Malawi awards third mobile licence following delays

After continued setbacks, Malawi’s regulator has finally awarded the licence for a third mobile operator to Global Advanced Integrated Networks Limited (GAIN), just days after bids for a fourth licence closed.

Malawian consumers will soon have more choice when a third mobile operator and second fixed-line provider begin operations within the next year.

Malawi’s Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) had previously been criticised for not announcing the winner of the third licence when applications closed in March, instead inviting bids for a fourth licence closing July 25.

GAIN is a local consortium and will become the third mobile provider alongside Celtel Malawi and Telekom Networks. It has not been disclosed how much GAIN bid for the licence.

MACRA spokesperson Zadziko Mankhambo expects the new operator to launch commercially in between three and 12 months’ time.

The MACRA board also reviewed the process leading to the award of the second fixed-line network operator (SNO) licence, which has been under intense dispute, but has announced it is satisfied with the licensing process and would award the licence to Access Communication Limited (ACL).