STC only bidder for Bahrain's third licence

Saudi Telecom (STC), the biggest Arab operator by market value, is the only bidder for Bahrain's third mobile licence, the island kingdom's regulator said yesterday.

STC made the bid before the deadline expired on Sunday, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said in a statement.

Bahrain, on a drive to boost competition and bring down prices, launched the licence auction last year but repeatedly delayed the deadline at the request of interested companies.

Four firms had registered interest, the regulator said, without naming the other three companies.

Earlier in the day, STC confirmed that it had made a bid.

Meanwhile, a consortium including Emirates Telecommunications (etisalat) has won an international tender for Iran's third mobile telephone licence, the Irna news agency reported yesterday.

Etisalat said in December it was part of a consortium that had made the highest bid for the licence.