Telecommunications Companies apply for licenses
The Secretary of State for the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Díli, June 3, 2012
Telecommunications Companies apply for licenses.
The process of Telecommunications Reform is continuing in Timor-Leste. Last week the Ministry of Infrastructure confirmed that it has received four applications for the two licences being made available. The Request for Applications was published on 12 April 2012. The companies who have since applied are:
- Digicel Pacific Limited (South Pacific / Caribbean)
- PT Gapura Caraka Kencana (Indonesia)
- PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Indonesia)
- Viettel Global Investment Joint Stock Company (Vietnam)
These companies include service providers with very extensive experience providing telecommunications services at competitive prices in many developing countries.
Now the Ministry of Infrastructure is reviewing the applications and will announce two successful applicants as soon as possible in the coming days.
New service providers will have the right to provide a full range of telecommunications services, including GSM and 3G voice and data services and any other services for which they can find demand. The introduction of two competitors with national mobile networks in the Timor-Leste market will deliver extensive benefits for the population, businesses and public services through improved pricing, quality, variety and availability of services.
This licensing process is only the beginning of liberalisation. The telecommunications market will be fully open to competition with a registration system minimising barriers to entry for other new service providers. Other service providers will also be permitted to provide a full range of telecommunications services, subject to obtaining any necessary radio spectrum licenses.
The licensing process follows two key steps taken in March 2012: the adoption of a new Telecommunications Decree-law establishing a modern regulatory framework for a competitive telecommunications sector, and the signing of a Settlement Agreement between the Government and Timor Telecom ending Timor Telecom’s exclusive rights.
More information about the liberalisation of Timor-Leste’s telecommunications sector, the legislation and the Request for Applications can be found at www.telecomsliberalisation.tl.
