Gov’t open to 4G bids by local telecom operators — ICT minister

AMMAN — The government will seriously look into any requests by existing telecom operators to acquire frequencies to provide fourth generation (4G) services after it turned down two bids from other companies, according to top government officials.

The government received two bids from
KULACOM Jordan and a US-based company called “Ameriphone” to acquire licences to provide 4G services in the country, but the bids were rejected, Mohammad Taani, chief commissioner of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, said at a meeting with the press on Thursday.

“We rejected the bids because KULACOM was incapable of providing a financial guarantee, which is against the tender’s conditions,” he said.

“The second company provided a financial guarantee from a foreign bank, but we need a guarantee from a licensed bank in Jordan. The American company also provided an old certificate of registration that dates back to 2009, which is also a violation of the conditions,” Taani added.

ICT Minister Azzam Sleit said the ministry directed the TRC to take the necessary procedures to ensure the provision of 4G services in Jordan as soon as possible.

“We are ready to look into any official requests we receive for providing 4G in Jordan from local telecom companies or those working abroad,” Sleit added.

“We need faster Internet services in Jordan,” he said.

“We will be happy if the three existing operators submit requests to acquire the frequencies to provide 4G. We hope they do,” the minister added at the meeting.

The country’s three existing operators, Orange Jordan, Zain Jordan and Umniah, have repeatedly called on the government to cancel the tender, warning that licensing a fourth operator will negatively affect the market, where mobile penetration is more than 150 per cent.