Staying Connected in Israel

Cellular Communication Networks in Israel

Last updated: February 2007

There are 4 cellular phone companies to choose from in Israel.

Pelephone

Established by Motorola in 1986, Pelephone was Israel's first cellular communications company. The ownership of the company changed in 2001 when Motorola sold its share in Pelephone to "Shamrock Holdings", then changed again in 2004 when Bezeq bought out "Shamrock Holdings" and became the sole owner of Pelephone.

2004 was a significant year from the developmental and technological point of view. During this year, Pelephone launched its 3rd generation network based on EVDO technology, enabling the transfer of data at a speed of up to 2.4 Mbps, and also launched phones and content suitable for 3rd generation technology.

Pelephone works primaraly on a CDMA network, although in 2004 WORLDPHONE was launched, which enables calls all over the world, based on CDMA/GSM technology.

General Information:
Subscribers: Approximately 2 million
Points of Sale: 200
Service and Sales Centers: 27

Website: http://www.pelephone.co.il

Cellcom

Cellcom was founded at the end of 1994

Cellcom offers a wide range of wireless communication services to both the private and business sectors, including virtual private network (VPN) services, roaming services overseas, SMS, teleconferencing, and content and multimedia services. Cellcom also offer landline transmission and data services to business customers and telecommunications operators as well as landline telephony services to selected businesses.

Cellcom provides a high quality 3G services in HSDPA/ UMTS / EDGE technology such as video calling and high speed cellular internet browsing.

Cellcom’s engineering system is based on blue chip communications equipment providers such as Nokia, Nortel, Erickson, Alcatel and Telecordia.

Cellcom operates UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/GPRS/EDGE and TDMA networks.

General Information:
Number of Subscribers: 2.62 million
Service and Sale Centers: 360 marketing outlets, 30 service centers countrywide

Website: http://www.cellcom.co.il

Partner (Orange)

Partner Communications was founded in 1997, commenced full commercial operations in January 1999 and by December 31, 2005 had 2.529 million subscribers, representing an estimated 32% of the cellular market in Israel. The Company provides its customers roaming in 163 countries worldwide, using over 350 networks. The Company also provides roaming services to thousands of customers roaming on its network in Israel daily. The Company launched its 3G network in 2004.

Partner launched its 3G network in 2004, which includes person-to-person video telephony in the entire central part of Israel.

Partner uses GSM/GPRS/UMTS based technologies.

General Information:
Number of Subscribers: 2.626 million
Service and Sale Centers: 33

Website: http://www.orange.co.il/

Mirs

Founded in 1994, Mirs is a subsidiary company in full ownership of Motorola Israel.

Mirs has built their network on the iDEN Technology (Integrated Dispatch Enhanced Network). iDEN is essentially a hybrid of TDMA digital cell phone and two-way radio. Phone equipment is produced exclusively by Motorola. Some have GSM capatibility.

iDEN handsets streamline communications by providing a five-in-one solution that combines the capabilities of:

1. a digital wireless telephone,
2. nationwide and international two-way radio,
3. packet data for Internet access,
4. two-way e-mail and text messaging, and
5. wireless modem capabilities.