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Telephone Service Repair to Begin at the Al-Mamoun Telephone Exchange
Baghdad, Iraq
October 2003
The Al-Mamoun telephone exchange will restore telephone services to approximately 30,000 subscribers. Al-Mamoun is one of 12 telephone exchanges in the Baghdad region which were destroyed in the recent conflict. USAID partner Bechtel and the Coalition Provisional Authority are working with the Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company to restore landline telephone service and provide international telephone service. The first international telephone call through the new Al-Mamoun exchange occurred on October 23, 2003.
The Al-Mamoun Telephone Exchange where repair work will restore telephone services to approximately 30,000 subscribers. Al-Mamoun is one of 12 telephone exchanges in the Baghdad region which were deystroyed in the recent conflict. USAID partner Bechtel is working with the Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company to restore landline telephone service and provide a gateway for international telephone service. Workers run cables to the new switching station.
The Al-Mamoun Telephone Exchange where repair work will restore telephone services to approximately 30,000 subscribers. Al-Mamoun is one of 12 telephone exchanges in the Baghdad region which were deystroyed in the recent conflict. USAID partner Bechtel is working with the Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company to restore landline telephone service and provide a gateway for international telephone service. Iraqi workers begin to splice cables into the new exchange. The first international telephone call through the new Al-Mamoun exchange is scheduled for 23 October, 2003.
The Al-Mamoun Telephone Exchange where repair work that will restore telephone services to approximately 30,000 subscribers. Al-Mamoun is one of 12 telephone exchanges in the Baghdad region which were deystroyed in the recent conflict. USAID partner Bechtel is working with the Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company to restore landline telephone service and provide a gatewy for international telephone service. The trailers in foreground will replace switching equipment formerly housed in the damaged building in the background.
Underground cables have been spliced at the Al-Mamoun Telephone Exchange where repair work will restore telephone services to approximately 30,000 subscribers. Al-Mamoun is one of 12 telephone exchanges in the Baghdad region which were deystroyed in the recent conflict. USAID partner Bechtel is working with the Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company to restore landline telephone service and provide a gateway for international telephone service. Iraqi workers begin to splice cables into the new exchange. The first international telephone call through the new Al-Mamoun exchange is scheduled for 23 October, 2003.
Six huge generators were looted from this site at the Al-Mamoun Telephone Exchange where repair work will restore telephone services to approximately 30,000 subscribers. Al-Mamoun is one of 12 telephone exchanges in the Baghdad region which were deystroyed in the recent conflict. USAID partner Bechtel is working with the Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company to restore landline telephone service and provide a gateway for international telephone service. Iraqi workers begin to splice cables into the new exchange. The first international telephone call through the new Al-Mamoun exchange is scheduled for 23 October, 2003.

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Accomplishments: Telecommunications

Before the conflict, 1.2 million Iraqis subscribed to landline telephone service, and much of Iraq's telecommunication network was centralized in Baghdad. A large part of the network's switching component was damaged during the conflict and service was disrupted. As part of USAID's effort to restore critical infrastructure, USAID is working with the Iraq Telecommunications and Postal Commission (ITPC) to restore the nation's fiber optic network, repair the phone switching system in Baghdad and restore international telecommunications capability.

Photo:
Al Mamoun Telecommunications Site. USAID officially handed over Al Mamoun to the Ministry of Communications on February 26. Thirteen new telephone switches and an International Satellite Gateway were integrated at the site with fourteen Iraqi Telephone and Postal Company switches allowing more than 100,000 individual subscriber lines to be connected. Because of the work at Al Mamoun, international calling service was returned to Iraq on December 30, 2003. All fully operational telephones nationwide can access the switch at Al Mamoun and the International Satellite Gateway.
Major Accomplishments to Date:

  • Audited more than 1,200 km of the fiber optic backbone network and performed emergency repairs, reconnecting 20 cities and 70% of the population.
  • Reconstituted Baghdad area phone service by installing switches with 240,000 lines at 12 sites.
  • Installed 13 new switches, and fully integrated them with the 14 existing switches.
  • Ministry of Communications reactivated more than 213,000 subscriber lines.
  • Installed a satellite gateway system at Baghdad’s largest telecom exchange and restored international service.
  • Trained ITPC engineers and technicians in the operation and maintenance of the satellite gateway system and the new switches.

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Last Updated on: September 27, 2004