Syriatel
 | |
Native name | سيريتل |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public |
| ISIN | SY0031100322 |
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Damascus, Syria |
| Products | GSM / 3G, 4G / LTE |
| Revenue | 646,468,156,345 Syrian pound (2022)  |
| 157,085,125,181 Syrian pound (2022) | |
| 128,783,097,159 Syrian pound (2022) | |
| Total assets | 1,109,760,445,227 Syrian pound (2022) |
Number of employees | 3,931 (2022) |
| Website | https://www.syriatel.sy/ |
Syriatel (Arabic: سيريتل) is a mobile network provider in Syria.[1] It is one of the only two providers in Syria, the other being MTN Syria.[2] In 2022 the Syrian telecommunications authority awarded the third telecom license to Wafa Telecom.[3] It offers LTE with 150 Mb/s speeds, under the brand name Super Surf.[4]
History
Syriatel was founded in January 2000, with its headquarters in Damascus, Syria. The Government licenses two private companies to supply mobile phone services, Syriatel and "94". Orascom provided the management. The license with the Government was a Build-own-transfer (BOT) contract for 15 years.[5] In 2017 Syriatel introduced 4G speeds offering 150 Mb/s speeds, branded Super Surf.[4] On 5 June 2020, a Syrian court ordered Syriatel be placed under judicial custody.[6]
Ownership
When the company was founded in 2000, Syriatel was owned by the Egyptian telecommunications company Orascom (25%) and Rami Makhlouf (75%), cousin of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.[7][8] In 2003, Orascom sold its ownership in Syriatel.[9]
Company
The company is owned by Rami Makhlouf, cousin of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.[7][8] The company had approximately 3,500 employees and 8 million customers as of 2016.[10] It is headquartered on Sehnaya Road in Damascus.[10]
Technologies
Syriatel operate a network of GSM 900 / 1800 & 3G 2100 & 4G 1800 cellular networks.
Sanctions
In 2011 the European Union imposed sanctions on Syriatel in order to intensify pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.[11]
References
- ^ "Syria awards mobile phone licences". BBC News. 22 January 2001. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- ^ "MTN Syria 2010 Profit Up 83% to $132 Million on Customer Rise". Bloomberg.com. 21 February 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- ^ "Syria awards third mobile telecoms licence to Wafa -state media". Reuters. 2022-02-21. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
- ^ a b "Super Surf | Syriatel". www.syriatel.sy. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- ^ Fleming, Daniel (2006). Global Challenges - Local Responses An Institutional Perspective on Economic Transformation in Asia. Roskilde University. p. 239.
- ^ "Syrian court orders Syriatel placed under judicial custody". Reuters. June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020 – via www.reuters.com.
- ^ a b "Syria crackdown condemned by US". BBC News. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Syria begins shakedown of wealthiest businessmen as war debts spiral". The Telegraph. 25 December 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- ^ "Orascom completes ownership pull out from Syriatel". Al Bawaba. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
- ^ a b "Syriatel Mobile Telecom, About". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ "EU sanctions target mobile phone Syriatel". Reuters. 2011-09-24. Retrieved 2022-05-15.
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