Pakistan based mobile operator Telenor Pakistan appointed Jon Eddy Abdullah as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who will be succeeding Tore Johnsen from 15 august ‘08. Abdullah with more than 15 years of experience in the telecommunication industry, has been working with both infrastructure vendors and several mobile operators. He has recently been associated with Maxis Telecommunication in Malaysia as a Chief Operating Officer (COO) and with DiGi as Chief Technology officer.
Since Telenor Pakistan’s inception in 2004, Tore Johnsen has been serving as the firm’s chief executive officer (CEO) and currently has been appointed as the chief executive officer of Telenor’s Thai operation DTAC.
- December 22nd, 2007
- 8:07 am
According to sources, Some of the biggest achievers selected for Communication Awards 2007:
Allen Timpany, CEO, Vanco
VNO pioneer. Now every value-added reseller wants to be the “next Vanco”.
Arun Sarin, Chief Executive Officer, Vodafone Group
His deals with Google and eBay “started the Mobile Internet”. That’ll be the one regularly used by 6% of mobile owners, then.
Ben Verwaayen, CEO, BT
Split local access and services in UK as an example for all the other EU countries. Then took over the broadband revolution. But has he reached the crest of the New Wave?
Bill Gates, Founder and Chairman, Microsoft Corp
He may be adrift in online adland, but his company’s Communications Server has brought the LAN to life.
Carl Henrik Svanberg, CEO, Ericsson
Has kept the strategy clear and built a leadership position in wireless into a total communications offer whilst others have dug themselves deeper into their problems.
Cesar Alierta, President, Telefonica
Last of the great global Telco heroes? No blockbuster deals last year though.
Chua Sock Koong, CEO, SingTel
SingTel veteran Chua is in the regional hotseat; tasked with making sense of the company’s expansionist strategy across Southeast Asia to Australia.
Dayanidhi Maran, Telecom Minister, India
Revolutionised the Indian telecom scenario with liberalised policies, promoting Foreign Direct Investments and providing clear strategies for mobile and broadband expansion.
Dr. Saad Al Barrak, Deputy chairman and managing director, MTC
MTC Group’s champion has transformed the Kuwaiti operator into a regional investment player. Can he take his 3×3x3 strategy global?
Ed Whitacre, Chairman and CEO, AT&T
Retiring after driving telecom consolidation, with the integration of SBC, Cingular and AT&T. Now going after Telecom Italia and the iPhone.
Helmut Leopold, Head of Platform and Technology Management, Telekom Austria AG
Put Engerwitzdorf on Europe’s IPTV map. Leads development of IPTV and IP-driven multimedia services at Telekom Austria, as well as president of the Broadband Services Forum (BSF). .
Ildar Zhuravlev, Partner, Ernst & Young
He is one of the most influential persons in the Russian telecom sector. He provides consulting services to 18 of top 20 major Russian telcos. At least he isn’t being called a revolutionary.
Ivar Plahte, CEO, OnRelay
”Defining the next era of [mobile] PBX.” Cisco, Nortel, IBM, Verizon, and others are following his lead, some say.
John Chambers, CEO, Cisco Systems
He’s putting Cisco on Second Life. That’s how determined he is to win this award again.
John Legere, CEO, Global Crossing
Two years ago a $24 billion accounting ‘fresh start’ helped bring GX back to life. Now it is a model for how to use IT to speed up your telecoms services delivery.
John Pluthero, Executive Chairman , Cable & Wireless
He’s “blown the whistle on the telecoms industry” for its lack of customer care, apparently.And he knows how to reinvigorate a demoralised company.
Josep A. Aliagas, CEO, Arena Mobile
This content aggregator is currently working in 60 countries and with 110 mobile operators as well as worldwide Media Groups including Shanghai Media Group in the mobile TV area in China. China is potentially the biggest revenue generator in the industry and Arena Mobile is the leading company in China.
Larry Page, Co-founder, Google
Telcos are running a bit less scared now Google is concentrating on TV and radio advertisers.
N Srinath, CEO, VSNL
”The CEO of the last year”, according to one nomination. He has “single-handedly” changed VSNL from an incumbent niche operator to a multinational telecom player, according to another. He must have a little help, though.
Niklas Zennstrom, Co-founder, Joost TV
Since he sold Skype to eBay, the IP telephony service has reached 150 million users, reducing the price paid from $68 million to $23 million - per subscriber.
Patricia Russo, CEO, Alcatel-Lucent
Running a combination “too big, too exotic and too powerful to be ignored.”
Phuthuma Nhleko, President & CEO, MTN Group
Phuthuma has revolutionalised telecoms in Africa and the Middle East by providing telecoms to 21 countries in MEA.
Sol Trujillo, CEO, Telstra
”Creating a Telstra that is more adaptable to market needs.” Really? The “only real ass-kicker and visionary in the industry”. That’s more like it!
Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple
He seems to understand consumers better than most. The iPhone has raised expections high this time.
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman - Bharti Group, Bharti Airtel
A “Telecoms Tsar”- in India? No, he’s “a revolutionary”. He can’t be both.
Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner, EU
She has upset mobile operators, NextGen network builders and even outsourcing associations, so she must be doing something right.
Nokia has unveiled a new organisational plan aimed at better addressing convergence of mobile communications and internet services. From the start of 2008, the Finnish company will operate with three divisions: Devices, Services and Software, and Markets. The latter will be responsible for management of Nokia’s supply chains, sales channels and marketing activities. In addition, Nokia will establish a Chief Development Office to for working on strategy and providing operational support for integration across all units in conjunction with the CEO. The Devices unit will be headed by Kai Oistamo, currently heading the Mobile Phones Business Group; the Services & Software unit will be headed by Niklas Savander, currently running Technology Platforms; and the Markets unit will be headed by Anssi Vanjoki, currently head of the Multimedia Business Group. Mary McDowell, currently head of the Enterprise Solutions Business Group, will hold the position of Chief Development Officer.
Robert Andersson, currently head of Customer and Market Operations, will be responsible for finance and strategy in Devices and Nokia-wide strategic sourcing. Tero Ojanpera, Nokia’s Chief Technology Officer, will have business responsibility for entertainment and communities services in Services & Software. Timo Ihamuotila, currently in charge of Mobile Phones’ Sales and Portfolio Management, will be responsible for Nokia’s global sales within the Markets unit.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
TeleSciences, Inc., a leader in providing revenue management solutions enabling fixed, mobile and IP service providers to maximize their billable usage — has announced that industry leader, Mark Trudeau, has joined the company as President and CEO.
Mr. Trudeau succeeds president, Greg Fegley, who will remain with TeleSciences to oversee day-to-day operations.
An expert in the development and launch of enabling technologies and solutions for communications service providers, Mark Trudeau brings nearly 20 years of experience to TeleSciences. He was among the founders of Omnipoint Communications, the first U.S. GSM operator, and has provided leadership with senior positions at NYNEX and Bell Atlantic.
“I believe that TeleSciences is uniquely positioned to be a major player in the rapidly growing area of revenue support services,” said Mr. Trudeau. “Where other solution providers rely on partners to collect and manage the usage data they analyze, TeleSciences delivers this as a core solution. A wide range of valuable, new complementary services can then be leveraged directly from this well-established platform.”
Known for managing usage data records and providing billable usage stream analysis for the past 40 years, TeleSciences has recently introduced EventDynamics™, a fully integrated pre- and post-paid usage data management engine that seamlessly blends traditional and next generation networks.
“We’re thrilled to have Mark on board,” said Kevin Dickens, co-CEO of Ariston Global, majority owner of TeleSciences. “His experience and success with revenue management products match the company’s plans for developing a broader range of advanced solutions that unlock the power of service providers’ usage data. Usage data collection and sophisticated correlation are only the starting points for enabling success for service providers. As providers add new services and technologies, such as IPTV and VoIP, the TeleSciences platform will serve as a nexus. It’s from this core solution that advanced revenue management, analytics, and other robust optimization tools can be powerfully realized. We’re convinced that Mark Trudeau will be instrumental in leading TeleSciences toward these offerings.”
About TeleSciences, Inc.
Founded in 1967, TeleSciences, Inc. has continually provided innovative solutions that gather timely information from networks to help communications service providers maximize their billable usage. It’s most recent solution, EventDynamics, is a comprehensive, integrated event-based mediation system that seamlessly captures, correlates, filters and distributes usage data from any single or blended/converged network and delivers it in any BSS-required format. TeleSciences solutions are deployed throughout the world and process billions of events per day for accurate billing and reliable revenue management.
With extensive expertise in fixed, mobile, and cable environments, TeleSciences has a global client base of operators and equipment vendors including Qwest, Nortel, Nokia Siemens Networks, AT&T, Bell Canada, Verizon, SFR, and Telus.
TeleSciences is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey with other locations in the US, UK, and China and has been ISO 9001:2000 certified since 1996.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Axel Springer AG and PubliGroupe AG have agreed to a joint acquisition of Berlin-based online marketing/ad tech firm Zanox.de AG for EUR214.9 million ($289 Million) plus an earn out. (via VentureBeat.) Axel Springer (Berlin) is covering 60 percent of the cost with PubliGroupe (Lausanne) paying 40 percent. The company will be split in two on a geographic basis with each buyer holding a majority interest in one and a minority interest in the other. Founders Thomas Hessler (CEO), Jens Hewald (CTO) and Heiko Rauch (COO/CFO) will run the two companies. The deal, which would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2007, is subject to approval of oauthorities in Austria, Switzerland and Germany.
Founded in 2000, Zanox, which provides a blend of technology, services and a sales network, claims to have 1 million “sales partners” in 180-plus countries and to provide multichannel commerce in 30 countries. Customers include Amazon, Procter & Gamble, Citibank and Vodafone.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
South African mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Virgin Mobile has signed up 100,000 customers in less than a year of commercial operation. Business Day quotes company CEO Peter Boyd who says that Virgin Mobile is on track to meet its initial targets. Virgin Mobile operates under a network sharing deal with South Africa’s third largest cellular operator, Cell-C; it is owned jointly by Cell-C and the UK-based Virgin Group.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Fiercemobilecontent writes….Premium mobile content provider Oasys Mobile announced it has engaged investment banker RBC Daniels and Associates to explore strategic options including a possible sale of the business. Oasys Mobile is seeking to obtain an equity investment or debt issuance in order to pay or refinance an $8 million senior secured debt due in June 2007, and will look to RBC Daniels to investigate potential mergers, acquisitions or strategic investments. At minimum, Oasys needs the banker’s assistance to raise enough money to satisfy its creditors–on Monday, the mobile firm filed notice with the Securities and Exchange Commission it doesn’t expect to raise enough revenue to repay its debts by the June 30 deadline.
Oasys Mobile CEO Doug Dyer told the Charlotte News & Observer he has instituted new strategies designed to transform the company’s fortunes, abandoning previous D2C efforts to focus on creating mobile content for brands including Mattel, Hooters and National Lampoon. Despite a net loss that more than doubled to $14.6 million in 2006, Oasys is forecasting profitability by the end of 2007. “We are a different Oasys Mobile than what was in the past,? Dyer told the newspaper. “We now have a seasoned management team in place and have taken steps to outline a clear strategy for revenue generation, profitability and growth.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Digitaltrends writes….The saga of the Palm operating system continues, with CEO Ed Colligan announcing the company will combine its Garnet OS with a new Linux-based platform later this year.
The tangled saga of Palm’s operating system is going to get twistier, if an announcement at an analyst meeting in New York by Palm CEO Ed Colligan is any indication: later this year, the company plans to combine its existing Garnet OS with a new Linux-based platform. Switching to Linux would mean that Palm would once again have its own operating system—even though late last year it managed to secure a perpetual license to the Garnet OS, which it originally developed, from Access Systems Americas. The deal includes the right to modify the Garnet source code.
Industry reaction to the news has generally been positive: mobile developers have been increasingly turning to Linux as a way to bring new communications services to mobile devices, and the open source nature of the operating system brings more developers and more creativity to the platform. LInux-based devices could tap into a range of Internet, media, and Web services which Palm would otherwise have to build from the ground up.
Although essentially no details are available, speculation is that Linux will replace the core of Palm’s Garnet OS, while user interface and functionality elements will remain nearly identical. A Linux-based OS would most likely debut in a refresh of Palm’s line of Treo smartphones; Colligan’s comments indicate the first products should appear later in 2007.
At the analyst meeting, Palm representatives categorically refused to comment on persistent rumors Palm is positioning itself for sale to another company.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Fiercemobilecontent writes….In a move that proves MTV is increasingly slow in responding to the kinds of youth culture phenomena it once ignited, the Viacom-owned cable network announced the launch of its Mobile Media Group division, which will develop MTV content and brands for wireless games, ringtones and video clips. The group will administrate mobile activities within MTV Networks’ various cable channels (e.g. Nickelodeon, VH1 and Comedy Central) and among its domestic and foreign operations. Among its responsibilities: Mobile Junk 2.0, a new user-generated content service launching in conjunction with Sprint Nextel.
“Connecting with our consumers on every platform they love is at the heart of our digital strategy,? MTV Networks CEO Judy McGrath said in a prepared statement.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Mobile applications developer Mobio Networks debuted GetMobio, a mobile lifestyle portal offering more than 50 free applications, widgets and RSS feeds. According to Mobio, the portal features collections of web service mash-ups like “After Midnight” and “Outwitting the Kids,” spotlighting nightclubs, restaurants, movies and local events. GetMobio also includes the World Cup-themed Cricket Center-Live! and Mobio Cricket Center-Fantasy applications.
“Mobile phone users are hungry for mobile applications and content that meet their needs, but the challenge is that those needs are constantly changing based the individual’s current interests, tastes, and inclinations,” said Mobio CEO Ramneek Bhasin in a prepared statement. “We built the GetMobio lifestyle portal to appeal to a broad range of such varying possibilities, to satisfy everyone from fashionistas, to gadget freaks, to soccer moms and dads. Whatever you like to do–it’s in there. And just in case it’s not, we’ve created publishing tools that let you build your own mobile collections on top of the pre-designed Mobio applications.”
For more on GetMobio:
- read this release
Telenor Pakistan gets Abdullah as it’s new CEO (Pakistan)
