The move gives the government a bit more time to prepare a tender to manage the two networks for a fixed five-year term. However, Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui had wanted a three month extension to the licenses.
The government is currently working on a plan that would see the two concessions ended, and the mobile network infrastructures merged into a single national company. There would then be a number of licenses awarded to companies to operate effectively as MVNOs over the shared infrastructure.
However it is unlikely that the process could be completed in just a month, either leading to a series of concession extensions, or more likely a delay in the government's plans until next year.
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