Mobile tender postponed again to next month

The Department of Tenders has once again postponed the opening of the bids for the mobile network tender, this time to December 8, 2015, according to Jean Ellieh, the department’s Director General.

The Egypt-based Orascom Telecom, Media and Technology (OTMT) was not able to submit the required documents within the deadline given to it, Ellieh said. Last month, the opening of the bids was put off to November 11, 2015 in order to allow Orascom to bid in the tender. It was previously excluded, as it reportedly did not meet the conditions of the terms of reference.

Ellieh said that he does not expect the tender to be delayed any further.

Orascom and Kuwait’s Zain Group, whose contracts will expire by the end of 2015, now operate Lebanon’s two mobile networks.

In addition to Orascom, Zain and the France-based Orange S.A. are participating in the tender, which will allow the two winners to operate the mobile grids for a three-year term.