Afghanistan hopes to raise about $200 million in licence fees and investment through the sale of two new mobile telephone licences.

Afghanistan hopes to raise about $200 million in licence fees and investment through the sale of two new mobile telephone licences. Bids will be invited in May for two licences to offer GSM services to begin operations in January 2006. The sector has expanded rapidly in three years to about 800,000 users and attracted $250 million in private investment. Currently two mobile operators hold GSM licences. These are Afghan Wireless Communication Company, a joint venture between US-based Telephone Systems International and the Afghan government, and Roshan, in which a consortium led by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development has a majority stake.