Last year Oman was catapulted to the forefront of the region’s telecoms sector through the decision by the sultanate’s regulatory authority to licence and award mobile reseller licences. While Jordan’s regulator preceded its Omani counterpart in terms of creating the first regulatory framework for the introduction of such a class of licensee in the region, the initiative passed to Oman as it became the first market in which agreements between a service operator and licensees were actually ratified

Oman’s two mobile reseller licensees – Friendi Mobile and Renna (Majan Telecommunication), are in the final stages of launching their commercial services respectively, having originally given a guide of looking to launch within Q109.

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Zain Group CEO Saad Al-Barrak is set to act as interim CEO of the mobile conglomerate’s Saudi operation, following news that the current incumbent Marwan Alahmadi was due to leave the post at the end of March

Al-Barrak’s takeover of the day-to-day management of Zain Saudi underlines the importance of the operation

Alahmadi is set to remain a board member of Zain Saudi Arabia, an operation that launched commercial 2G and 3.5G services in August 2008, and added 2.01 million users by the end of the year, reflecting a market share of seven per cent.

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Africa’s largest mobile operator MTN Group has re-shuffled its key management in its African subsidiaries, the with company’s president and CEO, Phuthuma Nhleko, saying the appointments will go a long way towards helping MTN to achieve its vision of being the leading telecoms player in emerging markets.

Themba Khumalo, the current CEO of MTN Rwanda is to take over as the new CEO of MTN Uganda. Previously Khumalo was an executive at MTN South Africa before his appointment as CEO of MTN Swaziland.

Khaled Mikkawi, former CEO of the MTN operation in Liberia, will become the CEO of MTN Rwanda. Mikkawi was with Investcom for nine years before the company was acquired by MTN in 2006.

Erik van Veen, the current COO of MTN Uganda, is the new CEO of MTN Zambia.

MTN Guinea Bissau CEO, Frans Joubert, has been appointed CEO of MTN’s operation in Liberia. Anthony Masozera, the current CFO for MTN Rwanda, will become the new CEO of MTN Guinea Bissau, while Wim Vanhelleputte has been appointed CEO of MTN Côte d’Ivoire. Vanhelleputte joined MTN from another mobile operator where he served as CEO.

Qatar’s telecoms regulator, ictQATAR has amended the licence awarded to Vodafone, granting the licensee an additional six months to achieve national coverage requirements. Under the terms of its original licence Vodafone Qatar was required to achieve 98 per cent population coverage and launch full services by March 1, 2009. The revised terms require 98 per cent coverage by September 1, 2009 and the commercial launch of services by July 1, 2009.

ictQATAR says that it took the decision to amend the licence due to the unforeseen delays experienced by Vodafone Qatar in agreeing interconnection with Qtel as well as site sharing arrangements. Only last month did Vodafone enter a tower sharing deal with Qtel and confirm an interconnect agreement.

“Despite the fact that Vodafone Qatar has not met the initial target dates set out in its licence, ictQATAR is satisfied with the progress that has been made on network development and interconnection with Qtel, and looks forward to the launch of competitive telecommunications service in Qatar in the near future,” commented Hessa Al-Jaber, ictQATAR secretary general

Following the licence term amendments, ictQATAR decided not to cash the performance bonds it holds against Vodafone Qatar’s coverage obligations amounting to QAR 110 million (US$30 million). ictQATAR plans to continue to hold these performance bonds as security to ensure the revised coverage obligations are met.

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