Lebanon

23 May 2013 Touch launches commercial LTE
20 May 2013 Alfa launches commercial LTE in Beirut
19 Apr 2013 70% of phones illegally imported, officials claim at launch of IMEI scheme
17 Apr 2013 MoT suspends Safico’s preliminary VoIP award as it hammers out licensing details
8 Apr 2013 Touch, Huawei trial 250Mbps LTE FDD 800MHz/1800MHz carrier aggregation
11 Mar 2013 Lebanon, Cyta sign Europa cable construction MoU, Alexandros capacity agreement
28 Feb 2013 Minister given two months to prepare mobile tender terms
15 Feb 2013 New mobile tender on the cards, government adviser says
12 Feb 2013 Alfa invites the 4G-curious to LTE test
11 Jan 2013 Cabinet releasing delayed USD1.2bn in telecoms revenue funding to municipalities
10 Jan 2013 Alfa implements pre-paid voice roaming
3 Jan 2013 Minister plans mobile sector overhaul
7 Nov 2012 April 2013 date set for domestic fibre completion, paving way for 4G, FTTH
5 Nov 2012 Alfa tests LTE
20 Sep 2012 Grin and Beirut: Touch feels one more year before 3G makes total sense
22 Jun 2012 Cellco’s brand image gets a Touch up
13 Jun 2012 Alfa optimising 3G network with Astellia
30 Mar 2012 National fibre upgrade to be finished ‘within months’
30 Mar 2012 STC remains interested in Lebanon
26 Mar 2012 MTC allows Alfa roaming
6 Mar 2012 Future is Orange for Solidere
20 Feb 2012 Real estate firm makes plans for FTTB Beirut network with Cisco
3 Jan 2012 Another 60 exchange areas get 1Mbps-plus services
19 Dec 2011 95% of exchanges to receive improved DSL soon
16 Dec 2011 USD110m pledged for mobile networks
6 Dec 2011 ADSL upgrade reaches 56 regions
21 Nov 2011 Cooperation on EUROPA Cyprus-Lebanon cable confirmed
7 Nov 2011 ADSL prices now below Arab average for capped plans; 3G prices above average
21 Oct 2011 Minister reveals commercial 3G packages to launch on 1 November
10 Oct 2011 Ogero says DSL equipment now in place to deliver promised speeds
26 Sep 2011 Lebanese 3G pilots take off
26 Sep 2011 October DSL speed increase eagerly anticipated
6 Jul 2011 Bandwidth bonanza boosts buoyant Beirut: submarine link finally on
13 Jun 2011 TRA powers suspended to protect 3G launch
10 Jun 2011 Ministry says mobile users reach 3m, tariffs to drop by 25%-50%
12 Apr 2011 Cedarcom confirms position against Lebanon’s 3G plans
1 Mar 2011 Alfa partners Ericsson to roll out Lebanon’s first W-CDMA/HSPA network
23 Feb 2011 Alfa bets on another year with Orascom
14 Feb 2011 Two ISPs sue telecoms ministry
25 Jun 2010 New VoIP clampdown in Lebanon
4 Jun 2010 Lebanon cuts expectations of mobile privatisation proceeds in half
31 Mar 2010 Telecoms Minister announces fibre upgrades, DSL expansion
5 Feb 2010 Orascom's management contract of Alfa extended until July
1 Feb 2010 Mobile network privatisation decision by year-end, says minister
9 Dec 2009 Alfa launches BlackBerry, continues strengthening network
9 Dec 2009 Etisalat expecting Libyan licence by year-end; eyes Lebanese market
28 Oct 2009 Cyta signs cooperation agreements with STE and OGERO
5 Oct 2009 Lebanon's Alfa updates network rollout progress
26 Aug 2009 Ogero’s IP development is in the Zhone
11 May 2009 Alfa throws down gauntlet to MTC Touch
6 May 2009 MTC Touch expands capacity to 1.2m, deploys 150 new sites
27 Apr 2009 Ericsson completes phase 1 of Alfa’s network modernisation
17 Apr 2009 Etisalat to bid for Syrian mobile licence, still interested in Lebanon
4 Mar 2009 Mobi to expand iBurst access to nearly three-quarters of population
19 Feb 2009 New cable to boost internet, expected in two months
13 Jan 2009 Zain renews MTC Touch contract for a year, Orascom to manage Alfa
12 Jan 2009 France Telecom, Zain and Orascom bid to operate mobile networks
18 Dec 2008 Mobile privatisation: buck passes to next government
1 Dec 2008 Government approves plan to improve mobile services, signals the end of Alfa contract
30 Oct 2008 That’s rich: mobile capacity to be increased to bump up auction value
29 Sep 2008 Minister reveals ADSL expansion plans
26 Sep 2008 Privatisation decision this month
17 Sep 2008 Kuwaiti conglomerate lines up for Lebanese licence
13 Aug 2008 New cabinet opens door for mobile privatisation
6 May 2008 Politics delays Lebanon’s mobile auction again
10 Mar 2008 Zain confirms Lebanon bid
20 Feb 2008 PESCO deploys Aperto WiMAX infrastructure
18 Feb 2008 Alfa signs up NSN to replace base stations
23 Jan 2008 Lebanon postpones mobile network sale
2 Jan 2008 Lebanese mobile auction: Qtel in
13 Nov 2007 Comium and Redline aim for nationwide WiMAX coverage by mid-2008
6 Nov 2007 Orascom to join Zain, Batelco in Lebanon mobile auction
29 Oct 2007 Zain wants to remain in Lebanon
10 Oct 2007 Lebanon’s mobile privatisation set for February
17 Aug 2007 Minister promises to address costly mobile calls
29 May 2007 TRA confirms licensing plans
16 May 2007 ADSL now available in Lebanon
9 May 2007 Cedarcom to offer ADSL based on Nokia-Siemens platform
27 Apr 2007 Cedarcom joins iBurst roaming agreement
13 Apr 2007 DSL date now set for 5 May
12 Apr 2007 Minister still expects mobile licensing this year
22 Mar 2007 Lebanon’s new regulator set for launch
15 Feb 2007 MTN back on acquisition trail in Middle East
12 Feb 2007 Lebanese cellular sell-off expected in September/October
11 Dec 2006 Cedarcom deploys mobile broadband access network
17 Nov 2006 Alcatel and GDS trial Lebanese WiMAX
8 Nov 2006 DSL to launch in March
25 Sep 2006 Lebanon telecoms liberalisation ‘still on track’
31 Aug 2006 Investcom’s subscribers up 86%
21 Aug 2006 Operators count cost of war
18 Jul 2006 MTN pays USD3.6 billion first installment for Investcom
10 Jul 2006 Lebanese government plans privatisation windfall
5 Jun 2006 Cellis arbitration argument rumbles on
5 May 2006 Ogero slashes international tariffs to combat illegal call services
3 May 2006 MTN to acquire Investcom for USD5.5 billion; Investcom to pull out of Millicom bid
16 Mar 2006 Five year programme calls for telecoms sell-off
21 Feb 2006 Syria accused of SIM card violations in Lebanon
26 Jan 2006 Lebanese broadband launch looks nearer with Alcatel deal
4 Jan 2006 DSL due in March/April, ‘European’ prices promised
5 Dec 2005 Lebanon prepares for DSL in 2006
29 Nov 2005 New Ogero head criticises state handling of mobile market
19 Oct 2005 Minister wants 100% privatisation plan approved by December
5 Oct 2005 Mobile operator demands apology from former minister
30 Sep 2005 MTC denies PM murder probe
26 Sep 2005 Investcom launches Dubai IPO
19 Sep 2005 Investcom plans double IPO
25 Aug 2005 Ogero to blame for low internet penetration
16 Aug 2005 New PM backs privatisation plan
15 Jun 2005 MTC to make government an offer for Lebanese cellco
12 May 2005 Suit against Lebanese government thrown out of US court
27 Apr 2005 Outgoing telecoms minister remains bullish about four year reign
15 Apr 2005 Pre-pay rates are highest in the Middle East
16 Mar 2005 State to counter-sue following US court ruling
10 Mar 2005 Government guilty of dishonourable disqualification over mobile management
24 Feb 2005 State locked in argument with FT over Cellis
15 Feb 2005 State-backed cellcos boost revenues in 2004
23 Sep 2004 Preparation of new privatisation process made a priority
17 Aug 2004 Country faced with mobile boycott
13 Jul 2004 Lebanon braces itself for Thursday’s mobile boycott
9 Jul 2004 Unions urge mobile subscribers to boycott airwaves
22 Apr 2004 MTC and Detecon will take over mobile networks by June
30 Mar 2004 Nine bids received for mobile network management
19 Feb 2004 One more try for mobile privatisation
3 Feb 2004 Mobile privatisation delayed
12 Jan 2004 Government to investigate botched bidding
17 Oct 2003 Government begins telecoms privatisation
29 Sep 2003 Mobile privatisation finally gathers momentum
16 Jun 2003 Regulating Lebanon: an end to the bickering
3 Jun 2003 Wataniya mulls Lebanese partnership plan