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Wireless Federation » archive for November, 2007

Verizon picks LTE for 4G mobile broadband network (USA)

  • November 30th, 2007
  • 2:41 pm

US mobile operator Verizon Wireless plans to develop and deploy its fourth-generation mobile broadband network using the Long Term Evolution standard. The selection of LTE provides Verizon Wireless and its shareholder Vodafone with an opportunity to adopt a common access platform, compatible with existing technologies of both companies. Currently Verizon uses a CDMA network, but it has recently announced a policy to open its network to all types of devices and applications. Vodafone meanwhile uses GSM networks. Verizon and Vodafone have a coordinated trial plan for LTE that will start in 2008. Trial suppliers include Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia Siemens and Nortel.

   

Polish mobile networks unveil co-operation agreement (Poland)

  • November 30th, 2007
  • 2:26 pm

Polish mobile operators PTK Centertel (Orange) and Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC) (Era) have signed a co-operation agreement to create market standards for development and implementation of a new generation of mobile services. They have signed a Letter of Intent outlining their readiness to undertake joint action aimed at creating the necessary standards for new services. They aim for the standards to have an open character and to involve other mobile operators and partners.

   

Vimpelcom posts Q3 record net income of USD 458 mln (Russia)

  • November 30th, 2007
  • 2:22 pm

Russian mobile operator Vimpel Communications (Vimpelcom) has reported record net operating revenue of USD 1.96 billion for Q3 2007, up 43.9 percent from Q3 2006 and up 13.9 percent from Q2 2007. OIBDA reached a record USD 1.01 billion for the quarter, up 41.4 percent year-on-year and up 13.2 percent quarter-on-quarter; with net profit up 70.7 percent year-on-year to a record USD 458 million. The consolidated figures cover its operations in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia and Armenia. Vimpelcom registered a total of 50.69 million active mobile subscribers at end-Q3 2007, up 18.9 percent from 42.64 million a year earlier.

Its Russian operations had a total of 41.80 million active subscribers at end-September, up 7.8 percent from 38.79 million a year earlier. Its Russian business generated Q3 revenue of USD 1.65 billion, up 34.5 percent from USD 1.23 billion in Q3 2006; with net income of USD 422.58 million, up 50.1 percent from USD 279.96 million. ARPU in Russia was USD 13.40 in Q3 2007, up 26.4 percent from USD 10.60 in Q3 2006, with average minutes of use (MOU) up 37.5 percent year-on-year from 151.9 to 208.9 minutes. Churn rate in Russia was 10.1 percent, versus 9.9 percent in Q3 2006.

   

Sprint rejects investment offer from SK, Providence (USA)

  • November 30th, 2007
  • 2:20 pm

US mobile operator Sprint Nextel has rejected an offer from Korea’s SK Telecom and private-equity firm Providence Equity Partners to invest USD 5 billion in the company. Sprint’s former chairman Tim Donahue, who would have returned as CEO under the investment plan, made the proposal to Sprint’s board in a letter earlier this month, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal. No meeting with the potential investors was held. Donahue is the former CEO of Nextel, acquired by Sprint in 2004. Sprint is currently searching for a new CEO. A Sprint spokeswoman declined comment, while Providence Equity and SK Telecom didn’t respond to inquiries. SK Telecom is already part owner of Helio, a mobile venture with Earthlink that uses Sprint’s network.

   

Ofcom sets 2-hour deadline for mobile number porting (UK)

  • November 30th, 2007
  • 2:01 pm

UK regulator Ofcom set new rules to allow consumers keep their mobile number when they switch providers. Under the new rules, consumers will be able to receive calls using their existing number within two hours of moving to a new mobile network. The rules are expected to strengthen competition and consumer convenience, and it will also help protect consumers from the risk of losing calls if their old providers’ network fails. The move follows Ofcom’s earlier decision to reduce mobile number porting lead times from five days to two days from 1 April 2008. Two-hour transfers for mobile numbers must now be implemented by 1 September 2009. In addition, mobile operators will have to ensure that the new porting process includes the necessary levels of protection for consumers. Ofcom also advises mobile operators to co-operate to create a common regulated database to handle calls in order to bring more efficient call routing. This will ensure that consumers are not affected by problems with their old their network, after they have ported their number. The new database will remove dependency on the previous network by routing calls to ported numbers directly to the new provider’s network without the need for the call to travel over the previous network.

   

Alcatel wins deals from China Mobile, China Unicom (China)

  • November 27th, 2007
  • 2:55 pm

Alcatel-Lucent has signed a package of frame agreements with a combined value of up to EUR 750 million for mobile communications equipment with China Mobile and China Unicom. Part of these agreements was previously announced and secured through Alcatel-Lucent’s company in China, Alcatel Shanghai Bell. The services Alcatel-Lucent is providing will enable China Mobile and China Unicom to expand the coverage of their mobile networks. Under the terms of the EUR 600 million agreement with China Mobile, Alcatel-Lucent is providing GSM/GPRS/EDGE radio and core networking equipment, mobile applications, IP routers and optical networking equipment. Alcatel-Lucent also is providing China Mobile with a TD-SCDMA solution being implemented in the operator’s trial network and will support services such as video streaming, Wap and personal ringback tones. The agreement with China Unicom, valued at EUR 150 million, encompasses CDMA networking equipment, GSM/GPRS radio and core networking equipment, and related services to support China Unicom’s network deployment and expansion. In addition, the agreement includes the expansion and upgrade of China Unicom’s 3G CDMA1xEVDO in Macau.

   

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Telecom Italia shareholders propose new chairman, CEO (Italy)

  • November 27th, 2007
  • 2:54 pm

Telecom Italia’s new controlling shareholder consortium has unveiled its proposals for new management at the Italian operator. Mediobanca, which is part of the consortium including Telefonica, Assicurazioni Generali, Intesa Sanpaolo and Sintoni, has proposed Gabriele Galateri di Genola as chairman and Franco Bernabe as CEO. They would replace current chairman Pasquale Pistorio and CEO Riccardo Ruggiero. Galateri is a former Mediobanca chairman, while Bernabe was head of energy group Eni and ran Telecom Italia briefly in 1998. Bernabe currently works at the Rothschild investment bank. The appointments are subject to approval by a full board meeting.

   

Magyar Telekom, Pannon sign GSM licence extensions (Hungary)

  • November 27th, 2007
  • 2:51 pm

Hungary’s Minister of Economy & Transport Janos Koka has signed contracts with Magyar Telekom and Pannon GSM to extend their GSM 900 MHz frequency usage rights by 7.5 years to 04 May 2016. Each operator has agreed to pay a one-time licence fee of HUF 10 billion and pledged to invest HUF 20 billion in mobile broadband over the next two years. The current licence agreements expire on 04 November 2008. The operators have agreed to expand their mobile broadband networks in Hungary’s disadvantaged regions in 2008 and 2009 at rates greater than foreseen originally in their business plans. As a result, mobile broadband will be available on 90 percent of Hungary’s total area, i.e. at all settlements with populations higher than 1,000, representing 98 percent of the total population. The development projects will be carried out in the regions of South Transdanubia, North Hungary, North Hungarian Great Plain, South Hungarian Great Plain, Central Transdanubia and West Transdanubia.

   

VimpelCom makes bid for Golden Telecom (Russia)

  • November 27th, 2007
  • 2:49 pm

Russian mobile operator group VimpelCom has offered USD 100 per share for fixed-line operator Golden Telecom, Reuters writes citing a source familiar with the talks. The USD 100 per share is VimpelCom’s final offer, the source said. VimpelCom’s majority shareholders Alfa and Telenor also own stakes in Golden Telecom. Golden’s shares recently traded at just over USD 100.

   

Proximus launches mobile services for women (Belgium)

  • November 27th, 2007
  • 2:39 pm

Belgian mobile operator Proximus has partnered with a number of women’s magazines to launch mobile services targeted at women. In cooperation with publisher Sanoma, Proximus has launched the prepaid services Flair Mobile, Libelle Mobile and Femmes d’Aujourd’hui Mobile. Subscribers will pay EUR 0.29 per minute, EUR 0.12 per SMS, EUR 0.25 per MMS and EUR 0.50 for each mobile internet session. After three minutes, call to national fixed lines and Proximus numbers are free. The subscriptions also one free session each day on the Vodafone live! portal. The mobile websites for the three associated magazines have been re-styled to fit the new offer.