According to Globes, Golan Telecom has achieved 12% of Israel’s private cell phone market. First on the block to offer an all-inclusive package including local and international phone service, unlimited SMS text messaging and web browsing, Golan changed the face of Israel’s cell providing companies forever.

Michael Golan is now looking to get the business users by offering a 25 NIS monthly package that includes unlimited phone service in and outside of Israel, up to 6GB surfing the internet in Israel and countries included in the Golan, and 20GB of LTE 4th generation surfing. In addition to the price per line, Golan will charge a fixed monthly amount of NIS 250 covering 500 lines. An enterprise with, say, 1,000 lines will be able to open two accounts, paying NIS 250 monthly for each. The unlimited call destinations includes the United States and Canada and many other countries. Prices quoted do not include 18% value added tax.

In the meantime, share prices of Partner (Orange) continue fall along with Cellcom Israel, as Golan continues to bring the message home, the good days for the pioneer companies are behind them. Globes adds that Cellcom has also decided to increase the company’s debt while Orange is seeking additional bank loans and restructuring its debt.

The dismantling of the cellular phone monopoly is credited to former Minister of Communications Moshe Kahlon, who left Likud and sat out of the 19th Knesset, now running at the head of the Kulanu party in the hope of entering the 20th Knesset. Kahlon promises that he will continue to break the monopolies that are destroying the economy of the country and are responsible for the unacceptably high cost of living. He has already announced that if he does not receive control over the Israel Lands Administration, which he wishes to dismantle, he will not enter a coalition.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)