The Ministry of Communications has completed the allocation of wireless frequencies to the Palestinian Authority, which will allocate them for a second wireless network in its territory. Wataniya Telecom subsidiary Wataniya Palestine Mobile Telecommunications Company today announced that it had been notified by the Palestinian Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology that an agreement had been reached for spectrum to be allocated to the Palestinian Authority. Wataniya Palestine will establish a second mobile network alongside Palestine Cellular Communication Ltd. (Jawwal).
The Palestinian Authority is allocating the frequencies to Wataniya because Israel is not prepared to allocate them to companies operating in the territories. Sources said that the network will not be set up in the Gaza Strip because Israel refuses to speak with the Hamas government.
In the past, Palestinian companies have needed Israeli contractors to carry out large infrastructure projects, and that will probably be the case for the second cellular network. Baran Group (TASE: BRAN; Pink Sheets:BRANF), and C. Mer Industries Ltd. (TASE: CMER) have been mentioned as possible contractors.
Sources also said that Ericsson AG (NYSE; SAX: ERIC) has already begun preparations for setting up Wataniya Palestine's network and is meeting with Israeli infrastructure companies to carry out some of the work.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 31, 2008
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