Oman said it shortlisted six bidders seeking a licence for the Gulf country's second fixed-line telecommunications network, that would break the monopoly of state-run Omantel.

Oman's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said the six firms or consortiums were among 10 that had submitted bids to build and operate a company also offering broadband and marine telecommunications services, state news agency ONA said.

An official of the regulator said their names would be announced next month.

Oman, which already has two mobile telephone operators and is also selling a stake in Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel), is liberalising the telecoms sector as part of efforts to encourage foreign investment as its oil production dries up.

An economy ministry official said earlier this month that Oman was looking for a company that could invest at least $300 million (Dh1.1 billion) in the first five years of the contract.

The country of about 2.7m people is offering a package including a 25-year contract to build and operate the second fixed-line service and a similar 15-year contract for broadband Internet services. Both contracts are renewable.

The TRA had set August 25 as the deadline for bids, with the licence expected to be awarded around the end of October. The sultanate has a fixed-line penetration of just 10 per cent and an Internet penetration of just three per cent, TRA said.

Omantel lost its mobile telephone monopoly when Nawras, which is 70 per cent owned by Qatar Telecommunications, started operations in 2005. Oman invited investor interest in July for the sale of a 25 per cent stake in the operator, which it hopes will further boost competitiveness.


Jordan move

Jordan is expected to license third generation mobile technology before the end of the year, Amman-based Al Ghad daily reported Saturday, citing Ahmad Hiasat, chairman of the country's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission.