Israel’s 012 Smile mulls mobile sector

Israeli Internet service provider and international calls carrier 012 Smile Telecom, which is controlled by Yosef Maiman as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ampal-American Israel Corporation, is mulling entry into the country’s wireless sector, according to Globes Online, TeleGeography CommsUpdate reported.

The news states that Maiman looks to hold up the opening of the international calls sector with a view to allowing more time to consider 012 Smile’s strategy and options for the country’s mobile spectrum auction in September.

Under existing regulations, unless 012 Smile applies for mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) license by Saturday mobile operator Partner Communications will be free to apply for an international calls carrier license.

However, it is thought that Maiman sees any such action by Partner as potentially harming 012 Smile’s entrance to the wireless sector; the executive had a similar motive when he called on Minister of Communications Moshe Kahlon to not allow HOT Telecommunication Systems to become an ISP without full structural separation from its cable and telephony operations.