Posts Tagged Mobile Network Operator
Vivendi revenues up 24%, driven by 31.5% rise in sales at SFR (France)
French communications and entertainment group Vivendi reported a 23.7% year-on-year rise in consolidated revenues (22.1% at constant currency) to EUR6.5 billion (USD8.83 billion), as a result of strong performance from the likes of telecoms arm SFR and expected synergies delivered following recent acquisitions. Group EBITDA reached EUR1.4 billion, an increase of 15.8% (13.8% at constant currency) compared to the first quarter of 2008. Vivendi said adjusted net income was EUR649 million, down EUR48 million compared to the first quarter of 2008, mainly due to the increasing interest and share of earnings attributable to minority interests. Nonetheless, the company confirmed its 2009 outlook for strong growth of EBITA.
SFR’s revenues increased to EUR3.028 billion in the three months ended 31 March 2009, up by 31.5% compared to the same period in 2008, due to the consolidation of neuf Cegetel since 15 April 2008. On a comparable basis, SFR’s revenues decreased by 0.8% y-o-y, although excluding the impact of the decrease in switched voice revenues and equipment sales, SFR revenues increased by 1.4%, it said. Mobile turnover generated EUR2.181 billion in sales which Vivendi said was ‘stable’ due to a EUR22 million decrease in equipment sales to EUR77 million. Mobile service revenues, however, rose 1.2% year-on-year to EUR2.104 billion, driven by growth of the customer base and a sharp (36%) rise in data revenues following the launch of unlimited SMS and MMS offers, and strong development of mobile internet services in the mass market and enterprise segments. SFR added 118,000 net new mobile customers in January-March, equivalent to 51% of net additions in the period. Furthermore, SFR reported an improvement in its customer mix (+3.5 percentage points year-on-year to 69.6%), adding 178,000 new post-paid customers in the period to achieve 13.76 million contract customers at the end of March 2009. SFR launched the iPhone on 8 April, and says it has already sold 120,000 handsets.
SFR (including neuf Cegetel) reported broadband internet and fixed revenues of EUR934 million in 1Q09, down 2.7% compared to the same period in 2008 on a comparable basis. Broadband internet and fixed revenues increased by 2.3%, excluding the impact of the decrease in switched voice revenues. Aided by the launch of the ‘neufbox by SFR’, SFR added 163,000 net new broadband internet active customers in the period (or >30% of all quarterly net additions). At the end of March 2009 SFR’s broadband subscriber base totalled 4.042 million, up 9.3% compared to the same period in 2008. In addition, SFR had 164,000 Enterprise data links connected to the SFR network, 10.1% higher than a year earlier. SFR’s broadband internet and fixed EBITDA, including neuf Cegetel’s operations since 15 April 2008, decreased by EUR19 million on a comparable basis to EUR133 million.
Add comment May 15, 2009
life:) announces Q1 results (Ukraine)
Ukrainian wireless network operator life:) has published its results for the three months ended 31 March 2009, showing an annual 22.3% increase in subscribers to 11.5 million. Of the total, 8 million were deemed by the operator to be ‘active’, having made or received a call/SMS in the last three months. Revenues in the first quarter of 2009 were USD79.1 million, a 12.3% decrease compared to the same period of 2008. EBITDA was USD3.6 million, compared to USD2.1 million in the same period of 2008, while net losses were USD24.4 million, down from a loss of USD32.4 million in Q1 2008. General director of life:) Tansu Yegen said: ‘The first quarter of 2009 has been very challenging for the economy of Ukraine with the worsening macroeconomic situation seriously effecting the business. The national currency depreciated by around 52% against the US dollar as of 31 March 2009 compared to a year ago, although remained stable compared to the previous quarter.’
Add comment May 15, 2009
Bharti Airtel reaches 100 mln mobile customers mark (India)
Add comment May 15, 2009
MasterCard to launch Mobile MoneySend platform
MasterCard is going to launch its P2P mobile remittance platform for issuers in the US later this month. MasterCard has partnered with The Bancorp Bank for this launch and worked with US mobile payments services provider Obopay to add a mobile channel to its money transfer platform MoneySend. In a first phase, consumers will be able to use MoneySend with a MasterCard prepaid card issued by The Bancorp Bank and link it to their mobile phone number to send or receive money. Banks who will use the platform will enable customers who register for MoneySend to use it with their everyday accounts, including MasterCard debit, credit, prepaid or checking, as determined by their issuer. The platform enables users to send and receive funds via SMS message, mobile web browser or a downloadable MoneySend application. Upon the initiation of the transfer, the sender approves the request by entering the MoneySend mobile PIN which is only known by the accountholder. Subsequently, the recipient receives a text message confirmation of the transfer (for pre-registered users) or that the transfer is pending (for yet to be registered users). The funds can then be accessed by the recipient through an account designated during the registration process. Initially, this will be a prepaid account with The Bancorp Bank. These funds are then available for access through the mobile phone. If the consumer has a MasterCard card associated with the account the funds can also be accessed at traditional points of interaction, including ATMs, over-the-counter at a bank branch, or at the point-of-sale.
Add comment May 15, 2009
Bouygues Q1 revenues climb 6% (France)
French mobile operator Bouygues Telecom posted a 6% increase in sales for the three months to 31 March 2009 on the back of solid subscriber growth. Sales from network services grew 5% year-on-year to EUR1.175 billion (USD1.603 billion), including a EUR9 million contribution from its fixed line business, it said. Bouygues added a net 144,000 new mobile customers in the first quarter of 2009, compared with 51,000 in the first quarter of 2008. As at 31 March 2009, Bouygues Telecom’s cellular user base totalled 9.739 million, of which 7.348 million were on post-paid contracts — 75.5% of the total customer base — a year-on-year increase of 1.7 percentage points.
Add comment May 14, 2009
Clearwire narrows losses, reports user growth, signs up Cisco (USA)
Clearwire, the US wireless broadband operator 51% owned by Sprint Nextel, has reported a narrowing of first-quarter losses to USD71.06 million, compared to a pro forma loss of USD76.44 million a year earlier (before Sprint and Clearwire unveiled their USD12 billion partnership to combine their planned nationwide mobile WiMAX networks). Revenue in the three months to the end of March 2009 rose 21% year-on-year to USD62.1 million. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms database, Clearwire provides broadband internet services in at least 50 markets nationwide via fixed wireless networks which utilise a combination of pre-WiMAX and true 802.16e mobile WiMAX technologies. Clearwire, which has so far launched commercial WiMAX in Baltimore and Portland, Oregon, reported that it added 25,000 subscribers in the first quarter, bringing its total base to 500,000 (up 57,000 year-on-year). The firm expects to add 802.16e networks in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Honolulu, Philadelphia and Seattle during 2009. The company said yesterday that it still plans to expand its ‘Clear 4G’ WiMAX service to 80 markets covering a potential 120 million customers by the end of 2010 but the plan could be altered depending on the availability of capital.
Also announced yesterday, Clearwire has selected Cisco as its national core infrastructure provider as it expands mobile WiMAX network coverage across the US. Clearwire’s all-IP network will be upgraded and extended under the deal, whilst separately, Cisco is also planning to move into the mobile WiMAX terminal device manufacturing market this year.
Add comment May 14, 2009
AT&T to acquire mobile assets from Verizon Wireless (USA)
AT&T has agreed to acquire mobile assets from Verizon Wireless for USD 2.35 billion in cash. AT&T will acquire mobile properties, including licences, network assets and 1.5 million current subscribers in 79 service areas, primarily in rural areas across eighteen states. Verizon Wireless is required to divest these properties as part of the regulatory approvals granted for its purchase of Alltel earlier this year. The states represented are Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming. While the transaction primarily represents former Alltel assets, but it also includes assets from Verizon Wireless and the former Rural Cellular. AT&T expects integration costs for network conversion, amortisation of intangible assets and subscriber migration to result in dilution to EPS of approximately USD 0.06 per share in the first year after closing and to improve thereafter. Network conversion from Verizon’s CDMA network to GSM technology and transition of the operations to AT&T is expected to take no longer than 12 months from the date the transaction closes and to result in an additional planned capital investment of approximately USD 400 million over 2009 and 2010. The transaction is contingent upon regulatory approval and is expected to close in the fourth quarter. AT&T has also agreed to sell certain mobile assets of Centennial Communications to Verizon Wireless for USD 240 million.
Add comment May 11, 2009
Six operators to launch LiMo handsets this year
Six operators will launch mobile phones based on the LiMo operating system this year, announced the LiMo Foundation, an industry group promoting Linux software for mobile services. The operators planning LiMo devices include NTT Docomo, Orange, SK Telecom, Telefonica, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone. Further active operator participants in the LiMo Foundation include KTF, SFR, Softbank Mobile, Swisscom and Telecom Italia. To date 33 commercial handset models have been certified as LiMo Compliant, of which 10 will be on display at the Mobile World Congress by NEC and Panasonic. LG and Samsung will also show new prototype models at MWC in Barcelona.
The LiMo Foundation also announced that all technologies specified for the R2 release of the LiMo Platform have been contributed on time, and LiMo members are currently introducing reference implementations for devices. The LiMo Reference Implementations will include code specified within both LiMo Platform R1 and LiMo Platform R2. This code includes source code contributions from members as well as components originating from open source communities. LiMo Reference Implementation contributors include Access, Azingo, LG Electronics, Purple Labs and Samsung Electronics. The latest technologies in the LiMo Platform include support for features such as advanced multimedia, location-based services, device management and enhanced security. The LiMo Foundation also announced its endorsement of the OMTP Bondi specification, which future LiMo handsets using a web runtime will support for widgets.
Add comment February 11, 2009
Alltel continues with services until buyer found
US cellular operator Alltel has confirmed that it is continuing to provide services to the 2.2 million customers in 22 states which Verizon Wireless has agreed to divest under the terms of its USD28.1 billion acquisition of Alltel. Alltel says these subscribers will have no change to their services while a buyer for the networks is sought. Verizon leapfrogged AT&T to take the number one spot in the US wireless market when it bought out Alltel; AT&T is hoping to close the gap by acquiring the operations in the markets now being divested. These have been valued at around USD3 billion.
Add comment February 11, 2009
ETECSA records 60% increase in wireless subscribers (Cuba)
Cuba’s state-owned telecoms monopoly, Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba (ETECSA), announced its wireless subscriber base has increased by 60% to 480,000, up from 300,000 since the government opened up the service to the public in April 2008. Until President Raul Castro lifted a ban, mobile phones were only available to tourists and government officials. Nearly 8,000 subscribers were registered in the first ten days after the restrictions were relaxed. The government recently lowered the activation charge from USD120 to USD64, though this remains higher than most Cubans can afford, representing three months wages for the average worker.
In a separate story, government officials have stated that Cuba will continue to limit internet access after the completion of a 1,550km fibre-optic cable linking the island to Venezuela. The country currently connects to the internet via satellite as a result of the US trade embargo. Boris Moreno, deputy minister of computer science and communication, said that Cuba, with a population of around 11.4 million, has 1.4 million internet users, and that by the end of 2008 there were 630,000 computers, a 23% increase compared to end-2007.
Add comment February 10, 2009
Vodafone, Hutchison Whampoa to Merge Australian Networks
Vodafone and Hutchison Whampoa have announced plans to merge their Australian networks to form a single mobile operator. Both companies will own 50% of the joint venture – which will retain the Vodafone brand name, although they retain the rights to the “three” brand as well. To equalise the value difference between the respective businesses, Vodafone will receive a deferred payment of A$500 million (US$337 million) from the joint venture company, VHA (Vodafone Hutchison Australia).
Utilising existing network arrangements and planned network build, VHA will operate a mobile network with at least 95% population coverage, of which 63% will have access to 3G services. Upon completion of additional network roll outs, VHA’s 3G population coverage is planned to increase to 95%.Based on figures from the Mobile World subscriber tracker, the merged firm would ended last September with a shade over 6 million customers – representing 26.3% of the market. It will still be the smallest of (now) three operators in the country – close behind Optus’ 7.4 million and Telstra’s 9.5 million customers.
Add comment February 10, 2009
France’s fourth mobile licence to cost EUR 206 million
French state secretary for industry Luc Chatel told the National Assembly that the first 5 MHz lot to be allocated to the fourth mobile network operator would cost EUR 206 million. This is one third of the EUR 619 million paid by the country’s existing mobile operators for their 15 MHz of spectrum. Free, the triple-play operator likely to become the country’s fourth mobile network operator, was prepared to pay EUR 210 million, CEO Xavier Niel told Le Figaro. Free may also bid for the remaining two lots of 5 MHz of spectrum alongside its competitors in a second tender. The first 5 MHz are due to be tendered at the end of February or early March, according to regulatory chairman Jean-Claude Mallet. Separately, France’s recently appointed secretary for the development of the digital economy, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, suggested to the National Assembly setting up a conference to respond to consumers’ increasing concerns about the possible dangers of exposure to radio waves. The round table would bring together legislators, operators and scientists, she said.
Add comment February 10, 2009
Vodafone prepares USUSD2B loan in India
Vodafone Essar, the UK-based group’s Indian subsidiary, is in the process of a raising a INR100 billion (USD2 billion) bridge loan to finance its participation in India’s forthcoming 3G spectrum auctions. According to banking sources, Vodafone has appointed SBI Capital Markets to arrange the loan from a range of banks. “Canara Bank has approved INR7.5 billion for Vodafone, and the rest of the money will come from other banks,” a source said. An unnamed Vodafone source added that the financing would also be used for network expansion. However, Vodafone Essar declined to offcially comment on the story.
According to the report, there is still no official date for the start of India’s long-awaited 3G auctions, which are now thought unlikely to happen prior to India’s general elections, which need to take place before May. A Mumbai-based telecom analyst added that Vodafone would have little trouble raising the INR100 billion, suggesting that the operator should be able to secure an interest rate of around 8.5 percent. India is a key market for Vodafone, accounting for around 65 percent of the 9.7 million net new customers it added in its most recent.
Add comment February 10, 2009
Turkcell survives MNP
Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile operator in terms of subscribers, has reported that it attracted 650,000 net new customers in the final three months of 2008, taking its total user base to 37 million. Rival operator Avea said on Friday that it had gained 244,000 net new subscribers since the implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) in mid-November, meaning that the country’s other cellco, Vodafone, has been the big loser since MNP was introduced; it saw customer numbers fall from 17.36 million at end-September to 16.72 million three months later.
Add comment February 9, 2009
Mobile lines reach 11.5 million, says regulator (Ecuador)
Ecuadorian telecoms authority Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (Suptel) has reported that, at the end of 2008, cellular connections in the country reached a total of 11.5 million, with market leader Conecel (Porta) recording 8.1 million users, followed by Movistar Ecuador with 3.1 million subscribers and Telecsa (Alegro) trailing with 303,000 active mobile SIMs. The operators reported that the majority of their mobile phone users remain on pre-paid tariffs: 88.57% at Porta, 84.88% of Movistar’s total base and 85.56% of Alegro customers.
Add comment February 9, 2009
Movilnet bolsters regional GSM, CDMA networks
Venezuelan cellco Movilnet has reported that in 2008 it strengthened its coverage in western central areas of the country, by deploying 109 GSM and 14 CDMA2000 1x base stations covering Lara, Yaracuy and Portuguesa, to take its total in those cities to 232 base stations. Asdrubal Pire, head of operations and systems for Movilnet in the central region, explained, ‘We had already covered most of the major roads and major towns, and additionally, there were increases in capacity in urban areas.’ Movilnet, a wholly owned subsidiary of state-owned telco CANTV, launched commercial GSM services with limited coverage in December 2008. At that date the GSM network spanned 1,000 base stations (up from 760 in September 2008). Commercial GSM coverage was initially only available in the Portuguesa and Nueva Esparta areas.
Add comment February 9, 2009
China Telecom to buy 50m CDMA handsets in 2009
Interfax China reports that China Telecom plans to purchase 50 million CDMA handsets in 2009, of which around 20 million will be CDMA2000 1xEV-DO capable. Quoting an employee of the cellco’s handset division, Ma Daojie, Telecom opened bidding for the first CDMA2000 1x EV-DO contract at the end of 2008 and has since finished selecting terminals, including handsets and wireless data cards. The results of the tender will be released ‘soon’. Ma said according to his company’s calculations, the operator will sell an average of 50,000 CDMA handsets per day in 2009.
Add comment February 9, 2009
Armed forces 3G spectrum release faces delay (India)
In another blow to the much-delayed 3G auction process in India, the Economic Times is reporting that the Indian army is now claiming that it cannot release spectrum needed for commercial 3G services in a phased manner as had previously been agreed. The armed forces are in possession of spectrum which is expected to be vacated and then reallocated to successful 3G licencees. However, the defence forces now say that they will only release the frequencies after Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) completes the rollout of all three alternative networks for them. BSNL is due to complete new infrastructure for the Army, Air Force and Navy in 2011. The original agreement between the communications and defence ministries called for a phased vacation of the spectrum by the armed forces; with BSNL expecting to complete the Air Force Network (AFNET) by June this year the communications ministry called for the Air Force spectrum to be vacated by that date. It is understood that a group of ministers (GoM) will now consider the fate of the spectrum, ruling on whether the original phased release will be enforced. Additionally, the GoM will examine the case for funding the INR146 billion (USD3.02 billion) alternative networks, with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) expected to clear the project’s funding only after it is endorsed by the ministers.
Add comment February 9, 2009
SingTel: regional mobile base tops 232m at end-December
Southeast Asia’s largest telecommunications group, Singapore Telecom (SingTel), today reported that its aggregate regional mobile subscriber base stood at 232 million as at 31 December 2008, up 7.3% on a quarterly basis, and a 35% increase year-on-year. Despite stiff competition and the deepening global economic gloom, SingTel reported that each of its six mobile associates in the region – Thailand’s Advanced Info Service (AIS), India’s Bharti Airtel, Globe Telecom in the Philippines, Indonesia’s Telkomsel, Pacific Bangladesh Telecom (PBTL) and Pakistan’s Warid Telecom – posted double-digit subscriber growth ranging from 13% to 55% when compared to the same time at end-2007. Of these, India’s Bharti posted the single biggest jump in subscriber numbers to 85.65 million, up from 55.16 million as at 31 December 2007, SingTel said. The group’s wholly owned Ozzie unit Optus posted a 0.9% rise in mobile users over the year to 7.63 million, while in its home market SingTel had 2.94 million cellular customers, up 26% y-o-y. The Singaporean business also reported sustained demand for the Apple iPhone 3G device which helped push its domestic 3G mobile base up to 1.14 million, and 2.33 million for Optus in Australia.
Add comment February 9, 2009
Vodafone Portugal HSPA+ trials
Vodafone is continuing to work towards the introduction of HSPA+ in its key European territories. It has previously carried out advanced trials in the UK and Italy, and this week has launched a test network in Lisbon using HSPA+ 64QAM technology. The technology has a theoretical maximum download speed of 21.6Mbps, although Vodafone and partner Ericsson achieved peaks of 16Mbps. Vodafone Portugal expects to launch commercial HSPA+ services in 2009, as soon as compatible data devices become readily available.
Add comment February 6, 2009
America Movil surprises with 4Q net profit increase
Mexican telecoms giant America Movil (AM) has announced a surprise 14.5% year-on-year rise in net profit for the three months ended 31 December 2008, to MXN16.3 billion (USD1.13 billion), spurred by record subscriber growth. Full-year net profit rose 14.9% to MXN60.1 billion. AM added 10.1 million subscribers over the three-month period, the most ever for the group in a single quarter, with the fall in value of the peso contributed to higher sales. Columbia, Brazil and Ecuador had the highest net subscriber additions, revealing 87%, 36% and 34% y-o-y increases respectively. The group reported a total of 182.7 million wireless customers worldwide at the end of the 2008, an increase of 29.3 million, or 19.1%, over the year.
Total revenue for the fourth quarter increased 11.6% year-on-year to MXN94.4 billion. Service revenue for the three-month period increased 14.7% to MXN80.4 billion, whilst revenue from data services contributed strongly to the growth, rising 37% year-on-year. Full-year revenue meanwhile increased 13.6% to MXN346 billion. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) also rose, up 7.3% in the most recent quarter against 4Q 2007 at MXN34.9 billion, and up 11.8% for the twelve months ended 31 December 2008. CAPEX for 2008 reportedly exceeded MXN68 billion.
Add comment February 6, 2009
China Unicom turns to Spanish partner for 3G advice
China Unicom and Telefonica have signed a framework cooperation agreement on the development of 3G in the People’s Republic. The agreement aims at enhancing cooperation in the mobile communications, W-CDMA, broadband application, international business, marketing and corporate services arenas.
Telefonica’s interest in Unicom is by virtue of the Chinese company’s recent merger with China Netcom, in which the Spaniards had a 7.22% stake. In September 2008 Telefonica announced that it would boost its stake in China Netcom by 2.7% for EUR368 million, prior to Netcom merging with China Unicom. The Spanish firm subsequently purchased an additional 3.03% stake of the unified company for between EUR392 million and EUR434 million from AllianceBernstein. Telefonica now owns more than 5.5% of the combined China Unicom-China Netcom, and is the company’s single largest private investor.
Add comment February 6, 2009
Wana awarded third 2G licence (Morocco)
The prime minister of Morocco has approved the award of the country’s third 2G mobile licence to Wana, a subsidiary of domestic conglomerate Omnium Nord Afrique (ONA), after studying a recommendation by the National Agency of Telecommunications Regulation (ANRT). The award follows the launch of a tender by the ANRT on 30 October 2008, in accordance with its plan for the development of the telecoms sector and a decision by the regulator’s board in May 2008. After Wana submitted a bid by a deadline of 6 January 2009, an evaluation of its offer was made on technical and economic aspects, including commitments on infrastructure, coverage, quality of service, the diversity of product offerings and coherency of its business plan.
The 15-year nationwide licence includes frequencies in the 1800MHz band suitable for GSM-based services, but is technology-neutral. Wana (formerly Maroc Connect) won a 3G licence in July 2006, which it added to an existing concession to offer CDMA-based services, and will join rivals Maroc Telecom and Meditel in the 2G GSM-based market. According to the ANRT, the concession winner must undertake to make a significant investment and provide innovative services to meet market expectations and contribute to the improvement of telecoms facilities in Morocco. In addition to direct financial investment, Wana must help finance the redevelopment of the frequency spectrum under a budget of MAD36 million (USD4.6 million), the regulator said in its report.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Hungarian mobile base reaches 12.24m by end-December
Hungary’s three mobile operators Pannon, Vodafone and T-Mobile collectively added a net 284,000 new subscribers in the last month of 2008, to close out December with a total of 12.24 million users, according to the national regulator the NHH. As at 31 December Pannon had a 35.09% market share, down from 35.18% in November, while T-Mobile’s market share also fell from 43.94% to 43.86%. The country’s third largest operator Vodafone was the beneficiary, increasing its share of the pie from 20.89% to 21.04% in the same period. The NHH also reported that ‘active’ mobile subscriptions reached 10.97 million by end-December, up 227,000 on the previous month, whilst cellular penetration reached 121.8%, compared with 119.1% in November.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Smart awards ECI Telecom two-year managed services deal (Philippines)
Filipino mobile operator Smart Communications, a unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT), has awarded ECI Telecom a two-year managed services contract for the operator’s transmission network operations centre, including 24/7 network surveillance, fault management and maintenance. By 31 December 2008 Smart Communications and its sister company Piltel claimed a total of 35.2 million cellular users, up more than five million year-on-year.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Roshan ends 2008 with 3 million subs (Afghanistan)
Afghani cellco Telecom Development Company Afghanistan (known locally as Roshan), has announced that it has signed up its three millionth subscriber, reaffirming its position as the largest network operator in the country by users. In the last six months of 2008 Roshan added a million new active subscribers, which it claims is a result of its streamlined tariff structures, innovative services and expanded coverage; Roshan now reaches over 226 cities and towns across 33 of 34 provinces, covering 56% of the population. ‘Since its inception, Roshan has been committed to connecting the people of Afghanistan to each other and the world, which means providing choices that meet individual needs and aspirations,’ said Altaf Ladak, chief operating officer at Roshan. ‘The support and trust of Roshan customers has played a pivotal role in growing the Roshan family of subscribers to three million.’
Add comment February 5, 2009
Koryolink attracts 6,000 3G applications in first fortnight (North Korea)
North Korea’s first 3G network operator, Koryolink, has attracted 6,000 applications within its first two weeks of operation, according to The Industry Standard. The cellco, which began accepting applications in January 2009, is owned by Orascom Telecom Holding of Egypt (75%) and state-owned Korea Post and Telecoms Corporation (25%). Naguib Sawiris, chairman of Orascom Telecom, said ‘So far we have about 6,000 applications. The important point is that they are normal citizens, not the privileged or military generals or party higher-ups. For the first time they have been able to go to a shop and get a mobile phone.’ However, the government has placed a large tax on handsets, bringing the cost up to USD600, making it difficult for most of the population to afford. Orascom is apparently in talks with the government to reduce this tax.
North Korea has had a rather checkered history with mobile phones. In 2003 a GSM network was established in Pyongyang and other major cities and was generally available to elite members of society. However, access was restricted heavily in 2004 shortly after a bomb thought to be triggered by a mobile phone exploded in a train depot within hours of the passage of a train carrying leader Kim Jong II. When questioned about Orascom’s operations in the notoriously secretive country, Sawiris said, ‘We are always examining the countries that do not have service and always pushing to get in. This was one that did not have coverage and we met the embassy here, got in touch with authorities, and here we are.’
Add comment February 5, 2009
PCCW shareholders approve buyout, subject to probe; confirms job cuts (Hong Kong)
PCCW’s minority shareholders yesterday approved a proposal to take the Hong Kong-based telco private, but the securities regulator will launch an investigation following allegations of vote-buying, reports Bloomberg. PCCW’s largest shareholder, chairman Richard Li, and major stakeholder China Netcom (part of China Unicom) offered HKD15.9 billion (USD2.05 billion), or HKD4.50 per share, for the remaining 52% of PCCW, and the offer was supported by more than 75% of stockholders. The deal requires High Court approval before the shares are delisted, and a hearing is set for 24 February. The Securities & Futures Commission immediately took possession of the voting records and will start investigating the buyout process, following allegations that insurance agents were offered stock in return for supporting the proposal. PCCW said it has ‘no knowledge of any improper share transfers.’ PCCW’s shares have lost 97% of their value since Li took control of the former Cable & Wireless HKT in 2000. The company has a market capitalisation of USD3.6 billion based on yesterday’s share price. The fixed line, broadband, mobile and TV operator saw its first-half net profits slump by 20% last year.
In other news PCCW yesterday confirmed that it plans to implement measures to cut its costs by up to 30%, including redundancies, but declined to divulge the potential number of jobs that will be lost. Union staff had earlier alleged that the group planned to lay off 600 employees, or around 5% of its workforce. PCCW has increased its staff total by 40% to 17,000 in the last four years.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Mobistar full year results in line with forecasts, expects lower net profit in 2009
Belgium’s second largest cellco by subscribers, Mobistar, has released financial results for its 2008 fiscal year, revealing earnings in line with forecasts. Total revenue for the operator for the twelve months ended 31 December 2008 rose 1.7% year-on-year to EUR1.57 billion (USD2.03 billion), although service revenue fell 0.1% to EUR1.44 billion. The drop in service revenue was attributed to continued pressure on prices and mobile termination rates (MTR), alongside the lowering of roaming fees for both voice and data. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell 0.1% y-o-y to EUR591.6 million, while net profit for the twelve-month period also dropped to EUR280.1 million, down from EUR289.9 million a year earlier, a 3.4% decline. Mobistar has indicated that it expects to see net profit fall further in 2009 as a result of increased regulatory pressure and the declining economic climate.
Mobistar reported that its combined subscriber base at the end of the year had risen to 3.74 million, up almost 250,000 against the same time a year earlier. Average revenue per user (ARPU) however, had reportedly fallen by 5.9% over the year to EUR32.5 per month at 31 December 2008.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Wataniya bags USD85 million funding for network rollout (Palestinian Territory)
Wataniya Palestine, the second licensed mobile network operator in the Palestinian Territory, has secured funding of USD85 million for the rollout of its mobile network infrastructure, ITP.net reports. In a statement on the Qatar stock exchange it was revealed that the funding has been agreed in the form of a loan between the operator and a group of lenders including the Bank of Palestine, Quds Bank, Commercial Bank of Palestine Limited, Ericsson Credit AB, International Finance Corporation and Standard Bank. Wataniya is expected to launch commercial services in the first half of 2009, and the operator’s CEO, Allan Richardson, has said that it aims to cover the ‘majority’ of the West Bank initially. Extending coverage to Gaza will reportedly be dependent on further negotiations with the government, according to Mr Richardson.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Spice Nepal stumps up USD2.7m in royalty fees
Amid growing pressure from the government to clear its royalties payments backlog, Spice Nepal (Mero Mobile) of Nepal, has finally paid NPR219.4 million (USD2.7 million) to the government – equivalent to 4% of the gross annual income of the operator. Spice Nepal, which launched commercially in September 2004, had agreed to pay either 4% of income or yearly royalties fixed at NPR15 million, whichever was higher, in the first year of operation. The amount was to rise to NPR42 million in the second year of operation; NPR100 million in the third; NPR200 million in the fourth; and NPR265 million in the fifth. However, to date Spice, which is the second largest mobile phone operator in the country with around 1.6 million subscribers, has only paid NPR150 million.
Add comment February 5, 2009
AT&T seeks Verizon Wireless assets?
AT&T is intending to bid for around USD3 billion worth of Verizon Wireless assets reported the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Verizon must sell off the assets as a condition set in the approval of its USD28.1 billion acquisition of Alltel which was completed last month. The assets include 2.1 million mobile subscribers across 22 states, wireless spectrum and other resources.
Other interested parties include a joint bid from private-equity firms Carlyle Group and Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts & Co; Providence Equity Partners LLC; and possibly at least one cable provider. AT&T is in the strongest financial position of all the potential bidders and should acquire the lion’s share. However, Gigi Sohn, president of the public interest group Public Knowledge, said the government should encourage Verizon to sell the assets to smaller players to enhance competition. The Department of Justice said it would examine affected markets and any competitive issues before giving its approval to the divestitures.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Zain launches wireless hotspots (Malawi)
Zain Malawi has launched a wireless hotspot service around the country, according to cellular-news. Zain Malawi marketing director, Enwell Kadango, said ‘With the hotspots, we have gone a mile further offering our customers a modem they can use on their laptops or desktop computers to access internet anywhere.’ He added that the provision of wireless hotspots (Wi-Fi) underscores the company’s commitment to ensure that ICT can be accessed by all, whether in urban or rural areas. Zain Malawi had a wireless subscriber base of 1.17 million at end-September 2008, representing a market share of 74.5%.
Add comment February 5, 2009
MetroPCS bites the Big Apple
Dallas-based MetroPCS Communications yesterday launched its wireless network covering ten million customers in the New York metropolitan area, including the five boroughs and portions of Bergen, Hudson, Union and Essex counties in New Jersey, well ahead of its second quarter target. MetroPCS, which also serves Philadelphia and Boston in the northeast and currently claims 5.4 million subscribers nationwide, was the surprise winner in a 2006 auction of USD3.6 billion worth of licenses covering the New York area. Over the last year MetroPCS has expanded beyond the West Coast and southeast into some of the largest cities in the US. The operator went live in Las Vegas and Shreveport early in 2008, following up with Philadelphia in the summer. The company is hoping to attract customers from its larger rivals by offering pre-paid plans, low rates and minimal tie-ins, including an unlimited talk and text plan priced at USD40 a month.
Add comment February 5, 2009
T-Mobile G1 launches in Germany
The T-Mobile G1 is now in Germany. It is the first mobile phone in the world with the Android operating system. Top features include the intuitive user interface and direct access to services such as Google search, Google Maps, Google Mail and numerous applications from independent providers via Android Market.
Other features include HSDPA for mobile bandwidths of up to 7.2 Mbit/s, WLAN, a built-in compass, a five-row QWERTY keyboard, the trackball, the built-in GPS receiver and the large, slide-out touch screen display with three user-friendly starting views. T-Mobile is now offering the device to consumers as part of a 24-month contract with the new Combi Flat XS, S, M and L rates. T-Mobile G1 costs just EUR 1 in conjunction with the Combi Flat S, M and L voice and data flat rates.
The T-Mobile G1 is already enjoying tremendous success in the US and the UK, and it impresses the experts: The jury of the renowned Global Mobile Awards nominated T-Mobile G1 as a finalist in the “Best Mobile Handset or Device” category. The unique Android open source software and the extremely user-friendly design were key factors in the decision. The international association of network operators (GSMA) will award the prize at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the largest event of its kind in the worldwide mobile industry, on February 17, 2009.
The T-Mobile G1 represents an exceptional mobile Internet experience: Users can access the functions or surf the Internet with a simple finger tap on the display. Google services, familiar to millions of people from their desktop PC, can now be used efficiently and conveniently on the move with the T-Mobile G1. One example is the Google search engine, where the suggest feature’s automatic term recognition allows users to find the information or entertainment content they are looking for by entering a minimum of information.
The T-Mobile G1’s browser loads Internet pages very quickly as it is constantly connected to the Internet. The navigation service on Google Maps makes it no problem for customers to find their current location and, if they wish, call up detailed directions. Google Maps also makes it possible to find individual addresses, such as restaurants or cinemas.
The T-Mobile G1 is the first cell phone in the world to enable access to Android Market with more than 700 applications from international developers already available. As a result, users can personalize their phone with just a few clicks. New services and applications constantly expand the range of programs available. The smart shopping assistant, ShopSavvy, and the Wikitude application, conveniently displaying information on numerous attractions, are two examples of the exciting and successful Android Market programs. A software update will soon allow users to access chargeable programs as well.
Add comment February 5, 2009
Africell chooses NSN to modernise core networks in Sierra Leone and Gambia
West African cellco Africell has contracted Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) to deploy a mobile softswitching solution in its GSM networks in Gambia and Sierra Leone. The implementation is aimed at increasing efficiency by reducing operating expenses, while meeting subscribers’ growing demands and accelerating the deployment of new services. ‘The development of our core network is crucial to Africell’s future success as our call traffic continues to increase. Implementing NSN’s 3GPP Release 4 architecture will improve our overall network capacity in order to optimise the network resources providing state-of-the-art services to our customers,’ said Ziad Dalloul, CEO for Lintel Group, Africell’s holding company. The contract follows on from NSN’s expansion of radio and core mobile networks for the Gambian and Sierra Leone units.
Add comment February 4, 2009
China- PHS networks to make way for TD-SCDMA
According to a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, China Telecom and China Netcom (now part of China Unicom) have been ordered to close their XiaoLingTong (XLT, or Little Smart) PHS networks so as to clear the spectrum for the use of TD-SCDMA, the Chinese homegrown 3G standard. The low-cost PHS service grew rapidly following its launch in 1998, claiming more than 100 million subscribers at its peak. Its popularity prompted cellular operators China Mobile and China Unicom to slash prices, resulting in a fall in XLT users to 68.9 million at the end of 2008.
Add comment February 4, 2009
NTC’s ‘use it or lose it’ warning to operators (Philippines)
The telecoms regulator in the Philippines, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), is considering plans to recall frequencies that are currently not being used by telecoms companies. In a thinly-veiled warning to telcos, the watchdog said it had completed an audit of existing spectrum allocations in the country and was issuing separate orders to Smart Communications, Bell Telecom, Textron Corp., Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), Philippine Communications Satellite Corp (Philcomsat) and EasyCall Communications Philippines, asking them to explain why their assigned frequencies should not be recalled for non-usage. Local newspaper the Business Mirror reports that Smart, for example, was assigned bandwidth in the 279MHz-281MHz band in October 1996, but had failed to use it. BellTel’s assigned frequency within the 1710MHz-1720MHz and 1805MHz-1815MHz bands have also been earmarked, after the NTC concluded it has not been using the bandwidth since it was awarded it on 24 September 1998. Further orders have been issued to Textron Corp, which is owned by the Delgado family who used to own Isla Communications. Textron was assigned a frequency within the 3400MHz-3600MHz band in January 2001, but is not operating in this bandwidth. Similarly, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is not using the 279MHz-281MHz bandwidth it was assigned in October 1996, and the frequencies of Philcomsat (3400MHz-3600MHz) and EasyCall (1710MHz-1720MHz/1805MHz-1815MHz) are also in danger of being revoked.
Add comment February 4, 2009
MTN Rwanda launches BlackBerry service
MTN Rwanda, the country’s largest cellco by subscribers, has launched BlackBerry services on the wireless market, targeting 1,000 customers by the end of the year. It has introduced two devices; the 3G-enabled BlackBerry Bold for RWF430,000 (USD773) and the BlackBerry Curve 8320 on sale at RWF300,000. The cellco’s sales and marketing manager, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, said the device is ‘not for everybody, it is not a mass market product, it is more of a corporate product,’ indicating that MTN Rwanda will target corporate, government and medium-high value customers.
Add comment February 3, 2009
Argentina- Wireless subscribers up 15%
Comision Nacional de Comunicaciones (CNC), Argentina’s telecoms regulator, has reported the country’s wireless lines in service increased by almost 15% compared to end-2007. At 31 December 2008 the country’s wireless subscribers totaled 46.5 million, up from 40.4 million a year earlier, of which, 41.6 million (90%) customers were pre-paid. The regulator did release a breakdown of the country’s individual wireless operators, Movistar was narrowly the country’s largest cellco by subscribers with 14.65 million at 30 September 2008, while main rival Claro Argentina claimed 14.64 million wireless customers. Telecom Personal had a subscriber base of 11.94 million at the same date, while Nextel Argentina lagged behind with 938,000 subscribers.
Add comment February 3, 2009
