Spanish Telefonica operates call center in Tangier
Morocco-Spain, Business, 3/22/2001

Atento-Maroc, a branch of the Spanish telecom operator TELEFONICA, has set up in the Moroccan northern city of Tangier a call center.

The call center was officially dedicated on Wednesday by a delegation led by advisor to the King, Andre Azoulay, and secretary of state in charge of post, information technology and communication, Nasr Hajji.

The call center is currently employing some 300 operators. The number will jump to 1000 by the end of the year. Atento-Maroc is projecting to set up a similar center in Tetuan by the end of April. The Tetuan center will provide 1000 jobs by 2002.

Telefonica is share holder in Meditel, the company operating the second GSM licence in Morocco.

Azoulay congratulated, on behalf of King Mohammed VI, Telefonica group for having made of Morocco a platform for development and innovation in the region and said the group which was totally absent from the Moroccan economic landscape less than two years ago has so far injected more than $ 2 billion in the kingdom. He hailed as "pioneer and voluntarist" Atento's move that enabled to carry out a genuine call centers implementation strategy.

Azoulay recalled that in less than two years, more than 4000 jobs have been created in the call centers set up in Casablanca, Rabat and today in Tangier. He said the pace will be accelerated over coming months "if we are determined to set up the administrative and social environment necessary to the promotion of these new trades."

He underlined the determination of King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan government to make of the sector of new information and communication technologies "a priority sector" that would greatly contribute to the country's growth.

Nasr Hajji has also hailed the project as job-generating and said his department is keen on integrating Morocco in the new information and technology era to take up the challenge of development.

The operators are all Spanish-speaking and answer more than 2000 daily calls from Spain part of the free call service known as "Atento 1003."

The connection is possible thanks to the setting up of an optic fiber cable between the Moroccan and Spanish telephone companies through the strait of Gibraltar.

Telefonica chose Morocco to set its call centers thanks to fiscal advantages it provides and to the low salary rate in the kingdom. The enterprises operating in Northern Morocco are exempt from several taxes, including the tax on companies.

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