Syria has postponed the auction of a third mobile licence, originally scheduled for 27 April, due to the political unrest in the country, a person familiar with matter told Zawya Dow Jones. The licence award was postponed as some members of the supervisory committee were from the old government. No new date for the auction has been set, the person added. The postponement comes after Syria's President Bashar Assad, in moves aimed at containing popular anti-government sentiment, replaced his prime minister and cabinet, and promised to introduce new electoral and media laws. Qtel and Saudi Telecom Company (STC) were the only operators in the running for the mobile licence, after a number of competing operators abandoned their bids amid concerns over the Syrian government's revenue-sharing plan.
