OrascomTelecom Hldgs - First Mobile License in DPRK

RNS Number:8964M
Orascom Telecom Holdings S.A.E
30 January 2008

Orascom Telecom Receives the First Mobile License
In The
Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Cairo, January 30th, 2008: Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E. ("OTH" or "Orascom
Telecom") announced today that it has been granted the first commercial license
to provide mobile telephony services in the Democratic People's Republic of
Korea ("DPRK") using WCDMA (3G) technology.

The license was granted to OTH's subsidiary CHEO Technology JV Company ("CHEO")
which is controlled by Orascom Telecom with an ownership of 75% while the
remaining 25% is owned by the state owned Korea Post and Telecommunications
Corporation. The terms of the license allows CHEO to offer services to its
customer throughout the country, the duration of the license is 25 years with an
exclusivity period of four years. Orascom Telecom intends to invest up to US$400
million in network infrastructure and license fee over the first three years in
order to rapidly deploy a high quality network and offer voice, data and value
added services at accessible prices to the Korean people. OTH intends to cover
Pyongyang and most of the major cities during the first 12 months of operations.

The DPRK has a population of approximately 23 million of which 67% is between
the age of 15 and 64 years, moreover, there is currently no mobile services in
the country. The operation in the DPRK will complement OTH's existing operations
in Asia and will further enhance OTH's position as the leading GSM operator in
the emerging markets.

Naguib Sawiris, Chairman & CEO, Orascom Telecom, stated "We are continuing to
head in the right strategic direction; our Greenfield license in the DPRK is in
line with our strategy to penetrate countries with high population and low
penetration by providing the first mobile telephony services. OTH has
consistently proved its ability to successfully roll out mobile services into
countries where no other operator has. OTH will continue to increase shareholder
value and maintain its leadership in the markets it operates in."

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About Orascom Telecom

Orascom Telecom is a leading international telecommunications company operating
GSM networks in six high growth markets in the Middle East, Africa and South
Asia, having a total population under license of approximately 430 million with
an average mobile telephony penetration of approximately 37% as at September
30th 2007. Orascom Telecom operates GSM networks in Algeria ("OTA"), Pakistan
("Mobilink"), Egypt ("Mobinil"), Tunisia ("Tunisiana"), Bangladesh
("Banglalink"), and Zimbabwe ("Telecel Zimbabwe"). Orascom Telecom had reached
approximately 65 million subscribers as at September 2007.

Orascom Telecom is traded on the Cairo & Alexandria Stock Exchange under the
symbol (ORTE.CA, ORAT EY), and on the London Stock Exchange its GDR is traded
under the symbol (ORTEq.L, OTLD LI).

For further information:
Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E

Investor Relations
Hatim E. El Gammal
Telephone: +202 2461 5121
Fax: +202 2461 5125
Email: hgammal@otelecom.com

Visit our website: www.orascomtelecom.com
Telephone: +202 2461 5050 / 51
Fax: +202 2461 5055

This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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