Public Wi-Fi Offer by Iran Mobile Operator

EghtesadOnline: RighTel, the third largest mobile network operator is set to provide public WiFi services, according to an announcement by the company.

News ID: ۷۷۲۹۲۸

05 January 2017

In an interview with ISNA, Majid Sadri, CEO of RighTel said his company is negotiating with municipalities in several cities to offer the Wi-Fi services.

The firm which was the first to provide 3G mobile Internet in 2013 is now trying to expand and offer its new service to anyone with a laptop, tablet or cell phone.

Sadri said, “Negotiations are underway between RighTel and state organizations to launch the service in government offices.”

He added that RighTel would not charge the government agencies for the service and would also pay for the installation costs, Financial Tribune reported.

RighTel says it had six million subscribers nationwide until December 2016.

Reza Khalili, of the Telecommunications Company of Tehran (TCT), said last month the infrastructure for delivering Wi-Fi in public spaces is ready. However, the service never took off for hitherto unknown reasons.

The TCT representative's comments follow those by Mohammad Ali Yousefi, the CEO of another Internet provider, AsiaTech, who said earlier that his firm would make available public Wi-Fi services with speeds of up to 155 megabytes by March 2016.

That company intended to offer Wi-Fi in more than 100 locations, including hotels, airports, shopping malls and train stations -- that also never happened.

It is likely that RighTel customers will be charged on their monthly phone bill. However the company has not clarified how it intends people to pay for the service.