2 Mobile Operators Offer New Services in Iran

EghtesadOnline: Two major local mobile operators, Mobile Telecommunication Company of Iran (MCI) and RighTel, have unveiled new services hoping to grab a bigger slice of the growing local online media market.

News ID: ۷۴۲۸۶۷

19 July 2017

During ceremonies reported by local technology website Digiato on July 16, the two companies introduced several new offers including  individual online TV services.

> RighTel

At company headquarters RighTel CEO Majid Sadri unveiled projects that included the ability to provide private firms with infrastructure for MVNO services.

A Mobile Virtual Network Operator is a wireless communications service provider that does not own the mobile network infrastructure over which it provides services to customers but instead pays a fee to the network operator(s), according to Financial Tribune.

RighTel unveiled a system for separating Internet usage; dividing it into domestic traffic and international traffic.

According to the Communication Regulatory Authority (CRA), users should be charged 50% less for using the domestic network compared to fees for using the international web. The move is aimed at motivating Internet subscribers to use the National Information Network and the businesses operating through the local network more and pay less.

The operator’s IPTV service was also showcased. Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is the delivery of television content over computer networks based on the Internet Protocol (IP), rather than through traditional terrestrial, satellite, and cable TV.

> MCI

The MCI chief Vahid Sadouqi unveiled the latest services and also spoke about his company’s balance sheet over the past few years.

“During the past four years (Iran’s fiscal year ends in March) MCI earned 370 billion rials ($9.8 million). Of this amount 100 billion rials was net profit ($2.7 million),” Sadouqi said.

The company paid 192 billion rials ($5.1 million) to the government in corporate tax.

MCI, he said, has a 59% share of the local mobile market and its network has an 83.6% penetration rate. Furthermore, the company has been ranked as the best local mobile operator by the CRA.

Later Sadouqi unveiled the operator’s new services which MCI has invested 14.7 billion rials ($393,000). This includes its IPTV service  ‘Pardis’ that will be available to subscribers via mobile applications.

The operator also launched an e-learning website that is free.

Along with the new services, the company has also forged a deal with Nokia for developing 5G technology in Iran.

5G stands for fifth generation and refers to the next mobile standard, although a formal standard for 5G is yet to be set.