Bi-Honar
07-15-2009, 05:51 PM
Updated: Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 11:00GMT—7:00AM/EST
Washington, 15 July (WashingtonTV)—Demand for mobile telephones by Nokia has fallen by as much as half in Iran, in the wake of calls to boycott Nokia Siemens Networks [NSN] for selling communications monitoring systems to the Islamic Republic, the Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday.
NSN, a joint Finnish-German venture, provided Iran with a monitoring system last year, as the country expanded its mobile network. The company denied that the technology could be used for monitoring Internet activity or data communication, such as Short Message Service [SMS] or picture messages. However, many in Iran believe that the company could have provided Iran the network with the monitoring function, saying the government used the technology to target dissidents.
“Since the news spread that NSN had sold electronic surveillance systems to the Iranian government, people have decided to buy other company’s products, although they know that Nokia cellphones function better with network coverage in Iran,” said Reza, a mobile phone seller in Tehran. According to the London-based Guardian, some Tehran shops have removed Nokia phones from their window displays.
NSN spokesperson, Ben Roome, said last month that in most countries, mobile networks are required by law to provide capability for monitoring local calls, reports AFP. Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that Iran’s state-run broadcaster has also been hit by a collapse in advertising, as protesters have called for a boycott of products advertised on its channels.
Sources: Guardian newspaper, Agence France-Presse
Washington, 15 July (WashingtonTV)—Demand for mobile telephones by Nokia has fallen by as much as half in Iran, in the wake of calls to boycott Nokia Siemens Networks [NSN] for selling communications monitoring systems to the Islamic Republic, the Guardian newspaper reported on Tuesday.
NSN, a joint Finnish-German venture, provided Iran with a monitoring system last year, as the country expanded its mobile network. The company denied that the technology could be used for monitoring Internet activity or data communication, such as Short Message Service [SMS] or picture messages. However, many in Iran believe that the company could have provided Iran the network with the monitoring function, saying the government used the technology to target dissidents.
“Since the news spread that NSN had sold electronic surveillance systems to the Iranian government, people have decided to buy other company’s products, although they know that Nokia cellphones function better with network coverage in Iran,” said Reza, a mobile phone seller in Tehran. According to the London-based Guardian, some Tehran shops have removed Nokia phones from their window displays.
NSN spokesperson, Ben Roome, said last month that in most countries, mobile networks are required by law to provide capability for monitoring local calls, reports AFP. Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that Iran’s state-run broadcaster has also been hit by a collapse in advertising, as protesters have called for a boycott of products advertised on its channels.
Sources: Guardian newspaper, Agence France-Presse