Iraq plans to award the country’s fourth national mobile licence in the first quarter of next year, Gulf Daily News reports, citing a senior official. According to Communication Minister Farouq Abdul-Qadir Abdulrahman, more than 15 companies have so far expressed an interest in the license – including US-based Verizon, South Africa’s MTN, Turkcell of Turkey, the UAE’s Etisalat, France Telecom and UK-based Vodafone. The new operator will be required to give 35 percent of its operating revenue to the government.