Japan’s DoCoMo sets eyes on Middle East wireless market (Japan)NTT DoCoMo Inc, Japan’s largest wireless operator said it’’s in talks with Middle East carriers- Qatar Telecom QSC, Emirates Telecommunications Corp. and Saudi Telecom Co., as the company intends to expand its overseas business.
While speaking in an interview, Toshinari Kunieda, senior vice-president of Global Business at DoCoMo expressed the company’s keenness in the Middle East and Africa and didn’t rule out the possibility of future partnerships with the Middle East carriers.
A stake in a Middle East firm would ensure DoMoCo an easy access to markets of Egypt and South Africa. Emirates Telecommunications and Saudi Telecom, the Arab region’s two largest phone carriers, operate in countries such as Egypt and Indonesia, while Saudi Telecom has customer base in countries like Turkey and South Africa.Earlier in the month, DoMoCo acquired 30 percent stake in Bangladesh’s mobile-phone carrier TM International Ltd. for $305 million.
