Chipset designer DiBcom has closed its fifth round of financing, raising another EUR 20 million. The total funding to date is EUR 60 million. DiBcom has added a new financial partner, Natixis, which subscribed for 50 percent of the round, with remaining funds coming from DiBcom’s global team of investors including 3i, Cipio Partners, Convergent Capital, Credit Agricole Private Equity, Intel Capital, Partech International, SGAM Alternative Investments, UMC Capital and WI Harper. The additional funding will enable DiBcom to further accelerate international growth and consolidate its position in mobile TV markets.
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Denmark-based telecommunications operator TDC has decided to divest its German mobile service provider Talkline to Germany-based European mobile service provider debitel for EUR 560 million corresponding to DKK 4.2 billion. The sale is expected to result in an after tax gain of approximately DKK 3.3 billion. The divestment is part of TDC’s strategy to focus on the Danish and Nordic markets. Talkline is Germany’s third biggest service provider and has in total 3.8 million customers in 2006 including the customers of the mobile discount brand callmobile. debitel is Germany’s largest service provider and has in total 9 million customers and approximately 2,400 employees. The sale is subject to approval from the EU competition authorities. This transaction could mean that the remaining larger German mobile service providers, Drillisch (1.763 million customers in 2006) and freenet (5.12 million customers on 31 March 2007), will be forced to combine their operations to be able to stay competitve.
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French electronic communications revenue growth slowed to 0.7 percent last year to reach EUR 41 billion, according to French telecommunications regulator Arcep. The body has published its provisional industry data for 2006, based on quarterly observatories. Definitive results will be based on the annual 2006 survey to be conducted at the end of 2007 or start of 2008. Key conclusions of the 46-page report include 6.2 percent growth for voice service revenues, 4.6 percent growth in fixed telephony customers and 15.4 percent growth in internet subscribers. The three main segments, fixed, internet and mobile, accounted for 80 percent of the market in 2006, or EUR 32 million. Mobile revenues rose by 4.1 percent to EUR 16.9 billion and internet revenues by EUR 18.6 percent to EUR 3.7 billion. Fixed telephony revenues slipped by 5.4 percent to EUR 11.4 billion.
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US developer of advanced mobile technologies and mobile data products Qualcomm has unveiled a commitment to invest EUR 100 million in European companies offering technologies and services that enhance the global wireless communications ecosystem. Qualcomm Ventures’ investment strategy will focus on European small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups which can serve the 3G (WCDMA) business case in Europe. In addition, Qualcomm Ventures will provide these companies with strategic guidance, advice in enhancing and protecting their innovations, support in standardising their technology, and help getting faster access to global markets. The company’s first direct equity investment in Europe is in Streamezzo, provider of rich media solutions, platforms and service for mobile communications.
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The Serbian telecommunications services market generated revenue of around EUR 1.3 billion in 2006, up around 40 percent from 2005, according to data released by the Republic Telecommunication Agency (Ratel). This accounted for around 5.6 percent of Serbia’s GDP, up from 4.5 percent in 2005. Mobile communications services accounted for 48.68 percent of all income, fixed-line services for 34.70 percent, broadcasting for 10.05 percent, data transmission got 2.52 percent, internet for 2.15 percent and cable services for 1.89 percent. Serbia recorded 2.72 million fixed-line users in 2006, up 7.6 percent from 2.53 million in 2005; with mobile users up 20.6 percent from 5.51 million to 6.64 million; internet users up 32.8 percent from 756,700 to 1.01 million, cable users up 2.15 percent from 530,500 to 541,900, and broadband users up 200.2 percent from 40,500 to 121,600 users.
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Greece-based mobile operator Cosmote reports that its consolidated revenues increased by 38.5 percent during the first quarter to EUR 687.9 million compared with the first quarter of 2006. This was the result of the consolidation of the operations of Greece-based mobile retailer Germanos, without which the group organic growth has reached 12.5 percent. The organic growth was cause by strong revenue growth in all international operations and growth in Greece, driven by outgoing voice traffic, making up for the interconnection rate cuts. International operations in Albania, Bulgaria, Romania and Macedonia account for approximately 31percent of Group revenues excluding Germanos. Cosmote’s Q1 EBIITDA grew 12.7 percent to EUR 215.2 million and the net profit remained effectively flat at EUR 74.7 million, due to increased financial expenses and 15.2 percent higher depreciation and amortisation charges. Cosmote Group’s customer base has exceeded 12.2 million, a 38.3 percent increase from a year ago and well on target to exceed 15 million in 2009.
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The European Parliament, in its plenary session in Strasbourg, voted with a strong majority in favour of an EU Regulation to substantially reduce the charges for using mobile phones abroad. It will now enter into force before EU citizens enjoy their summer holidays. In July 2006, the European Commission proposed an EU Regulation to reduce mobile roaming charges within the EU by up to 70 percent. The EU Regulation approved by the European Parliament will, as from this summer, cap mobile roaming charges both among mobile operators and for consumers, while encouraging competition below these price caps. These price caps (will be further reduced in 2008 and 2009. From this summer, the maximum tariff for calling while abroad in an EU country will be EUR 0.49 per minute and will be lowered to EUR 0.46 in 2008 and to EUR 0.43 in 2009. The maximum tariff for receiving calls is EUR 0.24 per minute this summer and will be EUR 0.22 per minute in 2008 and EUR 0.19 in 2009. The maximum inter-operator tariff is EUR 0.30 per minute from this summer and will decrease to EUR 0.28 in 2008 and EUR 0.26 in 2009. All tariffs are without VAT. Following a political agreement achieved last week between the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission, the Council of EU Telecom Ministers is expected to endorse the EU Roaming Regulation on 7 June. The EU Roaming Regulation will then become directly applicable law throughout all 27 EU Member States following its publication in the EU’s Official Journal, expected by mid-June.
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German cable network operator Unity Media has decided to drop its existing regional brands ish in Hessen, iesy in North Rhine Westphalia and Tele Columbus West in both states. Instead all 5 million households in both states will become customers of Unitymedia. The new brand will be launched on 5 June and offer sharp-priced bundles of TV, telephony and broadband internet services. For example, Unity3play offering digital TV, broadbband internet up to 6 Mbps and a telephony connection for EUR 30 per month.
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Belgian mobile operator Mobistar has signed an agreement for the take-over of the Luxembourgian mobile telephone operator VOXmobile. In December 2006 the shareholders of VOXmobile authorised a business bank to investigate the strategic options for the company. After the approval of its board of directors Mobistar made a binding take-over offer, that was accepted by VOXmobile. Mobistar buys 90 percent of the VOXmobile shares for EUR 80.3 million. This amount equals proportional the estimated value of the company minus its debts after capitalisation of the shareholders loans. VOXmobile is a Luxembourgian telecom operator that supplies mobile and fixed services for telephony and internet. The company has a licence for GSM 900/1800, UMTS and fix telephony and exploits its own network. In 2006 VOXmobile realised a turnover of EUR 27.673 million and a net loss off EUR 5.75 million. The shareholders of VOXmobile are BIP Investment Partners and Audiolux, who each own 37.5 percent and BIKO, an investment company owned of amongst others by its founders Jean-Claude Bintz and Pascal Koster, for the remaining quarter. With this take-over Mobistar is looking for geographic expansion and extra growth. VOXmobile will continue to exist as a separate entity and will continue to use its own infrastructure and means. The agreement stipulates a continuity of the present management who remains shareholder of 10 percent of the capital. The closing date of the transaction is foreseen for 2 July 2007 at the latest.
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Greek mobile operator Cosmote has launched a new series of business packages to respond fully to the specialised needs of its corporate customers for integrated communications services at affordable prices. It has unveiled six new Cosmote Business Plus packages. Cosmote Business Plus offers flat-rate for calls to mobile networks and low fees for fixed-line and inter-company calls for EUR 7 a month; Business Plus offers 100 free minutes a month for EUR 17.50 a month; Business Plus 200 offers 200 minutes a month free airtime for EUR 28 a month; Business Plus 300 offers 300 free minutes of airtime for EUR 39 a month; Business Plus 600 offers 600 free minutes for EUR 72 a month; and Business Plus 1000 offers 1,000 free minutes for EUR 114 a month. Cosmote has also launched the Cosmote Business to Fixed service, offering customers free airtime for calls to fixed networks at a small extra monthly fee. For between EUR 10 and EUR 12 extra a month, Cosmote Business Plus customers will get up to 1,000 free minutes for calls to fixed national networks.
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DiBcom attracts investment of EUR 20 million
