YANGON: Myanmar’s parliament has passed a telecoms bill paving the way for licensed international firms to operate, state media said yesterday, in the latest move to open the potentially lucrative mobile market.
The former junta-run nation last month awarded telecom licences to Norway’s Telenor and Qatari firm Ooredoo as it tries to raise telephone coverage from less than 10 percent currently to 80 percent by 2016.
The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper said the bill had been approved by parliament.
MP Phone Myint Aung said the move would mean “international operators can launch their operations. They are waiting for this bill.”
The bill still requires the signature of President Thein Sein to come into effect.
“We have not yet had an opportunity to review the legislation but look forward to the final approval of the Telecommunications Law and to also reviewing the implementing regulations,” Telenor said in a statement.
“A clear and stable regulatory and legislative framework that ensures predictability and a level and transparent playing field is important for a long-term investor such as Telenor.”
Telenor added that it was still finalising the terms and conditions of the licence.
The bid process has been closely watched as a bellwether of economic reforms aimed at driving rapid foreign investment in the nation, which has seen sweeping changes since a quasi-civilian government replaced the military regime in 2011.
AFP
