Algeria plans 3G mobile phone network tender

ALGIERS, April 10 (Reuters) - Algeria is planning to set up a third generation (3G) mobile phone network and the government may decide on a tender for it as soon as next week, a minister said Thursday.

"In case of (the plan) validation by the prime minister during next week's cabinet meeting, an international tender would be launched for the implementation of this network," Telecommunications Minister Boudjema Haichour was quoted as saying by the official news agency APS.

Early this year, Haichour said a French communication company had been selected to provide advice on the plan. He did not name the company.

Egypt's Orascom Telecom (ORTE.CA) is still the main player in Algeria's mobile phone market despite growing competitimn from Algerian state-owned firm Mobilis and Kuwait's National Mobile Phone Telecommunications Co < NMTC.KW>. (Reporting by Hamid Ould Ahmed; editing by Rory Channing)