Infos Business of Saturday, 21 February 2015

Source: Investir au Cameroun

MTN adamant in license renewal

Since February 15, 2015, the Cameroon mobile licence, issued to the South African Telecom operator, MTN, has expired. But the network remains operational.

MTN Cameroon joins in this de facto illegality the competitor, Orange, whose GSM licence expired since January 17, 2015.

Act of December 21, 2010 governing electronic communications in Cameroon, these two operators, who continue to perform their activities without a valid license, are liable to a fine of between 100 and 500 million Cfa francs.

However, the Ministry of posts and Telecommunications and Agency of regulation of telecommunications (ART), is said to be aware of this situation, but gives room to what is generally called in the country "administrative tolerance".

Originally this tolerance is due to the endless negotiations between the State of Cameroon and these two operators, for the renewal of their assorted licences, this time, to the 3 G and 4 G.

Indeed, for several weeks, the two sides have not agreed on the amount to pay for the renewal of such licenses. The State of Cameroon requires 75 billion Cfa francs from each of the operators, for permits with a validity of 10 years.

After proposing 35 billion francs Cfa, MTN Cameroon has, according to some sources, revised upward its proposal to bring in 65 billion francs Cfa, but for a period of 13 years.

At the same time, Orange Cameroon camped on its initial proposal, which is 40 billion Cfa francs.