Five bidders for new mobile licence (Malawi)
Three local companies have joined two foreign firms in the race for a licence to deploy mobile phone services in Malawi. The Malawi Communication and Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has revealed that local concerns Malcom Ltd, Megatel Communications Ltd and Globally Integrated Networks have submitted bids, alongside Econet Wireless International of South Africa and Millennium Globe Telecom Ltd of the USA. The regulator is evaluating the bids to check if they were in line with specified guidelines. A spokesperson for MACRA said, ‘We check compliance to instructions as contained in the invitation to apply document, which include the need to indicate the financial capability and technical capacity among others. This is a capital-intensive investment and it is expected that bidders should have enough financial resources.’ There were eleven companies that obtained bid documents, but only five applied. The winner will join established cellcos Celtel and Telekom Networks Malawi.
