Golan Telecom will use Cellcom's nationwide antenna array for inland telephony.
Sources inform ''Globes'' that Golan Telecom Ltd. is close to signing an inland telephony roaming deal with Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) over the latter's nationwide antenna network. Golan Telecom had been in talks with Pelephone Communications Ltd. and Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR), which were not particularly enthusiastic about a rival using their infrastructures.
The Ministry of Communications is compelling the mobile carriers to allow new carriers to use their networks for inland roaming, in order to facilitate the new carriers' entry into the market. This will enable the new carriers to begin selling services immediately upon launch as they will not have to build a full antenna array. The new carriers will likely use the current carriers' infrastructures for a long time.
Golan Telecom is seeking to rent offices and sign contracts with vendors to build its own network.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 11, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011