Mobile network is up for tender

The new operators will lead the country to 5G

The Bids Department of the Central Inspection Board announced last Friday that it will conduct a public international tender to run the two mobile telecom networks, as of September 8, 2015.

The contract winner will run the network for three years on behalf of the Ministry of Telecommunications. The temporary guarantee to participate in the tender is $2 million.

During the open tender, participants are allowed to adjust their financial offering in one session of consecutive rounds, to finally select the lowest price available.

Gilbert Najjar, the Minister’s representative at the Owners Supervisory Board (OSD) of the Ministry of Telecommunications said that new criteria were taken into consideration while preparing for the tender. These include the extended size of the mobile telephony network and the more advanced sector infrastructure. “During the last tender, which took place in 2004, each mobile operator had no more than 380,000 subscriber. They now have around 2 million,” he said. He also said that at that time, the country used a 2G network, whereas today there is a 4G, which requires more technical know-how and more developed services.

“The aim of the tender is not only to appoint an operator to run the sector, but to appoint companies that will help take the country into the next generation, the next era of communications, 5G or into the ‘connected objects’ era,” he said.

Applicants should meet the criteria and apply for the tender directly and not through a subsidiary or a union of companies. They have until June 30 to fulfill the rigorous requirements.

A copy of the requirements and procedures may be accessed starting from July 1st until August 14. The application costs $20,000.

“There are numerous eligible Lebanese operators that have reinvented the sector in foreign countries, and they are very welcome to present their offers,” said Najjar.

The current management contracts of operators, Alfa and Touch, were renewed and are valid until December31.