The Palestinian Authority says that it wants to award a third mobile phone operator license in 2013, subject to the Israeli government releasing the necessary radio frequencies. The country has only recently gained a second network after considerable delays in gaining access to radio spectrum.
Telecommunications Minister Mashour Abu Daqqa told the Reuters news agency that the Palestinian market, comprising 4 million people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, could accommodate a third network. He said bidding will open in 2012.
"All the studies say there is room for a third operator," Abu Daqqa told a news conference in Ramallah, adding that the Palestinians were asking Israel for access to the frequencies required for a third operator.
Abu Daqqa said a third operator would help to squeeze out Israeli firms. Some Palestinians in the West Bank are forced to use Israeli networks because of the problems the Palestinian firms face erecting masts in the 60 percent of the West Bank that falls under full Israeli control.
According to figures from the Mobile World analysts, the former incumbent operator, Paltel ended last year with around 1.8 million subscribers, compared to 110,000 for Wataniya Telecom, which only launched services in November.
Wataniya Telecom paid US$354 million for its license back in 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment