Barcelona, March 4 – Syria’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has launched an international tender for a new 20-year mobile network operator license as part of efforts to modernize the country’s telecommunications sector. The announcement was made in Barcelona by Minister Abdul Salam Haykal during the Mobile World Congress 2026.
The bidding process will remain open until June 15, with official application documents issued by the ministry in Damascus. The new license will replace the current MTN Syria license and combine existing operations with a long-term commitment to expand next-generation mobile infrastructure, including 5G services using key frequency bands such as 800 MHz, 2600 MHz, and 3500 MHz.
Authorities confirmed that Syria will maintain a two-operator market for a five-year transition period to ensure uninterrupted services. The selected operator will take over the existing subscriber base and infrastructure while leading nationwide network modernization. The license structure includes a 25 percent stake for Syria’s sovereign fund, with the remaining ownership available to the winning consortium. The initiative is also linked to the SilkLink regional fiber-optic project supported by Saudi Arabia’s STC, aimed at strengthening Syria’s regional digital connectivity.
