Gibtelecom

Gibtelecom Limited

Gibtelecom's logo
Type	Private
Industry	Telecommunications
Predecessor	Gibraltar Nynex Communications Gibtel
Founded	Gibraltar, 2001
Headquarters	15/21 John Mackintosh Square, Gibraltar
Area served	Gibraltar
Key people	Joseph Garcia (Chairman), Tim Bristow (CEO)
Products	GibWireline Gibtel GibConnect
Services	Fixed-line and mobile telephony, broadband and fixed-line internet services
Revenue	GIP 30 million
Owner	Government of Gibraltar (50%) Telekom Slovenije (50%)
Number of employees	141
Website	www.gibtele.com

Gibtelecom is the largest telecommunications provider in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Its headquarters is located on John Mackintosh Square.

The first telephones were introduced to Gibraltar in 1886 by a private company which was later taken over by the colonial authorities. Since 1926, the telephone service was operated by the City Council. Upon the approval of the 1969 Constitution and the dissolution of the City Council, the telephone service was transferred to the newly formed Government of Gibraltar. Until 1990, all telephone services were operated by the Gibraltar Government Telephone Department. International circuits were provided by Cable & Wireless, which had been founded as the Falmouth, Malta, Gibraltar Telegraph Company in 1869. This later operated as the Eastern Telegraph Company from Mount Pleasant in Gibraltar. However, Cable & Wireless left Gibraltar in 1987. On 1 January 1988, British Telecom (BT) and the Government of Gibraltar formed a joint venture company called Gibraltar Telecommunications International Ltd (known by its commercial brand Gibtel) to operate Gibraltar's international telecommunications services. Gibtel was subsequently granted a licence to offer mobile telephony introducing a GSM900 network.

In 1990, the Government decided to privatise its Telephone Department and therefore entered into a joint venture with Nynex of the United States. Gibraltar Nynex Communications Ltd (GNC) became responsible for fixed-line telephony. GNC was the first acquisition of Nynex outside the Americas. In 1997, GNC, through its wholly owned subsidiary, GNC Networks, commenced Internet services. GNC Networks was later renamed GibConnect. ADSL services were introduced in 2002.