Roshan (telco)

Communication company in Afghanistan

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Roshan

Company type| Private
Industry| Telecommunications
Founded| 2003
Headquarters| Afghanistan

Key people

| Karim Khoja, CEO
Products| GSM
Parent| AKFED
Website| www.roshan.af

Roshan (Persian: روشن) is an Afghan telecommunications provider.[1]

## History[edit]

In October 2017, a cooperation with the Wikimedia Foundation that had already begun on September 29, 2017, was announced, which was intended to provide customers with free access to Wikipedia and its sister projects, so no data volume would be charged for connections for this purpose.[2][3][4][5] The cooperation was part of the Wikipedia Zero project, which was discontinued by the Wikimedia Foundation in February 2018.[6][7][8] Accordingly, the existing agreement with Roshan expired on December 15, 2018, without renewal.

## Shareholders[edit]

Roshan was originally founded under the ownership of the following companies:[9][10][11]

* 51,00 % - Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) - Part of Aga Khan Development Network
* 35,00 % – Monaco Telecom International (MTI), subsidiary of NJJ Capital (55% - since 2014, acquired from Cable & Wireless)[12] and Principality of Monaco over Société Nationale de Financement (45%)
* 9,00 % - MCT Corporation (former U.S. company involved in joint ventures in the telecommunications sector in Russia and Central Asia - now part of TeliaSonera[13])
* 5,00 % - Alcatel

The investments are held through the Telecom Development Company of Afghanistan B.V., based in Amsterdam, which holds 100% of the shares of the Telecom Development Company of Afghanistan Ltd..

In July 2004, Alcatel fully sold its 5% stake with 3.25% in MCT and 1.75% in MTI. The investments are held through the Telecom Development Company of Afghanistan B.V., based in Amsterdam, which holds 100% of the shares of the Telecom Development Company of Afghanistan Ltd. [14]

As of July 31, 2020, TeliaSonera sold its 12.25%[15][16] and Monaco Telecom sold its 36.75% stake[17] each to AKFED in August 2020, making it the sole owner.

## See also[edit]

* List of Afghan companies
* Telecom Development Company Afghanistan

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Roshan reaches 6 million subscribers" by Roger Field, CommsMEA, ITP Media Group, 13 June 2012.
2. ^ "Archive:Mobile partnerships - Wikimedia Foundation Governance Wiki".
3. ^ "Roshan starts free of charge access to Wikipedia for its customers". The Khaama Press News Agency. 2017-10-09.
4. ^ "ROSHAN PARTNERS WITH WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION TO BRING FREE MOBILE ACCESS TO WIKIPEDIA IN AFGHANISTAN".
5. ^ Salaam Times. "Wikipedia to offer free access to Afghans via mobile phone".
6. ^ "Archive:Wikipedia Zero - Wikimedia Foundation Governance Wiki".
7. ^ "Afghanistan will soon have free mobile access to Wikipedia". 19 July 2019.
8. ^ Wikimedia Foundation (2018-02-16). "Building for the future of Wikimedia with a new approach to partnerships". Diff.
9. ^ "AKFED-led consortium wins Afghan telecom licence | Aga Khan Development Network".
10. ^ ""Roshan" promises a bright future for GSM digital services in Afghanistan | Aga Khan Development Network".
11. ^ Nazir Peroz (2009), Framework for a Functional IT Supply in Higher Education in Afghanistan (in German), LIT, pp. 11 ff, ISBN 978-3-643-10225-6 (bei Google Books)
12. ^ "Monaco Entreprise". Monaco Telecom (in French).
13. ^ "TeliaSonera Acquisition of MCT Corp" (PDF). TeliaSonera.
14. ^ "Proposed Loan and Political Risk Guarantee Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Roshan Phase II Expansion Project" (PDF). Asian Development Bank. June 2006.
15. ^ Fildes, Nic (2020-10-06). "Telia sells off world's biggest telecoms carrier business". Financial Times.
16. ^ "TeliaSonera - ANNUAL AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020" (PDF). TeliaSonera. 2021-03-10.
17. ^ "Monaco Telecom International cède ses parts dans Roshan". Monaco Telecom (in French). 2020-08-18.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [[commons:Category:Roshan|]].

* Official website
* The Economist: Shining a Light
* Hisham, Hishamuddin (11/3/2007)1500 Public Call Office to Be Established in Rural Areas of Afghanistan, Anis Newspaper
* (6/21/2007) Roshan And Cisco To Take Telemedicine To Afghanistan, Wireless Healthcare
* (7/25/2005) Org Infomatics
* BBC Monitoring World Media. (2/26/2008) Afghanistan: Mobile-phone money-transfer service launched.
* Xinhua General News Service. (3/2/2008) Armed men destroy mobile phone tower in S. Afghanistan.
* Reuters. (9/25/2008) Afghan wireless industry plagued by security issues. The Globe and Mail (Canada), Pg. B11.
* Anneli Groenewald. (10/1/2008) CSR and the environment: Developing countries: Social working. TT Magazine.
* Thai Press Reports. (8/14/2008) Afghanistan: ADB supports expansion of mobile phone services in Afghanistan.

* v
* t
* e

Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development

People|

* Aga Khan IV (founder)
* Amyn Aga Khan

Finance|

* Diamond Trust Bank Group
* Tanzania
* Uganda
* DCB Bank
* Habib Bank Limited
* HBL Microfinance Bank
* Himalayan Bank
* First Microfinance Bank
* Afghanistan
* Tajikistan
* IPDC Finance
* Jubilee Insurance
* Jubilee Life Insurance

Media|

* Nation Media Group
* The EastAfrican
* Daily Nation
* Business Daily Africa
* Daily Monitor
* Taifa Leo
* Mwananchi Communications

Telecom|

* Roshan
* Tcell

Hospitality|

* Serena Hotels

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