The Divona / Orange - France Telecom group is retained as a tenderer offering the best technology in the process of granting a license for a new telecommunications operator.
What will happen now? Who is France Telecom and its partner is Divona Tunisian who has 51% stake in the new entity they create together?

Groupement Divona / Orange - France Telecom is retained as a tenderer offering the best technology in the process of granting a license for a new telecommunications operator.
It is worth noting that the ministry of communication technologies has almost complied with the schedule, reflecting the superb professionalism of government in the management of major operations. It was the same in the award of the GSM license to Orascom and the opening of the capital of Tunisie Telecom.

Pursuant to the provisions of Decree No. 2009-283 of 2 February 2009 laying down the conditions and procedures for the granting of a license to install and operate a public telecommunications network for the provision of telecommunications services fixed and mobile telecommunications services from 2nd and 3rd generation, the Ministry of Communication Technologies announces the following:

-The commission established by the decree above mentioned report has concluded its evaluation of tenders received in the framework of the international tender for the granting of a license to a new operator of fixed and mobile telecommunications 2G/3G .
-This process has enabled the Group to retain DIVONA / ORANGE - France Telecom, as a bidder who submitted the best technical offer.

This assignment is tentative pending the completion of the conditions contained in the Rules of procedures of the international tender.
The entry into service of a new telecommunications operator aims to contribute to the revitalization of the landscape of the telecommunications sector (fixed, broadband internet and mobile), promotion of investment and employment as well as 'in support of the business climate in Tunisia.

France Telecom is the first telecommunications operator in France and a major player in the world. The France Telecom Group is the leading provider of broadband Internet access and the third mobile operator in Europe and among the world leaders in telecommunications services to multinational companies. It offers its customers, individuals, businesses and other telecommunications operators a full range of telecommunications services. Its main activities include the provision of fixed and mobile telecommunications (local, national and international), Internet services and multimedia communication services, sales and rentals of equipment, information services and other value-added services. Orange is the Group's single brand for Internet, television and mobile in most countries where it operates, and Orange Business Services brand of services to companies worldwide.
At 31 December 2008, France Telecom serves 182.3 million customers worldwide and 13 million ADSL subscribers.

As for Divona Telecom Tunisia is the first VSAT operator in Tunisia. It is also the only telecommunications operator in Tunisia, whose capital is owned 100% by Tunisians.
Present in the telecommunications sector in Tunisia for more than twelve years, through its parent Planet Divona managed to grow rapidly at the head of the sector.
Planet, for its part, have for a dozen years in the country, it is now a leader in the internet for businesses with more than 100,000 customers.
Both entities are run by Mohamed Garbouj and belong to Marouen of Investec Mabrouk (not Mabrouk Group).

Now that the group is chosen for its best technical offer, both parties will need to create and implement a Tunisian law firm of which 51% (at least) are held by Investec.
This should, in theory, marketing its new fixed and mobile services in six months. These services include:
Fixed:
• telephone service domestic and international, including IP telephony;
• access services to the Internet;
• data transmission services;
• transport services signals in accordance with the applicable legislation;
• Wholesale services (wholesale), including without limitation, leasing capacity and wholesale traffic.

Mobile:
• mobile telephone service, national and international levels;
• Messaging Services SMS and MMS;
• data services including video telephony, mobile Internet, multimedia messaging and multimedia content with mobile broadband;
• services wholesale traffic operators and providers of telecommunications services authorized in accordance with laws and regulations in force.

The License granted to Divona / France Telecom offers also several advantages, among which we include access to existing infrastructure to build its network, obtaining resources frequencies, numbering in codes and international interconnection, provision telephony services over IP, national and international roaming, the provision of number portability so.

The license granted to Divona / France Telecom is valid for a period of 15 years with possibility of extension, at the request of the holder, for additional periods not exceeding ten years each.
In addition, and to promote the dynamics of competition and support the introduction of the new entrant, the Tunisian State has committed to attributing any license additional fixed until at least 1st January 2013.
It will not, either, of 3G licenses to other operators about a year before in order to initiate the conditions of homelessness and use optimum and common infrastructure for fixed and mobile telecommunications.


Source [Business News]