S Africa’s MTN Bids for Burma Telecom License

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MTN Group, Africa’s largest mobile phone company, is interested in a Burma operating license, which it expects will cost the winning bidder $200-$500 million in license fees. MTN said some 90 companies had also expressed interest in Burma, but only two licenses would be awarded in June. The Southeast Asian country has a population of about 60 million and a mobile penetration of less than 5 percent, making it an excellent opportunity, Chief Executive Sifiso Dabengwa told journalists after an earnings presentation. “This is really a one-off. This is a greenfield that every operator is interested in,” he said.—Reuters