Morocco to launch bid for three fixed phone licenses

Morocco said Wednesday it will launch next year a bid for the sale of two fixed phone licenses.

The move will mark the end of the monopoly of the national phone operator Maroc-Telecom, the Telecom agency (ANRT) said.

The first fixed line will be destined for individual users and the second will be exploited by firms and large enterprises.

Competition would help increase the weak penetration of fixed phone, which stands at 5 percent, ie 1.5 million subscribers for a population of 30 million.

Internet is still not widely used in Morocco with a penetration rate not exceeding 1 percent of the population.

According to ANRT figures, the fixed phone market turnover, currently standing at $ 700 million is expected to double by 2012.

Morocco will cede a third mobile phone license in 2003, Terrab said.

Maroc-Telecom and the Spanish-Portuguese-Moroccan group (Meditel) exploit the Moroccan mobile phone.