Pyongyang gets new cell phone network

An Egyptian telecom giant launched an advanced mobile phone network in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) yesterday.

Orascom Telecom Chief Executive Naguib Sawiris and DPRK officials celebrated the start of the country's third generation mobile network in the capital Pyongyang, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported in a dispatch from Pyongyang.

Cairo-based Orascom Telecom Holding SAE has been building the network after announcing a $400 million deal in January. The company said on Sunday it was officially launching the third generation mobile service.