Morocco Telecom Operators
Armanda Kicks
The Moroccan appeals court has upheld a consequential ruling requiring Maroc Telecom to pay 6.3 billion dirhams ($630 million) in compensation to its competitor Wana Corporate, known as Inwi, for alleged unfair competition practices.
Inwi, positioned as Morocco's third-largest telecom operator, initiated legal proceedings in 2021, accusing Maroc Telecom of leveraging its dominant market position unfairly. This fine notably surpasses Maroc Telecom's annual profit of 6.1 billion dirhams in 2023. Previously, in 2020, Morocco's telecom regulator (ANRT) fined Maroc Telecom 3.3 billion dirhams for impeding competitors' access to network unbundling and the fixed market.
Maroc Telecom, listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange and Euronext Paris, is predominantly owned by the UAE's Etisalat (53%), with the Moroccan state holding a 22% stake. Apart from Morocco, Maroc Telecom operates subsidiaries across several African countries. Inwi, privately held and controlled by the investment fund Al Mada of the Moroccan royal family, does not trade publicly.
In 2016, Inwi filed a complaint with the National Agency of Telecommunications Regulation (ANRT), alleging Maroc Telecom's inadequate implementation of local loop unbundling, which allows new operators access to infrastructure connecting customers to local exchanges. ANRT confirmed the complaint in 2017, citing Maroc Telecom's obstruction of competitors' access to infrastructure, thereby hindering their ability to offer landline services. This led to ANRT imposing a fine of 3.3 billion dirhams ($330 million) on Maroc Telecom for anti-competitive behavior in 2020.
The recent earthquake in Morocco served as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of natural disasters. The 6.8-magnitude quake struck late on Friday. It was the strongest to hit the region around the ancient city of Marrakech in a century, according to the US Geological Survey.
In the aftermath of the recent earthquake, the importance of staying connected through airtime cannot be overstated. It not only serves as a lifeline for people and communities but also represents a symbol of resilience and solidarity during these challenging times. Airtime emerges as a vital tool that empowers individuals and communities to maintain communication, access crucial information, and offer support to one another during an earthquake or any other disaster. As we unite to support one another, operators like Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi continue to play an essential role in ensuring that connectivity remains a cornerstone of recovery and rebuilding efforts.
In these times of adversity, businesses seeking to connect with operators in Morocco and support users with family in the affected areas can turn to Prepay Nation for a seamless solution. Prepay Nation, a trusted B2B leader of prepaid airtime, is dedicated to supporting businesses with exclusive products, bonuses and customized plans from Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi. We understand the critical importance of connectivity during crises like the recent earthquake in Morocco.
Through our extensive network of partnerships, Prepay Nation can help businesses seamlessly integrate using our API to acquire products from Moroccan telecom operators, ensuring swift and effective support for users with loved ones in Morocco. Moreover, as a gesture of solidarity, Prepay Nation is offering businesses an additional bonus on airtime purchases for Morocco, amplifying their capacity to provide assistance and connectivity to those in need.
Together with Prepay Nation, businesses can bridge the communication gap, extending their compassionate outreach to affected individuals and families. In these trying times, every connection counts, and Prepay Nation is here to empower businesses in making a meaningful impact on the road to recovery and healing. Book a meeting today to talk to our team.
Inwi had initially issued a complaint to the Moroccan regulator, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT), in 2016, saying that Maroc Telecom had failed to fairly implement local loop unbundling, the process of allowing new telecoms operators access to the infrastructure connecting customers to their local telephone exchanges.
In 2017, the ANRT upheld the complaint, having found that Maroc Telecom had indeed prevented and delayed their competitors from gaining access to their infrastructure, thereby blocking and delaying them from offering landline services to customers.
At the time, it was hoped that this fine would put an end to the long running saga, but while Inwi did briefly withdraw its complaint, the third-place operator ultimately sought compensation via the courts in 2021.
ICANN has received a request to delegate the المغرب domain, a country-code top-level domain representing Morocco, to Agence Nationale de Rglementation des Tlcommunications (ANRT). ICANN Staff have assessed the request, and provide this report for the ICANN Board of Directors to consider.
On 23 October 2010, review by the IDN Fast Track DNS Stability Panel found that "the applied-for strings ... present none of the threats to the stability or security of the DNS identified in [the IDN Fast Track implementation plan] ... and present an acceptably low risk of user confusion". The request for the string to represent the Morocco was subsequently approved.
The proposed sponsoring organisation is Agence Nationale de Rglementation des Tlcommunications, a publicly-owned entity established in February 1998 under the authority of the Prime Minister in accordance with the Moroccan Telecommunication Law No. 24-96 in Morocco. ANRT is the current operator of the .MA ASCII country code top-level domain.
The proposed administrative and technical contact is Azdine El Mountassir Billah, the Director General of Agence Nationale de Rglementation des Tlcommunications. The administrative contact is understood to be based in Morocco.
The top-level domain is eligible for delegation under ICANN policy, as the string has been deemed an appropriate representation of Morocco through the ICANN Fast Track String Selection process, and Morocco is presently listed in the ISO 3166-1 standard.
Explicit government support for the application was provided in letters from Abbas El Fassi, the Prime Minister of the Moroccan government, and two Ministries: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Cooperation and Ministry of Industry, Trade and New Technologies.
Additional support was stated in the letters from the Moroccan Federation of Information Technologies, Telecommunications and offshoring (APEBI), Moroccan Internet Society (MISOC) and two global telecommunications operators in Morocco: Itissalat Al-Maghrib and Medi TELECOM.
The application has provided satisfactory details on the technical and operational infrastructure and expertise that will be used to operate the proposed new domain. The proposed operator is the current manager of .MA ASCII country code top-level domain for Morocco.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is tasked with managing the Domain Name System root zone as part of a set of functions governed by a contract with the U.S. Government. This includes managing the delegations of top-level domains.
In considering requests to delegate or redelegate country-code top-level domains, input is sought regarding the proposed new Sponsoring Organisation, as well as from persons and organisations that may be significantly affected by the change, particularly those within the nation or territory to which the ccTLD is designated.
To assess these criteria, information is requested from the applicant regarding the proposed sponsoring organisation and method of operation. In summary, a request template is sought specifying the exact details of the delegation being sought in the root zone. In addition, various documentation is sought describing: the views of the local internet community on the application; the competencies and skills of the trustee to operate the domain; the legal authenticity, status and character of the proposed trustee; and the nature of government support fort he proposal. The view of any current trustee is obtained, and in the event of a redelegation, the transfer plan from the previous sponsoring organisation to the new sponsoring organisation is also assessed with a view to ensuring ongoing stable operation of the domain.
After receiving this documentation and input, it is analysed in relation to existing root zone management procedures, seeking input from parties both related to as well as independent of the proposed sponsoring organisation should the information provided in the original application be deficient. The applicant is given the opportunity to cure any deficiencies before a final assessment is made.
Moroccans and expatriates have taken their fury against the blocking of voice over IP (VoIP) calls to social networks, and have called for the boycott of the North African country's telecommunication operators that implemented the ban.
Maroc Telecom, Meditel and Inwi, the three telecommunication service providers in Morocco, welcomed the New Year of 2016 with the ban of free mobile internet calls made through mobile phone connections.
Skype, Viber, Tango, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are among the applications whose VoIP calls have been blocked by telecom operators on 3G, and 4G connections in January and ADSL connections in February.
"In its 2004 decision subjecting VoIP to a prior license, ANRT wanted to apply a legal regime and therefore exceeded its powers. The decision can be challenged before the administrative court of Rabat by filing for an annulment for abuse of power," wrote Alaoui.
On its website, ANRT states it is in charge of the contribution to the proposal of the legal framework governing the telecommunications sector through the preparation of draft laws, decrees and ministerial orders. The agency is also in charge of conducting and implementing procedures of allocation and instruction of licences through competitive bidding.
4a15465005