Algeria's telecoms watchdog the Regulatory Authority for Post and Telecommunications (ARPT) held a public bid opening for the award of 3G licences in Algeria on 15 September 2013, in the presence of Zohra Derdouri, the new Minister of Post and Information Technology and Communication, and representatives of the three mobile operators, local newspaper Algerie Focus reports. According to the article, the bids submitted by the three mobile operators – Mobilis, Nedjma and Djezzy – have all been accepted by the watchdog. The next stage of the bidding process includes the evaluation of the submitted proposals; the companies eligible to obtain 3G licence will be announced on 15 October. All successful bidders are required to provide 3G services in the towns of Algiers, Constantine, Oran and Ouargla by 1 December 2013. As previously reported by TeleGeography's CommsUpdate, the ARPT launched a tender for the authorisation of 3G mobile networks on 1 August 2013; the Algerian government previously postponed the long-awaited auction in order to complete the acquisition of local mobile operator Djezzy. Source: TeleGeography
