Vodafone Vodafone, Kuwait's Zain plan Middle East partnership

[Xen]

Vodafone Group has signed a deal with the Kuwaiti telecom Zain Group that it says will significantly extend the British telecommunications giant's reach in the Middle East.

The partnership agreement announced on Monday calls for Vodafone to work with Zain divisions in in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq, and is aimed in part at improving network coverage and trimming costs.

Vodafone already has Mideast operations in Egypt and Qatar.

Financial details weren't disclosed. The companies say they will not be taking equity stakes in one another.

Kuwait's sovereign wealth fund owns nearly a quarter of Zain. Emirati telecom Etisalat last year dropped a $12 billion bid for a large piece of Zain as part of its own effort to expand further across the Middle East.


Source

 

[Technoglitch]

in kuwait only two players were there until 2005.
MTC(vodafone had a share) and wataniya which were charging for everything. NO free income, SMS charges and so on until Zain came into the picture which introduced free incoming call and so the rest of players follwed.
The kuwaiti govt didnt allow pvt players in telecom sector and kept only 2 players which were also under kuwaiti govt control.

 

[Xen]

So, the taboo is about to change and we can hear about some more competitive rates in Kuwait. There are some counties like Kuwait which are far away from inter competition between operators and in India its over competitive .

 

[Technoglitch]

So, the taboo is about to change and we can hear about some more competitive rates in Kuwait. There are some counties like Kuwait which are far away from inter competition between operators and in India its over competitive .

yes, even i heard they are going to revoke ban on alcohol

 

[Xen]

No idea about Alcohol BAN. Don't know the scenario there hence can't comment on the alcohol ban whether its good or bad.

 

[Technoglitch]

its muslim country, so alcohol,drugs and eating pork are haram