Tunis: Tunisia has sold a third-generation (3G) mobile telecoms licence to state-owned operator Tunisie Telecom for about $80 million (Dh293 million), putting it in competition with France Tele-com's local unit, a government source said.
Last year, Tunisia's Tele-communications Ministry granted the northern African country's first 3G licence to Orange Tunisie, in which France Telecom has a 49 per cent stake with the rest owned by Tunisian firm Divona.
The ministry said in a statement on Tuesday it had granted the second 3G licence to Tunisie Telecom. The operator is majority owned by the state while Dubai's Tecom Investments and Dubai Investment Group jointly hold 35 per cent. The statement did not give further details, but a government official who declined to be named told Reuters that Tunisie Telecom had paid 116 million Tunisian dinars (Dh293 million) for the licence.
With 3G technology, users can surf the internet faster and download music and data more easily to handsets.
Syria: third licence for sale
The Syrian government yesterday tendered to sell a third mobile operator licence.
The deadline for submitting prequalification documents is November 14, 2010, according to the tender document seen by Reuters.
The tender said the licence would be awarded "by way of a multiple round auction with confidential bidding" from applicants who pass the qualification phase.
