Zain to enter Kurdistan in 2011

The Iraqi unit of Kuwaiti telecoms group Zain will begin operations in Iraqi Kurdistan in January 2011, Reuters reports, according to TeleGeography CommsUpdate.

Citing company’s CEO Emad Makiya, the Reuters story said Zain also will continue to invest in Iraq, which is a key high-growth market for the group. The Iraqi unit plans to invest 16 to 20 percent of its revenue every year in upgrading and expanding its network for at least the next three years.

Besides expansion into the Kurdish region, the cellco’s key focus is the launch of 3G services. Makiya said Zain Iraq already is testing the technology and is awaiting a license from the government to provide 3G services.