Telecommunications in Iraq Key Players and Industry Insights

Iraq's telecommunications market is a rapidly growing sector, driven by increasing demand for mobile services and high-speed internet.

Zain Iraq is one of the major players in the market, offering a range of services including mobile, internet, and fixed-line telephony.

The company has invested heavily in expanding its network and improving services, with a focus on rural areas.

Iraq's mobile penetration rate has increased significantly in recent years, reaching 123% in 2020.

Karbala is one of the regions with the highest mobile penetration rates in the country.

The Iraqi government has implemented policies to encourage investment in the sector, including the issuance of new licenses and the reduction of taxes.

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Iraq's Digital Transformation is a rapidly evolving landscape, driven by the country's strategic location as a digital gateway between the Middle East and Europe. Zain Omantel International (ZOI) has announced a partnership to create a digital telecommunications corridor through Iraq, which will provide alternative terrestrial connectivity options with higher levels of capacity, security, and efficiency.

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This corridor will use terrestrial fibre connectivity, passing through Turkey and making its way up to Frankfurt, Germany. The route will enable international businesses, telecom operators, and hyperscalers to expand their reach via robust, low-latency infrastructure.

Iraq's position as a digital gateway is expected to make it a regional hub, with the new corridor providing a reliable and secure connection to Europe. The corridor will also facilitate direct peering with other networks and interconnection with global internet exchanges.

The Iraqi Telecommunications and Information Company (ITPC) will play a key role in the route's compliance with international standards, ensuring seamless connectivity across Iraq. As a state-owned company, ITPC has a deep understanding of the regulatory and operational environment in Iraq.

To support this growth, the National Communications and Media Commission of Iraq (CMC) has introduced new regulations for approving telecommunications and information technology equipment. These regulations make it easier for businesses to navigate the certification process, ensuring compliance with international standards and Iraq's national standards.

Here are the key requirements for obtaining a type approval certificate in Iraq:

These new regulations aim to enhance the efficiency and reliability of telecommunications equipment in Iraq, making it easier for businesses to contribute to the country's thriving telecommunications industry.

Loay Almalaieka is a seasoned executive with over 17 years of experience in the industry, having worked for notable companies like AT&T and Lucent Technologies. He has a proven track record of negotiating significant partnerships, worth over $90m.

Loay Almalaieka went on to establish Barqtel Communications in Iraq, a small business specializing in telecoms equipment installation and operation. He later became the CEO of Itsaluna, a wireless internet provider, where he successfully grew the subscriber base to 256,000 in just six months.

Wilson Varghese, on the other hand, is the president and CEO of Kalimat Telecom, Iraq's only fourth-generation telecoms network. He holds a degree in science and a master's in Business administration from Cambridge University.

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Hameed Akrawi is the co-founder and deputy CEO of Korek Telecom, the Iraqi mobile operator based in Irbil.

He has a impressive educational background, having graduated from Baghdad's College of Engineering and earning a master's degree in engineering from the University of Vienna, Austria, as well as a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Leuve, Belgium.

After working as a university lecturer for six years in the UK and Austria, Akrawi returned to Iraqi Kurdistan in 1993 to work in the Television & Communications Ministry.

He was appointed Minister for Transport & Communications in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 1996, a position he held until 2000.

In 2000, Akrawi co-founded Korek Telecom with Sirwan Mustafa, adviser to the prime minister of KRG, with the goal of expanding its subscriber base to 3 million from 2.5 million.

Korek Telecom is currently in talks with Dubai-based mobile operator Etisalat over a possible takeover.

Faruk Mustafa Rasool is a renowned figure in Iraq's telecom industry. He founded Asiacell, the country's oldest mobile operator, in 1999.

Rasool's entrepreneurial journey began after graduating from Baghdad's College of Economy & Trade in 1964. He worked with the Iraqi Trading Bank but later joined the Kurdish Democratic Movement.

In 1975, Rasool started a building-block factory, marking his first business venture. This was followed by a poultry processing unit in Sulaymaniyah in 1987.

Rasool's experience in importing goods from Turkey to Iraq and Iran laid the groundwork for his next venture. In 1995, he bought satellite telephony equipment from the UK's Inmarsat.

This equipment enabled Rasool to set up a small mobile communications network in Kurdistan, which eventually became Asiacell. Asiacell is notable for being the only operator to cover all 18 Iraqi provinces.

Qatar's Qtel acquired a 30 per cent stake in Asiacell in 2007 for $159m after the company went into voluntary liquidation.

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Loay Almalaieka is a seasoned executive with over 17 years of experience in the telecom industry. He has held various roles, including engineer, consultant, and account manager.

He spent five years working for a joint venture of AT&T and BT in the US, before moving to Lucent Technologies in 2000 as an account manager.

As part of Lucent, Almalaieka became the international business development manager, focusing on Iraq, Palestine, and Jordan. He negotiated 12 local and foreign partnerships worth more than $90m.

Almalaieka went on to set up Barqtel Communications in Iraq, a small business specialising in installing and operating telecoms equipment. He was appointed CEO of Itsaluna in 2009.

Itsaluna's subscriber base more than doubled in the six months to January 2010, reaching 256,000 subscribers.

In Iraq, the National Communications and Media Commission (CMC) has introduced new regulations to make it easier for businesses to navigate the certification process for telecommunications and information technology equipment.

Manufacturers must now demonstrate that their product complies with the applicable quality standards of Iraq to obtain a type approval certificate.

These quality standards are crucial for ensuring the safety and reliability of telecommunications equipment in the country.

To simplify the certification process, the CMC now offers a family certificate for multiple models that share similar technical characteristics but differ only in name.

This means that businesses can obtain a single certificate for a range of similar devices, rather than having to apply for each one individually.

Certain high-powered devices, however, may require additional licensing beyond the type approval certificate.

To ensure compliance, all telecommunications and information technology equipment must meet the relevant ETSI and IEEE standards, as well as Iraq's national standards.

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Here are the key requirements for obtaining a type approval certificate in Iraq:

Manufacturers must demonstrate that their product complies with the applicable quality standards of Iraq in order to obtain the type approval certificate.

‍Streamlined Certification for Similar Models

If multiple models share similar technical characteristics but differ only in name, they can be granted a family certificate, simplifying the certification process.

‍Additional Licensing for High-Powered Devices

Certain high-powered devices may require additional licensing beyond the type approval certificate.

Iraq has been one of the last countries to introduce cell phones and the Internet, largely due to the political system before 2003.

The mobile phone service started in a limited way after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, but it was poorly managed due to a lack of experts to manage the telecommunications sector.

In 2004, the Coalition Provisional Authority issued Order No 65 to develop the telecommunications infrastructure and establish a framework for competition among service providers.

The Communications and Media Commission (CMC) was established as an independent institution responsible for organising and licensing telecommunications, radio, and media in the country.

The CMC's first permit for mobile phone services was granted in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq in December 2003, followed by permits for the central region and the South.

The permits expired in December 2005, as they were valid for only two years as defined by the law.

Today, the CMC and the Ministry of Communications (MOC) are the two government agencies that run and give licenses to telecommunications companies in Iraq.

The Ministry of Communications operates two government companies: The Public Company of Telecommunications and Post and the General Company for Internet Services.

In 2007, the Ministry of Communications granted long-dated licenses (15-20 years) for cell phone services to three mobile phone companies: Zain, Asiacell, and Korektel.

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