Markets, Algeria, Privatisation, MENA: The imminent transfer of Algeria's telecoms services from state to private ownership is keenly anticipated. During the build-up to final roll-out revenues are expected to show substantial growth. The Arab Advisors Group has issued a report on this exciting issue.

The expected privatization of Algérie Telecom this year should enhance growth in the massive Algerian cellular and fixed market. A new report from Arab Advisors Group fully analyses the Algerian communications markets.

The Telecommunication Law of August 2000 set the rules for enabling competition, and created a regulatory authority in charge of regulating the Algerian telecoms sector. Previously, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication was both the operating and regulatory entity in Algeria with respect to telecommunication services.

Algeria's government had planned to partially privatize Algérie Télécom by the end of 2006, with the government selling 35% of the operator in an Initial Public Offering (IPO). Procedures have still not been finalised and the tender has still not launched but the process is expected to take place over the next twelve months. The Algerian regulator has, however, recently announced that the process has arrived at a point of maturity and the file is currently with the hands of the Algerian government. Algérie Telecom remained the monopoly fixed operator until 2005. The monopoly status ended in May 2005, when the regulator awarded the Consortium Algérien des Telecommunication (CAT) a 15-year renewable licence to provide fixed, international and rural services.

A new report, Algeria Communications Projections Report, has now been released to Arab Advisors Group's strategic research service subscribers.  The report, which has 113 pages and 89 detailed exhibits, fully analyses the communications markets in Algeria and presents detailed profiles of all the major operators including Algérie Telecom, Consortium Algérien des Telecommunication (Lacom), Algérie Télécom Mobile (Mobilis), Orascom Telecom Algérie (Djezzy), Wataniya Telecom Algérie (Nejdma), and other operators such as those in VSAT and VoIP markets.

Arab Advisors Group also profiles all the main vendors in the Algerian market, including Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens, NEC, Huawei and ZTE. Their report also provides five-year historical and five-year projections for many telecom and demographic indicators in the country. This new document can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for US$950. In the meantime, it is possible to contact the Arab Advisors Group to obtain a copy of the report's table of contents.

Arab Advisors Group makes no secret of its support for privatization:

 "The Arab Advisors Group believes that a partially privatized operator will be more attuned to consumer needs and revenue growth. As such the partial privatisation will have a positive impact on the growth of the fixed and mobile market in the following years, with increased investment in the segments," comments Jawad Abbassi, Founder and General Manager of Arab Advisors Group.

* Algeria's mainlines market grew at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.9% during the period from 2002 to 2006. The fixed line network has a relatively low penetration rate, which reached 9.1 % by end of September 2007. The total number of fixed line subscribers reached 3.109 million subscribers in the 3Q07.

more info: www.arabadvisorsgroup.com