Editing Communications in Iran (section)

==Ministry of Information and Communication Technology==
{{See also|Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Iran)}}
The main functions of the [[Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (Iran)|Ministry of Information and Communication Technology]] are laying out and implementing policies pertaining to post and communications in Iran. The Ministry is also in charge of issuing import licenses for certain communication equipment and parts thereof. This ministry was originally named "Ministry of Post, Telegraph & Telephone".{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}

===Privatization===
{{Main|Privatization in Iran}}
Based on Note C of the general policies of the constitution's Article 44, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology announced that it will float the shares of affiliated companies such as Telecommunications Company in the stock market.<ref>[http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2681/html/focus.htm Iran-Daily: Privatization of Telecom Companies] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715180251/http://www.iran-daily.com/1385/2681/html/focus.htm |date=July 15, 2009 }}</ref>

Under the general policies of Article 44, telecom companies are categorized in four groups as follows:

*'''Group One''': Among the 30 provincial telecom networks, the fixed telecom networks pertain to those of Tehran, Isfahan, Fars, Hamedan, Ahvaz, Khorasan Razavi, Khuzestan and East Azarbaijan. The first group concerns fixed line telecom networks, including those in the public sector with 30 subsidiary telecom networks in provinces. The non-governmental sector includes companies such as Iraphone, Novin, Zahi Kish, Kouh-e Nour, Montazeran Adlgostar and Pouya Ertebat with each having hundreds of thousands of subscribers.
*'''Group Two''': The second group concerns [[mobile telephone]] networks. In the public sector, they include TCI. In the non-governmental sector, they include telecommunications companies such as Omran Kish, Isfahan, Rafsanjan Complex and [[Irancell]]. [[Privatization of the Iranian economy|Privatization Organization]] has forecast that shares of TCI will be floated in the stock market by late September 2007.<ref>[http://www.iran-daily.com/1386/2859/html/economy.htm#s232485 Iran Daily – Domestic Economy – 06/03/07] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012202353/http://www.iran-daily.com/1386/2859/html/economy.htm#s232485 |date=October 12, 2008 }}</ref>
*'''Group Three''': There is only one public network in the [[data network]] sector, namely Data and Telecommunications Company of Iran which is considered a basic telecom network in terms of mobile networks and Shomal IT Company. In the non-governmental sector, there are over 100 companies with a shared data network.
*'''Group Four''': The subsidiary telecom network named Subsidiary Telecommunications Company is another basic telecom network. They are completely owned by the state and not targeted for privatization.

TCI's Infrastructure Telecom Company will be detached from it and it would continue its activities as a part of the ICT Ministry.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.payvand.com/news/07/mar/1150.html |title=Telecommunication Company Of Iran to be privatized |publisher=Payvand.com |access-date=2012-01-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406124516/http://www.payvand.com/news/07/mar/1150.html |archive-date=2012-04-06 |url-status=live }}</ref> 33 companies in the telecom sector are to be privatized by September 2007.<ref>[http://iran-daily.com/1386/2859/html/economy.htm Iran Daily – Domestic Economy – 06/03/07] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012202353/http://iran-daily.com/1386/2859/html/economy.htm |date=October 12, 2008 }}</ref> This happened simultaneously with the launch of [[MTN Irancell]], a private second carrier with foreign ownership. The privatization and introduction of a second operator has created a significantly more competitive environment which has led to significant cost reductions for mobile owners and service benefits.

====2009 – IPO====
In 2009, 51% of the shares of TCI was sold to [[Mobin Trust Consortium]], a consortium which some media claimed it was affiliated with the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps]], for the sum of $7.8 billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090927/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_telecom_2 |title= Yahoo!|website=news.yahoo.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124234053/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090927/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_telecom_2 |archive-date=January 24, 2016}}</ref>

====Other ICP/ISP IPOs====
In late 2011, Iranian ICP/ISP Afranet (Symbol in [[Tehran Stock Exchange]]: AFRZ1) went public.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.tsetmc.com/loader.aspx?ParTree=121C1412&inscode=52792903131341205|title=AFRZ1 4,155|website=en.tsetmc.com|access-date=2012-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515162446/http://en.tsetmc.com/loader.aspx?ParTree=121C1412&inscode=52792903131341205|archive-date=2013-05-15|url-status=dead}}</ref> As of 2012, there is no other ICP/ISP companies listed in Tehran Stock Exchange.