VIEW: Mobile News in Iranian Mass Media, Wednesday, May 14, 2008

• Privatization Organization cheers Russians bid for third mobile operator tender
• MegaFon to invest $4.67 billion in third operator
• 21m SIM cards delivered in past 30 months
• Providing refined mobile service for Iranians essential
• Communications Minister must respond to Majlis for increasing SMS rates
• SMS rates change not passed its legal boundaries
• Method of third mobile operator tender defined
• Over 2000 prepaid SIM to be delivered in South Khorasan
• GPRS service available soon
• Communications Minister message for communications intl day
• “Excelling plans or quality development?”
• “New generation of monopoly”
• “Borrowed call”
• A subscribers criticism

Articles Digest:
• Telecom Company of Iran (TCI) Chairman said in an interview with ISNA that registrations for 1.5-million-rial SIM cards start once the first operators license is communicated. This was the major mobile news item published today in the Iranian mass media, including Keyhan, Iran, Saheb-Ghalam, Hayat-e No, Khabar, Quds, Sobh-e Eghtesad, Jahan-e Sanat, Sarmayeh, Farhang-e Ashti, Fanavaran, Ebtekar, Eghtesad-e Pouya, Arman, Siasat-e Rouz, Hemayat and Abrar-e Eghtesadi dailies.
• Russias third-largest mobile phone operator, MegaFon, is prepared to invest around 3 billion euros ($4.64 billion) to build a GSM network in Iran. This was published today in Khorasan, Tehran-e Emrouz, Eghtesad-e Pouya, Saheb Ghalm, Fanavaran, Donya-ye Eghtesad, Jahan-e Sanat, Poul, Abrar and Abrar-e Eghtesadi dailies and MOBNA, IRNA, Fars, Moj and ISNA news agencies.
• Privatization Organization Chairman congratulated the Russias third-largest mobile phone on bidding for Irans third GSM license at the opening of MegoFons representative office in Tehran. This was published today in Arman, Eghtesad-e Pouya, Saheb Ghalam, Fanavaran, Donya-ye Eghtesad and Jahan-e Sanat dailies and ISNA and Moj news agencies.
• MegaFon Chief Executive said at the opening of a representative office in Tehran that they would invest about 3 million euros in Irans third mobile operator. This was published today in Eghtesad-e Pouya, Saheb Ghalam, Fanavaran, Donya-ye Eghtesad and Jahan-e Sanat dailies and ISNA and Moj news agencies.
• Communications Deputy Minister for Education, Research and International Affairs said at the opening of MegaFons representative office in Tehran, that MegaFon and the other investor companies consider Iran as a center for making investment. This was published today in Eghtesad-e Pouya, Saheb Ghalam, Fanavaran and Donya-ye Eghtesad dailies and Moj news agency.
• A member of Telecom Committee at Majlis said in an interview with MOBNA that Communications Minister should reply to Majlis for illegal increase in Latin SMS rates. This was published today in Jamejam, Jahan-e Eghtesad, Sobh-e Eghtesad and Sarmayeh dailies.
• Communications Deputy Minister for Majlis affairs said that over 21 million mobile SIM cards have been delivered allover the country during the past 30 months. This was published today in Jomhroui, Khabar and Iran dailies and IRNA news agency.
• A leading mobile expert said that mobile carriers are obliged to provide refined service for Iranian families. This was published today in Keyhan, Asr-e Eghtesad and Poul dailies and MOBNA and Fars news agencies.
• General Inspection Organization (GIO) General Manager for Inspection and Supervision over Communications said that change in Persian and Latin SMS rates have not passed its legal boundaries in the past year. This was published today in Jamejam and Fanavaran dailies and MOBNA news agency.
• Communications Deputy Minister for Research and International Affairs said about imminent finalization of the third mobile operators license in October. This was published today in Etelaat and Tafahom dailies, IRIB news and Alef news agency. This had been published yesterday in 12 other written media.
• Third mobile operator tenders executive officer said that the method of holding third mobile operator tender finalized after coordinating with RCRO and Telecom Research Center. This was published today in Asr-e Eghtesad and etemad dailies. This had been published yesterday in nine other dailies.
• Telecom Company of North Khorasan Public Relations said about 2,268 Hamrah Aval prepaid SIM cards would be distributed to applicants this week. This was published today in Fanavaran daily.
• Communications Minister, in the occasion of 16th Electric Engineering Confernce of Iran said according to the fourth development plan, the Internet, mobile and landline phone penetration rates must be 30, 35 and 50 percent respectively. This was published today in CITNA and Mehr news agencies.
• Telecom Company of Ghazvin Province CEO said in an interview with MOBNA that its GPRS service will be available within the next months.
• Communications Minister issued a message in the occasion of communications international day, May 16, which exemplifies the ministrys activities during the ninth government.
• MOBNA yesterday published an article titled “Ministers challenge: excelling plans or quality development” that discusses in detail the Communications Ministers focus on local mobile communications development in quantity.
• MOBNA yesterday published an article titled “New generation of monopoly” that discusses in detail problems in TCI privatization and its monopoly in form of private sector.
• Hamshahri daily today published a news item “Borrowed call” that discusses in detail some peoples habit borrowing the others mobile phones for making phone calls.
• Khorasan daily today published a subscribers criticism about TCI failure to launch MMS and GPRS services.