PANA
Tripoli, Libya – Libyan authorities are to grant operating licence to a third mobile telephone company, Libyan local media reported Tuesday, quoting the Telecommunications Minister, Osama Sayata.
The minister was quoted as saying that the licence will be granted to a privately-owned Libyan or foreign company or a Libyan-foreign operator, adding that the winning company will be made known between three and six months.
PANA reports that the minister had recently indicated that the measure followed an agreement reached between the government and the Telecommunications commission of the Libyan Parliament under which a third licence will be issued to a privately-owned operator early next year.
The two first operating licences were granted to two government-owned companies — al-Madar, established in 1977, and Libyana, launched in 2004.
The two companies have 10 million subscribers, the local media indicated.
