Read This First: Korek Is Under a Shutdown Order
Almost everything written about Korek before mid-2026 is missing the most important fact about it. Iraq's Communications and Media Commission cancelled its settlement agreement with Korek on 2 June 2026, and on 9 August 2026 it moved to shut the network down and placed liens on Korek's movable and immovable assets. One thing it did not do: Korek's operating licence has never been revoked. The fight is over money, not over the right to run a network.
What the courts did
Baghdad's Rusafa court suspended the CMC action on 23 August 2026, then cancelled that injunction days later. Outlets disagree on the exact day the injunction fell — 964media reports 24 August, while Shafaq News and The New Region report 26 August — so read it as "within days", not as a settled date.
What closed, and where it did not
Korek offices and service centres closed across eight federal governorates between 20 August and 6 September 2026 — Kirkuk, Nineveh, Saladin, Najaf, Karbala, Babylon and Diwaniyah among them. Every one of the eight is in federal Iraq: no closures were reported in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah or Duhok, which is the part that matters most if you are heading for the Kurdistan Region.
If you hold a Korek number
Subscribers were told to stop recharging their lines and to move OTP and verification codes to Asiacell or Zain. That is worth acting on regardless of how the dispute ends: if a Korek number is the login for your bank or a government portal, move it before the question becomes urgent. As of 7 September 2026 no shutdown of the network itself had been reported — in either direction. No source we can check confirms Korek switched off, and none confirms the threat lifted.
About the money — and the number that is wrong
The figures actually reported are a $375 million component tied to the 2007 licence auction and roughly 1.4 trillion Iraqi dinars claimed in April 2026 — both disputed. Round headline numbers such as "$1.5 billion" are not supported by any source. A separate $1.65 billion figure belongs to a 2023 ICC arbitration award involving a private party, not the regulator, and is a different matter entirely.
What this means if you are travelling: do not build a trip around a Korek-only line. A travel eSIM that carries both Korek (418-40) and Asia Cell (418-05) keeps working whichever way the dispute goes — Asiacell is the leg you can plan around, Korek is the bonus in Erbil and Duhok.
Reporting drawn from Kurdistan24, Shafaq News, Rudaw, 964media, Developing Telecoms and The New Region. Status summarised as of 7 September 2026; page updated 12 September 2026.
⚡ Korek eSIM: The 30-Second Answer
You're in Kurdistan (or can visit a shop)
Korek issues eSIMs in person at its shops and service centres — availability varies by branch, so ask for eSIM specifically and call ahead: Korek closed offices across eight federal governorates from August 2026. Iraqi identity registration applies, as with every local line.
Full steps ↓You're flying into Erbil (or anywhere in Iraq)
A travel eSIM that connects to Korek AND Asiacell installs before your flight, from $3.16 — no shop, no ID registration, connected in the arrivals hall. Local card payment supported, charged in IQD.
See plans ↓Korek: The Facts
Kurdistan's Home Network
Founded and headquartered in Erbil — historically the network of reference in Erbil, Duhok and Zakho, and listed as 4G on every Iraq plan we sell
eSIM at Shops Only
Issued in person at Korek shops and service centres — availability varies by branch; no Iraqi operator sells eSIM online to visitors
ID Registration
Every Iraqi line requires in-person identity registration — civil ID, national card, residence card or passport; no exceptions for eSIM
Speed Reality
Third of three nationally: Opensignal Jan 2026 has Korek at 14.6 Mbps, Asiacell 38.0, Zain 25.8 — see the note below on both editions
Two Networks, Not One
Korek 418-40 plus Asia Cell 418-05 on one eSIM covers Kurdistan AND federal Iraq — and hedges the shutdown order
Cards & IQD
eSIMfly supports local card payment in IQD — built for Iraqi and Kurdish customers
Company facts: Korek Telecom is headquartered in Erbil, in the Kurdistan Region, and was founded by Sirwan Barzani. Its ownership is not simply "independent": France's Orange took an indirect minority stake alongside Kuwait's Agility in 2011, the investment was later unwound, and the fallout went to international arbitration — the backdrop to the regulatory dispute above. Korek's network code on every Iraq plan we sell is MCC-MNC 418-40, listed as 4G. On speed, Opensignal's January 2026 Iraq Mobile Network Experience report (measurement window 1 October to 29 December 2025) puts Korek's Download Speed Experience at 14.6 Mbps, behind Asiacell on 38.0 and Zain on 25.8. That report sits behind a registration wall, so for a figure anyone can open and check, the January 2025 edition measured Korek at 12 Mbps against Asiacell's 27.9 and Zain's 22. Both editions place Korek third of three.
How to Get a Korek eSIM
Check your phone supports eSIM
Dial *#06# — an EID number means eSIM support. The phone must be unlocked; recent iPhones, Samsungs and Pixels qualify.
Visit a Korek shop or service centre
Bring identity documents — Iraqi line registration applies to every SIM and eSIM alike: civil ID, national card, residence card or passport. eSIM availability varies by branch, so ask specifically, and phone ahead: Korek closed offices across eight federal governorates between 20 August and 6 September 2026.
Scan the QR code and enable roaming
Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → scan the QR code, then turn on data roaming for the line — required for the eSIM to pass data in Iraq.
Note: processes and bundles change — korektel.com and shop staff are the source of truth for the current offer. Given the CMC dispute described at the top of this page, confirm before you commit: a prepaid balance on a line under a shutdown order is money you may not get to spend, and subscribers were advised to stop recharging.
The Travel eSIM That Runs on Korek (+ Asiacell)
eSIMfly's Kurdistan and Iraq plans declare exactly two networks — Korek (MCC-MNC 418-40) and Asia Cell (418-05), both 4G — checked plan by plan against our own network table on 12 September 2026. Zain is on none of our Iraq plans. Korek's historic strength in Erbil, Duhok and Zakho plus Asiacell's nationwide reach, on one eSIM that holds whichever signal is stronger. With Korek under a shutdown order, carrying two networks is not a nice-to-have on this route:
$3.16
1GB / 7 days
$5.54
2GB / 15 days
$7.96
3GB / 30 days
$12.74
5GB / 30 days
$23.15
10GB / 30 days
$41.73
20GB / 30 days
Those six are the entire Iraq country catalogue — there is no unlimited Iraq plan and no 15GB tier. Prices checked against our live pricing API on 12 September 2026.
Prices are live at time of writing — current rates on the Kurdistan eSIM page and Iraq eSIM page. Pay in IQD with an Iraqi card. Flying into Erbil? The Erbil Airport eSIM guide covers your arrival step by step.
Korek Local eSIM vs Travel eSIM
| Korek eSIM (Local) | Kurdistan Travel eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Korek shops / airport counters, in person | Online from anywhere — QR by email in minutes |
| Registration | Iraqi ID registration required | None |
| Network | Korek only | Korek + Asiacell — strongest signal wins |
| Coverage | Historically strong in Kurdistan; third of three nationally on Opensignal | Whole country — Kurdistan AND Baghdad/Basra/Najaf, via Asia Cell |
| 2026 regulatory risk | Under a CMC shutdown order; offices closed in eight federal governorates | Two networks — Asiacell keeps the plan working either way |
| Best for | Kurdistan residents; anyone needing a local number | Visitors, diaspora trips, business travel — landing connected |
Comparing all three Iraqi networks? Read Asiacell vs Korek vs Zain — or the Asiacell eSIM guide for the other half of this eSIM's network pair.
Korek eSIM FAQ
Does Korek offer an eSIM?
Yes — in person at its shops and service centres, with availability varying by branch, and always with Iraqi identity registration: civil ID, national card, residence card or passport. No Iraqi operator sells eSIMs online to visitors from abroad, Korek included. Call ahead: Korek closed offices across eight federal governorates between 20 August and 6 September 2026.
Which travel eSIM uses Korek?
eSIMfly's Kurdistan and Iraq plans declare Korek (418-40) and Asia Cell (418-05) together, both 4G — one eSIM, two networks, holding whichever signal is stronger. Zain is on none of our Iraq plans. From $3.16 for 1GB/7 days up to $41.73 for 20GB/30 days, with local card payment in IQD supported.
Is Korek better than Asiacell in Kurdistan?
In Erbil, Duhok and Zakho, Korek has historically been the network of reference; Asiacell, headquartered in Sulaymaniyah, is strongest there and across the rest of Iraq. Nationally Asiacell measures much faster: Opensignal's January 2026 Iraq report (measured 1 October to 29 December 2025) gives Asiacell 38.0 Mbps, Zain 25.8 and Korek 14.6. That edition is behind a registration wall; the openly checkable January 2025 edition gave Asiacell 27.9, Zain 22 and Korek 12. Add the CMC shutdown order hanging over Korek and the dual-network eSIM stops being a preference and starts being the sensible hedge.
Is Korek shutting down? Should I still get a Korek line?
It is under a shutdown order, which is not the same as shut down. Iraq's Communications and Media Commission cancelled its settlement agreement with Korek on 2 June 2026 and moved on 9 August 2026 to shut the network down, placing liens on Korek's assets — but the operating licence itself was never revoked. A Baghdad Rusafa court suspended the action on 23 August and cancelled that injunction within days (964media reports 24 August; Shafaq News and The New Region report 26 August). Offices closed in eight federal governorates between 20 August and 6 September 2026, with none reported in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah or Duhok. As of 7 September 2026 no shutdown of the network itself had been reported either way. Practical answer: subscribers were told to stop recharging and to move OTP codes to Asiacell or Zain, so for a trip, use an eSIM that carries Asiacell as well as Korek.
I land at Erbil International — will it work immediately?
Yes — install at home before flying, enable the line and data roaming on landing, and you connect from the arrivals hall on Korek or Asiacell. See the Erbil Airport eSIM guide for the full arrival flow.
Does my WhatsApp number stay the same?
Yes — the travel eSIM is data-only. Keep your home SIM installed with data roaming off; WhatsApp keeps your existing number, running over the eSIM's data.
Land in Erbil Already Connected
Korek (418-40) and Asia Cell (418-05) on one eSIM, set up before your flight — so the shutdown dispute is not your problem. From $3.16, Iraqi cards accepted.
View Kurdistan eSIM PlansFull regional details in our Kurdistan eSIM guide and Iraq eSIM guide.