Celtel aims for 750,000 users this year

Honduran mobile operator Celtel aims to close 2005 with 750,000 customers, compared to 500,000 today, local newspaper La Prensa quoted Celtel manager José Manuel Astigarraga as saying. A unit of Millicom International Cellular (Nasdaq: MICC), Celtel recently expanded its GSM roaming services as a result of agreements with operators in 27 countries. More than 10,000 customers have signed up to use the international roaming service. Celtel launched its GSM network in August 2004, and plans to increase GSM coverage in more than 256 Honduran communities, as well as securing more roaming agreements with countries in Europe, Africa and the Americas, according to Celtel's operations manager Jacqueline Flefil de Fortín. The company plans to roll out additional services in 2005 to its more than 500,000 customers under the value-added banner. Such services will include multimedia messaging, photographs, high speed mobile internet access and chat rooms. Celtel also plans to install 55 new service outlets across various cities in Honduras and has over 1,500 points of sale. The company currently covers 17 of Honduras' 18 regions and maintains offices in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and La Ceiba.