Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Iranians in SIM card buying frenzy
Mobile phone users in Iran have snapped up 6.5 million highly sought-after SIM mobile cards in under a month during a mass sale that left banks and post offices swamped, reports the AFP.
"Post offices and banks have been swamped with customers for the 395-dollar cards used to operate a mobile phone, which otherwise retail for twice this price.
In a deeply complex process, subscribers will have to wait at least over a year more before receiving their new cards.
... Since the start of mobile phone services in Iran some ten years ago, six million mobile phone lines have been introduced. But the new lines will be confronting a network already overloaded and in desperate need of investment.
Even in the capital Tehran, it can be difficult to place a call or find a strong enough signal to do so.
Public demand has, however, put the Islamic republic under pressure to open up its state monopoly on telecommunications to private sector consortiums."
