A question about wireless phone service in Iraq

Hi:

I know this is wildly off topic, but was wondering if someone knows a
tutorial on the licensing of phone services in Iraq. I understand that the
Coalition Provisional Authority has established three regional licenses for
a short two year period. Naturally I've had people tell me that this is
"undemocratic" to not give the Iraqis themselves the opportunity to choose
the provider. But it appears to me that by setting up two-year licenses
they're doing just that. Is there something I don't know about? Is there
some sort of "lock in" to a specific technology, making it difficult for
other providers (say, from Kuwait) to compete in the digital phone market
later? Are there bandwidth issues? This stuff is way beyond me, and I was
hoping some of you geniuses have some insights. What are the ins and outs
of this situation, and the bottom line?



--
--Scott
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---

› See More: A question about wireless phone service in Iraq

"Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi:
>
> I know this is wildly off topic, but was wondering if someone knows a
> tutorial on the licensing of phone services in Iraq. I understand that
the
> Coalition Provisional Authority has established three regional licenses
for
> a short two year period. Naturally I've had people tell me that this is
> "undemocratic" to not give the Iraqis themselves the opportunity to choose
> the provider. But it appears to me that by setting up two-year licenses
> they're doing just that. Is there something I don't know about? Is there
> some sort of "lock in" to a specific technology, making it difficult for
> other providers (say, from Kuwait) to compete in the digital phone market
> later? Are there bandwidth issues? This stuff is way beyond me, and I
was
> hoping some of you geniuses have some insights. What are the ins and outs
> of this situation, and the bottom line?
>


Read this first:
"Bahrain Telephone brings cell phone service to Iraq; U.S. shuts it down so
it can bid out the contract "

http://www.underreported.com/modules...rder=0&thold=0

Same link, but shorter:
http://tinyurl.com/kdkj

Hopper

Might as well have called it the Iraqi Pirate Cellular Co ...

although GSM cellular service in Iraq was nice, no government or interm
government is going to let random companies squat on frequencies and
bands they don't own licenses for.

--
Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap

Hopper:

Thanks for the response. This is sort of what I'd heard, but there's a lot
left unsaid. For instance:

" The U.S.-led authority in Iraq -- which wants to hold a bid for three
regional mobile phone licenses -- asked Batelco to shut down. A renegade
service provider could throw a wrench into its plans for a tender for the
licenses, among the most potentially lucrative contracts to be offered in
Iraq. "

What does "potentially" mean? Every business opportunity is potentially
lucrative, but my take on this is that the original licensees would have to
build a lot of infrastructure and then just wave bye bye in two years. Big
capital investment, and not much time to recoup. I can also understand,
given the peculiarities of the business, that it might be counterproductive
to have a spoiler like the Kuwaiti company around. But I admit I just don't
know much about this situation. The bottom line, I guess, is that
ultimately Iraqis would be able to make some informed decisions about what
sort of cell phone system they require. By the way, was the Kurdish
provider shut down too? There's an established provider in the Kurdish
area, so will they let that company coexist?

--
--Scott
[email protected]
Cut the "tail" to send email.


"Hopper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:R080b.181098$o%2.88330@sccrnsc02...
>
> "Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi:
> >
> > I know this is wildly off topic, but was wondering if someone knows a
> > tutorial on the licensing of phone services in Iraq. I understand that
> the
> > Coalition Provisional Authority has established three regional licenses
> for
> > a short two year period. Naturally I've had people tell me that this is
> > "undemocratic" to not give the Iraqis themselves the opportunity to
choose
> > the provider. But it appears to me that by setting up two-year licenses
> > they're doing just that. Is there something I don't know about? Is
there
> > some sort of "lock in" to a specific technology, making it difficult for
> > other providers (say, from Kuwait) to compete in the digital phone
market
> > later? Are there bandwidth issues? This stuff is way beyond me, and I
> was
> > hoping some of you geniuses have some insights. What are the ins and
outs
> > of this situation, and the bottom line?
> >
>
>
> Read this first:
> "Bahrain Telephone brings cell phone service to Iraq; U.S. shuts it down
so
> it can bid out the contract "
>
>
http://www.underreported.com/modules...file=article&s
id=1089&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
>
> Same link, but shorter:
> http://tinyurl.com/kdkj
>
> Hopper
>
>
>

Maybe VZW will get the contract and create an "Iraqi's Choice" plan.

Joe

"Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hopper:
>
> Thanks for the response. This is sort of what I'd heard, but there's a
lot
> left unsaid. For instance:
>
> " The U.S.-led authority in Iraq -- which wants to hold a bid for three
> regional mobile phone licenses -- asked Batelco to shut down. A renegade
> service provider could throw a wrench into its plans for a tender for the
> licenses, among the most potentially lucrative contracts to be offered in
> Iraq. "
>
> What does "potentially" mean? Every business opportunity is potentially
> lucrative, but my take on this is that the original licensees would have
to
> build a lot of infrastructure and then just wave bye bye in two years.
Big
> capital investment, and not much time to recoup. I can also understand,
> given the peculiarities of the business, that it might be
counterproductive
> to have a spoiler like the Kuwaiti company around. But I admit I just
don't
> know much about this situation. The bottom line, I guess, is that
> ultimately Iraqis would be able to make some informed decisions about what
> sort of cell phone system they require. By the way, was the Kurdish
> provider shut down too? There's an established provider in the Kurdish
> area, so will they let that company coexist?
>
> --
> --Scott
> [email protected]
> Cut the "tail" to send email.
>
>
> "Hopper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:R080b.181098$o%2.88330@sccrnsc02...
> >
> > "Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Hi:
> > >
> > > I know this is wildly off topic, but was wondering if someone knows a
> > > tutorial on the licensing of phone services in Iraq. I understand
that
> > the
> > > Coalition Provisional Authority has established three regional
licenses
> > for
> > > a short two year period. Naturally I've had people tell me that this
is
> > > "undemocratic" to not give the Iraqis themselves the opportunity to
> choose
> > > the provider. But it appears to me that by setting up two-year
licenses
> > > they're doing just that. Is there something I don't know about? Is
> there
> > > some sort of "lock in" to a specific technology, making it difficult
for
> > > other providers (say, from Kuwait) to compete in the digital phone
> market
> > > later? Are there bandwidth issues? This stuff is way beyond me, and
I
> > was
> > > hoping some of you geniuses have some insights. What are the ins and
> outs
> > > of this situation, and the bottom line?
> > >
> >
> >
> > Read this first:
> > "Bahrain Telephone brings cell phone service to Iraq; U.S. shuts it down
> so
> > it can bid out the contract "
> >
> >
>
http://www.underreported.com/modules...file=article&s
> id=1089&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
> >
> > Same link, but shorter:
> > http://tinyurl.com/kdkj
> >
> > Hopper
> >
> >
> >
>
>

HA HA... classic.

"Joe Burke" <[email protected]> wrote in article
<[email protected]>:
> Maybe VZW will get the contract and create an "Iraqi's Choice" plan.
>
> Joe
>
> "Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hopper:
> >
> > Thanks for the response. This is sort of what I'd heard, but there's a
> lot
> > left unsaid. For instance:
> >
> > " The U.S.-led authority in Iraq -- which wants to hold a bid for three
> > regional mobile phone licenses -- asked Batelco to shut down. A renegade
> > service provider could throw a wrench into its plans for a tender for the
> > licenses, among the most potentially lucrative contracts to be offered in
> > Iraq. "
> >
> > What does "potentially" mean? Every business opportunity is potentially
> > lucrative, but my take on this is that the original licensees would have
> to
> > build a lot of infrastructure and then just wave bye bye in two years.
> Big
> > capital investment, and not much time to recoup. I can also understand,
> > given the peculiarities of the business, that it might be
> counterproductive
> > to have a spoiler like the Kuwaiti company around. But I admit I just
> don't
> > know much about this situation. The bottom line, I guess, is that
> > ultimately Iraqis would be able to make some informed decisions about what
> > sort of cell phone system they require. By the way, was the Kurdish
> > provider shut down too? There's an established provider in the Kurdish
> > area, so will they let that company coexist?
> >
> > --
> > --Scott
> > [email protected]
> > Cut the "tail" to send email.
> >
> >
> > "Hopper" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:R080b.181098$o%2.88330@sccrnsc02...
> > >
> > > "Freewheeling" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > > Hi:
> > > >
> > > > I know this is wildly off topic, but was wondering if someone knows a
> > > > tutorial on the licensing of phone services in Iraq. I understand
> that
> > > the
> > > > Coalition Provisional Authority has established three regional
> licenses
> > > for
> > > > a short two year period. Naturally I've had people tell me that this
> is
> > > > "undemocratic" to not give the Iraqis themselves the opportunity to
> > choose
> > > > the provider. But it appears to me that by setting up two-year
> licenses
> > > > they're doing just that. Is there something I don't know about? Is
> > there
> > > > some sort of "lock in" to a specific technology, making it difficult
> for
> > > > other providers (say, from Kuwait) to compete in the digital phone
> > market
> > > > later? Are there bandwidth issues? This stuff is way beyond me, and
> I
> > > was
> > > > hoping some of you geniuses have some insights. What are the ins and
> > outs
> > > > of this situation, and the bottom line?
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Read this first:
> > > "Bahrain Telephone brings cell phone service to Iraq; U.S. shuts it down
> > so
> > > it can bid out the contract "
> > >
> > >
> >
> http://www.underreported.com/modules...file=article&s
> > id=1089&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0
> > >
> > > Same link, but shorter:
> > > http://tinyurl.com/kdkj
> > >
> > > Hopper
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

[posted via phonescoop.com - free web access to the alt.cellular groups]

....the united states was trying to push CDMA above the "french GSM
standard" a while back .... that would be funny to see a CDMA carrier
over there.

Maybe we'll see Iraqi's choice afterall

--
Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap

What are the advantages/disadvantages of GSM vs CDMA?

--
--Scott
[email protected]
Cut the "tail" to send email.


"Maokh" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> ...the united states was trying to push CDMA above the "french GSM
> standard" a while back .... that would be funny to see a CDMA carrier
> over there.
>
> Maybe we'll see Iraqi's choice afterall
>
> --
> Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
> Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap
>

Freewheeling wrote:
> *What are the advantages/disadvantages of GSM vs CDMA?
>
> --
> --Scott
> [email protected]
> Cut the "tail" to send email.
>
> *


CDMA has much faster data capabilities with its 1xRTT. Currently, the
average is about 50-70 kbps and peak is 144 kbps. GSM/GPRS is only
half as fast, peaking around 70 kbps.

GSM and its GPRS data is always on which is not the case with CDMA.
When you turm the phone on, data isn't instantly on, you have to
connect to it. Once you're in you can stay in and leave it idle, but
it can become disconnected for a variety of reasons. GPRS is truly
always on like a cable modem connection. From the second your phone's
on, data is on. Also, with CDMA, you can't receive calls while
actively transferring data. If you're connected and transferring,
calls with go straight to e-mail. With GPRS, you'll be prompted and
you can choose to take the call or not.

GSM phones use a SIM card and CDMA phones do not. A SIM card contains
all the information that confirms who you are to the network. If you
get a new phone, just pop the card out, pop it in the new phone, and
you're good to go. With CDMA, you need to call your carrier and have
them change your ESN which can be inconvenient.

GSM isn't inferior to CDMA (other than transfer speeds) per say, but it
hasn't been implemented well in the United States. AT&T, Cingular, and
T-Mobile have been patched together from mergers of smaller carriers so
they don't have the coverage or reliability that Sprint has because it
was built "from the ground up." Verizon was pieced together, but they
seem to have things set up better than the CSM carriers. If GSM was
set up here as carefully as it was in Europe, it could be just as good
and reliable as CDMA.

There's isn't any clear winner or loser on which is better. You have
to look each particular carrier and their coverage in your area,
pricing plans, and data capability and decide what meets your needs.

Do a search if you want detailed information, those are the basics:

--
Posted at SprintUsers.com - Your place for everything Sprint PCS
Free wireless access @ www.SprintUsers.com/wap

Thanks for the tutorial. It's hard to keep track of this stuff.

--
--Scott
[email protected]
Cut the "tail" to send email.
<<details snipped>>