Singapore’s Singtel, Hong Kong’s 1Com, China’s Xinwei and China Telecom, Vietnam’s Viettel, South Africa’s MTN and Free from France have reportedly submitted non-binding expressions of interest to become Myanmar’s fourth mobile operator.
That’s a long queue of heavyweights from Asia, Africa and Europe. Especially the maverick French billionaire Xavier Niel’s debut in Asia possibly through Myanmar will be cautiously watched by Telenor and Ooredoo. Will he mercilessly flatten Myanmar’s telecoms landscape with the fury of competition, as he did in France?
“We are looking for a company that can fulfill the remaining objectives of the current government in terms of telecoms reform,” said U Zaw Oo, an advisor to the president. Through the fourth mobile licence, the government aims to provide affordable access, universal coverage and value-added services, he added.
“We are hoping the fourth operator may be able to emphasise their operations in rural areas so that benefits of the telecoms reforms can also reach there and we can narrow the digital divide,” he told The Myanmar Times.
Comments are closed.