Cellcos have licences extended

MTC Atheer, AsiaCell and Orascom Telecom Iraq have all been granted six month extensions to their temporary mobile licences while the Iraqi authorities finalise the forthcoming tender process for new concessions. The three operators won their north, south and central regional licences in 2003, but these were due to be up for renewal in December 2005, when the NCMC planned to issue between two and five 15-year national mobile concessions to replace them. This failed to materialise, however, and the regulator now says it will issue the new concessions in June.