EAST African cellular operator Mobitel has been accused of running an illegal cellphone network by the Tanzanian Minister of Communications and Transport, Ernest Nyanda, Wired News reported on Wednesday. Mobitel has been running its network in the country for seven years. The minister said in parliament that Mobitel has been running its network without a license and has not paid tax on imported network equipment. He wants the company to “return” its unused radio spectrum for allocation to new network operators. The minister’s accusation is peculiar, as the state holds 29% of Mobitel — the major shareholder is Nasdaq-listed Millicom International Cellular (57%), which operates “31 networks in 19 different countries in South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.” – DM&G