"Wana", a subsidiary of the first Moroccan private group, the holding Omnium Nord-Africain (ONA), controlled by the Royal family, was launched February 2007, but it took a full year of work before it embarked on the mobile telephony segment which, for eight years now, has lived at the pace of bi-polarity.

It is recalled that up till 31 March, "Maroc-Telecom", a subsidiary of the French group, Vivendi, had 13.7 million subscribers, or 66.44 per cent of market share and "Meditel", a Luso-Spanish-Moroccan group, with nearly 7 million subscribers, or a share of 33.56 per cent.

To be entrenched in the market, "Wana", which has 505 points of sale throughout the country, banked on a "more attractive offer at the level of prices than its two competitors," the operator said.

After the fixed and mobile telephony, "Wana" is soon to unveil, its internet offer, based on its technology, which excludes ADSL.

The new operator also intends to rely on the prepaid, without subscription.

Established in 2000 under the name "Maroc-Connect" as the second access provider of the internet in Morocco in partnership with "Wanadoo", the operator acquires 80 per cent of the market share.

In 2004, "Attijariwafa Bank" and the Deposit and Management Fund (CDG, public) entered "Maroc-Connect" following the disengagement of France Telecom.

In 2006, "Maroc-Connect" acquired a mobile 3G licence and will become, under the name of "Wana", the third operator after "Maroc-Telecom" and "Meditel". Panapress .