Syriatel
{{Short description|Telecommunication company in Syria}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Syriatel
| logo = Syriatel Logo.svg
| logo_size = 250px
| native_name = سيريتل
| native_name_lang = ar
| type = Public
| foundation = 2000
| location = Damascus, Syria
| ISIN = {{ISIN|sl=n|pl=y|SY0031100322}}
| industry = Telecommunications
| products = GSM, 3G, 4G / LTE
| website = https://www.syriatel.sy/
}}
Syriatel ({{langx|ar|سيريتل}}) is one of three mobile network providers in Syria,{{cite web | title=Syria awards mobile phone licences | website=BBC News | date=22 January 2001 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/1131445.stm | access-date=18 January 2020}} the others being MTN Syria{{cite news |title=MTN Syria 2010 Profit Up 83% to $132 Million on Customer Rise |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-21/mtn-syria-2010-profit-up-83-to-132-million-on-customer-rise.html |work=Bloomberg.com |date=21 February 2011 |accessdate=18 January 2020 }} and Wafa Telecom, which was awarded the license to operate in 2022.{{Cite news |date=2022-02-21 |title=Syria awards third mobile telecoms licence to Wafa -state media |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/syria-awards-third-mobile-telecoms-licence-wafa-state-media-2022-02-21/ |access-date=2022-05-06}} Syriatel offers LTE with 150 Mb/s speeds, under the brand name Super Surf.{{cite web |url=http://www.syriatel.sy/products/super-surf |title=Super Surf | Syriatel |website=www.syriatel.sy |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016165510/http://www.syriatel.sy/products/super-surf |archive-date=16 October 2018 |url-status=dead}}
History
File:Old logo Syriatel (2007-2024).png
Syriatel was founded in January 2000, with its headquarters in Damascus, Syria. The Government licenses two private companies to supply mobile phone services, Syriatel and "94". Orascom provided the management. The license with the Government was a Build-own-transfer (BOT) contract for 15 years.{{Cite book |last=Fleming |first=Daniel |title=Global Challenges - Local Responses An Institutional Perspective on Economic Transformation in Asia |publisher=Roskilde University |year=2006 |pages=239}} In 2017 Syriatel introduced 4G speeds offering 150 Mb/s speeds, branded Super Surf. On 5 June 2020, a Syrian court ordered Syriatel be placed under judicial custody.{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-security-makhlouf-idUSKBN23C0Q3|title=Syrian court orders Syriatel placed under judicial custody|newspaper=Reuters|date=June 5, 2020|access-date=June 5, 2020|via=www.reuters.com}}
Ownership
When the company was founded in 2000, Syriatel was owned by the Egyptian telecommunications company Orascom (25%) and Rami Makhlouf (75%), a cousin of Syrian former president Bashar al-Assad.{{cite web |date=21 March 2011 |title=Syria crackdown condemned by US |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-12814429 |access-date=18 January 2020 |website=BBC News}}{{cite web |date=25 December 2019 |title=Syria begins shakedown of wealthiest businessmen as war debts spiral |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/12/25/syria-begins-shakedown-wealthiest-businessmen-war-debts-spiral/ |access-date=18 January 2020 |website=The Telegraph}} In 2003, Orascom sold its ownership in Syriatel.{{Cite web |title=Orascom completes ownership pull out from Syriatel |url=https://www.albawaba.com/business/orascom-completes-ownership-pull-out-syriatel |access-date=2022-05-03 |website=Al Bawaba |language=en}}
Company
The company is owned by Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of Syrian former president Bashar al-Assad. The company had approximately 3,500 employees and 8 million customers as of 2016.{{Cite web|title=Syriatel Mobile Telecom, About|url=https://www.linkedin.com/company/syriatel/about/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=LinkedIn|language=en-US}} It is headquartered on Sehnaya Road in Damascus.
Technologies
Syriatel operate a network of GSM 900 / 1800 & 3G 2100 & 4G 1800 cellular networks.
Sanctions
In 2011 the European Union imposed sanctions on Syriatel in order to intensify pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.{{Cite news |date=2011-09-24 |title=EU sanctions target mobile phone Syriatel |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-syria-eu-sanctions-idUSTRE78N1DY20110924 |access-date=2022-05-15}}
References
Category:Telecommunications companies of Syria
Category:Internet service providers of Syria
Category:Companies established in 2000
Category:2000 establishments in Syria
Category:Companies based in Damascus
Category:Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List
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