Kuwait's National Mobile Telecommunications Co. (Wataniya) has won approval from the government to use cell phone frequencies in PA areas, the Palestinian Authority’s telecommunications and economy minister said on Wednesday. As a result, the official said, a second cell phone operator will compete with PalTel, until now the Palestinian Authority’s only service provider, and thereby drop expensive cell phone rates.
Kamal Hassouneh said Israel's Communications Ministry had no objection to giving Wataniya, now controlled by Qatar Telecommunications Co, frequencies required to start operating a second PA mobile phone network. "We have been demanding that Israel grant the frequencies needed for Wataniya for a long time. Israel gave its verbal consent," Hassouneh said, adding that Israel must grant frequencies under the Oslo accords.
Kamal Hassouneh said Israel's Communications Ministry had no objection to giving Wataniya, now controlled by Qatar Telecommunications Co, frequencies required to start operating a second PA mobile phone network. "We have been demanding that Israel grant the frequencies needed for Wataniya for a long time. Israel gave its verbal consent," Hassouneh said, adding that Israel must grant frequencies under the Oslo accords.