[kictanet] RELIANCE MISSES OUT ON SNO LICENCE IN KENYA

[alice]

 From BALANCING ACT:

RELIANCE MISSES OUT ON SNO LICENCE IN KENYA

The Communications Commission of Kenya has cancelled a tender for the second
national operator (SNO) licence that it had awarded Reliance Communications,
after the consortium failed to pay for the fees.

This is the second cancellation, after CCK annulled the licence it had given
a consortium led by Dubai-based Vtel Holdings in January, for failing to pay
the US$169 million (Sh12 billion) licence fee it had bid.

Reliance, which was the second highest bidder at US$111 million (Sh7.8
billion), was allowed to apply for the licence, but on condition that it pay
Sh12 billion to match Vtel's bid. Reliance confirmed that it would take up
the offer and requested for more time to prepare for the licence.

CCK said last week Reliance had a deadline of March 15. "By the expiry of
the said deadline at 4.00 p.m. yesterday (Thursday) Reliance Communications
had not made a formal application for the licence as required," CCK said.
The Commission's director-general John Waweru said they had resolved to
immediately restart the tendering process for the licence.
(SOURCE: The Nation)