TELECOM · COMPANY
MTN Syria
Founded 29 June 2002 as Areeba. MTN Group sold its remaining stake in 2020; the operator is exiting following the replacement of its licence.
Telecom Index 4 sourced indicators of 15
Mobile operator
Sources
No data
The 6.3m subscriber figure is the base being transferred under the six-month transition. Original licence grant date unsourced.
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Licences
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Former mobile licence
Not sourced.
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No data
Recorded as expired because it is being replaced by the 2026 award, but the mechanism — expiry, revocation or surrender — is not established, and expired may be the wrong enum. Original grant date, term and consideration all unsourced.
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Developments
Zain awarded the national mobile licence
A 20-year renewable licence for USD 747m, with investment of more than USD 800m over ten years and a six-month transition preserving service for 6.3 million subscribers.
Zain Syria network buildZain SyriaZain GroupMTN SyriaSyrian Telecommunications and Post Regulatory Authority
MTN Group sells its remaining stake in MTN Syria
The 75% stake passes to TeleInvest, part of Dallah Al-Baraka, ending the South African group's presence in the Syrian market.
MTN Syria founded as Areeba
The second operator enters the market as Areeba, later becoming MTN Syria.