Umniah sold out for Batelco .... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Why did you do so Mr Michele Dagher! Why!
Yes, its confirmed, Mr Michele Dagher, The Manager and co-owner of Umniah Telecom, has signed the other day the contract of selling out 96% (Michele's own shares and his Kuwaiti alliance, Alghanem Invest) of Umniah, jordan's newest Mobile Telecommunication company, to Batelco, which already have bought NETS ONLINE and FirstNet Jordan several years ago and united them in Batelco Jordan.

The remaining 4% in case you are wondering were, and are still owned by the Governmental Jordanian Universities' Students Fund Society. Yes, a little bit of communism is good after all.

Personally, I consider Batelco Jordan a leading company in the Jordanian telecommunication market (not really appreciated by my self as far as web development is concerned despite the fact they have earned several awards in this domain). And I AM one of those persons that are still boycotting Jordan Telecom waiting for Batelco Jordan to get into the land line and the non telephonic broad band Internet lines. But Batelco taking place in the Jordanian GSM market wasn't expected, and a very confusing one now after it actually happened.

I don't really know what to comment on this deal, i just don't want Umniah to get screwed! I am an Umniah-only subscriber for over 10 months now, letting off my continuous 4 years of subscription with Past-Think, and i had probably one single dissatisfaction with their services, and one that they actually officially apologized for.

I personally sensed the left of Mr Michele Dagher from Fastlink, quite a change in the range of services, quality, customer service, and even the Policy has occurred after him leaving Fastlink. Mr Dagher well cooked and built his own network after that from his own office in the Culture Street in Shmeisani, making out the best of his policies, and the best deals to get through the Jordanian market, including 3G services, which unfortunately ARE NOT implemented fully in Jordan, neither by Umniah (the only fully 3G ready network in Jordan) nor any other networks because of licensing availability issues (The Ministry of ICT is indeed to be blamed for this).... for gods sake, 3G devices are becoming everywhere in town, why is this latency!

So Mr Dagher put down his money and ideas, and made out his "Umniah" (the word "Umniah" means "Wish" in case you aren't an arabic reader) after all, and now, after exactly 1 year of actual existence for that "Umniah", he's selling out his wishes with a profit of not less than 120% to batelco, and with over 250% of what was initially invested in his wish. Creative business guy, don't you thing ;)

But, I'm still wondering (Why)?!

I really have something in me that says that i must meat up with Mr Dagher in his office on the culture street one day and ask this question, I have not less than 0.00000027 % of Umniah after all (The percentage will not be more than 10 piasters by the way, I've just calculated it ;) At least he could have waited till 3G is to be released, or does it seem that it wont be licensed in the near future!?

Many questions, no answer so far. My concern is that Batelco won't damage dagher's once upon a time Wish, or better said "Umniah".

Read more about this topic from Ahmad Humeid.


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