Roshan (Persian: روشن, lit. 'light') is a telecommunications development company located in Afghanistan.[1]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Afghanistan |
Key people | Karim Khoja, CEO |
| Products | GSM |
| Parent | AKFED |
| Website | www |
History
editRoshan was founded by Kari Khoja in 2002.[2]
In 2012, Roshan became the first and only company in Afghanistan to achieve B Corporation certification, awarded by B Lab.[citation needed]
In October 2017, in cooperation with the Wikimedia Foundation, Roshan provided customers free access to Wikipedia and its sister projects without incurring data charges.[3][4][5][6] The cooperation was part of the Wikipedia Zero project, which the Wikimedia Foundation discontinued in February 2018.[7][8][9] The agreement with Roshan expired on December 15, 2018.
As of June 2024, Roshan's telecommunications services are available in at least one city in every province in Afghanistan.[10]
Shareholders
editRoshan was founded under the ownership of the following companies:[11][12][13]
- 51%—Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, part of Aga Khan Development Network
- 35%—Monaco Telecom International (MTI), subsidiary of NJJ Capital (55%—since 2014, acquired from Cable & Wireless)[14] and Principality of Monaco over Société Nationale de Financement (45%)
- 9%—MCT Corporation (former U.S. company, now part of Telia Company)[15]
- 5%—Alcatel
The investments were 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 sold its 5% stake, distributing 3.25% to MCT and 1.75% to MTI.[16]
In August 2020, TeliaSonera sold its 12.25% stake[17][18] and Monaco Telecom sold its 36.75% stake[19] to AKFED, making it the sole owner.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Roshan reaches 6 million subscribers" by Roger Field, CommsMEA, ITP Media Group, 13 June 2012.
- ^ "Roshan Telecommunications (Afghanistan) – Private Enterprise Winning where Developmental Aid has Failed". Technology and Operations Management. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ "Archive:Mobile partnerships - Wikimedia Foundation Governance Wiki".
- ^ "Roshan starts free of charge access to Wikipedia for its customers". The Khaama Press News Agency. 2017-10-09.
- ^ "ROSHAN PARTNERS WITH WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION TO BRING FREE MOBILE ACCESS TO WIKIPEDIA IN AFGHANISTAN".
- ^ Salaam Times. "Wikipedia to offer free access to Afghans via mobile phone".
- ^ "Archive:Wikipedia Zero - Wikimedia Foundation Governance Wiki".
- ^ "Afghanistan will soon have free mobile access to Wikipedia". 19 July 2019.
- ^ Wikimedia Foundation (2018-02-16). "Building for the future of Wikimedia with a new approach to partnerships". Diff.
- ^ Lead, Telecom (2012-10-14). "After selecting Huawei, Roshan Telecom looks for ZTE to complement 3G network in Afghanistan". TelecomLead. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
- ^ "AKFED-led consortium wins Afghan telecom licence | Aga Khan Development Network". Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ ""Roshan" promises a bright future for GSM digital services in Afghanistan | Aga Khan Development Network". Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Peroz, Nazir (2009). Framework for a Functional IT Supply in Higher Education in Afghanistan. LIT. p. 11. ISBN 978-3-643-10225-6.
- ^ "Monaco Entreprise". Monaco Telecom. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "TeliaSonera Acquisition of MCT Corp" (PDF). TeliaSonera. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Proposed Loan and Political Risk Guarantee Islamic Republic of Afghanistan: Roshan Phase II Expansion Project" (PDF). Asian Development Bank. June 2006. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ Fildes, Nic (2020-10-06). "Telia sells off world's biggest telecoms carrier business". Financial Times. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "TeliaSonera - ANNUAL AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020" (PDF). TeliaSonera. 2021-03-10. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
- ^ "Monaco Telecom International cède ses parts dans Roshan" (in French). Monaco Telecom. 2020-08-18. Retrieved 2023-10-01.
External links
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