Israel’s telecoms regulator on Sunday, November 24, delayed a tender for fifth-generation (5G) cellular frequencies after mobile companies asked for more time, reported Reuters.
The Communications Ministry in July published the tender in the hope that discounts to cash-strapped mobile phone operators battling fierce competition would entice bids. The tender was scheduled to take place on Sunday.
“As far as the ministry is concerned, we are only postponing for two weeks,” a ministry spokesman said. “Requests for further delays will be considered by the committee.”
One of the requests came from Partner Communications, Israel’s second-largest mobile operator, on grounds it was going through a board shake-up when a number of directors – including the chairman – resigned last week. On Thursday, Partner named Osnat Rosen as chairwoman.
The telecoms regulator expects three groups to bid, including a combination of operators to cut down on costs. It had planned to announce winners by the end of the year, with a commercial launch to start in 2020 and continuing through 2023.
Full Content: Reuters
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