Vodafone's Coming!

Vodafone is setting a new date for its Qatar IPO in February after being told to delay its launch last year because of market conditions.

The company, which aims to compete with existing operator Qtel in terms of quality and service rather than on price, aims to sell 40% of the company with another 15% going to local institutions.

The company’s arrival in Qatar is eagerly awaited by many consumers despite efforts by Qtel to both improve customer satisfaction and the range of services on offer.

Nigel Gourlay, writing in the Peninsula, believed that consumers have already benefited from the looming competition as the state monopoly struggles to get in shape for competition for the first time in its history.

Like Vodafone, Qtel is an acquisition hungry company and is currently attempting to takeover Indonesian telecommunications company Indosat, although Indonesian government plans to limit Qtel’s stake to 49% may scupper the plans.

Qtel might well be advised to focus on the upcoming competition in its home country rather than taking its eye off the ball at this critical moment. Insiders tell us that despite training to introduce the idea of competition to staff, Qtel workers are still ill-prepared for going head to head with Vodafone.

Qatar Telecommunications Companies