Operator heavyweights China Mobile and Vodafone Group have formed a consortium to bid for a mobile licence in Myanmar.

Keen to promote competition, Myanmar wants to increase the number of mobile operators from two (Myanmar Post & Telecommunications and Yantanarpon Teleport) to four.

In a statement, Vodafone laid out some of the attractions of entering this market. This includes a mobile-phone penetration of below 10 per cent, which is significantly lower than many other emerging economies. There is also a comparatively young and highly literate population of around 60 million, with a GDP growth rate of 5.5 per cent per annum.

“Myanmar will be an important new market for the global mobile industry,” Vodafone said.

The two new licences up for grabs will allow the holders to build, own and operate a mobile network on a nationwide basis for an initial term of 15 years.

The Vodafone-China Mobile pre-qualification application, submitted today, meets the 4 April deadline set by Myanmar authorities.

Further details of the consortium, says Vodafone, will be announced in due course.