Nawras begins 4G technology trials (Oman)
Telecom operator Nawras has begun testing 4G technology to launch the service commercially for its consumers. According to reports CEO Ross Cormack told the Oman News Agency that 3G coverage by the company in the sultanate now stood at 53 percent, compared to 87 percent for broadband.
He added that after launching 3G in 2007, Nawras was keen to expand the service to customers across the country. He did not say when he hoped the 4G network would go live. Fourth generation networks will be able to deliver high speed data downloads including high definition (HD) broadband and mobile TV services.
Cormack said the number of subscribers with Nawras stood at 1.9 million by the end of 2011 while the number of fixed line customers totalled 27,000.
Nawras introduces first-of-its-kind off peak mobile broadband bundle (Oman)
Nawras, Oman’s customer friendly communications provider, has launched another exciting first with an off peak monthly mobile broadband bundle of 100GB of data for both Nawras Ajel and Nawras Mousbak customers. This innovative offer allows customers to enjoy music, movies and other heavy downloads from 2am until 9am with its generous monthly data bundle. This offer comes with a monthly subscription of only US$ 18.2.
Customers choosing to opt in to this new service can use the off peak plan on any day, alongside their existing bundle. Nawras is the only operator in Oman to offer an off peak bundle plan for mobile broadband and this is the latest carefully designed data plan introduced to meet the varying usage styles of different customers.
As per the company, Mohamed Dilshard Anzary, Senior Manager Broadband and BlackBerry, said that they always adopt an innovative approach to their products and services. For the first time in the Sultanate, Nawras mobile broadband customers can now enjoy off peak data with fantastic value to handle heavy downloads overnight and not affect their regular data bundle.
He added that they are continuing to invest in their network to support broadband growth and at the same time, improving customer experiences by developing pleasingly different services.
Nawras launches postpaid service ‘Business Ajel Share’ for corporate customers (Oman)
In response to the growing needs of the business community, Nawras has launched an exciting, new postpaid tariff plan for corporate customers. ‘Business Ajel Share’ offers the attractive advantage of fixed rate calls to any local number in Oman with shared minutes which can be used by anyone subscribed to the plan within the company.
Offered with a choice of five bundles for companies to choose from, the starting bundle with up to 10 lines for US$ 180 per month is designed for Small to Medium Enterprises. Packed with 2,000 built in minutes to any destination in Oman, the minutes can be used around the clock. Larger companies using this service can provide postpaid lines to almost twice as many employees than possible with a normal postpaid service, without incurring additional monthly line rentals costs.
When people are travelling or away from the office on holiday, the flexible bundle of pooled minutes means calling time can be used by other colleagues. With this new tariff plan, companies can best utilise their mobile telecommunications spend by enjoying the benefits of fantastic calling rates while knowing that their employees will never run out of credit.
With no monthly line fee, ‘Business Ajel Share’ mobile postpaid tariff plan gives a monthly bundle of national minutes that can be shared among all employees, allowing companies to benefit from every minute purchased. Customers who exceed their allocated minutes will enjoy a flat low calling rate as low as US$ 0.58.
As per the company, Ali Bakhit Hassan Kashoob, Nawras Product Manager – Business, has said that ‘Business Ajel Share’ packages deliver the best value for business mobile services in the Sultanate today. He added that they have tailored the packages to suit the varying requirements of businesses based on their size and average call usage, to reduce overall costs and contribute to operational efficiency.
He also said that Nawras is committed to enriching the lives of people in Oman through better communication services. Given that most business customers are constantly on the move, cost-effective mobile solutions are critical to enhancing productivity and performance. With Business Ajel Share, they have introduced a solution with our signature pleasingly different approach by understanding the needs and requirements of corporations and SMEs across the Sultanate.
Presenting a wide range of options that are easy to use and easy to control, the new package is compatible with existing Nawras Business Postpaid products such as Business Group, formerly known as the Closed User Group. Customers wishing to sign up or upgrade their existing services can do so via their assigned Account Manager or visit the nearest Nawras Store.
Nawras offers International Credit Transfer service in eight new countries (Oman)
Responding to great customer feedback and the popularity of the Nawras Mousbak International Credit Transfer service, the operator has added eight new countries to its list of operator partners. This allows customers to conveniently transfer credit to friends and family abroad in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Syria, Morocco, Tanzania, Turkey and Iraq in addition to India, Pakistan, Philippines, Bangladesh and Egypt.
Ammar Al-Lawati, Nawras Payment Services Manager, said that the success of Nawras Mousbak International Credit Transfer service is due to their pleasingly different approach as they strive to continuously grow their innovative range of services to help and delight customers.
He added that Nawras Mousbak customers can now get closer to more friends and family abroad by transferring airtime to prepaid customers of over 25 different operators in 13 countries. International Credit Transfers of up to US$ 49.3 per month can be sent in a safe, fast, convenient, reliable and cost effective manner.
Nawras offers Samsung Galaxy Note with free data (Oman, South Korea)
Communications provider Nawras, has joined hands with Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., to offer users the latest Samsung Galaxy Note. The deal priced at US$ 779 also includes 500MB of free mobile broadband internet data to be used over the first three months as well as a free Nawras Ajel postpaid SIM card.
The Samsung Galaxy Note, launched as a hybrid between the tablet computer and a mobile phone, features the world’s first and largest 5.3” HD Super AMOLED display. Further, an advanced pen-input technology, called the S Pen, combines with Galaxy Note’s full touch screen to introduce a unique customer experience.
The device features a 1.4GHz dual-core processor that ensures the performance of Galaxy Note is incredibly fast and it provides a smooth customer interface with seamless usability. Additionally, the Galaxy Note features an advanced 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 2MP front camera.
As per a company release, Nawras customers can continue to enjoy a value-packed, monthly mobile broadband plan with 500MB of data for US$ 8. Also, in the event that a consumer uses the included data before the end of the plan, an additional 150MB of data can be added to bridge the gap until the next plan starts, for US$ 2.5.
Qtel reports record 2010 revenue of US$7.5 billion
Qatar Telecom (Qtel) announced that 2010 full year Group revenue increased 13.1% to end 2010 at QAR27.2 billion (US$7.47 billion), as the Group’s consolidated customer base reached 74.1 million (FY 2009: 60.4 million).
Distributable earnings for 2010 including profits from the Nawras IPO taken directly to retained earnings increased by 21.3% to QAR3.4 billion (US$927.5 million). Earnings per Share (EPS) for 2010 grew 2.2% to QAR 19.69.
As part of the Group’s diversification strategy, Qtel has maintained solid operational and financial progress, successfully balancing the management of competitive pressure to maintain market share in mature markets with the ongoing development of operations in growth markets.
Key highlights of the year include the roll-out of Fibre-to-the-Home in Qatar, the successful implementation of a value-driven strategy by Indosat in Indonesia, strong revenue growth in Algeria leading to a first annual net profit for Nedjma, the successful defence of market leadership position in Tunisia, the launch of fixed line and home broadband services by Nawras in Oman and continued subscriber growth for Asiacell in Iraq.
The Group also successfully launched IPOs in Oman and Palestine, saw strong support for a 10-year Bond for Indosat and for the Qtel Group’s bond sale, which was more than ten times oversubscribed.
Qatar Telecom (Qtel) provides a full range of telecommunications services in Qatar and across its presence in 17 countries. Our vision is to be among the top 20 telecommunications companies in the world by 2020 through expansion in both the MENA region and South East Asia.
Sama Telecom wins third Oman licence
Sama Telecommunications (Samatel) has won Oman’s third telecom licence, according to a decree issued by Sultan Qaboos.
According to reports, the ‘Class 1′ licence enables the operator to set up and operate a system to provide general international telecommunication services for 15 years. The value or any other details of the concession have not been disclosed.
Samatel will join the Sultanate’s two existing operators, incumbent Oman Telecommunications (Omantel) and Nawras, the latter of which is controlled by Qatar’s Qtel. Samatel is said to have broken Omantel’s monopoly in the wireless market in 2004.
Nawras announces final price for shares in IPO (Qatar)
Qtel subsidiary Nawras has announced the final price for shares in its IPO, which was fully subscribed, will be 702 Omani baisas per share.
Nawras shares will begin trading at 700 baisas per share on the Muscat Securities Exchange on November 3 under the ticker ‘nwrs’. This will value the company at an initial market capitalization of 456 million Omani rials.
Category I investors will receive 100% of the shares they applied for and Category II investors, 91.8%. Category I investors will receive a refund of 200 baisas for each share applied for, which will be payable, to their bank accounts commencing on October 31. Following the IPO, 40% of the shares will be in free float with Qtel retaining 55% of the company and 5% held by Omani pension funds.
According to Qtel, the IPO raised 182 million Omani rials for the selling shareholders making it, by value, the largest IPO in Oman since 2005 and the largest in the GCC since July 2009. All selling shareholders, with the exception of Nawras Development, retain a stake in Nawras, including TDC-Qtel MENA Investcom, which is controlled by Qtel and the pension funds of the Diwan of the Royal Court, the Ministry of Defence, the Royal Office, the Internal Security Service and the Sultan’s Special Force.
Qtel added, Nawras has delivered strong shareholder returns since launch and is now a full service telecommunications company following the successful launch of its fixed line business in mid-2010.
Nawras Q3 net profit climbs 62%
Oman’s second national telecoms operator, Omani-Qatari Telecommunications Company (Nawras), has reported net profit for the third quarter ended 30 September 2010 of US$32 million, an increase of 62.3% year-on-year.
As per reports, revenue for the three-month period totaled US$123.89 million, an increase of 13.3% compared to the previous year, while the company’s third-quarter EBITDA jumped almost 30% year-on-year to US$65.97 million.
According to Nawras, growth was driven by increasing subscriber numbers; the company’s mobile customer base increased 13% year-on-year to 2.01 million, while around 5,000 customers subscribed to Nawras’ fixed line services, which were launched in May and July 2010 for business and residential users, respectively.
The results comprise a non-recurring provision of US$4.67 million for one-off payments to staff related to the launch of fixed line services, as well as its initial public offering (IPO).
Nawras, which was founded in 2004 by a consortium comprising Qatar incumbent Qtel (which owns a 55% stake in the company), Danish counterpart TDC (15%) and a number of Omani investors (30%), is offering 260 million shares in Oman’s first IPO in two years. The firm plans to set the final share price on 31 October, with a listing expected to take place on 3 November.
Nawras IPO now open for subscription
Nawras, the Sultanate of Oman’s customer-friendly communications provider, has announced its initial public offering (IPO) is now open for subscription. The IPO of 40% of Nawras’ total share capital is open to Omani and non-Omani individuals and institutional investors and will close for subscription on 14 October 2010.
According to Ross Cormack, the Chief Executive Officer of Nawras, this is the moment when the customers and investors across the Sultanate and internationally will have the opportunity to share in the company’s future through participation in IPO. The company focuses on improving communication in Oman for the past five years has seen successful growth by offering fixed line and broadband services. Now is the right time for the company to welcome new investors to participate in this true Omani success story.
There are two categories of potential investors who can apply. Category one investors will initially subscribe at the top of the price range at 902 baisas for a 100 baisa share. Any refunds will depend on the final pricing and the final allocation of shares to investors. 70% of the offering is open to retail investors and 30% is open to category two or institutional investors who will participate in the book-building process. Category I investors can apply for a minimum of 500 shares in multiples of 100 up to a maximum of 500,000 shares and Category II investors can apply for a minimum of 500,100 shares up to a maximum of 26,037,700 shares, or 10% of the Offer.
According to Nawas the Offer will close on October 14, 2010. Thereafter, the final share price will be determined on the basis of the book-building process and is expected to be announced on October 24. All investors will be allotted shares at the final share price which may be lower than the subscription price for Category I investors. In the event of over-subscription, shares will be allocated on a proportional basis.
All investors will be allotted shares at the final share price which may be lower than the subscription price for category one investors. Nawras shares are expected to be listed on the Muscat Securities Market (MSM) on October 27.
