Morocco decides on another rebate in phoning tariffs

Moroccan state-owned Telecom company "Ittissalat Al-Maghreb" has decided to lower again inter-urban phoning tariffs by 33% after revenues rose and operating costs fell.

During a meeting held last week, the company said its turnover increased in 1998 by 14% to $740 million against $650 million in 1997.

"Ittissalat Al-Maghreb" added that its net profit rose by 26% to $130 million and affirmed that its phone subscribers grew by 7% while cellular phone clients soared by 54%.

This is the 3rd time that the Moroccan company decides to cut prices in services in less than two years after recording positive results.

Morocco, a nation of 28 million inhabitants, counts around 1.5 million phone subscribers and over 180,000 mobile phone users.

The North African country, which is determined to go forward in the liberalization of its telecom sector, is expected to announce shortly the winner of the $500 million tender for the building of a private GSM network.