Mobile tender
postponed to Nov. 11

Delay to allow Orascom to bid

The Department of Tenders has postponed to Nov. 11 the opening of the bids for the mobile network tender, said the department’s Director General, Jean Ellieh.

The postponement was in compliance with the State (Shura) Council’s decision to allow Orascom Telecom, Media and Technology (OTMT) to bid in the tender, according to Ellieh. The Egypt-based Orascom manages Lebanon’s state-owned Alfa mobile network but the contract expires by the end of 2015. The telecom operator was previously excluded from the tender because it reportedly did not meet the requirements of the terms of reference.

The Ministry of Telecommunications had originally accepted the bids of six telecom operators. One of these, UK-based Vodafone group, said in August that it had withdrawn from the tender.