North Korea is one of the poorest nations in Asia and one of the most tightly controlled societies in the world. For many of its citizens a simple, analog dialtone would count as a "value-added service" so its with some interest that analysts are watching the network's roll-out.

North Korea launched a cell phone service in 2003 but access was restricted in 2004, shortly after a massive explosion ripped through a train depot in the north of the country within hours of the passage of a train carrying leader Kim Jong Il. North Korea-watchers suspect the train-yard explosion was an assassination attempt with the bomb triggered by a cell phone.

Cell phones smuggled from neighboring China are popular along the border area where Chinese cellular signals can be received to communicate and exchange information with family and aid groups based in China. However the phones are prohibited so must be used in strict secrecy.

While Orascom signed the cellular deal in January, it had been wooing the North Korean government for at least a year before that.

An unnamed company executive visited Pyongyang in January 2007 and held talks that led to the signing of a cooperation agreement between Orascom and the KPTC.