Iran confirms no additional 3G licences until 2013

Iranian telecoms watchdog Communication Regulation Agency (CRA) has announced that the country will not be offering another 3G operating licence for at least three years. Speaking to Middle East business website AMEInfo.com, CRA vice president Lotfollah Sabouhi indicated that the existing licence – held by Tamin Telecom – will be granted a further three years of exclusivity, after which time a second operator will be allowed to enter the market. Sabouhi commented: ‘For sure I think we will open the market for another operator because we want fast growth in 3G services. But first of all this operator has this opportunity for the market, and after that we will open up the market for another operator’. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, Tamin Telecom secured a joint 2G/3G concession in December 2008 for USD399 million.