people to launch a limited two-month long beta trial for its Qatar network starting March 1, 2009.

The company plans to use the beta trial to get feedback from volunteers before putting the service on line later in 2009.

According to reports, the company’s retail outlets in Qatar will begin sales in May 2009 in anticipation of the service roll-out.