Washington, D.C. July 29, 2003 – Two U.S. firms assisted Telephone Systems International, Inc. (“TSI”) in its ground-breaking negotiations with the Afghan government that resulted this month in the grant of a nationwide license to operate mobile phone services in that country for 15 years.
Sheffield Advisors LLC, a Washington-based consulting firm specializing in utilities regulation, and the law firm of Morrison & Foerster LLP worked closely with TSI, the New Jersey based corporate parent of Afghan Wireless Communication Company, the first wireless network operator in Afghanistan. After more than 18 months from the signing of the Bonn Agreement that brought Afghanistan a new government, this telecom license is the first of any kind for a U.S. company in Afghanistan.
“This is a significant milestone and a good step forward for the economic development of Afghanistan,” said Virginia Sheffield, leader of the TSI negotiating team and president of Sheffield Advisors. “The first is always the hardest, but this accomplishment shows the commitment of all the parties to establish a solid foundation for the sector. It is important to note that the license was negotiated on the basis of Western-standard business practices and sound regulatory principles.”
TSI had been operating mobile phone service in 4 Afghan cities since April 2002 under temporary authority from the Islamic Transitional Government of Afghanistan, led by President Hamid Karzai. The Ministry of Communications holds 20% ownership of the licensee, Afghan Wireless.
“In a region that has suffered dramatic changes economically, this negotiation has laid the groundwork for future positive economic growth for the country,” said Cheryl Tritt, lead telecom partner at Morrison & Foerster, and a former FCC official. “The TSI team navigated new waters and helped create a more transparent regulatory process for licensing and oversight of telecom service providers in Afghanistan. We believe this license can be a template for future agreements that could spark new development not only in telecom but across other sectors.” added Tritt. Virginia Sheffield emphasized that “this represents the kind of teamwork with the Afghan government that is needed to promote confidence in the economy and to attract new U.S. investment in the region.”
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Contact information:
Matthew Petrillo
Sheffield Advisors
202-737-6070
matt@sheffieldadvisors.com
Bryonie
Byers
Morrison & Foerster
202-887-8730
bbyers@mofo.com