Government, through its arm, the Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) advertised in March this year for a third mobile phone operator. Companies that competed for the third licence include the US-based Millennium Global Telecom, Malcom, Megatel Communications, Globally Integrated Networks and Econet Wireless.
While MACRA is yet to unveil the successful bidder, it has been receiving bids for the fourth mobile operator licence, the response to which has been described as overwhelming by its spokesperson, Zamdziko Mankhambo.
Information and Civic Education Minister Patricia Kaliati said that government is not in a hurry to settle for the two mobile phone operators who will be competing with Celtel and TNM in the mobile service market.
“Government is taking its time so that those that will come into the market should serve customers better and be able to compete with those already in the market,” she said. “We want to stimulate competition so that customers can benefit from affordable services like low airtime rates, which is very expensive in Malawi.”
Because MACRA has yet to appoint a board, as is required by the law, any of its decisions could face legal challenge, including announcing the third mobile phone operator licence holder.
Malawi government has one fixed-line service provider after it withdrew a licence to a second authorised fixed-line provider, due to licence awarding controversies.
