KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19 – TM International Bhd (TMI)'s wholly-owned subsidiary Indocel Holding Sdn Bhd is participating in a consortium which is bidding for a third public mobile network licence in Iran.
It entered into a Consortium Agreement today with Fanavari Moudj Khavar, JSC (Fanamoj) and Sarmayegozarie Atiyeh Saba, JSC (Atiyeh Saba) for the purpose.
TMI, together with its two Iranian partners have agreed to establish an unincorporated consortium through Indocel, Fanamoj and Atiyeh Saba for purposes of bidding for the licence from the Communications Regulatory Authority of Iran (CRA) which will award a 15 years licence.
On its partners, TMI said Fanamoj is a high technology systems and solutions provider incorporated in Iran in 2001 with its main activities in design and production of Digital Video Broadcast equipment and also microwave radio links. It also provides full end-to-end solutions for both broadcast and telecom sectors.
In a statement here today, it said Atiyeh Saba was incorporated in Iran in 2006 with its principal activity as an investment holding company.
TMI said if the joint bid is succesful, Fanamoj and Atiyeh Saba will hold a combined 51 per cent stake in an operating company that will be set up to operate the mobile business, while Indocel holding 49 per cent equity.
TMI already has operations in Iran through its 49 per cent stake in Mobile Telecommunications Company of Esfahan (MTCE), a private company incorporated in Iran.
MTCE has a licence to provide mobile telecommunications services in the Esfahan province of Iran only but this licence has a condition which limits MTCE’s total number of subscribers to 35,000.
It said the cellular licence to be issued under the tender is a national 2G and 3G cellular mobile licence which includes exclusivity for 3G.
Such a licence would enable TMI, together with its Iranian partners, to become a national mobile operator with a bigger addressable market.
Iran has a 73 million population and had approximately 56 per cent mobile penetration as of September this year.
Given its per capita income of approximately US$3,800 (World Bank report 2007) and over 50 per cent of its population being below 25 years of age, the mobile communication market in Iran carries the potential to grow significantly in the next five to 10 years, it added.
It said there are currently only two national mobile operators in Iran, MCI and MTN IranCell, and both operators do not have a 3G mobile licence.
The successful bidder of the licence will have exclusivity for a period of two years, it said.
It said a decision on the qualified bidders who have the right to proceed with a bid is expected to be made on Nov 22. – Bernama
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
