Alfa, the first Lebanese mobile network, managed by Orascom Telecom announces the launch of the 3GPilot phase on its network, which will last for one month starting September 20 until October 20, 2011. Two thousand participants will take part in the 3G testing phase, among which are 500 students from several Lebanese universities and schools.

The first 25, Alfa 3.5G SIM cards have been distributed to 25 university students following the draw which took place during the press conference held on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at the St. Joseph University, Campus of Sciences and Technology and lead by H.E. the Minister of Telecommunications, Nicolas Sehnaoui where he announced the launch of the 3G Pilot in Lebanon, in presence of Alfa officials and a large number of students.

To this end, Alfa will distribute to all the pilot test participants, a 4-Gb, Alfa 3.5G-SIM card allowing them to access the internet via their cell phone or through the PC or laptop when using a special device called “dongle”, within the scope of areas covered by the 3.5G service during this testing phase, which extends from Beirut and Mount Lebanon up to the coast of Amchit.

With this objective, Alfa has installed more than 250 new stations to cover the mentioned area, whereas it has developed and updated much of the equipment to be at the level of this great technological development. Each of the participants will have the chance to test, on complimentary basis, the new 3.5G services such as the Video Call and a faster internet browsing.

It is worth mentioning that the maximum speed of the internet during the pilot test can reach up to 21 Mbps. However, the speed varies depending on the Dongle device in use and the distance of the subscriber’s location from the nearest Alfa 3.5G-equipped transmission station.

Finally, Orascom Telecom, Alfa’s network operator, congratulates the Ministry of Telecommunications and all the Lebanese for this historical achievement which brings back Lebanon to its natural position on the regional and global telecommunications map.