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Zambia: New mobile licenses delayed over legal challenge Print E-mail
Friday, 08 February 2008

Zambia’s telecommunications regulator has delayed applications to enter the mobile phone market after failed bidder Vodacom Zambia took legal action to prevent new entrants.

Vodacom Zambia has filed papers to prevent new license bids, claiming unfair treatment by regulators. Previous negotiations between Vodacom Zambia and the Communications Authority (CA) stopped when the parties could not agree on a frequency band. The CA now says it will wait for the court's ruling before awarding any more licenses.

Vodacom Zambia had partnered with South Africa's Vodacom, but their efforts to secure a mobile license failed. Vodacom South Africa has now abandoned the Zambian venture. Celtel Zambia is the largest mobile operator, followed by MTN Zambia, a subsidiary of South Africa's MTN and Cell-Z, part of state-owned Zamtel.

Source: Reuters - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News.