Vodafone and QF consortium wins the second operator License.....
Qatar's telecoms regulator, ictQATAR has awarded the country's second mobile operator license to a consortium made up of Vodafone and Qatar Foundation. They submitted the highest bid in the second round auction. The other eligible consortiums submitting bids were Argos (Verizon and Virgin Mobile) and Etisalat.
The license will be issued when closing procedures are completed. The new licensee is expected to launch service during 2008
They didnt abide by the initial rule of a single round auction....they had to go second round for allowing QF in...anyway its a lot of jobs... and there cud be a price war before a cartile as market penetration is very difficult without one........20% is expected in a 120% penetrated market....lets c wats gonna work...
Just as i thought, this is NOT really vodafone.
This is Qatar Foundation who have bought the Vodafone branding and technology.
Just as MTC were MTC Vodafone and then changed to Zain.
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So, it was a waste of time waiting, for the rates to come down.
posted yesterday;
http://www.qatarliving.com/node/55357
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http://tall-and-ginger.blogspot.com
Dont you believe it!
The actual winning bid was from a Vodaphone/Qatar Foundation joint venture (ie QF own 51%).
QF is in effect a Qatar goverment organisation, so now the gov owns 100% of Q-tel and a controlling stake in the new provider.
Cartel anyone. There will be no true competrition between them.
What will happen is that both organisations will offer slightly differrent services at the same high cost.
"only mad dogs and englishmen go out in the midday sun"
Atlast after putting an end to all rumours Finally vodafone has entered Qatar which i presume will put an end to the high rates