Jordan's Umniah launches 5G services
Technology
Jordan's Umniah launches 5G services
AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordanian mobile operator Umniah said on Wednesday it had launched fifth-generation (5G) mobile services in major urban areas in a move ahead of its two main competitors.
Umniah had, since obtaining the license this year, partnered with Ericsson in a first phase of the rollout, upgrading its existing 4G network, Chief Executive Faisal Qamhiyah told Reuters.
The firm will invest an extra $300 million in the next four years in expanding the network to cover half the population.
Jordan's telecom services market is valued at $1.2 billion, according to industry experts. Kuwait-based telecommunications group Zain, the market leader, and Orange Jordan are its main operators alongside Umniah.
Umniah is majority-owned by Bahrain-based Beyon, which owns Bahrain Telecommunications Company Batelco BSC.
The government awarded the three main operators 5G licenses in a deal that netted around $100 million, officials say.
Batelco had already invested around $700 million since it acquired Umniah. The Jordanian firm's market valuation was expected to top $1 billion within four years, Qamhiyah said.
Umniah has around 1.4 million subscribers with a market share of 30% in the mobile market and a leading 42% in broadband services, Qamhiyah said.
The 5G rollout will allow Umniah to get ahead of its competitors in a market with a near 100 percent penetration and where 4G services were saturated, Qamhiyah said
Industry experts say mobile and data broadband growth has stabilized around 5 percent annually after a fierce turf war among the three operators and following a period of fast growth.
Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmed Al-Hanandeh said the 5G rollout will bring more foreign investments and expand Jordan's role as regional hub for technology startups.
