Vodafone Iceland implements new billing system

Vodafone Iceland has deployed a new billing and customer care solution from software vendor FTS. The new Leap Billing system from FTS enables flexible charging and billing for Vodafone’s entire line of business, including mobile, fixed and broadband services. Vodafone claimed around 30% of the overall mobile market in Iceland at the end of 2011 with an estimated 114,000 subscribers, according to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database

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OVETEL Vodafone Iceland implements new billing system

R-KOM is latest QSC open access partner

German voice, data and ICT services provider QS Communications (QSC) has announced that it has signed up regional telecoms operator R-KOM as a new partner for its Open Access platform – a network, process and service hub for providers and consumers of next generation access (NGA).

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OVETEL R-KOM is latest QSC open access partner

Telekom Slovenije posts 1% drop in revenues, declares war on costs

Slovenian and south east European communications group Telekom Slovenije has posted a 6% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to EUR15.4 million (USD19.1 million) in the first quarter of 2012, as it fought to bring costs down and diversify in the face of declining core telecoms revenues. The group’s operating turnover reached EUR193.8 million in January-March 2012, down by 1% year-on-year, while operating profit amounted to EUR22.7 million, also down by 1% on the first quarter of 2011. EBITDA fell by 5% to EUR68.7 million in Q1 2012 while quarterly CAPEX investment was raised by 18% y-o-y to EUR14.5 million.

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OVETEL Telekom Slovenije posts 1% drop in revenues, declares war on costs

CVC completes takeover of Hong Kong Broadband Network

Private equity group CVC Capital Partners has completed the purchase of high speed fibre operator Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) from City Telecom, as well as the group’s international direct dial (IDD) business, under a HKD5.1 billion (USD657 million) deal agreed last month.

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OVETEL CVC completes takeover of Hong Kong Broadband Network

Chunghwa to increase investment this year to speed up 100Mbps rollout

Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) is reportedly considering increasing its capital expenditure to TWD37 billion (USD1.24 billion) this year, its highest level in ten years, with a view to ensuring that it achieves 100% population coverage for its 100Mbps fixed line broadband service by the end of next year. According to CENS.com, the operator is looking to reach the coverage target some two years ahead of its original schedule, and the report claims that the development comes in the wake of an instruction by Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, for the acceleration of the fibre-optic network’s construction.

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OVETEL Chunghwa to increase investment this year to speed up 100Mbps rollout

Qtel harvests Pearl network

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has agreed to acquire the privately-owned communications network serving business and residential customers in The Pearl-Qatar, from the reclaimed island’s main developer United Development Company (UDC). Qtel will own and operate the IP-based fibre-optic network, and will introduce its own range of voice, high speed internet and ‘Mozaic’ IPTV services to homes and offices in The Pearl-Qatar for the first time. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that previously, the country’s second national operator (SNO) licensee Vodafone Qatar launched fixed broadband services in The Pearl-Qatar – a 400-hectare urban development connected to the capital Doha – in July 2010, via an agreement with UDC to utilise the latter’s existing next-generation fibre-based network infrastructure, and Vodafone followed this up with the launch of fixed voice services there in September 2011.

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OVETEL Qtel harvests Pearl network

Orange France expects mobile ARPU to be down 10% this year

France Telecom-Orange has revealed that it expects average revenue per user (ARPU) to fall by 10% at its domestic mobile unit Orange France this year, as operators engage in a price war following the entry of new low-cost operator, Iliad Group’s Free Mobile, in January. Delphine Ernotte, head of Orange France, said the reduction included the effect of a 20% cut in tariffs that Orange has just unveiled and which will be implemented next month

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OVETEL Orange France expects mobile ARPU to be down 10% this year

MTN Group confirms multi-billion rand buyback deals

According to TechCentral, the MTN Group has acquired nearly ZAR1.36 billion (USD161.5 million) worth of its own shares during the past three months, in a move it says is meant to improve returns for its shareholders. The shares, which were acquired between 8 March and 28 May 2012, mean that the total value of shares bought back by MTN, including repurchases during the group's 2011 financial year, now total almost ZAR2.3 billion. MTN president and CEO Sifiso Dabengwa commented: ‘The total number of shares repurchased equates to 0.9% of MTN Group’s issued share capital.

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OVETEL MTN Group confirms multi-billion rand buyback deals

Apple to spurn wireless carrier plans and stick to core business

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc, has said the smartphone giant does not need to become a wireless carrier – or indeed own one – suggesting that purchasing a mobile network would likely prove counterproductive to its global business. Fierce Wireless quotes the chief executive’s keynote appearance at the recent AllThingsD conference, in which he commented: ‘Do I think we need to own a carrier or the pipe

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OVETEL Apple to spurn wireless carrier plans and stick to core business

Final nail in the coffin for MWEB’s dead WiMAX network

South African broadband provider MWEB has confirmed that it will switch off its legacy wireless broadband network at the end of May, and says that it has already migrated most of its customers to other platforms. General manager Andre Joubert told MyBroadband.co.za that the network is basically a remnant of the company’s trial WiMAX network that dates back to 2007. Following the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (ICASA’s) refusal to extend MWEB’s WiMAX trial licence in early 2008, the company announced that it would switch off the under construction network in April 2008

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OVETEL Final nail in the coffin for MWEB’s dead WiMAX network

Telefonica eyes IPO of German unit, exploring Latam listings

Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica has announced that it is launching preparations for an initial public offering (IPO) of its German unit and is considering potential listings of businesses in Latin America, accelerating the disposal process of non-core assets. Telefonica is struggling to cut its debt burden amid falling revenue and profit in its domestic market. The firm did not say how much of Telefonica Germany (O2) – the country’s fourth largest mobile network operator by subscribers – it would seek to list, nor did it specify which Latin American units were being considered

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OVETEL Telefonica eyes IPO of German unit, exploring Latam listings

SingTel Mobile slapped with USD312k fine for 3G outage; StarHub experiences fibre disruption

SingTel Mobile is paying the price for a software malfunction in its 3G mobile network, after the city-state’s industry watchdog, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA), hit it with a heavy SGD400,000 (USD312,000) fine related to disruptions in the service last year. The fine, reportedly the heftiest meted out to a telco to date, reflected what the IDA considered a serious problem, affecting more than 5% of SingTel Mobile’s base stations and in turn thousands of customers in the central region of Singapore. Industry watchers say that the level of the penalty comes as the regulator toughens its stance on operators over service levels.

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OVETEL SingTel Mobile slapped with USD312k fine for 3G outage; StarHub experiences fibre disruption

Oi SA will fight aggressively to win customers, CEO says

Francisco Valim, the CEO of Brazilian-owned telecoms group Oi SA, says his firm will get ‘very aggressive’ in its bid to retain existing users and attract new ones, as it takes the fight to rivals in the fiercely competitive domestic mobile market. In an interview with Reuters yesterday Valim, who now heads the company formed through the restructuring of Telemar Participacoes’ former operating divisions Brasil Telecom, Tele Norte Leste Participacoes, Coari Participacoes and Telemar Norte Leste, confirmed his company is on course to meet its medium-term outlook, despite a weakening in the Brazilian economy

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OVETEL Oi SA will fight aggressively to win customers, CEO says

Indonesians rushing to buy tablet PCs, report says

Research group GfK Indonesia reports that around 704,000 tablet PCs worth over USD385 million were sold in the country over the past twelve months, as Indonesian tech-savvy users embraced the trend for mobile computing. The group published its findings on sales for the last four quarters, showing that more than 277,000 units were sold in the January-March 2012 period, on the back of record expansion in the last three months of 2011, when sales of devices doubled quarter-on-quarter.

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OVETEL Indonesians rushing to buy tablet PCs, report says

ETB eyes IPTV in 2013

Local newspaper Portafolio reports that state-owned telco Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogota (ETB) plans to launch an IPTV service from the end of the first quarter of 2013. The company will spend approximately USD50 million on the deployment of the service. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Pay-TV research service, rival Colombian operator UNE-EPM launched an IPTV service at the end of 2008, and currently has more than 200,000 subscribers.

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OVETEL ETB eyes IPTV in 2013

French MVNE Sisteer to launch MVNO ‘soon’

French mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE) Sisteer has reportedly signed its first agreement with an as yet unnamed Brazilian company and is set to launch a full-blown mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) business 'soon’, BNamericas reports. As reported by CommsUpdate, in December last year Brazil’s telecoms regulator Anatel issued Sisteer with a licence to operate as a full MVNO – making it the third firm to dip its toe in the market

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OVETEL French MVNE Sisteer to launch MVNO ‘soon’

SKT unveils trials of multi-carrier LTE technology

SK Telecom (SKT), South Korea’s largest mobile network operator by subscribers, has announced the launch of a trial of multi-carrier Long Term Evolution (LTE) services. According to the Korea IT Times, the operator has said that its new technology enables LTE services to be offered in both the 800MHz and 1800MHz bands, with trials to initially be conducted in the area from the Gangnam Station in Seoul to the Kyobo Tower Crossroad. SKT has said that one of the major benefits of the technology is that, by allowing the use of additional spectrum bands it ensures effective and efficient use of frequencies

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OVETEL SKT unveils trials of multi-carrier LTE technology

Federal cabinet approves National Telecom Policy

India’s federal cabinet has approved the proposed National Telecom Policy (NTP). The policy is set to replace the 13-year-old New Telecom Policy 1999 that currently governs the sector.

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OVETEL Federal cabinet approves National Telecom Policy

Bharti Airtel inks IP access network deal with Alcatel-Lucent

Bharti Airtel has signed a deal with Alcatel-Lucent to create a CEN (carrier-grade ethernet)-based IP access network, reports The Hindu Business Line. The new infrastructure will allow Bharti to cope better with surging bandwidth demands from services such as video streaming, online gaming and video conferencing

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OVETEL Bharti Airtel inks IP access network deal with Alcatel-Lucent

3G Fuels Mobile Internet Infrastructure Sales

New data from TeleGeography partner Synergy Research Group show that mobile Internet infrastructure revenues doubled between 2008 and 2011, to $6.4 billion. Two key segments of the market, mobile multimedia gateways and mobile IP backhaul, are growing particularly strongly, with revenue growth of 176 percent and 215 percent, respectively, between 2008 and 2011.

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OVETEL 3G Fuels Mobile Internet Infrastructure Sales

Telia reaches 140,000 LTE subscribers in Sweden; working on a Skype-beater

TeliaSonera has signed up 140,000 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband subscribers in Sweden to date, the Nordic group revealed at the Open Mobile Summit this week, having launched 4G modem-based services in December 2009, LTE-compatible tablets in late-2011 and a smartphone supporting LTE in February this year. As reported on the GSMA’s website, the head of TeliaSonera’s mobility division, Hakkan Dahlstroem, told delegates at the London summit that the number of 4G customers at its subsidiaries is growing in line with network expansion.

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OVETEL Telia reaches 140,000 LTE subscribers in Sweden; working on a Skype-beater

Kyivstar appeals regional IPTV licence annulment; other operators still waiting for licensing

Ukrainian cellular and fibre broadband network operator Kyivstar has had an IPTV operating licence in the Zaporizhya region – which it held through its Beeline (URS/Golden Telecom) subsidiary – annulled by the Ukrainian National TV & Radio Council.

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OVETEL Kyivstar appeals regional IPTV licence annulment; other operators still waiting for licensing

MTN says it working with the US to ensure compliance with Iran sanctions

The South Africa-based telecoms group MTN says it is working with authorities in the United States to ensure it is complying with sanctions against Iran. A statement from the group added that it ‘continues to retain international legal advisors’ to assist it in remaining compliant with applicable European Union (EU), United Nations (UN) and US sanctions. MTN is a 49% shareholder in Iran’s second largest mobile network operator, MTN Irancell

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OVETEL MTN says it working with the US to ensure compliance with Iran sanctions

Telekom Malaysia Q1 net income boosted as revenues rise

Fixed line incumbent Telekom Malaysia (TM) has released its financial results for the three months ended 31 March 2012, revealing a more than 53% year-on-year increase in net profit on the back of higher revenues and an unrealised foreign exchange gain on its US dollar debt. For the three-month period TM posted a profit after tax and minority interest (PATAMI) of MYR250.6 million (USD81.7 million), up from MYR163.3 million in the corresponding quarter a year earlier

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OVETEL Telekom Malaysia Q1 net income boosted as revenues rise

Everything Everywhere to offer Orange and T-Mobile products in all retail stores

Everything Everywhere, the joint venture between British mobile network operators Orange UK and T-Mobile UK, is planning to cross-sell the products of both cellcos in its retails stores, Bloomberg reports. Olaf Swantee, Everything Everywhere’s chief executive officer, is cited as saying: ‘We’re going to be announcing plans to sell T-Mobile products in Orange stores and Orange fixed-broadband at T- Mobile.’ While it is understood that the company will not offer its entire product range in all stores, the executive has said that stores will carry ‘big parts of the portfolio’

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OVETEL Everything Everywhere to offer Orange and T-Mobile products in all retail stores

MDIC awarded Sierratel management contract

The National Commission for Privatisation in Sierra Leone has signed a three-year management contract with Lebanon-based firm Management and Development International Co (MDIC) to run the state-owned telco Sierratel. The announcement follows more than nine months of discussions between the two parties. Sierratel will remain wholly government-owned, Bloomberg reports, but MDIC will take over the day-to-day running of the operator in an effort to revitalise its fortunes

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OVETEL MDIC awarded Sierratel management contract

Minister sets out LTE timeline; launch set for 2013, nationwide coverage by 2018

According to a report by the Trend news agency, Kazakhstan’s minister of communications Askar Zhumagaliyev has confirmed that preparations for the introduction of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) services will get underway this year, with a view to the country’s cellcos launching commercial offerings in Almaty and Astana in 2013.

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OVETEL Minister sets out LTE timeline; launch set for 2013, nationwide coverage by 2018

Special tax bill confirmed, safe bet to be passed

The Slovak government is pushing ahead with proposals for a special tax on regulated companies in utility sectors – telecoms, energy and postal services – with Prime Minister Robert Fico elaborating on details of the scheme on Tuesday, following initial parliamentary support last week. As reported by Reuters, Fico said a special 4.2% tax on annual profit would be applicable in both 2012 and 2013 on top of a rise in corporate tax from 19% to 23% next year

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OVETEL Special tax bill confirmed, safe bet to be passed

Etisalat spent USD18.7m to keep 1% Qtel stake

UAE-based telecoms group Etisalat bought Qatar Telecom (Qtel) shares worth USD18.7 million in the Qatari firm’s fully subscribed USD1.87 billion rights issue, it revealed in a statement to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, reported by Emirates newspaper The National. Ahead of its latest purchase, Etisalat had held a 1% stake in Qtel via the stock market since 1998, and its participation in the rights issue means that it keeps the same percentage share of equity.

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OVETEL Etisalat spent USD18.7m to keep 1% Qtel stake

Paraguay broadband subscribers reach 400,000; 3G subscriptions dominate

According to unconfirmed local press sources, Paraguayan telecoms regulator Consejo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Conatel) has announced that the country closed out 2011 with a total of 403,549 broadband connections, a 43.1% increase year-on-year. However, of the overall internet user base, 67.2% (or 271,177 subscribers) are using 3G mobile broadband services, whilst the remaining 132,372 customers opt for fixed broadband platforms, including DSL and fibre.

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OVETEL Paraguay broadband subscribers reach 400,000; 3G subscriptions dominate

Indosat to raise USD267.5m for financing, network expansion

The Jakarta Post reports that Indonesia’s second largest telecoms group, Indosat, is hoping to raise up to IDR2.5 trillion (USD267.5 million) when it issues new bonds at the end of June. The monies will be used to finance network licensing fees and an expansion plan, says Iman Rachman, one of the lead underwriters for the bond offering

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OVETEL Indosat to raise USD267.5m for financing, network expansion

Megacom brings 3.5G services to Issyk Kul

Kyrgyz mobile operator Megacom has rolled out its 3.5G wireless network in the Issyk Kul region, the company has said in a press release on its website. Already available in the cities of Bishkek, Kant and Tokmok, as well as a number of smaller towns and cities, Megacom plans to expand its 3.5G network to the entire country by the end of 2012. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database states that Megacom launched commercial 3.5G services, including videocalling, mobile TV and high speed mobile broadband at download speeds of up to 14.4Mbps, in January 2012.

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OVETEL Megacom brings 3.5G services to Issyk Kul

Quartet must pay fines, NCC warns

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has confirmed that the country’s four major GSM operators did not meet the payment deadline for a NGN1.17 billion (USD7.3 million) fine issued for failure to meet quality of service standards.

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OVETEL Quartet must pay fines, NCC warns

Virgin Mobile could launch Brazilian MVNO within 18 months

Virgin Mobile Latin America (VMLA) is reportedly planning to launch a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Brazil within the next 18 months, becoming the third reseller operation in the country in the process. The announcement follows developments earlier this month in which VMLA confirmed it has secured USD26.5 million in new equity financing from existing shareholders Virgin Group and ePlanet Capital, as well as from new investors Hermes Growth Partners (HGP), CANEPA and Souter Investments.

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OVETEL Virgin Mobile could launch Brazilian MVNO within 18 months

ZTE passes TD-LTE test

ZTE has announced that it is the first vendor to pass the second phase of a national multi-mode TD-LTE network validation trial in China. The company says that of the eleven vendors that participated, ZTE was the only company that passed requirements in the test fields of chipset, terminals and systems. The trial took place in Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Xiamen, and was undertaken by the MIIT and China Mobile.

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OVETEL ZTE passes TD-LTE test

Karib Cable to launch triple-play over fibre/HFC network

Newcomer to the Barbados telecoms market, Karib Cable, has announced that it will deploy and operate a fibre-optic/hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) network, offering cable television, broadband internet and fixed line telephony. At the official press launch of Karib Cable, Minister for Telecommunications, Darcy Boyce, said that the government is open to granting more licences to new telecoms companies, but maintained that those entrants will be expected to improve on existing services in the sector

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OVETEL Karib Cable to launch triple-play over fibre/HFC network

PGE abandons sale of Exatel

Polish power utility PGE has announced that it is abandoning plans to sell its telecoms unit Exatel after a lack of interest from potential buyers. PGE originally planned to sell Exatel in 2010 as part of a programme to divest non-core assets. ‘The benefits from keeping Exatel currently outweigh potential profits from a sale,’ the company said

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OVETEL PGE abandons sale of Exatel

Sprint earmarks June 2013 for iDEN switch-off

Sprint Nextel has indicated that it will shut down service on its 2G iDEN network as early as 30 June 2013. According to Fierce Wireless, the company will be sending written notices to corporate and government iDEN customers from the beginning of next month, offering them a ‘smooth migration’ to its ‘Direct Connect’ push-to-talk CDMA service. The shutdown of the iDEN network, which Sprint has been discussing since late-2010, forms an integral part of its ‘Network Vision’ upgrade, which centres on the deployment of new, multi-mode base stations across its network footprint.

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OVETEL Sprint earmarks June 2013 for iDEN switch-off

PTS charts shift from fixed to mobile, DSL to fibre, PSTN to VoIP

According to the latest market report from Swedish regulatory authority Post & Telestyrelsen (PTS), the shift from fixed to mobile services is continuing with undiminished strength.

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OVETEL PTS charts shift from fixed to mobile, DSL to fibre, PSTN to VoIP

China Telecom signs FTTH deal with Alca-Lu; will also buy CDMA network from parent

China Telecom has inked a contract worth EUR100 million (USD125 millon) with Alcatel-Lucent to expand its broadband access network and deploy fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) in selected areas of all 31 Chinese provinces. The deal is part of China Telecom’s ‘Broadband China, Fibre Cities’ project launched at the start of 2011, the goal of which is to bring FTTH coverage to 100 million households and generate 30 million subscribers by 2015.

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OVETEL China Telecom signs FTTH deal with Alca-Lu; will also buy CDMA network from parent

Kenya invites South Sudan to connect to region’s fibre-optic cables

According to a press release from the government of South Sudan (GoSS), the Kenyan authorities have invited the newly independent country to connect to fibre-optic cables in the East African region. In a meeting with South Sudan’s minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Kenyan ambassador Bruce Madete said the invitation would form part of broadband interconnectivity programmes in the East African Community to improve communications in the region. Madete revealed that Kenya is connected through a cable in Turkana near Eastern Equatoria, adding that the country is open to discussions with South Sudan on the possibility of connecting to fibre-optic cables in the area.

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OVETEL Kenya invites South Sudan to connect to region’s fibre-optic cables

AM launches formal bid for KPN shares; Dutch telco adamant that offer is too low

Mexican telecoms group America Movil (AM), controlled by billionaire Carlos Slim, will today launch a formal bid for a 28% stake in Dutch telecoms group KPN Telecom (or Royal KPN), the company announced on Tuesday. As reported by CommsUpdate, earlier this month AM unveiled plans for a possible USD3.45 billion deal for the shares as part of a plan to secure a foothold in the European market. The Mexico-based group already owns 68.3 million shares, 4.8% of KPN’s stock, but unveiled plans to table a cash offer worth EUR8 (USD9.9) per share to increase its equity holding to 28% - 23.5% higher than KPN’s closing price on 7 May

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OVETEL AM launches formal bid for KPN shares; Dutch telco adamant that offer is too low

Mada takes capacity on Gulf Bridge International network

The Middle Eastern undersea cable network operator Gulf Bridge International (GBI) has signed a capacity sale agreement with Kuwaiti wireless internet provider Mada Communications. Ahmed Ibraheem, chairman of the board of Mada Communications, commented: ‘This agreement … reflects Mada Communications’ dedication in providing the latest technology to its consumer base.’ Launched three months ago, the GBI cable system connects all the Gulf countries with onward connectivity to Europe and Asia.

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OVETEL Mada takes capacity on Gulf Bridge International network

Dutch broadband base reaches 6.43m lines in Q1, paper says

The total number of broadband connections in the Netherlands stood at 6.43 million at 31 March 2012, up 48,500 or 0.8% in the quarter, according to Telecompaper. The online journal noted that a 2.1% quarter-on-quarter fall in DSL subscriptions to 3.21 million was offset by 2.8% expansion in the cable broadband base to 2.86 million. Further, the number of fibre-to-the-home/fibre-to-the-building (FTTH/FTTB) connections grew by 13% in January-March to around 353,650 lines, giving the platform a 5.5% market share

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OVETEL Dutch broadband base reaches 6.43m lines in Q1, paper says

TV Cabo launches FTTx range, claims fastest speeds in Angola

Angolan cable television and broadband operator TV Cabo, a 50/50 joint venture of Angola Telecom and Portugal’s Visabeira Group, has launched a range of services based on a direct fibre access network aimed at businesses under the ‘+Fibra Negocios’ banner. The new fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network offers speeds of up to 20Mbps (download) and 8Mbps (upload), which TV Cabo claims is the fastest in Angola, and compares to its HFC cable-based packages which offer speeds up to 10Mbps/1Mbps (download/upload), according to its website.

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OVETEL TV Cabo launches FTTx range, claims fastest speeds in Angola

Volia likely purchaser of Odeko cable assets?

Ukraine’s largest cableco Volia is potentially lining up a purchase of the cable assets of Czech investment group PPF, which owns several Ukrainian regional networks in partnership with Italian-based firm Generali, largely in the west of the country, operating under the Odeko banner. According to Broadband TV News, PPF has been looking for a buyer for the assets for some time, and is now reportedly close to exiting the Ukrainian cable market, having already sold some other interests in the country due to uncertain economic and political conditions.

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OVETEL Volia likely purchaser of Odeko cable assets?

MTS buys Tascom Wi-Fi network for USD38.3m

Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), Russia’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, has acquired Tascom, a Moscow-based Wi-Fi operator for USD38.3 million. Bloomberg reports that the transaction will be carried out through Moscow City Telephone Network (MGTS), a wholly-owned MTS subsidiary

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OVETEL MTS buys Tascom Wi-Fi network for USD38.3m

H1 Telekom to launch MVNO next month

Croatia is set to get a new cellular provider next month when triple-play fixed network operator H1 Telekom launches its planned mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service under the ‘H1 Mobile’ brand, according to daily newspaper Vecernji list. H1 is piggybacking on the network of an existing Croatian cellco to complete a quadruple-play portfolio of fixed line voice, broadband internet, IPTV and cellular voice/data services.

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OVETEL H1 Telekom to launch MVNO next month

Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade DoCoMo’s IP networks to support LTE

Alcatel-Lucent has announced that it has been selected by Japanese cellular market leader NTT DoCoMo to build the internet protocol (IP) network supporting the cellco's Long Term Evolution (LTE) services.

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OVETEL Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade DoCoMo’s IP networks to support LTE

Oil be damned! Texas Energy Network snaps up Verizon LTE spectrum

Texas Energy Network (TEN), a provider of communication services to the oil and natural gas industry, has announced that it has purchased an allocation of 700MHz A and B block wireless spectrum in the south Texas region known as the Eagle Ford Shale, from Verizon Wireless. However, TEN has noted that the spectrum, which covers 28 counties, does not form part of the sale process announced by Verizon on 18 April 2012

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OVETEL Oil be damned! Texas Energy Network snaps up Verizon LTE spectrum

Ice Wireless partners Iristel to expand in far north

Private Canadian telecom operators Ice Wireless and Iristel have formed a partnership to expand mobile, internet and fixed voice services in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut, The Canadian Press reports. The expansion deal is aimed at bringing competition to Northwestel, a subsidiary of the country’s largest telco Bell Canada.

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OVETEL Ice Wireless partners Iristel to expand in far north

SEAS sells Seychelles internet on the sea shore

The Seychelles East Africa System (SEAS) fibre-optic undersea cable has landed in Seychelles at Beau Vallon Bay, heralded by the country’s president James Michel who thanked partners in the project including ICT secretary and head of the cable’s owner Submarine Cable System (SCS), Benjamin Choppy, Cable & Wireless Seychelles, Airtel Seychelles, Zantel (on the Tanzanian side of the link) and main supplier Alcatel-Lucent, as well as financiers European Investment Bank and the African Development Bank. The president added that: ‘In the coming weeks, Cable & Wireless and Airtel will have the great challenge of delivering faster internet services to our homes and workplaces.’ The 1,900km route between the island nation and the African mainland (at Dar-es-Salaam) will enable high speed direct access to the internet and cheaper bandwidth; the 115-isle Seychelles archipelago has so far relied on expensive satellite connections for its domestic and international communications needs, notes TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database.

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OVETEL SEAS sells Seychelles internet on the sea shore

Qtel’s USD1.9bn rights issue fully subscribed

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) announced yesterday that its QAR6.8 billion (USD1.9 billion) rights issue has been fully subscribed and that it will use part of the proceeds to refinance existing debt, Dow Jones Newswires reports. The company said in an emailed statement that the subscribed new shares will be added to shareholder accounts by 31 May, pending regulatory approvals.

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OVETEL Qtel’s USD1.9bn rights issue fully subscribed

GO Mobile doubles speeds to 42Mbps

The Sunday Times of Malta reports that GO Mobile has doubled mobile broadband speeds to 42Mbps following an upgrade of its HSPA+ network. The company says the move comes as part of a spending programme worth EUR100 million (USD126 million) on improving its network. GO is offering free mobile internet to all pre-paid customers every time they top-up with EUR10 or more, and six months of free mobile internet for those buying a new smartphone worth EUR99 or more.

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OVETEL GO Mobile doubles speeds to 42Mbps

DRC four months behind schedule for WACS connectivity; details of future fibre links revealed

According to a report by US-based international news agency Voice of America (VoA), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is around four months behind schedule in terms of connecting to the West African Cable System (WACS), which officially launched on 11 May 2012. The Africa-Europe undersea system will be the first direct connection to international submarine cable networks for Namibia, Togo, the Republic of Congo and the DRC. Local media have blamed the lack of connectivity on a number of factors, including government red-tape, financial mismanagement and a lack of technical know-how

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OVETEL DRC four months behind schedule for WACS connectivity; details of future fibre links revealed

SSTL posts revenue growth and smaller net loss

Russian-backed cellco Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL, MTS India) has posted revenues of INR4.1 billion (USD74 million) for the quarter ending 31 March 2012, up 72% year-on-year, helped partly by a 57% increase in subscribers to 15.82 million.

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OVETEL SSTL posts revenue growth and smaller net loss

NSN boosts capacity, quality of MobiFone network

Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has announced that it has expanded and upgraded the packet core network of Vietnamese telecoms operator MobiFone, boosting capacity of the network by around 50%. Under a separate contract, the Finnish vendor has also modernised MobiFone’s GSM and 3G radio network with its Single RAN platform in southern and central Vietnam

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OVETEL NSN boosts capacity, quality of MobiFone network

BSkyB considering move for spectrum being sold by Everything Everywhere?

Alternative British broadband provider BSkyB is reportedly mulling its options for a possible entry to the country’s mobile voice sector. According to Dow Jones Newswires, citing local broadsheet The Sunday Times, the operator has conducted talks with Everything Everywhere, the joint venture between cellcos Orange UK and T-Mobile UK, regarding the possibility of bidding for a batch of spectrum in the 1800MHz band that the merged entity will put up for sale in order to meet the terms of regulatory approval for its tie-up. With such spectrum possibly allowing for the launch of a 4G network, the report claims that BSkyB’s move underscores its efforts to further enhance its existing product offerings, which already include fixed line broadband, fixed voice and satellite pay-TV.

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OVETEL BSkyB considering move for spectrum being sold by Everything Everywhere?

ACCC set to approve Optus/NBN Co HFC subscriber transfer deal

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced the publication of a draft determination in which it proposes to grant authorisation for an agreement between NBN Co and SingTel Optus for the migration of the latter’s HFC subscribers to the National Broadband Network (NBN). The determination will also reportedly cover the decommissioning of part of Optus’ HFC network. As previously reported by CommsUpdate, in June 2011 Optus revealed that it had reached an agreement with NBN Co, the public-private company overseeing the NBN project, regarding the migration of its HFC customers to the fibre network.

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OVETEL ACCC set to approve Optus/NBN Co HFC subscriber transfer deal

Zain Saudi plans share capital reduction and rights issue

The Saudi Arabian cellular operator Zain Saudi has received the regulator’s go-ahead for a planned multi-billion dollar capital restructuring.

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OVETEL Zain Saudi plans share capital reduction and rights issue

Tigo Ghana uses hybrid power solution to connect rural areas

The Ghanaian cellular operator Tigo, which is part of the Luxembourg-based Millicom group, has announced plans to utilise hybrid power technology to improve mobile network coverage for unconnected villages in the north of the country. The operator is working with equipment vendor Ericsson under the Millennium Village project, AllAfrica reports, and aims to provide services for up to 30,000 people under the scheme, as well as bringing connectivity to 16 schools and five health clinics. The hybrid power solution enables telcos to provide services in areas without links to the national power grid

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OVETEL Tigo Ghana uses hybrid power solution to connect rural areas

CCT unveils free Wi-Fi for BVI subscriber base

CCT Wireless, the Virgin Islands (UK)’s dominant telecoms provider, has announced the launch of its new ‘CCT Wi-Fi’ service, with a number of hotspots now live across its operational footprint. The service, which is reportedly powered by the company’s WiMAX network, is available free of charge to all CCTnet and CCTmax broadband subscribers

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OVETEL CCT unveils free Wi-Fi for BVI subscriber base

Details of Teletalk 3G launch: Dhaka only for first three months

Following the announcement that Bangladeshi state-owned cellco Teletalk will introduce the country’s first W-CDMA-based 3G service in July, further details of the trial launch have emerged.

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OVETEL Details of Teletalk 3G launch: Dhaka only for first three months

Telecom Namibia keen to maintain stake in SA’s Neotel

Telecom Namibia has no plans to divest its 12.3% stake in Neotel, South Africa’s second national operator (SNO), despite not having received any returns on its NAD429 million (USD50.05 million) investment thus far. The Namibian.com.na has quoted Oiva Angula, Telecom’s senior manager for corporate communications, who concedes that such an investment takes a long time to bring in dividends, whilst also pointing out that expanding the network, building infrastructure and gaining customers is a time-consuming venture. Namibia’s minister of information and communication technology, Joel Kaapanda, added that an investment of this nature does not always provide immediate returns, which was not Telecom Namibia’s expectation: ‘It goes through various stages of financial outcomes; Telecom Namibia cannot be condemned for making the investment’

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OVETEL Telecom Namibia keen to maintain stake in SA’s Neotel

Amazon to launch as mobile reseller in Japan

Online retailer Amazon is reported to be considering the launch of its own mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Japan, using the network of NTT DoCoMo. A report from the Nikkei newspaper says that the service will offer a pre-paid SIM card with 500MB of data use for a flat rate of JPY1,980 (USD25) per month

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OVETEL Amazon to launch as mobile reseller in Japan

MIC mulls introduction of MNP in 2014

Vietnam’s Department of Telecommunications has called on the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) to implement mobile number portability (MNP), which would enable the country’s wireless subscribers to retain their mobile number if they switch service provider.

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OVETEL MIC mulls introduction of MNP in 2014

Telecom Commission calls for study on auction base price

India’s Telecom Commission, the highest decision-making body within the country’s telecoms ministry, is to ask the sector regulator to conduct a detailed study on the base price for a proposed airwaves auction, reports Reuters. The move comes in wake of criticism from operators that the high base price and limited number of spectrum slots proposed by the regulator will cost billions of dollars, forcing them to increase tariffs for customers

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OVETEL Telecom Commission calls for study on auction base price

Airtel to invest USD100m and launch 3G in Rwanda

The newly launched Rwandan mobile operator Airtel is expecting to introduce 3G services within the next few months. The firm launched its 2G networks in March this year, becoming the country’s third cellular network operator after MTN and Millicom/Tigo

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OVETEL Airtel to invest USD100m and launch 3G in Rwanda

NTA reports 14.498m mobile users, 850,607 fixed connections at mid-April

National telecoms regulator the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) has published its latest market observatory report for the month of Chaitra, 2068 (15 March – 14 April, 2012) showing that the total number of mobile lines in the country stood at 14.498 million at the end of the period, up from 14.215 million at mid-March. Data published in the NTA’s Management Information System report shows that at that date overall teledensity (fixed and mobile) stood at 61.42% (up from 60.34% a month earlier and 56.46% at mid-December 2011), with mobile accounting for the lion’s share – or 54.46% – of lines.

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OVETEL NTA reports 14.498m mobile users, 850,607 fixed connections at mid-April

PrimaCom’s owners step up sale plans

Following on from the sale of regional operator Tele Columbus to cableco Kabel Deutschland earlier this month, Reuters cites two people familiar with the matter as saying that the owners of PrimaCom are accelerating efforts to sell the Leipzig-based company. According to the sources, information packets have been sent to a small group of potential bidders, while indicative bids are expected over the next few months.

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OVETEL PrimaCom’s owners step up sale plans

FCC boosts Sprint LTE plans with 800MHz decision

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to remove technical restrictions on the 800MHz frequency band, allowing mobile operators to utilise the spectrum for 3G and Long Term Evolution (LTE) services. According to Fierce Wireless, a five-member board made the decision on Thursday, voting unanimously in favour of the plans, which will affect all holders of 800MHz Specialised Mobile Radio (SMR) licences

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OVETEL FCC boosts Sprint LTE plans with 800MHz decision

T-Mobile to extend LTE coverage to outlying parts of capital and other towns this summer

Magyar Telecom’s T-Mobile Hungary unit plans to extend the service coverage of its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network to suburban parts of Budapest and several other provincial towns this summer, the telco said in a press release. As it stands, the cellco’s 4G network – launched in January this year – provides outdoor population coverage of 90% of the capital, while indoor coverage is 73%. By the end of June 2012 the carrier hopes to increase its LTE footprint to the areas of God, Fot, Szentendre, Nagykovacsi, Tokol, Diosd, Csomor, Taksony, Piliscsaba, Ullo, Gyomro, Szodliget, Mogyorod and a large part of Budapest.

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OVETEL T-Mobile to extend LTE coverage to outlying parts of capital and other towns this summer

3G concessions may be awarded in November

Pakistani newspaper The Nation reports that 3G licences are unlikely to be awarded until November or December.

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OVETEL 3G concessions may be awarded in November

Chunghwa Telecom begins trials of 1Gbps fibre broadband connections

Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom has reportedly launched a pilot scheme testing 1Gbps internet services, according to CENS.com. It is understood that the trials of the ultrafast speeds are being conducted in five metropolitan cities, namely Taipei, New Taipei, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung. Alongside the testing of 1Gbps connections, it was noted that Chunghwa will continue to push its current top-end fibre-based products, which offer downlink speeds of up to 50Mbps

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OVETEL Chunghwa Telecom begins trials of 1Gbps fibre broadband connections

Telekom Austria round-up: Pecik on board; Sawiris questions Slim rumours

Telekom Austria Group's shareholders voted on Wednesday to elect major investor Ronny Pecik to the company's supervisory board with a 73% majority. However, his co-investor, Naguib Sawiris, withdrew his candidacy for a board seat at the last minute, with Pecik citing the Egyptian billionaire’s other business commitments as a stumbling block. Recent months have seen the duo build up a 20.118% stake in the pan-European telecoms group through Pecik’s RPR Privatstiftung investment vehicle.

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OVETEL Telekom Austria round-up: Pecik on board; Sawiris questions Slim rumours

Cell C confirms Oger cash injection

South African mobile operator Cell C has confirmed that its parent company and effective controlling shareholder, Dubai-based Oger Telecom, is injecting USD180 million worth of new equity into company.

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OVETEL Cell C confirms Oger cash injection

36 buyers interested in Verizon’s 700MHz spectrum

Verizon Wireless has indicated that it has attracted interest from 36 potential buyers for its 700MHz Lower A and B Block spectrum.

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OVETEL 36 buyers interested in Verizon’s 700MHz spectrum

Future T-Mobile USA sale deemed ‘unlikely’; ‘non-organic’ growth on the cards

Following the collapse of T-Mobile USA’s controversial USD39 billion sale to AT&T earlier this year, parent company Deutsche Telekom (DT) has dismissed the idea of an outright sale as ‘unlikely’.

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OVETEL Future T-Mobile USA sale deemed ‘unlikely’; ‘non-organic’ growth on the cards

NBN Co extends TD-LTE trial network footprint

NBN Co, the public private company set up to oversee and manage the construction of Australia’s National Broadband Network, has reportedly expanded trials of its fixed wireless infrastructure, according to iTnews. The operator will bring the service to Toowoomba and Tamworth, with it understood that connections are already being installed for eligible users in the former. The report claims that one internet service provider had said that it had some 40 users in Toowoomba waiting to be take up services over the fixed wireless network

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OVETEL NBN Co extends TD-LTE trial network footprint

VIPnet claims ‘world record’ 4.3Gbps cable broadband

Croatian cellco VIPnet – which owns the country’s largest cableco B.net – has announced the results of its latest data transmission tests on its DOCSIS 3.0-based HFC cable network, demonstrating a peak speed of 4.3Gbps, the fastest achieved anywhere in the world, according to a company press release.

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OVETEL VIPnet claims ‘world record’ 4.3Gbps cable broadband

Bharti to buy 49% stake in Qualcomm's BWA units

Bharti Airtel has confirmed that it is to buy a 49% stake in Qualcomm’s Indian wireless broadband units for USD165 million. Bharti will acquire a 26% cent stake from Qualcomm’s local partners Global Holding Corporation and Tulip Telecom and a further 23% directly. In a statement Bharti said the move will give it control of licences allowing it to offer 4G data services in four circles of Delhi, Mumbai, Haryana and Kerala.

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OVETEL Bharti to buy 49% stake in Qualcomm's BWA units

Astral projection: BCE expects 2H takeover completion

Shareholders of Astral Media approved the broadcasting company’s proposed takeover by Canadian telecoms group BCE – parent of Bell Canada and Bell Aliant – yesterday, leaving the USD2.9 billion deal pending approval by telecoms and competition authorities. The deal is projected to close in the second half of this year, although it will be closely scrutinised on anti-monopoly grounds, given that BCE acquired Canada’s largest private broadcaster CTV last year.

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OVETEL Astral projection: BCE expects 2H takeover completion

Drillisch lifts FY 2012 EBITDA guidance

The management board of German mobile service provider Drillisch has increased its guidance for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for full year 2012 from EUR58 million (USD72.9 million) to EUR60-EUR61 million. The revised guidance represents an increase of around 15% compared to the EUR52.6 million adjusted EBITDA reported in 2011.

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OVETEL Drillisch lifts FY 2012 EBITDA guidance

Fico considering one-off telecoms tax as part of austerity programme

The government of Slovakia has proposed the imposition of an extraordinary tax on telecoms operators as part of a framework austerity programme aimed at lowering its budget deficit to 2.9% of GDP by the end of next year, down from 4.8% in 2011. The preliminary plan which has been passed by parliament includes personal and business tax increases of up to EUR1 billion (USD1.25 billion) in 2012-2013. Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose Smer-SD party swept to power in March this year, is backing the idea of a one-off contribution from regulated sectors including telecoms, utilities and financial institutions to raise EUR375 million, reportedly including around EUR100 million from telecoms in 2012-13.

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OVETEL Fico considering one-off telecoms tax as part of austerity programme

Econet secures USD307m funding

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has completed agreements for a total of USD307 million in funding from Chinese, European and African financiers, which it says will be invested in network infrastructure and product development, including expanding affordable services to underserved rural communities. The list of lenders includes: Ericsson, China Development Bank, Industrial Development Corporation (South Africa), Afreximbank, PTA Bank, TN Bank (Zimbabwe), CBZ (Zimbabwe), the German DEG KfW Bankengruppe, FMO Entrepreneurial Development Bank (Netherlands) and France’s Proparco.

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OVETEL Econet secures USD307m funding

TEM Peru to learn fate in June

According to local newspaper La Republica, Peruvian watchdog Osiptel will announce in June whether to renew Telefonica’s operating concession for the next 20 years. The Spain-based operator’s licence to operate in the 800MHz and 1900MHz frequency bands expired in mid-2011 and the company has been in negotiations over the renewal since August 2011. At the end of March 2012 TEM Peru (Movistar) was the largest cellco in the country, claiming 49% of subscribers.

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OVETEL TEM Peru to learn fate in June

Azercell unveils LTE network

Azerbaijan’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, Azercell, has announced the launch of its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, with commercial mobile broadband services to be made available next month.

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OVETEL Azercell unveils LTE network

DELTA launches new MVNO service on KPN Network

The latest mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to dip its toe into the Dutch wireless market launched yesterday when Delta Mobiel, a venture set up by local utility company DELTA NV began offering services on a pilot trial basis over KPN's host network. Working in conjunction with its subsidiary ZeelandNet, Delta Mobiel is offering a choice of two call plans.

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OVETEL DELTA launches new MVNO service on KPN Network

Colombian 4G tender to start in June

According to BNamericas citing local press reports, Colombia will launch a tender for 4G concessions in June, with spectrum awarded by September. Oscar Leon, head of the national spectrum agency, revealed that ten companies have expressed an interest in participating, including local operators Comcel, Movistar, Tigo, UNE and ETB, as well as international operators such as Nextel, Entel and companies from Peru and India

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OVETEL Colombian 4G tender to start in June

New telecoms tax could cost Magyar Telekom USD42m in FY12

Hungarian fixed and mobile operator Magyar Telekom (MTel) estimates that it will have to pay HUF10 billion (USD41.8 million) in telecoms taxes in fiscal 2012, following the adoption of new tax measures from 1 July. As reported by CommsUpdate, on 18 May the Hungarian parliament approved a new controversial tax on mobile communications in the country, to the concern of local operators which feel the industry is already labouring under the burden of the government’s so-called ‘crisis taxes’.

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OVETEL New telecoms tax could cost Magyar Telekom USD42m in FY12

LAP Green has UTL stake returned

Reuters reports that Uganda has returned a 69% stake in Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL) to its Libyan shareholders LAP Green.

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OVETEL LAP Green has UTL stake returned

Sutel warns of network rollout delays

The Costa Rican watchdog Sutel has revealed that mobile operators will be unable to meet the deadline for the deployment of the first phase of their networks as seven municipalities have not yet given permission for radio bases to be installed, reports BNamericas. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, under the terms of the licences issued to Claro and Movistar in January last year, the pair are obliged to roll out networks in three stages within five years, with the first phase due to be completed by mid-July 2012. The two cellcos launched services over GSM and W-CDMA networks in late November 2011

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OVETEL Sutel warns of network rollout delays

Tele2 to add new 3.5G base stations in Tartu

Estonian mobile network operator Tele2 Eesti has announced that it will install 15 new 3.5G base stations in the country’s second largest city Tartu this year, with a view to enhancing the service quality received by its customers in the region. The cellco claims that, while its mobile internet services are comparable in quality to those of its rivals, it is aware of increased demand for data service, and said the decision to upgrade the network in Tartu would tackle any congestion. As previously reported by CommsUpdate, last month Tele2 Eesti’s parent company, Swedish group Tele2, revealed it had selected Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) as sole network supplier for the rollout of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband technology across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

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OVETEL Tele2 to add new 3.5G base stations in Tartu

CWC records slump in reported net profit for FY12 on exceptional items

UK-based Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has released its financial results for the year ended 31 March 2012, with the company posting a 3% year-on-year drop in adjusted net profit to USD326 million. However, with the company recognising a non-cash impairment and accelerated depreciation charge of USD244 million in the twelve-month period, which it said was ‘primarily due to difficult market position and poor financial performance in Jamaica as indicated in Q3 results,’ reported net income stood at just USD26 million, representing a decline of 92% against the previous financial year

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OVETEL CWC records slump in reported net profit for FY12 on exceptional items

Copaco teams up with IDT for pre-paid expat calling card scheme

New Jersey-based long-distance carrier IDT Telecom has announced that it has joined forces with Paraguayan fixed line incumbent Compania Paraguaya de Comunicaciones (Copaco) to provide international pre-paid calling card services to the tens of thousands of Paraguayans living in Spain and throughout Europe. Initially, Paraguayans in Spain will be able to purchase and use Copaco-branded calling cards where IDT cards are sold, with the two companies planning to distribute the cards through IDT’s extensive distribution network in Europe, which includes over 100,000 retail outlets. Marcelo Licht, VP Americas for IDT Telecom, commented: ‘IDT is delighted to work with Copaco on this ground-breaking initiative

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OVETEL Copaco teams up with IDT for pre-paid expat calling card scheme

TIM Brasil to unveil new Wi-Fi network provider this week

Brazilian telco TIM Participacoes (TIM Brasil) will announce the winner of a contract to supply it with a new Wi-Fi network by the end of this week, says its chief marketing officer Rafael Marquez, as quoted by Telecompaper. According to Marquez, the firm has arrived at a shortlist for the new system, which is designed to alleviate network bottlenecks in areas of high traffic volume. The Wi-Fi network will comprise 10,000 hotspots deployed in areas with known issues where it comes to high traffic volumes, and is one of the measures being undertaken by TIM Brasil ahead of the FIFA World Cup

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OVETEL TIM Brasil to unveil new Wi-Fi network provider this week

AT moves to address NYC spectrum crunch by refarming 1900MHz 2G spectrum

AT&T Mobility has confirmed that it has started refarming its 2G 1900MHz PCS spectrum in New York City, with a view to offering more advanced wireless services in and around the city. The mobile giant has indicated that the refarming will lead to an improvement in customers' overall experience as they upgrade to its HSPA+ and Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, with Tom DeVito, AT&T's vice president and general manager in New York and New Jersey, commenting: ‘By re-allocating network resources from our 2G network to support our newer, advanced networks, we're moving capacity to support the voice and mobile Internet services our customers want’.

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OVETEL AT&T moves to address NYC spectrum crunch by refarming 1900MHz 2G spectrum

Telefonica pledges to bulk up Movistar investment in Nicaragua

Cesar Alierta, president of Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica, has pledged to ramp up investments in Movistar’s Nicaraguan unit, Prensa Libre reports. Following the executive’s meeting with Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega in Managua, Alierta told reporters: ‘This year Telefonica has accelerated investments in Nicaragua and we continue to accelerate’. Although no concrete figures have been given, the company previously claimed investment of USD100 million between December 2011 and March this year

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OVETEL Telefonica pledges to bulk up Movistar investment in Nicaragua

CSL expands LTE in 2600MHz/1800MHz bands, prepares for LTE-Advanced

ZTE Corp has signed an LTE network expansion contract with Hong Kong mobile operator CSL, involving the ‘extensive’ deployment of additional 2G/3G/4G base stations, which will be based on ZTE’s Uni-RAN LTE-Advanced-scalable R8884 configuration for the first time. CSL’s LTE network, which was switched on in November 2010, currently spans over 90% of Hong Kong’s territory. The deployment of ZTE’s R8884 base stations is aimed at managing the increasing demand for network capacity due to the continuing growth in mobile broadband customers, and will allow CSL to operate LTE services on both 2600MHz and 1800MHz frequency bands, thereby significantly enhancing indoor LTE broadband coverage, while the cell sites are scalable to LTE-Advanced at no additional cost, according to ZTE

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OVETEL CSL expands LTE in 2600MHz/1800MHz bands, prepares for LTE-Advanced

DoCoMo to bid for 700MHz mobile data spectrum

The Japanese cellular market leader NTT DoCoMo has announced plans to bid for wireless spectrum in the 700MHz band which it will utilise for 4G mobile data services.

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OVETEL DoCoMo to bid for 700MHz mobile data spectrum

ARCT reports 19% growth in mobile base in 2011

Burundi’s national telecoms regulator, the Agence de Regulation et de Controle des Telecom (ARCT), says that the country was home to 1.98 million mobile users at the end of December 2011, up 19% from the 1.67 million reported in 2010 and 1.08 million the year before that. In its latest annual report, the watchdog confirmed that investments in new technologies and services, coupled with aggressive marketing campaigns from all operators, continued to drive growth in 2011. ‘Most operators now offer a 3G service, others are providing SIM cards for USD1 and handsets for USD10.

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OVETEL ARCT reports 19% growth in mobile base in 2011

C Spire outlines LTE progress in Mississippi

Regional mobile operator C Spire Wireless (formerly known as Cellular South) has released details on the progress of its in-deployment Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. The cellco is investing USD60 million ahead of the initial introduction of 4G data services in 20 Mississippi markets, which will cover 2,700 square miles and a population of around 1.2 million.

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OVETEL C Spire outlines LTE progress in Mississippi

STC and NTT sign new interconnect agreement

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) of Saudi Arabia and NTT of Japan have signed an agreement for interconnection which will enable linkages between STC and NTT networks in London and Singapore.

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OVETEL STC and NTT sign new interconnect agreement

Alcatel-Lucent partners with French cellcos for mobile profile service

France’s three largest cellular operators – Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom – have partnered with equipment vendor Alcatel-Lucent to launch a Beta version of a new service dubbed YouConnect, which enables mobile smartphone users to create a personal profile which can be used across a variety of online services. The user can then give permission for their profile information to be used with a single click, rather than having to input new details for every transaction. French event-driven online sales website vente-privee.com is the first enterprise to sign up to use the new service for its mobile application

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OVETEL Alcatel-Lucent partners with French cellcos for mobile profile service

Teletalk launching 3G in July

Bangladesh’s telecoms minister, Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, announced yesterday that state-run GSM mobile operator Teletalk will launch the country’s first W-CDMA/HSPA-based 3G network within the next two months, having missed a previously announced launch date of late-March. The minister revealed the launch target at a meeting with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) deputy secretary-general, Houlin Zhao.

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OVETEL Teletalk launching 3G in July

Ghana’s NITA moves from WiMAX to LTE

Ghana’s National Information Technology Agency (NITA) has said it will be upgrading its WiMAX base stations to Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G cellular technology by the end of this year. The government agency, which is part of the Ministry of Communications, has deployed 30 WiMAX towers across the country which are used as part of its eGovernment network to connect government offices, health agencies, etc. NITA is now working with Huawei to deploy 30 new base stations and upgrade the existing sites to LTE.

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OVETEL Ghana’s NITA moves from WiMAX to LTE

Ugandan watchdog bares its teeth

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) will follow up on its threats to impose penalties on wireless providers for failing to meet quality of service (QoS) standards, reports IT News Africa. The watchdog announced that it would inform operators within the next two weeks if they were to be issued fines

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OVETEL Ugandan watchdog bares its teeth

Clarin may have to divest assets in 2013

Argentine media giant Grupo Clarin may be forced to sell some of its assets, following an announcement by the Supreme Court that a suspension of legal limits on media ownership will end on 7 December 2012, NexTV Latam reports. In December 2009 Clarin won a court suspension of Article 161 of the Audiovisual Service Act, which states that companies exceeding licence limits set forth by the law must make disinvestments within one year. Article 45 specifies that up to ‘one pay-TV radio broadcasting licence is allowed in a single local coverage area provided the petitioner does not hold any free-to-air TV licence’ and vice versa

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OVETEL Clarin may have to divest assets in 2013

SMC’s Liberty Telecom to bid for 3G licence; sets PHP1.1bn CAPEX figure

San Miguel Corp’s (SMC’s) Liberty Telecoms Holdings, which operates Wi-Tribe branded wireless broadband internet services in the Philippines, will bid for the 10MHz 3G mobile licence that the government intends to sell, as it looks to boost sales at the unit.

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OVETEL SMC’s Liberty Telecom to bid for 3G licence; sets PHP1.1bn CAPEX figure

Sunrise books CHF9.6m profit for Q1 2012

Sunrise, Switzerland’s second largest cellco by subscribers has booked revenues of CHF509.3 million (USD535.9 million) for the three months ended 31 March 2012, up from CHF467.3 million in the corresponding period of 2011. The company’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) was CHF152.0 million, with an EBITDA margin of 29.8%, compared to CHF141.1 million and 30.2% a year earlier. Net profit for the period was CHF9.6 million, up from CHF217,000 twelve months earlier.

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OVETEL Sunrise books CHF9.6m profit for Q1 2012

Etisalat mulls reduction in local, international fixed call rates

Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat), the United Arab Emirates’ incumbent telecoms operator, has slashed the price of its basic broadband packages in the face of increasing competition from sole rival Du.

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OVETEL Etisalat mulls reduction in local, international fixed call rates

Increased competition dents Partner’s revenues, net profit in 1Q12

Israel’s second largest cellco by subscribers, Partner Communications, has posted a 43% year-on-year drop in net profit for the first quarter of 2012 on revenues that fell by 22% when excluding the impact of 012 Smile Telecom. For the three months ended 31 March 2012 Partner generated a total turnover of ILS1.571 billion (USD423 million), down 11% from ILS1.771 billion in the corresponding period a year earlier.

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OVETEL Increased competition dents Partner’s revenues, net profit in 1Q12

Famous five solve Wi-Fi mystery

Five of the United States’ largest cablecos, accounting for nearly 40 million broadband subscribers between them, have confirmed that they have joined forces to combine their independent Wi-Fi networks into a single system, with more than 50,000 hotspots now available across the companies’ combined markets.

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OVETEL Famous five solve Wi-Fi mystery

Verizon enlists Loop to manage sale of 700MHz spectrum; FCC questions cellco’s behaviour

US mobile giant Verizon Wireless has confirmed that it has hired investment bank Loop Capital Markets to help it manage the proposed sale of its 700MHz Lower A and B Block licences. Verizon has provisionally agreed to sell the 700MHz spectrum if it receives regulatory approval for its USD3.9 billion purchase of nationwide AWS spectrum from SpectrumCo, a joint venture between cablecos Comcast Corporation, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks

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OVETEL Verizon enlists Loop to manage sale of 700MHz spectrum; FCC questions cellco’s behaviour

Parliament gives initial nod to law preventing frequency hoarding

A draft legal amendment expanding the powers of Ukraine’s telecoms regulator, the National Commission on Communications Regulation (NCCR, or locally NKRZ), has received initial approval in a parliamentary first reading.

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OVETEL Parliament gives initial nod to law preventing frequency hoarding

TM reaches two million broadband subscriber milestone

Telekom Malaysia (TM) has announced that it now has more than two million fixed line broadband subscribers on its books, Bernama reports.

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OVETEL TM reaches two million broadband subscriber milestone

Private equity group PPF mulls Czech mobile licence bid

Dow Jones Newswires reports that PPF Group, the richest private-equity firm in central Europe, is considering bidding for a 4G mobile licence in the Czech Republic.

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OVETEL Private equity group PPF mulls Czech mobile licence bid

Telma to bolster GSM network with Hughes’ satellite technology

US-based Hughes Network Systems has announced that it has been handed a contract by Madagascan telco Telecom Malagasy (Telma) to supply the latter with additional HX System remote terminals and an HX hub. With the technology deployment to form a part of the operator’s existing GSM backhaul project, Hughes’ recently announced HX Systems 4.0 platform will deliver high-speed IP services over satellite, supporting an expanding range of multimedia, video, data, and voice applications. With the system also expected to allow Telma to provide GSM backhaul with greater availability, installation is expected to begin in July 2012, and be completed within the month.

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OVETEL Telma to bolster GSM network with Hughes’ satellite technology

Orange gets off to a flying start with NFC

The French telco France Telecom-Orange is taking part in a new trial of near-field communication (NFC) technology to enable passengers to pass through airport security checks using only their mobile phone.

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OVETEL Orange gets off to a flying start with NFC

Pacnet purchase decision in July

Telkom Indonesia will make a decision on its proposed acquisition of international carrier Pacnet in July, Dow Jones Newswires reports. Due diligence will be finished by the end of June, according to Telkom's finance director Honesti Basyir, who added that ‘in July we'll make a decision to buy or not.’ Last week Telkom’s chairman, Jusman Syafii confirmed that his company was weighing up a takeover deal but denied it had already submitted a bid for the Hong Kong/Singapore-based undersea cable operator, which according to the Indonesian firm is willing to put up to 100% of its shares on the table.

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OVETEL Pacnet purchase decision in July

LTA orders MTN Liberia to reconnect Comium

National regulator the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) has ordered domestic mobile operator MTN Liberia, trading under the Lonestar Cell brand, to reconnect rival operator Comium Liberia ‘with immediate effect’. The watchdog’s ruling, which was issued at 5pm yesterday (local time), was delivered by its acting director of public and consumer affairs, E Blamo Robinson. The decision followed a complaint from Comium that MTN Liberia had illegally disconnected the interconnection on the trunk network between the two firms on 18 May 2012

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OVETEL LTA orders MTN Liberia to reconnect Comium

STC adds new 3G/4G mobile data tariff

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has launched a new tariff which combines 3G and 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) data services. The new package, which has been added to its 'QUICKnet' range of mobile data services, offers a dual-mode SIM card which switches between 3G and 4G networks to provide customers with the fastest possible browsing speed, up to a peak of 100Mbps via 4G and 42Mbps via 3G

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OVETEL STC adds new 3G/4G mobile data tariff

PLDT passes 3m broadband subscribers in 1Q

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the nation’s largest operator by subscribers and revenues, said yesterday that it passed the three million-mark for broadband subscribers in the first quarter of this year. Napoleon Nazareno, PLDT and Smart president and CEO, said that his company currently leads the broadband segment in the Philippines, with revenues from high speed fixed and mobile internet services increasing 34% year-on-year to PHP5.8 billion (USD134.7 million) – equivalent to 14% of consolidated service revenues. Broken down by technology, PLDT DSL generated PHP2.6 billion in revenue in 1Q12, up 15% y-o-y, while the group’s mobile arm Smart contributed PHP1.7 billion from its wireless broadband services and newly acquired unit, Digitel (Sun Cellular) chipped in with a further PHP800 million

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OVETEL PLDT passes 3m broadband subscribers in 1Q

UPC Ireland unveils new on-demand TV service

Irish TV, broadband and voice telephony provider UPC Ireland has announced that it will launch a new on-demand TV service this Friday for some customers in Dublin. The cableco, part of US-based Liberty Global Inc, says it intends to extend coverage of the new service to all its customers over the course of the summer.

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OVETEL UPC Ireland unveils new on-demand TV service

Panos Germanos sniffs Wind?

Greek newspaper Ekathimerini quotes unnamed sources as saying that businessman Panos Germanos is eyeing the possibility of buying an ownership stake in one of Greece’s telecoms operators, with a likely target rumoured to be the country’s third largest cellco Wind Hellas. Following the end of a five-year agreement not to enter the domestic telecoms market – a clause in the sale of mobile handset retail chain Germanos SA to Cosmote in April 2006 – negotiations between Mr Germanos and Wind Hellas are rumored to have started in recent months, with Wind’s investment fund owners led by Anchorage Capital said to be open to offers after failing to achieve a merger with Vodafone Greece last year. Germanos has gained a recent track record in the mobile network operating sector via a majority participation (through Tollerton Investments Ltd) in Polish cellco Play

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OVETEL Panos Germanos sniffs Wind?

QSC, NetCologne to cooperate on Open Access platform

German voice, data and ICT services provider QS Communications (QSC) and regional telecoms operator NetCologne have agreed to cooperate on an Open Access platform, thereby widening the availability of NetCologne’s network to customers. QSC claims to be the first provider in Germany to operate an Open Access platform, which unites a wide range of broadband technologies to offer national and international site networking, including managed services

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OVETEL QSC, NetCologne to cooperate on Open Access platform

DoT shows no mercy; raises spectrum price further, rules out staggered payments or financial assistance

India’s Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has reportedly added to the woes of industry players by further increasing the already controversial proposed base prices for spectrum in the upcoming frequency re-auction.

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OVETEL DoT shows no mercy; raises spectrum price further, rules out staggered payments or financial assistance

Eircom restructuring secures High Court approval; group to exit examinership on 11 June

Ireland’s Eircom yesterday published an investor update announcing that the High Court has approved the scheme of arrangement recommended by the court-appointed examiner, Michael McAteer, to restructure Eircom Group. The court’s approval paves the way for the group’s three operating units – Eircom Limited, Meteor Mobile and Irish Telecommunications Investments Limited – to successfully exit examinership on 11 June 2012.

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OVETEL Eircom restructuring secures High Court approval; group to exit examinership on 11 June

Economy minister keen to get Telekom privatisation back on track

Slovakia’s new Economy Minister, Tomas Malatinsky, has said that the state should resume a plan to sell its 49% stake in incumbent PSTN operator Slovak Telekom (ST), reports Reuters. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database says that Slovakia’s previous government had planned to offload its shares in ST by autumn 2012 at the latest, preferably via an initial public offering (IPO), partly due to disgruntlement at majority owner Deutsche Telekom refusing to pay dividends.

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OVETEL Economy minister keen to get Telekom privatisation back on track

New international capacity yields lower prices

A recent wave of new submarine cable builds and upgrades to existing cable systems has brought an influx of submarine cable capacity to many historically high cost markets, including Africa, the Middle East, Southern Asia, and Latin America. Nevertheless, new data from TeleGeography’s Wholesale Bandwidth Pricing Database show that vast regional disparities persist in both price levels and rates of decline.

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OVETEL New international capacity yields lower prices

NTT Com confirms BIG tie-up

Tokyo-based NTT Communications Corporation (NTT Com) has announced that it has reached an agreement with Brunei International Gateway (BIG), a joint venture between the government and the country’s telecoms operators, to collaborate in providing local Internet service providers (ISPs) with IPv4/IPv6 dual stack global access via NTT Com's Tier-1 global IP network.

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OVETEL NTT Com confirms BIG tie-up

Brazil’s BNDES will finance national technology for 4G

Brazilian development bank Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social (BNDES) will provide credit lines to help with the financing of 4G networks in the country, says communications minister Paulo Bernardo. The minister met with BNDES president Luciano Coutinho on 17 May to address funding issues for the domestic industry. ‘We are demanding local content, many companies will surely have an interest in settling or expanding here, and we need funding for the industry,’ Bernardo is quoted as saying

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OVETEL Brazil’s BNDES will finance national technology for 4G

True facing 3G number shortage

Thailand’s True Corp is facing a shortage of new telephone numbers which could form a new obstacle in its plan to migrate its mobile users from the True Move network to its Real Move subsidiary, which offers the ‘True Move H’ 3G service over an 850MHz network in partnership with state-run CAT Telecom. 2G and 3G services on the original True Move network attract 30% revenue sharing costs under True’s build-transfer-operate (BTO) concession with CAT, while True Move H services are delivered via a series of contracts between True and CAT, under which True’s BFKT unit builds HSPA-based infrastructure and leases it to CAT, and in turn Real Move acts as a virtual operator by reselling the capacity offered by CAT under the True Move H brand. While the True Move H service allows True to operate outside of the BTO framework – giving it a headstart on rivals AIS and DTAC ahead of full 3G licence auctions later this year – it has additional motivation to migrate users from the older True Move GSM/W-CDMA network because its BTO concession runs out in September 2013

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OVETEL True facing 3G number shortage

DISH does not expect LTE-Advanced until 2016

US satellite TV provider DISH Network has said that it does not expect to be able to launch its proposed Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-Advanced) network using its allocation of 40MHz S-Band spectrum until at least 2016.

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OVETEL DISH does not expect LTE-Advanced until 2016

Digicel T launches HSPA+

The Trinidad & Tobago unit of Digicel has launched a HSPA+ upgrade on its 3G mobile network, and now claims to offer an average mobile data speed of 2Mbps via the 3.5G platform, which has a theoretical maximum download rate of 21Mbps. Digicel is marketing HSPA+ services for phone, tablet or laptop users under the ‘4G’ banner, and the new network covers most major towns across both islands of Trindad & Tobago, and approximately three-quarters of the population. The cellco promises to continue expansion of the HSPA+ footprint, while in the meantime offering more extensive mobile data coverage with its 2.5G EDGE network.

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OVETEL Digicel T&T launches HSPA+

CWW shareholders urged to accept Vodafone offer amid falling results

The board of UK fixed line network operator Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW) has encouraged shareholders to accept the GBP1.044 billion (USD1.65 billion) offer from Vodafone Group, after reporting earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of GBP378 million for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2012, down 14% compared to GBP442 million in 2010/2011. Revenue for the twelve-month period fell from GBP2.257 billion to GBP2.149 billion, predominantly due to a GBP121 million year-on-year drop in traditional voice revenue to GBP874 million, partially offset by growth in hosting, IP and data

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OVETEL CWW shareholders urged to accept Vodafone offer amid falling results

Beltelecom increases Russia, Ukraine call rates

Belarusian state-owned fixed line operator Beltelecom plans to increase voice call rates to Russia and Ukraine by 20% from 24 May 2012, according to RIA Novosti. From that date, calls made to Russia will cost BYR1,498 (USD0.18397) per minute between the hours of 06:00 and 23:00hrs (peak), and BYR996 per minute from 23:00 to 06.00hrs (off-peak). Meanwhile calls to Ukraine will cost BYR1,186 per minute (peak), and BYR791 per minute off-peak.

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OVETEL Beltelecom increases Russia, Ukraine call rates

Telefonica unifies Colombian operations

Spain’s Telefonica has unified all of its Colombian operations under its preferred ‘Movistar’ brand. The company, which offers fixed line telephony and broadband as well as wireless services and pay-TV, had previously operated its fixed services as Telefonica Telecom.

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OVETEL Telefonica unifies Colombian operations

Axiata records increased revenues, EBITDA in first quarter of 2012

Malaysian mobile group Axiata has revealed increased revenues in the first three months of 2012, with the company citing ‘excellent performances’ at all of its operational units. For the three months ended 31 March 2012 Axiata generated a total turnover of MYR4.3 billion (USD?), up 8.0% year-on-year, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose to MYR1.8 billion, up 4.1% against the corresponding period a year earlier. Further, with the company highlighting the increased strength of the local currency, the ringgit, it noted that revenue and EBITDA would, in fact, have been 10% and 6% higher respectively at constant currency.

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OVETEL Axiata records increased revenues, EBITDA in first quarter of 2012

Bharti to buy out Qualcomm’s Indian partners in TD-LTE venture

Bharti Airtel, India’s largest cellco by subscribers, is reportedly involved in advanced talks to buy out the 26% stake in Qualcomm’s Indian wireless broadband start-up currently owned by the US technology giant’s Indian partners. According to Reuters, which cites two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Bharti will pay more than the USD58 million paid by Tulip and Global Holding in 2010 for the stake

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OVETEL Bharti to buy out Qualcomm’s Indian partners in TD-LTE venture

Alternative operators call for EU intervention on incumbents’ wholesale rates

A number of European alternative network operators have issued a warning that the high prices being charged by the continent’s incumbent operators for wholesale access threatens their long-term economic viability, and have called on the European Commission (EC) to take action. Total Telecom reports the group, represented by the European Competitive Telecommunication Association (ECTA), as saying that the current charges for access to copper legacy network have ‘drained cash reserves’, and led to a slowdown or halt in their fibre investment plans. The ECTA members are calling for the EC to put a stop to the 'copper gravy train', which if not tackled, could result in a return ‘to monopolies and duopolies for broadband services in five years time,’ says ECTA chairman Tom Ruhan

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OVETEL Alternative operators call for EU intervention on incumbents’ wholesale rates

AM seeking withdrawal of OECD report on Mexican telecoms sector

Latin American telecoms giant America Movil (AM) has reportedly called on the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to withdraw a report on the Mexican telecoms market, with the former claiming it contains a number of false conclusions. Dow Jones Newswires cites AM chief financial officer Carlos Garcia Moreno as saying: ‘We are asking them to withdraw it, and we would expect them to withdraw it.’ The development comes after the publication of the OECD’s report in January 2012, in which it was argued that the ‘dysfunctional Mexican telecommunication sector’ had cost consumers some USD129 billion between 2005 and 2009 as a result of high prices

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OVETEL AM seeking withdrawal of OECD report on Mexican telecoms sector

3 Ireland will line up for 4G licence auction

3 Ireland, backed by Hutchison Whampoa of Kong Kong, will participate in the Republic’s planned auction of 4G mobile licences this summer, despite losing out in its quest to take control of former monopoly fixed line operator Eircom, the Irish Independent reports.

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OVETEL 3 Ireland will line up for 4G licence auction

Profit down for Vodafone in FY12, despite emerging markets helping to boost revenue

Britain’s Vodafone Group has released its financial results for the twelve months ended 31 March 2012, revealing a 1.2% increase in group revenue, as operations in emerging markets helped offset lower turnover at a number of its European units.

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OVETEL Profit down for Vodafone in FY12, despite emerging markets helping to boost revenue

MTS 1Q12 revenues increase 2.7%, net income up 59.1%

Moscow-based telecoms giant Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has reported revenues of USD3.014 billion for the three months ended 31 March 2012, a rise of 2.7% year-on-year.

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OVETEL MTS 1Q12 revenues increase 2.7%, net income up 59.1%

PLDT signs WiMAX deal with Alvarion for metro Manila hotspot project

Filipino carrier Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) has signed a WiMAX equipment supply deal with Alvarion under which the vendor will deploy 3,000 hot spots in metro Manila and other major areas around the country, as part of the telco’s Wi-Fi Zone Project.

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OVETEL PLDT signs WiMAX deal with Alvarion for metro Manila hotspot project

Carlos Slim chews the fat with shareholders over Telekom stake

Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, whose assets include pan-Latin American telecoms giant America Movil (AM), is eyeing a stake in the Telekom Austria Group, Format.at reports. As such, Slim’s representatives are believed to have held initial talks with Telekom’s two largest stakeholders, Austrian government holding company OIAG (28.42%) and RPR Privatstiftung (20.118%), the investment vehicle backed by Viennese tycoon Ronny Pecik and Egyptian telecoms billionaire Naguib Sawiris. Whilst independent confirmation of the talks has not been forthcoming, the report has been given added credibility after Format broke the original story concerning Pecik’s so-called hostile takeover of Telekom Austria in September 2011

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OVETEL Carlos Slim chews the fat with shareholders over Telekom stake

Operators in Sierra Leone to be questioned over network quality

A government committee in Sierra Leone is to interview representatives from the country’s cellular operators over concerns of poor network performance.

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OVETEL Operators in Sierra Leone to be questioned over network quality

Netia books PLN9.85m Q1 loss

Polish internet service provider (ISP) Netia, recently enlarged by its acquisitions of Dialog Group and Crowley Data Poland, has posted total revenues of PLN544.28 million for the three months ended 31 March 2012, up 35.7% year-on-year. The company’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the period under review was PLN133.01 million, with an EBITDA margin of 24.4%

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OVETEL Netia books PLN9.85m Q1 loss