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Wireless Federation » archive for 'EDGE'

Vodafone may earn highest ARPU of US$ 15.43 per month in 2010 (Turkey)

  • September 5th, 2008
  • 5:23 am

The Turkey’s mobile market is one of the largest in the region and a country with large population, with current penetration rates indicating room for further growth in the maturing market. Three GSM operators dominate the market, with a fourth analogue operator ceasing services in late 2007. Foreign players hold significant ownership stakes, attracted by the market’s growth potential. High-speed data services such as EDGE are available and the variety of mobile content and applications on offer is increasing although the quality of content on offer will improve once 3G services are launched.
OPERATORS         SUSBCRIBERS
Turkcell                35.4 million
Vodafone             15.8 million
Avea                    11.0 million

Notable highlights of the Turkey Mobile Forecast include:

  • It is forecasted that the wireless market in Turkey is quickly expanding with total subscribers increasing from the projected 69.5 million in 2008 to our forecasted 78.4 million subscribers in 2010.
  • The level of wireless penetration in Turkey will increase from 92.4% in 2008 to 102.7% in 2010.
  • The largest operator, Turkcell, will continue to provide wireless services to a majority of subscribers in Turkey. In 2010, it is forecasted market shares (by subscribers) of the three operators - Turkcell, Vodafone, and Avea (Turk Telekom) - will be 52.3%, 28.1% and 20% respectively.
  • Turkcell will continue to enjoy a high EBITDA margin at 40.3% in 2010. However, it is Vodafone that will have the highest ARPU among operators in the country at US$ 15.43 per month in 2010.

   

Mascom Wireless launches 3G services (Botswana)

  • August 22nd, 2008
  • 1:44 pm

Mascom Wireless, Botswana has introduced 3G and 3.5G services, after its launch of EDGE services in the country last year.
According to the company’s CMO, Dzene Makhwade-Seboni, it has invested BWP50 million (USD7.72 million) fro upgradation of the network for the service, which will initially be available in the greater Gaborone area.
COO, Richard Luz, reportedly said that the telco will expand the network to Francistown in the next few months before extending the service to other urban areas.

   

Hungary’s mobile market profile (Hungary)

  • August 13th, 2008
  • 11:49 am

Hungary’s mobile market, like that of its Central European counterparts, has matured with penetration rates surpassing 100%. Services are offered by three mobile network operators, T-Mobile, Pannon (Telenor), and Vodafone all of which are majority or wholly owned by Western European operators. However, all is not well for the mobile operators, with ARPU levels in decline for some time although the latest data shows the end may be in sight, with falling ARPU levels showing signs of stabilisation. Mobile broadband usage is increasingly coming into focus, with a growing variety of affordable mobile broadband plans coupled with mobile content and applications available via EDGE, UMTS and HSDPA networks.
Notable highlights of the Hungary Mobile Forecast 2008 - 2010 are:

  • Total subscribers in Hungary will increase from 11.8 million in 2008 to our forecasted 13 million in 2010.
  • It is estimated that wireless penetration levels in Hungary will increase from 115% to 126.2% over the forecast period of 2008 - 2010.
  • Market shares of major operators will remain roughly the same over the next several years in Hungary. T-Mobile, Pannon (Telenor), and Vodafone will continue to have approximately 43.7%, 36%, and 20.8% of total subscribers in the country.
  • The three operators will continue to see similar ARPU levels. The ARPU levels in Hungary are generally increasing, and they will be in the range of US$ 30 - US$ 32 across operators in 2010.

Sony Ericsson announces new shining slim T700

  • August 7th, 2008
  • 11:24 am

Sony Ericsson has announced the slim and elegant T700. his flawless phone combines timeless design and premium
features for the mainstream market.

  * The perfect slim elegant phone - slick stick design with premium
    metal finish
  * 3.2 megapixel camera - snap a great shot and share with
    your friends via your blog or web page
  * High quality stereo speakers - share your music with friends
  * Colour matched headset - colour co-ordinate your accessorie with
    your phone
  * High speed sharing - via the operator network or Bluetooth(TM)
  * 512MB memory card memory in box - and even more to expand
  * 2″ TFT display - add more emotion when you’re in motion, download
    film clips and view in vivid colours

The T700 is a slim elegant phone for the mass market. The T700 is a GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 UMTS/HSDPA 2100 phone
that will be available in selected markets in the colours Black on Silver, Black on Red and Shining Silver from early Q4 of 2008.

   

Digitel aims 100% GSM coverage (Venezuela)

  • July 29th, 2008
  • 12:51 pm

Digitel, Venezuela, has reported that it has rolled out a total of 80 new GSM base stations in the first six months of this year, with deployments in every state in the country.

The cellco says it covers at least 85% of all communities nationwide, giving an overall population coverage of over 90%, and it is aiming to reach as near to 100% coverage as possible by the end of the year. According to a database, in full-year 2007, Digitel added a total of 260 new GSM/GPRS/EDGE base stations to reach new areas and improve the quality of voice and data transmission in existing coverage zones.

   

Nokia and Qualcomm: say “no” to disputes (World)

  • July 24th, 2008
  • 11:02 am

Nokia and Qualcomm after a long-running dispute over patent has finally reached a settlement where Nokia has been granted a 15-year license to various Qualcomm mobile technology for use in it’s handsets. The agreement includes standards like GSM, EDGE, CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA, OFDM, WiMAX, LTE and others.

As a partr of the deal, both parties will have to withdraw all litigations and Nokia has to withdraw its complaints to the European Commission over Qualcomm. Nokia agrees not to useany patents against Qualcomm which in turn will enable Qualcomm to integrate Nokia’s technology into Qualcomm’s chipsets.

The financial structure of the settlement includes an up-front payment and on-going royalties payable to Qualcomm. Nokia has also agreed to assign ownership of a number of patents to Qualcomm, including patents declared as essential to WCDMA, GSM and OFDMA. The specific terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Nokia said the “positive financial impact” was within its previous expectations and it expects the deal will be positive for the entire industry.

   

Apple cuts iPhone 3G design costs to achieve market expansion (Asia)

  • July 23rd, 2008
  • 8:15 am

Apple, according to analysts, in order to achieve it’s goal of expanding it’s market and a worldwide presence for product has favoured cost reduction in terms of design instead of it’s cutting-edge features of its 3G iPhone.

The iPhone 3G uses an Infineon Technologies AG baseband chip that supports the HSDPA, WCDMA and EDGE air standards, plus the integration of three separate TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. tri-band WCDMA Power Amplifier Modules (PAMs). 

Analysts’ cost estimate for the new iPhone is at $174.33, significantly less than the $227 for the first-generation, 8Gbyte 2G iPhone in June 2007. 

Analysts believe Apple aimed for a more cost-effective design for the 3G iPhone compared to the 2G, in order to lower the retail price, which will allow the company to seed adoption and to capture maximum market share. 

   

Mobilis launches USB modem with flat-rate data plan (Algeria)

  • January 24th, 2008
  • 12:42 pm

Algerian mobile operator Mobilis has launched a USB modem and unlimited monthly data plan. The MobiConnect USB key is aimed at both businesses and consumers. It sells from DZD 5,000 with a 12-month data plan at DZD 2,250 per month. The plan also includes 1,000 SMS a month on the Mobilis network. Mobilis operates a nationwide EDGE network, with speeds of up to 236 Kbps in the capital Algiers.

   

O2 Seals the Deal: iPhone to Launch in November (UK)

  • October 11th, 2007
  • 1:37 pm

Apple has announced that O2 will be the exclusive UK carrier for the iPhone. The iPhone will hit the UK high street on November 9th. It will come in a single model (8GB), priced at £269 (Nearly £70 more than in the US) and the tariffs start at £35 per month on an 18 month contract, including unlimited data usage.

The iPhone does not have 3G capability, but uses EDGE technology. As the O2 EDGE network covers only about 30% of the UK at the moment, the subscription will also include free access to the 7,500 wi-fi access points around the country that are part of The Cloud network.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with O2 to offer our revolutionary iPhone to UK customers”, said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “US iPhone customer satisfaction is off the charts, and we can’t wait to let UK customers get their hands on it and learn what they think of it”.

“Our strategy at O2 is to bring our customers the best products and experiences”, said Matthew Key, CEO, O2 UK. “The iPhone is a breakthrough that is changing the way people use their mobiles forever, and we’re thrilled to have it exclusively for O2 customers in the UK”.

Internal O2 research is said to have found that 80% of O2’s high value customers want and iPhone. In addition, up to 40% of customers at rival operators said they would be willing to switch operator networks to get an iPhone.

O2 is pitching the iPhone as a 3-in-1 device: “iPhone combines three amazing products - a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough internet communications device with the best applications ever on a mobile phone for email, web browsing, maps and searching - into one small and lightweight handheld device.” (from the O2 website)

O2 is understood to have agreed a margin on the retail price but will return to Apple as much as 40% of any revenues it makes from customers’ use of the device. One other operator described the deal as “madly money-losing”. (Article in UK newspaper the Guardian).

Out of O2’s share also comes a commission and further revenue share with Carphone Warehouse, which is understood to have secured the right to be the sole independent retailer of the device on behalf of O2. The iPhone will also be sold at shops owned by O2 and Apple.

Additional announcements are expected later this week, with strong rumors that Orange will be selling the iPhone in France, and T-Mobile in Germany.

In an interesting twist, the internet was flooded last week with images of an ad that supposedly T-Mobile will be using at launch. However, if true, the German iPhone will be very different from UK iPhone. The T-Mobile version would be 16GB model (the UK version is 8GB), it will be have 3G HSDPA capability (the UK model is EDGE, a slower technology), and will be priced at €499 (about £350).

   

 

 

O2 takes it to the EDGE

  • September 16th, 2007
  • 2:30 pm

EDGE connections are popping up on O2’s network as the company prepares to deploy the 2.5G technology.

The sudden outbreak of edginess comes despite the firm paying over £4bn for a 3G license and dismissing EDGE as a redundant technology, and can only be related to the imminent launch of Apple’s iPhone.

 Mr. Jobs promised a 3G version of the iPhone by now, but O2 seems unable to wait and has decided to deploy the current technology. Most of O2’s network can support EDGE with a software upgrade, so the expense is minimal, particularly if it limits the deployment to London and its environs.

US iPhone users have tolerated EDGE connections, when they can’t find a Wi-Fi hotspot to link up to. O2 already has deals with a range of hotspot providers, and our information is that they’ll launch an unlimited data tariff to go with the iPhone, which could easily incorporate hotspot access.

Deploying a data-centric device using EDGE is something of a slap in the face to O2 investors who supported the company spending billions on 3G, and selling the iPhone will be even harder when it’s on the shelf beside a free HTC-Touch (or similar) which has 3G. Even if punters don’t know what it all means, they’ll spot the missing specification and difference in price.