Telecom sector expected to post us$ 4.3 mln sales in 2005

Sales of the Moroccan telecom sector is scheduled to increase from 20 billion Dirhams (US$ 1.7 bln) presently to 50 billion DH (US$ 4.3 bln) in 2005, said state secretary for post and information technologies, Nasr Hajji.

By 2005, we want to create 100,000 new jobs in the telecom sector and increase the sales from the present 20 billion DH to 50 billion, he told "Liberation" daily.

Presently, the sector provides jobs to over 50,000 persons between mobile and land telephone services, service companies and audio-visual sectors, he said.

He went on that 5 million persons are presently connected to the phone network while the number of internet users is expected to go from 1% of the population presently to 10% in 2005 and exceed 10 million users by 2010.

He said this target can be reached by a lowering of equipment prices, as part of a support policy to assembling companies and the computerization of SME and schools.