New ISP coming in 2014

Mada Communications to offer wireless
high speed Internet

Mada Communications, a Kuwaiti communications company active in both Kuwaiti and Jordanian markets, will be launching its commercial operations in the local market as of early 2014. Waves S.A.L is the locally registered company that will be managing Mada services.

The company had acquired IDAL package incentives in 2010, but faced three years of delays to get the clearance to ship the essential equipment, said Nassif Bechara, Chairman of the company. Waves had already bought the license from the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA), to use the frequency 2.3 GHz. The company has invested up to $30 million to prepare the launching of the service. The main shareholders are Mada Kuwait with 42 percent of the shares, followed by two Lebanese investors owning the remaining 58 percent. Waves is currently deploying its infrastructure

Mada will bring to the local market wireless broadband Internet service. This technology will be a quality substitute of the locally used DSL, especially in uncovered or under-covered areas. It will also provide users with extra Internet speeds rising over 10 Mbps through WiMAX technology (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access), a new technology in the Internet broadcast.

“Our service will offer to end users a wireless DSL Internet connection,” Bechara said. The cost of the service will be competitive, with varied packages. According to Bechara, there are still around 200,000 illegal Internet users in underserved areas. The implementation of this new wireless Internet technology will help reduce these figures.

The bandwidth and range of WiMAX make it suitable to offer other applications, such as providing data, telecommunications (VoIP) and IPTV services, but so far “we did receive licensed to sell VoIP.”