Egyptian Company for Mobile Services and Subsidiaries (Mobinil) said internet company LINKdotNET will go on providing its ADSL services separately, despite a buyout deal with Orascom Telecom which saw Mobinil acquiring 100 percent of the company’s shares.
LINK will maintain its brand name as far as ADSL services are concerned for the time being, said Khaled el-Leithy, head of Mobinil’s financial sector. Eventually however the services will be brought under Mobinil’s name, following the pattern of Vodafone, which acquired full ownership of Raya.
LINK’s CEO, Karim Beshara, declined to give any details about the company’s strategy at present, saying simply that the newly merged companies agree on a number of long-term goals.
The US$130 million deal does not include LINK’s operations abroad, nor the company responsible for controlling its online content. LINK’s administration will enjoy independence during the early stages of the merger, but once the final stages are complete Mobinil will assume full control.
A statment yesterday from Orascom Telecom announced it had sold its internet provider to Mobinil, but said the deal does not include LINK’s operations in services other than ADSL.
Officials at LINK and Mobinil predict a full merger of both companies’ infrastructures, including customer care and post-sale services.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
