Meanwhile, Orascom Telecom has nominated Khaled Bicharaha, its chief executive, to replace Sawiris as executive chairman, pending board approval.

FORBES: Egyptian Billionaire Naguib Sawiris Dumps Business For Politics

Orascom Telecom operates networks in 11 countries, from Algeria to Pakistan to Zimbabwe, and Orascom Development owns and builds hotels, holiday villages and housing estates on three continents.

ECONOMIST: Wealthy Egyptian business families venture abroad

Launched in late 2009 with backing from Egyptian-based Orascom Telecom, WIND Mobile was the first of several new wireless entrants to attempt to jockey for position in Canada's wireless industry.

ENGADGET: Fongo makes a very public bid for control of Wind Mobile

But we were waiting for the day when Koryolink would begin offering mobile Internet, and hounded the Egyptians posted to North Korea from Orascom Telecom Media and Technology for news.

NPR: Tweets, Pics Give Real-Time Peek Into North Korea

One month after merging his telecom holdings with Russian mobile phone services operator, Vimpelcom, Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris has announced that he is giving up his role as the executive chairman of Orascom Telecom in order to pursue his political ambitions.

FORBES: Egyptian Billionaire Naguib Sawiris Dumps Business For Politics

The Koryolink network, which was built in cooperation with Egypt's Orascom Telecom, marks a radical shift in policy for North Korea, which also recently began to allow tourists to enter the country with their own cellphones -- previously, visitors were required to hand over the devices upon landing in Pyongyang.

ENGADGET

They got mad when Li sold a minority stake in Hutchison Telecom, the 67% shareholder in Hutchison Essar, to Egyptian telecom company Orascom (controlled by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris).

FORBES: Magazine Article