Kuwait 3rd Mobile Co. Auction Bars Foreign Participation

"Kuwait has excluded foreign companies, including those from other Gulf countries, from an auction to sell 26% of a mobile phone operator set up by the government, Emirates Today reported, citing Al Seyassah newspaper. The government had previously said it would open the auction to foreign operators and publicly traded Kuwaiti companies that are not in the telecom business. The Cabinet has now decided against allowing foreign firms to compete for the stake".

Link: AMEInfo

The above piece of news doesn't bode well for the general consumer. Basically what it means is this: investors behind MTC and Wataniya and other local entities have been offered a bigger chance of controlling a chunk of the new company, thereby instigating another telephony monopoly in Kuwait.

Wasn't the whole point of establishing a 3rd Mobile company the encouragement of more competition, reduce prices and improve general services to the public, as well as augmenting the value of citizen pension plans (which will supposedly own a piece of the pie)?

If Etisalat, Mobily, BT, Orange, Verizon, any international operator - whoever they may be - cannot invest in the 3rd Mobile company, then rest assured that services, quality, customer support and prices will almost be identical to MTC and Wataniya.

It's business as usual in Kuwait. Don't open up. Don't allow real competition. Limit investors to a particular piece of real estate, company etc, wait a few years and sell it to a foreign or local entity, profiting five-fold or more.