The Divona / Orange - France Telecom group is retained as a tenderer offering the best technology in the process of granting a license for a new telecommunications operator.
What will happen now? Who is France Telecom and its partner is Divona Tunisian who has 51% stake in the new entity they create together?

Groupement Divona / Orange - France Telecom is retained as a tenderer offering the best technology in the process of granting a license for a new telecommunications operator.
It is worth noting that the ministry of communication technologies has almost complied with the schedule, reflecting the superb professionalism of government in the management of major operations. It was the same in the award of the GSM license to Orascom and the opening of the capital of Tunisie Telecom.

Pursuant to the provisions of Decree No. 2009-283 of 2 February 2009 laying down the conditions and procedures for the granting of a license to install and operate a public telecommunications network for the provision of telecommunications services fixed and mobile telecommunications services from 2nd and 3rd generation, the Ministry of Communication Technologies announces the following:

-The commission established by the decree above mentioned report has concluded its evaluation of tenders received in the framework of the international tender for the granting of a license to a new operator of fixed and mobile telecommunications 2G/3G .
-This process has enabled the Group to retain DIVONA / ORANGE - France Telecom, as a bidder who submitted the best technical offer.

This assignment is tentative pending the completion of the conditions contained in the Rules of procedures of the international tender.
The entry into service of a new telecommunications operator aims to contribute to the revitalization of the landscape of the telecommunications sector (fixed, broadband internet and mobile), promotion of investment and employment as well as 'in support of the business climate in Tunisia.

France Telecom is the first telecommunications operator in France and a major player in the world. The France Telecom Group is the leading provider of broadband Internet access and the third mobile operator in Europe and among the world leaders in telecommunications services to multinational companies. It offers its customers, individuals, businesses and other telecommunications operators a full range of telecommunications services. Its main activities include the provision of fixed and mobile telecommunications (local, national and international), Internet services and multimedia communication services, sales and rentals of equipment, information services and other value-added services. Orange is the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile in most countries where it operates, and Orange Business Services brand of services to companies worldwide.
At 31 December 2008, France Telecom serves 182.3 million customers worldwide and 13 million ADSL subscribers.

As for Divona Telecom Tunisia is the first VSAT operator in Tunisia. It is also the only telecommunications operator in Tunisia, whose capital is owned 100% by Tunisians.
Present in the telecommunications sector in Tunisia for more than twelve years, through its parent Planet Divona managed to grow rapidly at the head of the sector.
Planet, for its part, have for a dozen years in the country, it is now a leader in the internet for businesses with more than 100,000 customers.
Both entities are run by Mohamed Garbouj and belong to Marouen of Investec Mabrouk (not Mabrouk Group).

Now that the group is chosen for its best technical offer, both parties will need to create and implement a Tunisian law firm of which 51% (at least) are held by Investec.
This should, in theory, marketing its new fixed and mobile services in six months. These services include:
Fixed:
• telephone service domestic and international, including IP telephony;
• access services to the Internet;
• data transmission services;
• transport services signals in accordance with the applicable legislation;
• Wholesale services (wholesale), including without limitation, leasing capacity and wholesale traffic.

Mobile:
• mobile telephone service, national and international levels;
• Messaging Services SMS and MMS;
• data services including video telephony, mobile Internet, multimedia messaging and multimedia content with mobile broadband;
• services wholesale traffic operators and providers of telecommunications services authorized in accordance with laws and regulations in force.

The License granted to Divona / France Telecom offers also several advantages, among which we include access to existing infrastructure to build its network, obtaining resources frequencies, numbering in codes and international interconnection, provision telephony services over IP, national and international roaming, the provision of number portability so.

The license granted to Divona / France Telecom is valid for a period of 15 years with possibility of extension, at the request of the holder, for additional periods not exceeding ten years each.
In addition, and to promote the dynamics of competition and support the introduction of the new entrant, the Tunisian State has committed to attributing any license additional fixed until at least 1st January 2013.
It will not, either, of 3G licenses to other operators about a year before in order to initiate the conditions of homelessness and use optimum and common infrastructure for fixed and mobile telecommunications.

Source [Business News]

It's now official. This is the group DIVONA / ORANGE France Telecom which is retained as a tenderer offering the best technology in the process of granting a license for a new telecommunications operator, said a communiqué of the Ministry of Technology Communication.

''In accordance with decree No. 2009-283 of 2 February 2009 laying down the conditions and procedures for the granting of a license to install and operate a public telecommunications network for the provision of services fixed telecommunications and mobile telecommunications services in 2nd and 3rd generation, the Ministry of Communication Technologies announces the following:

-The commission established by the decree above mentioned report has concluded its evaluation of tenders received in the framework of the international tender for the granting of a license to a new operator of fixed and mobile telecommunications 2G/3G .
-This process has enabled the Group to retain DIVONA / ORANGE - France Telecom, as a bidder who submitted the best technical offer. This assignment is tentative pending the completion of the conditions contained in the Rules of procedures of the international tender.

The entry into service of a new telecommunications operator aims to contribute to the revitalization of the landscape of the telecommunications sector (fixed, broadband internet and mobile), promotion of investment and employment as well as 'in support of the business climate in Tunisia.''

Source [WebManager center]

It was Mr. Glay Haj, Minister of Communication Technologies, which has opened the 2nd edition of Tunisiana Forum on Value-added services, held on Friday 24 course at the hotel Les Berges du Lac - Concorde .

In his speech, the minister, while highlighting the contribution of''Tunisiana sector development'', said that this forum is able to provide an opportunity to launch new products.

Thereafter, Mr. Glay took the opportunity to review the achievements of the sector. 8.5 million subscribers of mobile telephony at the end of February 2009, he said.

He also stressed that Tunisia implementation, through a set of measures and projects to further boost the sector, including the extension of the pole Elgazela communication technologies, development of networks Cyberparc, the new Act sharing the benefits of value-added services ...

In addition, the Minister highlighted the contribution of Tunisiana in promoting innovation and the promotion of Tunisia as a destination site technology. Among other measures announced by the Minister of Communication Technologies, and following the decisions taken at Cabinet on 16 January 2009:

- The introduction of a preferential system of telephone rates to encourage the development of content through SMS and MMS and the fixing of a discount rate back to telecom operators capped at 35% instead of currently 50% applied and the granting of shares of the discount as an incentive for producers of cultural content and educational value-added;
- Support for call centers oriented toward the local market through the use of simple numbers (81xxxx) and the application of preferential tariffs telephone for citizens to access various services through the phone and mobile and the introduction of reductions exceeding 30%, while allowing the call center of a dividend;
- Introduction of new fee schedules for the green and blue, and with commercial companies active in this area, a larger share of revenue generated by traffic Telecom to encourage it to develop its services with better quality.

A highlight as many as five companies operating in new areas of M2M 70 "TV solutions for mobile, location based services, and other applications based IVR ...

Via [Web Manger center]

Easily surpassing the 100 000 ADSL subscribers the ISP Tunisian Topnet remains the number 1 in the Internet market in Tunisia ahead of its competitors, with a market share of over 42%.

Topnet In brief:
Created in May 2001, is a Topnet ISP Tunisia. Strengths of its commitment to offer its customers a quality of service, his pragmatism and professionalism, Topnet never ceases to grow and reach the highest level to satisfy its customers.

Source [Investir en Tunisie]

Elissa is the new service pack from TT for the people under 25, the service looks to have no relation with the main carrier, have it's own website, logos, ... (unless omitted) and looks quite brand nnew and fancy.

The suscription cots 4 TND (About 3 USD) embded with 160 free SMS.

Les fees are as below:

- 100 millimes/min when calling an other ELISSA susciber.
- 180 millimes/min when calling TUNISIE TELECOM susciber.
- 225 millimes/min when calling other carriers (Tunisiana).
- 25 millimes/SMS to ELISSA.
- 50 millimes/SMS to other networks (Tunisiana).

The new service is mean as counter strike to Tunisiana's Carta Fun offering the same features.

Many could not believe their eyes. here is Mr. Montasser Ouaili, CEO of Tunisie Télécom, as you've never seen!

Known to be singularly reserved, economical with words as if the fiber of the university dominated politics, Mr. Ouaili just to demonstrate that it can usefully play tribune-communicator.

The microphone in hand, without any memory aid, he improvises, aligns the data, provides programs, workshops, opportunities, responding on the fly to questions from reporters ...

New for the boss ... and the new for the company! Because the two products it has launched are nothing short of a response to two markets that are among the most promising. Elissa for young people under 25 years, with rates studied and exclusive techno, BLACKBERRY and for employers, managers, technophiles ... with a very high order, beyond the simple sense, beyond the vision of the market ... to seduction pure and simple.

Source [Web Manager Center]

It just looks like a pure and simple remake of the events held usually by Tunisiana.

The recent agreemnet between Tunisie telecom Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris:ALU)(NYSE:ALU), a network communications specialist, and Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (Nasdaq:RIMM) (TSX:RIM) have gained a lot of echoes all around the Media, as one of the most Business used devices the Black Berry is gaining a new markte without having to go through extra roaming fees. The BB berry was affordobale only for those who brought them overseas relying on Tunisiana for romaing but absolutely no technicla support.

At launch, TUNISIE TELECOM is to offer its customers the BlackBerry Pearl 8100, BlackBerry Pearl 8120, BlackBerry Curve 8320, BlackBerry 8800 and BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphones, as well as service on BlackBerry Enterprise Server and BlackBerry Internet Service.

Source [Trading Markets]

To everyone in the region, a very happy and warm welcome to the BlackBerry world!

Source [Into Mobile]

please notice that This new service is till on test and having many issues and if you’re in Tunisia, your non Tunisie Telecom BB will certainly connect to TT a main romaing carrier, but won’t retrive any emails unless you switch it manuallay to Tunisiana.