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Maroc Telecom

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Maroc Telecom
Company typePublic
Euronext Paris:IAM
IndustryTelecommunications
FoundedFebruary 3, 1998;26 years ago(1998-02-03)
HeadquartersRabat,Morocco
Key people
Abdeslam Ahizoune,Chairman&CEO
Laurent Mairot,CFO
ProductsLandline phones,Mobile phone lines,Fiber-optic Internet,ADSL,4G+
RevenueIncreaseUS$3,6 billion (2018)
IncreaseUS$610 million (2018)
Owners
Number of employees
10,609 (2018)
Websitehttp:// iam.ma

Maroc Telecom(Acronym:IAM,Arabic:اتصالات المغرب) is the maintelecommunicationscompany inMorocco.[1][2]Currently employing around 11,178 employees, it is the largest telecommunications network in the country with 8 regional delegations and 220 offices present across Morocco. The company is listed on both theCasablanca Stock ExchangeandEuronext Paris.

History

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See also:Postal history of Morocco

The origin of a Moroccan telecommunications project dates back to 1891, when SultanHassan Icreated the first Moroccan postal service. In 1913, the MoroccanPostal Telephone and Telegraphwas established before aDahir(King'sdecree) related to the monopoly of the state ofTelegraphyandTelephonywas published.

In 1967, Morocco placed the firstunderwatercablebetweenTetouan,Morocco, andPerpignan,France, through theMediterranean.A few years later, in 1970, a transmission viaINTELSATwas introduced. TheTelexservice was then automated in 1971 just before installing adigitalcenter inFes.

Due to the advancement of telecommunications around the globe, Morocco decided to create a new entity called theOffice National des Postes et Télécommunications(ONPT) to manage the industry. ONPT was responsible of the introduction of Analog Mobile Radiotelephony in 1987. Later on, in 1992, Morocco set up the first underwateroptical fiber cable.Two years later, a GSM service was operational. The Internet was introduced in Morocco byONPTin 1995.

After the publication of a telecommunications' decree, Maroc Telecom (IAM) was eventually founded in 1998. The acronymIAMcomes from its original Arabic nameIttisalat Al Maghrib.[3]The name "Maroc Telecom" was adopted later for better international recognizability.

Privatization

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On 20 February 2001, the Moroccan government sold 35% of Maroc Telecom's shares to Frenchmass mediacompanyVivendi.The transaction amounted to 23 Billiondirhams.[4]On 4 January 2005 Vivendi acquired an additional 16% for 12.4 billiondirhamsraising its participation to 51%.[5]In October 2007, theCDGceded, via its subsidiaryFilpar Holding,2% of Maroc Telecom to Vivendi in exchange of 0.6% of Vivendi's shares, putting the total shares owned by Vivendi to 53%.[6]

In 2006, the company reported a turnover of $2.67 bn. The custom base was established at 1.27m lines for the landline and at 391,000 lines for the ADSL.[7]

In July 2013, it was announced that the firm’s majority owner,Vivendi,would sell its 53% stake in the firm toEtisalatfor around $4.2 billion.[8]

In 2016, Maroc Telecom introduced fiber optics to the country with speeds up to 200 Mbits/s.

Activities

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Land lines

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It consists of the provision of public phones throughout Morocco. The fixed park reaches 1.6 million lines.

Mobile phones

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Mobile servicesare provided via aGSMnetwork. Maroc Telecom counted 33 million customers at the end of October 2012. Its network covers 97% of theMoroccan population. It also has 12.5 million customers in Mali, Gabon, Burkina Faso and Mauritania. It is one of the most profitable phone operators in Africa with a revenue of 2.2 billion euros during the first 9 months of 2012.[9]

Maroc Telecom launched4G+in Morocco on July 13, 2015.[10]

Customer support

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Customer support does only propose contacting by phone to a special number and not via a contact form like most of telecommunication companies.[11]

Projects and investments

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On June 1, 2006, IAM launched theIPTVpackage deployed byHuaweiTechnology[12]via theADSLline. The service was the first of its kind inAfricaand theMiddle East.

In July 2006, Maroc Telecom signed with theFrenchtelecommunicationsequipment companyAlcatela contract for asubmarine communications cableconnection between Morocco and France. Maroc Telecom's aim is to upgrade the capacity of its services (i.e.broadbandservices,call centers). The project cost €26 million and was named "Atlas Offshore".[13]

In December 2006, IAM invested inBurkina Faso’sONATEL,acquiring 51% of its capital.[14]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Morocco: Maroc Telecom losing ground to market challengers Inwi and Orange".The Africa Report.2021-11-12.Retrieved2022-02-04.
  2. ^"Maroc Telecom is the best brand in Morocco, according to Brand Finance".Atalayar.25 October 2021.Retrieved2022-02-04.
  3. ^"Itissalat Al Maghrib Ste SA (IAM.CS)".Reuters.Archived fromthe originalon 2017-12-01.Retrieved2017-11-26.
  4. ^M. K. (2000-12-22)."Maroc Telecom épouse Vivendi".L'Economiste.Retrieved24 September2012.
  5. ^Bensalem FENNASSI (5 January 2005)."Fourtou remet le chèque".Aujourd'hui le Maroc.Retrieved25 October2012.
  6. ^"Télécommunications: Vivendi monte à 53% dans le capital de Maroc Telecom".Le Matin.16 October 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 20 July 2016.Retrieved25 October2012.
  7. ^The Report: Emerging Morocco 2007.Oxford Business Group.ISBN9781902339764.
  8. ^Sassard, Sophie (22 July 2013)."Vivendi to announce Maroc Telecom sale to Etisalat - sources".Reuters.
  9. ^"Maroc Télécom: la croissance internationale se poursuit".Jeune Afrique.Archived fromthe originalon 2012-11-01.Retrieved2012-11-03.
  10. ^TeleGeography."Maroc Telecom to launch '4G+' on 13 July".telegeography.Retrieved26 November2017.
  11. ^"Aide".Retrieved5 March2020.
  12. ^China Telecom.Information Gatekeepers Inc.
  13. ^"Alcatel goes submarine to Morocco".Archived fromthe originalon 2020-01-10.Retrieved2006-07-05.
  14. ^Maroc Telecom prend le contrôle d’OnatelArchived2007-09-30 at theWayback Machine- lefaso.net
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