BEIRUT, 30 March 2004 — Lebanese authorities have selected seven foreign companies as candidates to manage the country’s two mobile phone networks for the next four years, official media said yesterday. The seven firms chosen for the shortlist are Orange of France, Telenor of Norway, Deletecom and T. System of Germany, Orascom of Egypt, MTC of Kuwait, Telecom Italia of Italy and Digicel of Ireland, the state ANI news agency said.