| Mobile Communications Company of Iran (MCI) Hamrah-e Avval | |
| Native Name: | شرکت ارتباطات سیار ایران (همراه اول) |
| Native Name Lang: | fa |
| Type: | Semi-private |
| Traded As: | TSE |
| Area Served: | Iran |
| Key People: | Mehdi Akhavan Behabadi (CEO) Babak Tarakomeh (Member of the Board) |
| Products: | Fixed-line and mobile telephony, Internet services, broadband and fixed-line internet services, digital television and network services, and global Internet Protocol backbone network |
| Num Employees: | 5000+ |
| Parent: | TCI |
| Subsid: | mobinnet |
| Location: | Tehran, Iran |
Mobile Communications Company of Iran (Persian: شرکت ارتباطات سیار ایران, Šerkat-e Ertebâtât-e Sayyâr-e Irân), commonly abbreviated as MCI and also known under its brand name Hamrah-e Avval (Persian: همراه اول; the first companion), is the first and largest Mobile network operator in Iran. MCI is a subsidiary of the and has approximately 17 million postpaid and 49 million prepaid subscribers.[1] [2] Hamrahe Aval's service is available in 1,239 cities and over 70,000 kilometers of highway in Iran is sheet. It provides roaming services via 271 partner operators in more than 112 countries.
In December 2010, 5.5% of the MCI shares were offered on the Iranian over-the-counter market (Farabourse), at a value of $396 million.[3]
In August 2013, the company moved from the OTC to the Tehran Stock Exchange
90% of MCI's shares are owned by the Telecommunication Company of Iran, and the remaining 10% of shares are public at the Tehran Stock Exchange.
In 2015, MCI launched 3G, and 4G technologies by a new brand name as Notrino.
By the end of March 2004, the number of the subscribers grew up to 3,450,000 subscribers; the number of subscribers is more than 43 million today (the number of subscribers of Hamrah-e-Avval). In addition, Hamrah-e Avval has also provided proper coverage over more than 52,000 km of countrywide road networks and 1120 cities throughout the country.In line with 3rd Socio-Economic and Cultural Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, a number of 4,590,000 new subscriptions were added to the network which in turn shows 934.8% increase and the penetration rate was increased from 0.78% at the beginning of the 3rd Socio-Economic and Cultural Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran to 7.5% by the end of the Plan.
The special services provided to the subscribers are call transfer, call waiting, caller ID, FDN services, call restriction, fax connection, data services, SMS and VMS systems, and international roaming.
As a personal communication means, the telephone network has the highest application in the world. The possibility of provision of mobile phone has emerged in 1960 in Scandinavian states (Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland) in 1960s. The USA introduced the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) to the market in 1983. In 1986 the international information network, Internet, was launched as the most extensive international information system and in 1987 narrow bandwidth was selected; in the same year, 13 European states entered into memorandum of understanding on due implementation of GSM specifications by all the MOU parties.
Council of Ministers, in its meeting on August 4, 2004, on the basis of Ministry of Communications and IT's proposal No. 100/13897 of August 4, 2004 and on the strength of Articles (2) and (4) of the 3rd Socio-Economic and Cultural Development of the Islamic Republic of Iran, approved in 2000 as well as approval of the Higher Administrative Council's approval under No. 1901/76016 of July 15, 2003 in line with implementation of Article (1) of the said Law, approved the reorganization of Distance Measurement Center in the form of Mobile Communication Company of Iran. The exploitation of cell phone system was commenced for the first time in Iran in 1994 by use of 176 transmitters and receiver installed in 24 stations and with 9200 cell phone numbers. The high demand of the subscribers of this phenomenon forced ITC to extend the coverage and facilities and, by March 2006, the number of cell phone subscribers increased to 15907 and, in addition to Tehran, coverage provided for some cities.
The extension trend of the system continued in the following years. Now, the number of subscribers had been increased form 59,967 in 1994 to 3,449,878 in March 2004. In line with this extension trend, the number of cities under network coverage increased from 134 in March 1997 to 667 cities in March 2004. The number of mobile telephone network subscribers has increased to more than 43 million more than 1120 cities and the coverage has been provided for more than 47,000 km road network throughout the country. The penetration coefficient of the subscribers is about 55% of the community and roaming services have been provided in more than 110 countries.