Government intends to grant third cellular licence

By early next year, the Government intends to grant a third cellular licence to a new entity to provide additional mobile telecommunication services for the country.

This was disclosed by Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Daryl Vaz, who noted that “we are going to have a Request for Proposal for spectrum in January 2021. This is approved by Cabinet”.

The Minister was responding to questions posed by journalists during a virtual press conference on Wednesday (December 16).

Vaz noted that due to the requirements for broadband during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, “we are going to try and see how quickly we can have this to the point of where a recommendation is made by the Spectrum Management Authority to the Minister to take back to Cabinet for a final decision”.

“So, we are far advanced [in the process] and I am hoping that we can have that concluded by the first quarter of 2021, which will be by March, but preferably February. We have to do it properly and make sure that we don’t rush it,” he said.

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