SyriaTel

SyriaTel (Arabic سيريتل ) is an association founded in 2000, private Syrian mobile operator MTN and next to one of only two mobile phone companies that hold a license in Syria. The Syrian Ministry of Communication and Technology is currently conducting a tender for a third party provider.

SyriaTel controlled with - according to own data - 55 per cent market share (6 million customers ) on the Syrian mobile market, the largest number of participants in the country.

Principal owner of SyriaTel is the controversial Syrian businessman Rami Machluf were raised against the repeated allegations of corruption. Together with the Lebanese businessman Pierre Fattouch to Machluf have also operated an illegal telephone network prior to 2006 that calls in Lebanon redirected over the network of SyriaTel.

SyriaTel is called Salwa Ismail of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London as ideal-typical example of the problems of Syria on the path to a market economy. Thus, in the founding of the company not examine the finances and the corporate structure by the Syrian Ministry of Economic Affairs has been made, although many concerns have been expressed. The structure as " Build Operate Transfer " was criticized because it provides that the company is recycled after a fifteen-year construction phase in state ownership. SyriaTel is still registered as a pure telecommunications companies, although other, potentially loss-making business to be operated. The IPO in 2004 was therefore criticized that buyers were left in the assumption to invest exclusively in the mobile, although this did not correspond to the facts.

In his public image, the company emphasizes particularly its social responsibility. In 2011 SyriaTel gave as corporate values ​​" efficiency, innovation, respect, integrity, customer focus, teamwork and winning", while since 2012 " team spirit, excellence, customer focus, integrity, respect, owner responsibility and passion " are specified as leitmotifs of the corporate action.

On 9 May 2011 the European Union adopted against the President of SyriaTel, Rami Machluf, and on 23 May 2011 against the Vice President Ihab Machluf far-reaching sanctions, which also provide for the blocking of funds and financial deposit in addition to a ban on entry into the EU.