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Kenya: Three bids for SNO license Print E-mail
Friday, 13 October 2006
On October 11, the government opened three bids for a second national telecommunications operator (SNO) license. They will now study the proposals for two weeks before opening the accompanying financial bids.

Kenya is offering a unified license for services including national cellular mobile, Internet backbone, international voice gateway, commercial VSAT and provision of long-distance voice and data.

The three bidders are India's state-run Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL), VTEL, a consortium from Palestine and the Reliance Consortium.

"To facilitate the entry of the SNO to the market within the shortest time possible, the commission shall commence the evaluation of the technical bids immediately," said John Waweru, director general of the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK).

The CCK said the winner would be announced on October 27 and the license awarded in January 2007.

"So far, the process has been good and we hope the same procedural transparency will remain," Sunil Kumar of MTNL said.

Kenya had short-listed seven companies for the license. This is the second time the Kenya has attempted to license a SNO. An attempt in 2003 was cancelled after only one bidder remained in the race.

"It is our belief that the enhancement of competition in both fixed and mobile telecommunications markets will provide consumers with more choice and result in more competitive service access charges," Waweru said.

Source: Reuters - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News