Maroc Telecom launches high-speed mobile service

Maroc Telecom has launched high-speed mobile phone services, including mobile broadband, video calling and games in all of Morocco's major cities.

The Moroccan operator started the new services, which run on 3.5G mobile technology, to increase the average revenue it gets from its 13 million mobile phone customers.

Maroc Telecom bought the licence to run a 3G network from Morocco's telecoms regulator, the Agence Nationale de Reglementations des Telecommunications, in May 2006.

The operator is the fourth largest in the Middle East by number of customers. Only Mobile Company of Iran, Saudi Telecom and Mobinil in Egypt have more customers. The Moroccan operator also owns 51 per cent of Mauritel in Mauritania.

French media conglomerate Vivendi owns 51 per cent of Maroc Telecom; the remaining 49 per cent is listed on the Casablanca and Paris stock exchanges.