Iran’s second largest mobile phone operator by number of customers, MTN-Irancell, has launched a new wireless internet service for people visiting popular areas in northern Tehran, its PR office announced on March 28.
The new service will allow customers using the Irancell service to connect to free wireless internet services in the Bam-e-Tehran (Roof of Tehran) entertainment complex. The service initiated in the Nowruz (New Year) holiday period allowed Irancell subscribers up to 500MB of free internet whilst visiting the Tochal Cable car area for up to a period of 60 hours.
Irancell, MCI (Hamra-e-Aval) and Rightel, Iran’s three main operators, have increased their offers through the Iranian holiday period to their respective customers.
Prior to Irancell offering free Wi-Fi in selected spots, the partly South African owned network began to roll out Iran’s fastest mobile internet services via fourth generation LTE services. MCI, their main competitor, followed suit a few weeks later by offer HSPA+ 3G internet to its respective client base. Rightel, Iran’s initial third generation operator, has also begun operations to expand its client base through offering new services.
The three major operators in the coming months will face increased competition through deregulation of the mobile internet market with the likely prospect of new 4G LTE competitors joining the fold. Back in November 2014, Iran’s Ministry of Telecommunications it would continue its roll out of new internet technologies as a means to expands its expansion of its e-government services.
