Esfahan Cellular Network

active

Celcom of Technology Resource Industries (TRI or TCI - Malaysia) received a license from the Iranian government to install and operate a GSM 900 based cellular network in Esfahan, Kish Island, in 1994. The network was installed in 1995, but the commercial operations did not start until 1998 after waiting for further approval of the government. TRI and Telecommunications Company of Esfahan (TCE- a subsidiary of the Telecommunications Company of the Islamic Republic of Iran) signed an agreement to incorporate a joint-venture company that would provide GSM services to the region in December 1997. As of 2004, the shareholding structure of MTCE was TRI (49 percent), state-owned TCE (49 percent) and state-owned Iran Telecom Industries (2 percent). TRI (or Celcom Bhd) became a 100% subsidary of the majority private but government controlled Telekom Malaysia in 2003. TRI invested US$23 million in the venture while establishing the network which was delivered by Ericsson. Subscriber rates reportedly reached 3.4 million in 2003 and 4.4 million in 2004. Also in 2004, a 2.2 million-line capacity expansion was awarded in mid-April and was to be split almost equally between Ericsson, Nokia and Siemens, which built all of the existing GSM infrastructure for TCI. The total value of the programme was about US$140 million, which was also to be split equally between the three. Company site http://www.mtce.ir/Fa/framework.jsp?SID=1