New Operator Enters the Market
Kuwait's Zain will begin operating in Syria within days, replacing the previous provider as part of a broad restructuring of the country's telecommunications sector. The announcement was made on 9 October 2026 by the minister of communications and information technology during a technology and entrepreneurship conference held in Damascus.
The new operating company, Zain Syria, will be 75 percent owned by Zain and 25 percent by the Syrian sovereign fund, according to the national communications and postal regulator.
License Worth $747 Million
Zain's operating license is valued at $747 million (USD) and runs for 20 years, extendable by a further five years. The regulator approved Zain as the country's second cellular operator on 30 June 2026, following an international tender.
Beyond the license fee, the company plans to invest more than $800 million in infrastructure upgrades and coverage expansion. Taken together, the license and the planned spending push the total value of the commitment above $1.5 billion.
Transition for 6.3 Million Users
A six-month transition period is intended to keep services stable for about 6.3 million existing mobile subscribers while the network is modernized in stages. The operator has said it aims to cover more than 98 percent of the population during the early phases of the rollout.
The handover marks the exit of the previous operator from the market and the entry of a new company that has committed to a staged upgrade of the network rather than an abrupt switch.
Fifth-Generation Services
A fifth-generation (5G) network launch is scheduled for early 2027, with the company having previously identified the first quarter of that year as its target for commercial service. The timeline places the upgrade among the first large-scale 5G deployments planned in the country.
Reshaping the Market
The regulator has framed the entry of the second operator as a way to improve coverage, raise service quality, and widen competition after an international tender concluded earlier in the year. The investment commitments are tied to coverage and performance targets set during the licensing process.
The restructuring also brings the sovereign fund in as a minority shareholder, linking a state-held investment vehicle to one of the largest foreign commitments announced in the telecommunications sector.