(Telecompaper) Vodafone announced that it has joined forces with China Mobile to bid for a mobile operator licence in Myanmar. The announcement comes on the day applications are due for the two new operator licences being offered by the Myanmar government. The operator Digicel also announced it has made a bid, with backing from George Soros's Quantum Strategic Partners and local investor Yoma Strategic Partners. A number of regional oeprators have also expressed interest, such as Singtel, AIS, PLDT, Telkom Indonesia, Airtel and KDDI. With a comparatively young and highly literate population of around 60 million, a GDP growth rate of 5.5 percent per annum and mobile phone penetration currently below 10 percent, Myanmar will be an important new market for the global mobile industry, Vodafone said. The two new licences will authorise the licence holders to build, own and operate a mobile network on a nationwide basis for an initial term of 15 years.