China's Huawei awarded tenders to distribute fiber optics service in Lebanon

BEIRUT - Lebanon's telecommunications service provider Ogero announced on Tuesday that China's Huawei, along with two other foreign technology firms, was awarded tenders to distribute fiber optics service in the country.

Speaking from the Grand Serail, Imad Kreidieh, chairman of Ogero, said three companies out of four bidders: Huawei, the US-based Calix and Finland's Nokia, won contracts to distribute fiber optics service from central stations to end users across Lebanon, in partnership with local companies SERTA Channels, BMB and Powertech respectively.

While fiber optic cables have already been laid throughout the country to most central stations, the big issue of providing service from the central station to the end user remains.

Over the next four years, the project is expected to produce $1 billion for the government income, Kreidieh said.

In a recent speech, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri described the project as one of the government's most important achievements to date.

Hariri admitted that the project took some time to advance, "but we decided to go forward and not listen to those who want to hamper the work of the government."

"The citizens have needs. It is my job to fulfill these needs for them," the prime minister noted.