CELL PHONE NETWORK IN AFGHANISTAN AND NORTHERN AREAS - 2003-06-26

KABUL, Afghanistan -- An international consortium began testing a new cellular network in the Afghan capital on Thursday and will soon launch commercial services that will break a telecommunications monopoly. The government awarded the new wireless network contract in October. The consortium is led by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, which controls 51 percent. Other investors include Monaco Telecom International (35 percent), the U.S.-based MCT Corp. (9 percent) and France's Alcatel (5 percent).