Orange Jordan dominates 55% market share in broadband segment (Jordan)
Orange Jordan, a subsidiary of Jordan Telecom Group, said that its fixed and wireless broadband Internet represents around 55 percent of the kingdom’s total market share.
Orange Jordan’s Chief Executive Sami Smeirat told Dow Jones Newswires that they have around 400,000 subscribers in both the wire and wireless broadband.
As per the report, Smeirat said Orange, in which France Telecom (FTE) owns a 51 percent stake, has currently over 34 percent market penetration as far as the mobile services are concerned, or around 2.6 million subscribers.
Jordan currently has three mobile operators, including Zain Jordan, a subsidiary of Kuwait’s Mobile Telecommunications Company, Orange Jordan, and Batelco’s unit Umniah.
Orange Jordan saw growth in broadband 3G services boosting the 2011 bottom line in a sector which has seen a fierce turf war among the three operators and is hit by sluggish economic growth.
KT urges government to end OTT free riding (Korea)
KT Chief Executive Lee Suk-chae has urged the government and the nation’s leading technology companies LG and Samsung Electronics to pay for using its networks, according to a report by Korea Times.
As per the report, Lee in a technology forum held at the COEX Convention Center, southern Seoul, that Korea needs a new paradigm. The digital revolution has changed everything. Despite heavy data traffic amid rapid rises of data-intensive devices such as tablets and smartphones, no one is ready to pay in return for using networks.
He added that if the current situation continues, then Korea will see a big data blackout. This is an expected scenario. There’s no free lunch. It doesn’t make sense to ride free on networks.
The increasing adoption of OTT players such as Whatsapp and Facebook messenger have been cutting into operator revenues, while demand for wireless services has been on the rise.
The report highlights that growth in Internet-enabled devices is giving huge profits to set makers such as Samsung and LG, however, the trend is hurting telecom companies.
Lee said that the network traffic increased 153 times since smartphones came to Korea three years ago. Huge burdens over network investments are weighing on consumers as KT has no option but to collect money from customers to secure cash for the networks. KT saw a decline in operating profit in the first quarter of this year as its latest decision to cut monthly charges for mobile phone plans dragged it down.
KT spokeswoman Kim Yoon-jeong said TV manufacturers are free-riding on its network, while its capacity to invest and upgrade it is shrinking due to worsening profitability.
50.4% US customers use smartphones; Android accounts for 48.5% (USA)
According to a recent report by Nielsen, in March 2012 smartphones as many as by 50.4 percent of consumers in US were using smartphones over basic devices, with Android maintaining its dominant position, accounting for 48.5 percent of all smartphone handsets. Apple follows at 32 percent remaining the single-biggest smartphone handset brand.
However, the smartphone growth in US has been slow in the past three months, with a growth of only 3 percent from 47.8 percent in December 2011. The report also highlights that Asian Americans have the highest usage, at 67.3 percent, using a smartphone device.
Hispanics were in second place with 57.3 percent of the group using smartphones, with African Americans closely following with 54.4 percent. Whites had the lowest penetration of all, with 44.7 percent. A gender analysis revealed that in the U.S. 50.9 percent of females had smartphones, while among men it was 50.1 percent.
Viva Bahrain to offer Samsung Galaxy SIII (Bahrain)
Viva Bahrain will soon be offering the new and stunning Samsung Galaxy S III. Simple elegance marked by natural design. With maximised processing power and seamless performance.
The first 50 VIVA customers that register on the website and pre-book the Samsung Galaxy S III, will an introductory Samsung Kit that includes 1 flip cover (Blue or White), 2 slim cover (Transparent or Blueish – transparent), 1 extra battery and 1 battery charger. All registered customers will have to collect their devices within 24 hours of the launch date.
The Galaxy SIII boasts of an intelligent front-facing camera knows when you’re looking at it. No matter whether you’re reading a book or watching a YouTube video – the screen will stay bright, until you look away. Further, with a 4.8-inch HD display, true colours and ultra-fast response times, the Galaxy S III gives you a vivid viewing experience.
The Samsung Galaxy S III knows when you pick it up after having left it for a while. It gives you a vibrating nudge to tell you when you’ve got missed calls and new messages.
du looks towards MVNO opportunities in Saudi Arabia (UAE)
UAE based telecom operator du is studying the possibility of expanding to Saudi Arabia as a mobile virtual network operator, the Chief Executive Officer said, as reported by BN.
As per the report, Osman Sultan, said that they are open to any opportunity in the changing world of telecom. They keep their eyes open and in this respect they are looking at any opportunity including MVNOs in any country.
As neighboring Saudi Arabia plans to issue three MVNO licenses this year, du is looking at that opportunity, the CEO said. He added that it is premature to comment, even if they decide to bid or not. He added that they are studying that, like they will study any other opportunities.
Nokia unveils new mobile phones for faster internet experience (Pakistan)
Nokia has unveiled two new mobile phone models as it continues to accelerate its strategy to connect the next billion consumers to information and the internet. The Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 have been designed to appeal to young, urban consumers who want to experience a fast, affordable online experience.
Both devices are perfect for communicating across Facebook, Twitter and social media networks. The internet experience is also smooth thanks to the Nokia Browser. This innovative technology allows users to consume less data by up to 90 percent, by compressing websites in the cloud. Both devices offer direct access to Facebook and Twitter from their home screens. The Nokia 112 also features preloaded eBuddy instant messaging service right out of the box, so users can use popular chat services to keep conversations going 24/7.
In common with other Nokia mobile phones, consumers can choose from thousands of apps to download on the Nokia Store. With the upgraded camera, they can now customize their contacts with pictures, and share them with friends via social networks and Bluetooth.
Mary T. McDowell, executive vice president, Mobile Phones, Nokia, said that today’s mobile phone users want a quick internet experience that allows them to discover great content and share it with their friends – but without being held back by high data costs. The new Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 devices combine browsing, social media, apps, world-class entertainment and long battery life to create a great package for young, urban consumers who want to do it all.
The devices all feature a generous 1.8″ display optimized for a great gaming experience. In the coming months, the Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 will bring free 40 key EA Games, valued at EUR 75 if bought separately, including well known titles like Tetris, Bejeweled, Need for Speed(TM) The Run, Monopoly Here & Now, and SimCity(TM) Deluxe. Consumers will be able to easily access the content by clicking on the Games Gift EA icon on their home screen which will take them to the Nokia Store to download the games. Once they have accessed the offering, they will have 60 days to download the games of their choice, keeping the games forever.
Both new phones offer an improved VGA camera for sharp and clear pictures with support for up to 32GB of external memory, enough for more than 6000+ songs or 90,000 pictures. Consumers can tune into their favorite radio stations and share their favorite songs with friends over Bluetooth. The phones have been optimized to provide a long-lasting battery life, with over 10 hours of talk time and nearly a month’s standby, meaning that consumers can stay in-touch and entertained all day long.
The Nokia 110 and Nokia 112 are both Dual SIM phones, featuring the benefits of Nokia’s unique and industry leading Easy Swap technology. This enables users to switch between SIMs quickly without having to remove their battery or turn off their phone. The Easy Swap technology can personalize and remember up to five different SIM cards, giving consumers full control over their costs.
The Nokia 110 will also be available as single SIM versions - Nokia 111 and Nokia 113, with this last one available in Europe and Eurasia only. The estimated retail price for Nokia 110 and its single SIM versions is about $45 and they are expected to start shipping in the second quarter of 2012. The estimated retail price for Nokia 112 is about $49, excluding taxes and subsidies, and is expected to start shipping in the third quarter of 2012.
ED probes money laundering case against Bharti Airtel (India)
The Indian Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam informed the Rajya Sabha that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing money laundering cases against leading telecom operator Bharti Airtel, according to a report by ET.
As per the report, he said that the Directorate of Enforcement is investigating cases under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, involving M/s Bharti Airtel Ltd.
The minister, however, did not provide additional information, saying that it may not be in the interest of the ongoing investigations to provide any further details. The report reveals that in August last year, Airtel was under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate for alleged violations of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
The company had responded at the time, saying that Bharti Airtel adheres to the highest standards of corporate governance and always complies with all the rules and regulations laid down by various agencies and the licensor namely DoT. They will provide all relevant details to the concerned authorities as and when required and will offer full assistance to clarify any concern.
