Wana wins third mobile licence in Morocco

Alternative telecoms provider Wana Telecom has won Morocco’s third mobile licence, adding to its existing portfolio of limited-range mobile, fixed-line and Internet services across the North African country.

Morocco’s regulator, the Telecoms National Regulation Agency (ANRT) did not state how much Wana paid for the licence, nor how many other parties bid for the concession.

Wana is owned by Moroccan conglomerate Omnium Nord-Africain (ONA) and said it had committed a “significant investment” as part of its bid. The operator was formerly known as Maroc Connect (MCO) and acquired a next generation wireline licence in 2006.

Morocco’s two incumbents are Maroc Telecom, majority-owned by European entertainment group Vivendi, and Medi Telecom, a joint venture between Spain’s Telefonica and Portugal Telecom.

Morocco had 22.82 million mobile subscribers as of end-2008, representing a penetration rate of 74 per cent, according to the ANRT. Maroc Telecom commands a mobile market share of 63.4 per cent, with Medi Telecom holding 34.7 per cent, and Wana Corporate serving the remaining 1.9 per cent.