Etisalat drives 3G network in Afghanistan

African mobile operator Etisalat has rolled out 3G network services in war-torn Afghanistan, Reuters Africa reports.

Etisalat, which has invested more than $300 million in Afghanistan since 2007, has about 3.5 million customers in the country.

According to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, there were 17.7 million mobile subscribers in Afghanistan at the end of December 2011, comprised of 17.6 million GSM customers and 134 000 CDMA customers, Total Telecom states.

The Afghan Telecom Regulatory Authority released a 3G tender in July with the aim of providing a licence to a new entrant. The rules also allowed the country's existing operators to upgrade their licences by matching the winning bid.

Etisalat, which saw $1.8 billion moved over its network last year via money transfers, has sought regulatory approval to expand its financial services offerings, Gulf Daily News says.

It has tied up with Western Union and MoneyGram International to allow money sent by mobile customers in the Middle East to be collected anywhere in the world.