Roshan (Persian: روشن) is a telecommunications development company located in Afghanistan. It provides services to 6 million subscribers and a network that covers at least one city in every province of Afghanistan.[1]
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Afghanistan |
Key people | Karim Khoja, CEO |
| Products | GSM |
| Parent | AKFED |
| Website | www |
History
editRoshan, meaning "light" and "hope" in Pashto and Dari, was founded by Kari Khoja in 2002 with the primary goal "to spearhead economic development and to facilitate greater social cohesion in Afghanistan through the introduction of accessible telecommunications technology."[2]
Roshan also made significant plans to centralize their telecommunications services in multiple major cities around Afghanistan. As an Afghan company, they faced significant challenges during the Taliban insurgency.
In 2012, Roshan became the first and only company in Afghanistan to achieve B Corporation certification, awarded by B Lab.
In October 2017, a cooperation with the Wikimedia Foundation, initiated on September 29, 2017, was announced, aiming to provide Roshan customers with free access to Wikipedia and its sister projects without incurring data charged.[3][4][5][6] The cooperation was part of the Wikipedia Zero project, which the Wikimedia Foundation discontinued in February 2018.[7][8][9] As a result, the existing agreement with Roshan expired on December 15, 2018, and was not renewed.
As of June 2024, Roshan's telecommunications services are available in at least one city in every province in Afghanistan and play a significant role in the country's telecommunications industry. This is evidenced by their status as the single largest taxpayer in Afghanistan.[10]
Shareholders
editRoshan was originally founded under the ownership of the following companies:[11][12][13]
- 51%—Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) - 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 involved in joint ventures in the telecommunications sector in Russia and Central Asia - now part of TeliaSonera)[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]
As of July 31, 2020, TeliaSonera sold its 12.25% stake,[17][18] and Monaco Telecom sold its 36.75% stake,[19] each 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
edit- Official website
- The Economist: Shining a Light
- Hisham, Hishamuddin (11/3/2007)1500 Public Call Office to Be Established in Rural Areas of Afghanistan, Anis Newspaper
- (6/21/2007) Roshan And Cisco To Take Telemedicine To Afghanistan, Wireless Healthcare
- (7/25/2005) Org Infomatics
- BBC Monitoring World Media. (2/26/2008) Afghanistan: Mobile-phone money-transfer service launched.
- Xinhua General News Service. (3/2/2008) Armed men destroy mobile phone tower in S. Afghanistan.
- Reuters. (9/25/2008) Afghan wireless industry plagued by security issues. The Globe and Mail (Canada), Pg. B11.
- Anneli Groenewald. (10/1/2008) CSR and the environment: Developing countries: Social working. TT Magazine.
- Thai Press Reports. (8/14/2008) Afghanistan: ADB supports expansion of mobile phone services in Afghanistan.
- https://craft.co/roshan
- Harvard Business: Roshan, co.