The launch of Morocco’s new telecom operator, Wana, was greeted with much popular relish, revealing the appetite Moroccans have for the fruits of telecommunications liberalization. The high-profile launch comes on the heels of the decoupling of Maroc Télécom’s network and ahead of measures to ensure number portability between operators. As a sign of the competition gearing up, the newly re-branded Wana (formerly Maroc Connect) launched its Bayn array of services in both the mobile and fixed-line markets on Feb. 7. The company’s offices were swamped by interested customers, with some 24,000 signing up on the first day, over twice the amount expected. Through an investment of $703 million, the new operator, controlled by two holding groups close to the royal family, ONA and SNI, expects to turn a profit by 2010. Having installed 500 base stations across the kingdom, Wana has tapped into the 4,600 km fiber-optic network installed by
