Mobilink’s parent company Orascom Telecom exceeds 50 Million Subscribers  
Pakistan Times National News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The parent company of Mobilink, Pakistan’s market leader in cellular communication, Orascom Telecom Holding S. A. E. ("Orascom Telecom” or “OTH”) announced its subscriber base exceeding the 50 million benchmark, an achievement which has come by virtue of growing from 30 million to 50 million in 12 months or a 67% increase.

This growth is fuelled by the company’s aggressive strategy to capture the lion’s share of the high subscribers’ growth by capitalizing on its leadership position in each of its existing markets.

It has achieved this milestone by investing in its network coverage and quality, and by keeping ahead of its competitors offering new and innovative products tailored to the local market conditions.

Naguib Sawiris, Chairman & CEO of OTH, stated “As I have announced earlier this year that the 50 million subscriber mark was our target, we have not only fulfilled that objective of delivering very high double digit growth but also we started the cleanup of our subscriber base.

This is a major milestone for OTH in an ever more competitive world. I am convinced that OTH is strategically, operationally and financially well positioned to deliver superior growth and profitability in the future for its shareholders, and the 100 million subscriber mark by 2009 is our new target.”

Zouhair A. Khaliq, President & CEO, Mobilink said, “OTH is clearly the leading telecom operator regionally with a focus on global goals. 50 million subscribers is a significant milestone and in the next phase of our market thrust, doubling that figure in the next couple of years is inevitable.

As part of the leading OTH subsidiaries, Mobilink takes pride in playing a decisive role in this achievement and I would like to congratulate our team members at Orascom and Mobilink.”

About Mobilink

Mobilink, a part of the Orascom Telecom Group, is Pakistan’s leading cellular service provider with more than 54% of the total market share.

It has a customer base of more than 20 million members as of November 2006 and provides the most extensive coverage footprint across Pakistan with more than 1250 cities, towns, villages and countless destinations and true International Roaming in over 100 countries with more than 300 partner operators.

Orascom Telecom, Mobilink’s parent company, has grown to become a major player in the telecommunications market and is a leading mobile telecommunications company operating in seven markets in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

About Orascom Telecom Holding

Orascom Telecom is a leading international telecommunications company operating GSM networks in seven high growth markets in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, having a total population under license of approximately 460 million with an average mobile telephony penetration of approximately 22% as at 30 September 2006.

Orascom Telecom operates GSM networks in Algeria ("OTA"), Pakistan ("Mobilink"), Egypt ("Mobinil"), Tunisia ("Tunisiana"), Iraq ("Iraqna"), Bangladesh ("Banglalink"), and Zimbabwe ("Telecel Zimbabwe").

Orascom Telecom had over 50 million subscribers as at December 2006. Orascom Telecom owns 19.3% of Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited, a leading telecommunication services provider operating in eight countries.

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).●