Seven firms have been short listed by Oman’s telecom regulator to provide services to remote parts of the sultanate.

The winner will be granted the first ten-year universal service licence in Oman, allowing it to offer fixed and mobile services and broadband Internet, with financial subsidies paid by the state.

Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said the seven have been selected from an initial group of ten “renowned national and international operators”, with “sound financial positions and extensive experience of operating telecom networks and providing telecom services”.

India’s Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) is believed to be one interested party as is Hong Kong-based telco PCCW, which was initially granted Oman’s second fixed licence last year before the decision was reversed and the licence awarded to Nawras.

Oman’s TRA said it is now assessing the seven bidders’ technical and financial proposals, and that it hopes to issue the licence by the end of first quarter 2010.

UAE operator Etisalat is considering expansion into Libya, Syria and Lebanon, according to Jamal Al Jarwan, CEO for Etisalat International Investments.

Etisalat, which operates in 18 markets including the UAE, hopes to broaden its overseas operations still further when Libya declares the winner of its auction of a third GSM licence. The decision is expected to be taken by the Libyan government before the end of the year.

Lebanon, which has two state-owned telecom operators, wants to privatise the business. Etisalat will also participate in the privatisation of Syria’s sole mobile operator.

Etisalat suffered something of a set back earlier this year, having been declared the winner of the third mobile licence in Iran, only to fail to have the decision ratified. There has also been market speculation that the UAE’s operations in Africa have not been performing as well as initially hoped, and that the telco may have been at an early stage of reviewing its continued participation in West Africa.

Alfa, the Lebanese mobile operator managed since February 1, 2009 by Orascom Telecom, Alcatel-Lucent and Research In Motion have announced the introduction of the BlackBerry solution for Alfa customers.

Alfa will offer customers various BlackBerry devices: the BlackBerry Bold 9000 smartphone and the BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphone; along with unlimited MB for BlackBerry Service local usage.

Based on its distribution agreement with RIM, Alcatel-Lucent leveraged its local presence in the region to provide Alfa with end-to-end implementation, launch, delivery and support services for the BlackBerry solution in the Lebanese market.

“This project strengthens Alcatel-Lucent’s position as a global provider of communications. With this offering, Alfa will expand its business opportunities and enable its customers to benefit from the high flexibility offered by the BlackBerry solution, allowing them to stay connected anytime, anywhere,” commented Vincenzo Nesci, head of MEA business for Alcatel-Lucent.

Belgium’s Belgacom ICS (BICS) and Sout African operator MTN have announced the closing of the transaction that results in a combination of their international carrier services and MTN taking a 20 per cent equity stake in BICS. The agreement was originally announced in June and received approval of all relevant government, regulatory and competition authorities in the meantime.

As of today, December 1, BICS began to progressively integrate MTN ICS, MTN’s international wholesale subsidiary, and will act as the official gateway for carrier services of MTN globally.

Belgacom will own 57.6 per cent of BICS, Swisscom 22.4 per cent and MTN 20.0 per cent with a board representation.

Through this transaction, BICS reinforces its footprint and will become the leading international wholesale operator in Africa. MTN will benefit from improved efficiencies and greater economies of scale while offering its customers in Africa and the Middle East an improved high quality international service offering.

UK MVNO Virgin Mobile has reportedly been short-listed by India’s MTNL to take over the management of the Indian mobile operator’s 3G network. The Spice Group, the sole other bidder was dropped due to lack of experience in running a 3G network.

Virgin Mobile already operates in India though a CDMA network partnership with Tata Teleservices.

“We are in discussion with Virgin. They have the necessary experience in offering 3G services in the international market through the franchisee route. Spice did not have the required experience,” MTNL chairman and MD R.S.P Sinha, said to local media in India.

MTNL is seeking an outside partner to take over the running of its 3G networks in Delhi and Mumbai after the company reported low levels of subscriber uptake.

The tender document blocked any company that is planning to bid for the private 3G licences, and will offer a revenue share deal to the contractor.

The networks in Delhi and Mumbai are being offered separately, although it is presumed that any winner would be asked to manage both markets. The contracts would be signed for a 10-year period, with a review after three years.