Mali Awards Second GSM License

France Telecom has won Mali's second license to operate a landline and mobile phone network. The Mali government said that France Telecom will be able to operate both a landline network and a GSM service, breaking the monopoly held by the state owned carrier, Sotelma. No details of how much France Telecom paid for the license were disclosed. The license was expected to be awarded at the end of last year - it is not clear as to why the award was delayed until now.

Mali formally opened its telecoms market to competition two years ago, but this is the first license to be awarded. Mali plans to privatize Sotelma in the near future.

Posted to the site on 5th March 2002