Qatar Telecom (Qtel) is changing its brand name

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) will change its brand name to Ooredoo, the company said in a statement, bringing in the change across it operations in the Middle East, Africa and Asia over the next two years.

It said all operations in which it owns a controlling interest would be rebranded under the new name, which means “I want” in Arabic, according to the statement.

Over the past 12 months, the company has increased its stakes in Iraq’s Asia cell to 64 percent and Kuwait’s No.2 operator Wataniya to 92.1 percent. Wataniya also owns90 percent of Tunisiana and is the company through which Qtel holds a controlling stake in Algeria’s Nedjma.

Qatar Telecom also has a majority holding in Indosat in Indonesia and Oman’s Nawras. It is also in talks to acquire Vivendi’s 53 percent stake in Morocco’s Maroc Telecom.

“It is our belief that we can better serve our global customers by leveraging the combined resources and assets of a strong, unified global business under one brand,” Qatar Telecom chief executive Nasser Marafih said in the statement.

“We also believe that rebranding now will help us to maintain our momentum in the face of new realities for the industry, signaling our commitment to become a global force.”

Qtel, majority owned by the Qatar government, has expanded into more than 16 countries Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Maroc Telecom To Invest $1.2 Billion In Morocco’s Broadband Network

Maroc Telecom (Maroc) would invest 10 billion Moroccan dirhams ($1.2 billion) to upgrade the country’s broadband network, Morocco’s biggest telecoms company said on Wednesday.

Maroc, which is 53 percent owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA and 30 percent owned by the Moroccan government, said it would invest this money between 2013 and 2015 financial years.

The company will also invest 4 billion dirhams ($477 million) in other African countries where it has operations. These countries include Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Mali over the same period.

Maroc Telecom had already invested 25 billion dirhams ($3 billion) in Morocco, it said in a statement to the French securities exchange.

The company made this announcement at the time when Etisalat ETEL.AD, the United Arab Emirates’ largest telecommunications operator, said it is interested in buying Vivendi’s 53 percent stake in Morocco’s Maroc Telecom.

French conglomerate Vivendi is exploring selling several assets as part of an on-going strategic review intended to pay down debt, boost a flagging share price and reduce the group’s exposure to capital-intensive telecom businesses.

Maroc Telecom, in which Vivendi first bought a stake in 2001, offers fixed-line, mobile and internet services in the kingdom, and is also one of Africa’s main telecom operators.

Qatar Telecom QTEL.QA, the state-owned operator, has hired J.P. Morgan Chase to advise it on a potential bid for the stake.

South Korea’s KT Corp is also said to be considering a bid for the unit, which Vivendi hopes will fetch 5.5 billion euros ($7.31 billion), two people familiar with the matter said last month.