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(NYASATIMES) C-Mobile uses Malawians as fronts for 4th cell licence

C-Mobile uses Malawians as fronts for 4th cell licence
By Nyasa Times
Published: August 7, 2010

Comium Malawi, also known as C-mobile who are expected to be given the 4th mobile licence fronted Malawians to win the bid as they do not appear anywhere as shareholders, Nyasa Times investigations have revealed. The shareholders of C-Mobile which has links to Lebanon are Nizar Dalloul, Ali Dalloul, Joumana El-Sheikh and Lana Ali Ahmad.

However, they have bluffed Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and presented infinity investments as owners whose shareholders are Malawian. The documents sourced by shows that they are not.

When asked why they fronted Malawians to win the bid to dial fourth cell when there no local shareholders, C-mobile officials declined to comment.

Government called for a fourth operator to boost competition and improve services on network problems and high costs of airtime tariffs.

Meanwhile, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) will award the licence to C-Mobile as the fourth mobile operator.

The four companies who submitted their bid e in the race to dial the fourth cell include two Malawian companies Celcom Limited and Smart Telecom Limited.

The other one was Zambezi Africa Holdings from South Africa.

“Currently we have three operators, namely Zain, TNM and GMobile, but we want another operator to help reduce the cost of doing business and improve the quality of telecommunication services,” Macra spokesman Zamuziko Makambo is on record to have said.

GMobile owned by a consortium of Malawian businessmen in partnership with Berry Telecoms of South Africa. It is yet to roll out services since being given a mobile phone operating license last year.

Last year, Macra awarded two licenses to La Cell Private Limited and Expresso Telecom Group Limited, but later suspended the licenses, saying the tenders had not been awarded properly.

GMobile was recently fined by Macra for missing deadline to roll out their network.

Labels: C-MOBILE, MALAWI COMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY AUTHORITY

posted by MrK @ 3:53 AM