The Burmese government on Jan 15 has issued a call for Expressions Of Interest (EOI) in the tender for two nationwide telecommunications services licences.
A total of four telecoms licences will be issued as the sector is overhauled. Norwegian Telenor, Malaysia’s Axiata, Caribbean based Digicel, Vietnam’s VNPT-Fujitsu and Russian VimpelCom are eager to gain a foothold in the largely untapped market, The Myanmar Times reported.
Telenor has expressed its interests to open business in Myanmar last year and called the country’s rapid reforms ‘encouraging.’
A Telenor official told a press in October: “What is needed now is for the government to establish a sound legal and regulatory framework that provides the necessary predictability and security for foreign investment. With its geographical location, low mobile penetration and expected economic growth, it is natural for us to consider Myanmar.”
A landmark bidding
The bidding process will be an important test for Myanmar, a country that arouses suspicion from the investment community stemming from a general distrust and a relative lack of experience. Many wonder if Myanmar is capable of running a proper bidding process, a Financial Times report said.
According to the bidding announcement, the first two of four planned licenses will be issued by June, running up to as much as 20 years each with renewal opportunities.
Interested companies have until 3pm on January 25 to submit their EOIs to the Telecommunication Operator Tender Evaluation and Selection Committee in Nay Pyi Taw.
