"Mobile coverage across the whole of Cyprus ready by July" - TRNC Chamber of Commerce

WORK to establish mobile telephone coverage for the whole of Cyprus is nearly complete according to the President of Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce Fikri Toros.

Reliable mobile telecoms contact between the two communities on the island remains difficult. Connections via land-line were established in 2003, but the call quality is often patchy.

Although Toros gave few details, he said the new system is in the last stages and will start to operate as of beginning of July.

He said that there will be an interconnection between the Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriot operators without any line or physical connection.

National telephone coverage for the whole island comes within the framework of a confidence building measures package announced last month by the leaders of the two communities.

"We will make a statement after the completion of a few legal procedures. The telephone problem will be solved starting from the beginning of July," Toros said.

He added that "great progress" had been also achieved on the issue of the connection of the electricity networks, saying that the chairmen of the two networks met and are currently carrying out the necessary technical preparations.

"According to information I acquired yesterday, the preparations are at the final stage”, he said.

Credit: Famagusta-Gazette