FRANCE’S ORANGE WINS ARMENIA CELLULAR TENDER
PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2008 12:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Oragne, a world-famous subsidiary of France Telecom
has been chosen to become Armenia’s third cellular operator after
submitting the highest bid for a relevant government license, said
Susanna Tonoyan, a spokesperson for the Armenian Ministry of Transport
and Communications.
Orange offered 51.5 million euros ($72 million) for the license, well
above the government’s minimum asking price of 10 million euros. The
two other bidders, Tele2 AB of Sweden and the British-Irish group
CEO Blackrock Communications, offered 45.6 million and 31.7 million
euros respectively.
Orange will operate with +374 (0) 55 and +374 (0) 95 codes. If by
the end of the first operation year the operator fails to distribute
more than 60 per cent of the numbers, the Public Services Regulatory
Commission of the Republic of Armenia is entitled to appropriate the
unused ones.
The new operator will be provided with GSM frequencies and possibility
of 3G services.