ARMENIA TO LAUNCH TENDER FOR THIRD MOBILE OPERATOR

TeleGeography
July 17 2008
DC

Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) yesterday
approved a detailed timetable for an international tender to auction a
third mobile licence in the country. The selection process, including
pre-qualification of bidders, is expected to take more than four
months. Local news portal Armenialiberty writes that the head of
the PSRC’s telecoms division, Gevorg Gevorgian, said prospective
wireless operators would have to offer to pay at least EUR10 million
(USD16 million) for the GSM-900/1800 licence and invest a minimum
EUR200 million in their network to launch the service. PSRC chairman
Robert Nazarian says the entry of a third operator would significantly
improve sector competition. ‘We expect to have an improved quality
of services and a reduction in tariffs,’ he said.