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Wireless Federation » archive for 'Middle East'

MTN expects H1 earnings to rise by 14.5% (South Africa)

  • August 21st, 2008
  • 6:14 am

MTN, Africa’s largest mobile operator, which operates in 21 countries of Africa and Middle East, said it’s earnings which rose by 14.5% in H1′08.
According to the firm the attributable earnings for the H1 increased between 9.5% and 14.5%.
MTN has been growing it’s subscriber base and recording about 68.21 million subscribers at the end of March’08.

   

Econet Wireless rebranded as Zain in Nigeria (Nigeria)

  • August 5th, 2008
  • 10:23 am

Nigerian’s Telecommunication company which was originally known as Econet Wireless is rebranded as Zain. According to a Analyst, the company wants the recognition in the global market. Zain Nigeria Ltd Chief Executive Officer, CEO Mr Adebayo Ligali, said the decision to rebrand was informed by the company’s determination to establish a global brand which would drive efficiency across their targeted market, create brand equity and improve the shareholders. “The rebranding to Zain underlines our ambition to become a top ten global mobile telecommunications company by 2011, building on our heritage and successes in Africa and the Middle East. A strong, distinctive brand name has always been the prerequisite for any company with global aspiration.

The company aspires to make the Zain brand a top 100 global brand.The brand is part of a process that began when the Zain group bought Celtel in 2005. Since then, we have been developing a new brand and company identity which could apply to all our group markets and which would be relevant and exciting to all our customers regardless of where they live,” he further added.

However, the company is now well positioned to offer the customers more innovative products and services with best network services across Africa and the middle East, adding that the customers will now readily benefit from a respected and recognized global brand that provides them with consistent qualitative service, Ligali, said Plans to expand the comapny to all their operational networks in Africa , this will allow the customers to move across geographical borders without roaming calls surcharge and without having to pay to receive incoming calls, he added.

Globe Telecom acquires Entertainment Gateway Group for USD7.9 million (Philippines)

  • August 5th, 2008
  • 6:10 am

Globe Telecom, Fillipino mobile operator, has announced it acquiring 100% of Entertainment Gateway Group, mobile content distribution group, and it’s EGGstreme unit, for PHP351 million (USD7.9 million). The mobile content distributor offers a range of VAS like music, games, news, information, chat and web-to-mobile messaging to subscribers of Philippines and abroad. It’sforiegn markets include Japan, US, Hong Kong and Middle East.

   

Nokia starts shipments of new N95 (Finland)

  • October 15th, 2007
  • 2:40 pm

Nokia has started global shipments of its new N95 handset, which boasts 8 GB of internal storage. Seen as the Finnish handset maker’s answer to the iPod, the mobile phone includes a 5 megapixel camera, built-in GPS, WLAN and HSDPA access, 2.8-inch QVGA display and a two-way slide format. It also links up with Nokia’s new range of content services such as the Nokia Music Store and N-Gage gaming platform. The device is expected to sell for EUR 560 before taxes of subsidies. In Europe and selected countries in the Middle East and Africa, the N95 will come pre-loaded with the film Spiderman 3, from Sony Pictures Entertainment. The handset also includes a Spiderman message and ringtone, wallpaper and screen saver.

   

Zain selects Intracom for WiMAX deployment in Bahrain (Bahrain)

  • September 12th, 2007
  • 3:24 pm

Intracom Middle East, a subsidiary of Intracom Telecom, has been selected to deploy a WiMAX network for telecommunications operator Zain Bahrain, recently renamed from MTC Vodafone. The USD 10.2 million project will be completed by the end of this month. Intracom Middle East is in the final stage of delivering an ISP network employing WiMAX access technology to enable portable, fixed and nomadic voice and data services over the air. This broadband service will provide wireless high-speed internet and voice services complementing traditional wireline infrastructure in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The project is executed through the use of technologies provided by Cisco Systems for the ISP network and Redline Communications for WiMAX access. Additionally, Intracom Middle East will use Zain’s existing operations and business support systems in the provision of the WiMAX services.

   

Zain Bahrain’s WiMAX network ready for launch at end of month (Bahrain)

  • September 11th, 2007
  • 1:25 pm

MTC Group subsidiary Zain Bahrain (formerly MTC-Vodafone Bahrain) is nearing the completion of a WiMAX network, installed by Intracom Middle East (a subsidiary of Russia’s Sitronics), which is scheduled to be launched at the end of September at an initial cost of USD10.2 million. Intracom Middle East is deploying a WiMAX wireless broadband access network to provide mobile, fixed and nomadic voice and high speed internet/data services. The project involves deploying technologies provided by Cisco Systems and Redline Communications. Dr Ahmed Al Shatti, COO of Zain Bahrain, said in a statement: ‘The launch of Zain’s new wireless high speed broadband internet is the next logical step in our service offering to the Kingdom, as Bahrain has always been the regional pioneer in the telecommunication services arena. We have chosen Intracom Middle East, the preferred technology partner for the deployment of the WiMAX network, based on the company’s proven track record in implementing large-scale projects in the region.’

   

 

AT&T expands services in Middle East (UAE)

  • September 11th, 2007
  • 11:14 am

AT&T is expanding its services in the Middle East, as part of an ongoing strategic investment in the region. AT&T has deployed its network node in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in cooperation with Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) and NavLink, a company in which AT&T maintains a minority shareholding. The node, first announceda year ago, is expected to be fully operational by the end of this year. The advanced data infrastructure from AT&T will allow AT&T and NavLink customers to directly interconnect to STC’s nationwide MPLS network. AT&T will further enhance its network reach in the Gulf with the deployment of an AT&T global network node in Kuwait through cooperation with QualityNet, a provider of data networking services in Kuwait. The companies will work with NavLink to activate the MPLS node during 2008. As part of the agreement between the three companies, QualityNet will host the AT&T global network node and allow them to offer IP VPN services both to local Kuwaiti customers seeking global connectivity and to AT&T’s existing multinational customers. These initiatives to expand AT&T’s network reach in the Middle East complement AT&T’s existing network infrastructure already fully deployed and operational in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. The initiatives also forms part of AT&T’s USD 750 million global investment programme which was announced earlier this year. In the coming months, AT&T also plans to grow its sales and support team based in Dubai.

   

AT&T ups Middle East presence (USA)

  • September 11th, 2007
  • 6:29 am

AT&T announced on Monday that it is expanding its presence in the Middle East, with network node deployments in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and a virtual private network services (VPN) contract across the region with Ericsson.
AT&T is ramping up its services in the Middle East, “as part of an ongoing strategic investment in the region,” said a company statement, released at Gulfcomms 2007.

In cooperation with Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) and NavLink, a company in which AT&T has a minority stake, the network node first announced by the U.S. carrier last year is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2007.

The new infrastructure is being rolled out to allow AT&T and NavLink customers interconnectivity with STC’s national MPLS network.

AT&T also said it is working with QualityNet and NavLink again, to deploy a network node in Kuwait.

The deal will allow AT&T to offer IP-VPN services to Kuwaiti-based enterprises, as well as multinationals looking to expand their Middle East presence, said AT&T.

The Kuwaiti MPLS node is expected to be activated during 2008, and the telecoms giant said it is growing its Dubai-based sales and support team in order to complement its expanded network reach.

The expansion initiatives form part of a $750 million global investment programme announced by the telecoms giant earlier in the year.

The U.S.-based carrier said at the time it planned in 2007 to focus on high-growth emerging markets in Asia Pacific and Latin America, as well as the Middle East.

Furthermore, in a separate announcement also made Monday, AT&T said it has been selected by Ericsson to provide VPN services across the Middle East region in a contract worth $6 million.

AT&T said the deal will see it provide services to Ericsson’s operations in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

“A reliable network, backed by a comprehensive service level agreement, the ability to execute locally and speedy implementation, were all key requirements for us when choosing our network provider in the Middle East,” said Carl-Magnus Månsson, CIO of Ericsson, in a statement.

“We are dedicated to the Middle East as a growth area of our business and feel that this is matched by the commitment that AT&T has made to the region,” he added.

“Through our direct investment in NavLink, partnerships with other key players in the Middle Eastern telecommunications market and our regional office in Dubai, we are confident that we can serve the needs of enterprises in these high-growth markets,” said Tom Regent, head of EMEA operations, AT&T, in a statement.

   
 

MTC rebrands as Zain (Kuwait)

  • September 10th, 2007
  • 2:35 pm

Kuwait-based international cellular group MTC has changed its name to Zain. The group has rebranded its mobile operations in four countries – Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Sudan – with immediate effect, with its businesses in 17 other Middle East and African countries to be renamed in 2007/08.

   

 

MTN grows customer base 20% in in H1 to 48.2 million

  • August 30th, 2007
  • 2:48 pm

Africa and Middle East mobile operator MTN Group grew its customer base 20 percent in the first six months of 2007, to a total 48.2 million. Revenues jumped 69 percent from the year-earlier period to ZAR 34.2 billion, thanks to its takeover of Investcom in July 2006. Investcom contributed 21 percent to group revenue and accounted for 35 percent of the revenue growth. EBITDA increased 75 percent to ZAR 15.2 billion, helped by positive forex effects, while net profit grew 16.8 percent to ZAR 6.3 billion, dampened by the end of a tax holiday in Nigeria. For the full-year 2007, MTN expects a “consolidation” of earnings due to the start of taxation in Nigeria from April and the dilutive impact of the investcom takeover.