Roshan (telecommunications)
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Afghanistan |
Key people | Karim Khoja, CEO |
| Products | GSM |
| Parent | AKFED |
| Website | www |
Roshan (Persian: روشن, lit.'light') is a telecommunications development company located in Afghanistan.[1]
History
Roshan 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. By 2014, Roshan was the largest private employer and telco in Afghanistan with 6 million subscribers, and had also started telecom and mobile money operations in Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda under the "Smart Mobile" brand.[3]
In October 2017, in cooperation with the Wikimedia Foundation, Roshan provided customers free access to Wikipedia and its sister projects without incurring data charges.[4][5][6][7] The cooperation was part of the Wikipedia Zero project, which the Wikimedia Foundation discontinued in February 2018.[8][9][10] 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.[11]
Shareholders
Roshan was founded under the ownership of the following companies:[12][13][14]
- 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)[15] and Principality of Monaco over Société Nationale de Financement (45%)
- 9%—MCT Corporation (former U.S. company, now part of Telia Company)[16]
- 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.[17]
In August 2020, TeliaSonera sold its 12.25% stake[18][19] and Monaco Telecom sold its 36.75% stake[20] to AKFED, making it the sole owner.
See also
References
- ^"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.
- ^Schwartz, Ariel (2014-03-31). "The Largest Private Employer In Afghanistan Is A B Corporation, And It's Growing Fast". Fast Company.
- ^"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
