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Belarus: Tender to select universal service providers |
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Tuesday, 22 May 2007 |
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Belarus is holding a tender to select universal service providers for 2007-2008.
The tender includes two categories of services: provision of access to local telephone networks via individual line service or payphone service in unserved areas; and provision of Internet access in public telecom offices.
The key criteria for selecting providers are capital investment in universal telecom services and date when the provider will be able to grant access to public telecommunications networks. Bids will be accepted until June 25, 2007.
“It will take a couple of days to draw the results. The winner will have to develop communications networks in 2007-2008, and both telephone services and Internet access must be provided in the areas where they remain unavailable now,” a government representative said. There may be two or more winners, the representative added.
Belarus’ operators appear interested in the tender. A Beltelecom representative said the company plans to bid. The press service of the Belarusian-Russian mobile operator Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), said it would study the conditions first and then decide whether or not to bid. The administration of the third GSM operator of the country, ZAO BeST, is undecided.
On February 20, 2007, President Alexander Lukashenko signed ordinance #96 that approved the establishment of the targeted budget telecom services fund, which will be financed by a telecom operator levy of 1.5% of revenues. Belarus’ universal service fund will receive an estimated US$ 13.6 million this year.
As of January 1, 2007, there were 490 telecommunication operators in Belarus. The largest operators are Beltelecom, mobile operators MDC, MTS, BeST, BelCel and postal monopoly Belpochta.
Source: Prime-Tass - WDR/Intelecon Regulatory News.
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