Iraq Planning to Award Two Additional Mobile Licenses

Iraq's government has approved plans to tender two additional mobile licenses, with one of them reserved for 3G services. The country already has three mobile networks, although there have been complaints from the regulator about poor coverage and service reliability.

"Now we are waiting to start the procedure (for tendering), which we expect to be soon," Iraq's Finance Minister Bayan Jabor told Reuters.

It has been previously reported that Turkcell and Etisalat would be interested in bidding for a mobile license in the country.

Figures from the Mobile World shows that the country ended Q1 '09 with 16.8 million mobile phone users, which represents a population penetration level of 58%.

On the web: Mobile World - Reuters

Posted to the site on 15th July 2009