CAIRO, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Egypt-based Orascom Telecom said it would support Globalive, in which it said it had an indirect stake, to operate in Canada after a ruling Globalive said would delay the launch of its service.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said Globalive, which will operate under the Wind brand, did not comply with Canada's foreign ownership rules because it was effectively under Orascom's control.
After Thursday's CRTC ruling, Globalive said it would delay the launch of its mobile phone service. A ministry spokesman said on Friday Canadian Industry Minister Tony Clement would review the decision by the regulator.
"Orascom Telecom Holdings will support Wind Mobile's management in its efforts to explore all avenues to obtain clearance to operate in Canada and launch operations at the earliest possible time," Orascom said late on Friday.
The CRTC had said Orascom owned 65.1 percent of Globalive's equity, had entered into a strategic technical arrangement with Globalive, and controlled and held the Wind brand under which Globalive had been set to operate.
Orascom said it had indirect equity ownership in Globalive Wireless (Wind Canada), which was granted spectrum licences.
Orascom "is disappointed by the CRTC decision that comes 14 months after the end of the AWS spectrum auction and a few weeks ahead of Wind Mobile's intended launch date," the firm said in a statement.
"It is all the more unexpected considering that Wind Mobile received approval from Industry Canada on the grounds that it complies with the Canadian ownership and control rules," it added.
Orascom said Wind Mobile participated in Canada's advanced wireless services spectrum auction that started in May 2008, purchasing spectrum for C$442 Million in August 2008.
(Writing by Edmund Blair, Editing by Dean Yates) Keywords: ORASCOMTELECOM/WIND CANADA
(edmund.blair@thomsonreuters.com, +20 2 2578 3290, Reuters Messaging: edmund.blair.reuters.com@reuters.net)
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