Wireless Federation

According to a media report, MobiNil, Egypt’s leading mobile operator in terms of subscribers has proclaimed that it might accept a drop in interconnection rates, but that levels suggested by the regulator were ‘not reasonable’. MobiNil states that changes to interconnection rates between fixed line incumbent Telecom Egypt (TE) and itself should be part of a broader package of changes. Alex Shalaby, Chairman of MobiNil, noted, ‘We are in very serious discussions and I daresay disagreements on points of view with the regulator on a drop they are suggesting for interconnection between the fixed and the mobile networks’, and it is understood that the cellco is considering legal action over the ruling. The issue has arisen following a decision in favour of TE by the National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (NTRA) that changed interconnect prices between fixed and mobile networks.

TE had requested that MobiNil drop its interconnection rates to below EGP0.15 (USD0.03) for termination on MobiNil’s network, and EGP0.10 to terminate on the fixed line network, disclosed Shalaby. It is antcipated that MobiNil is ready to accept reductions in the interconnection rates but only as a part of a package including measures in the leased line sector, which the cellco has argued is priced higher than its international counterparts.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

The Egyptian mobile perator Mobinil posts a net income of $97 million, a rise of 15% in Q3′08, higher than expected by investment bank EFG-Hermes, which forecasted a drop to $70.32 million. The telco’s EBITDA rose by 29% to $230.80 million.
Mobinil reported a subscriber base of 18.91 million at the end of Q3′08, a rise of 38%.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Mobinil selects Aircom International to help plan and implement 3G technology into its existing 2G network. Mobinil purchases the UMTS+HSPA module of the ASSET network planning tool from AIRCOM’s ENTERPRISE tool suite, as it seeks to roll out a wide range of 3G services to its subscribers. As well as the 3G module of ASSET, AIRCOM will deliver 3G technology courses and provide a range of training and consultancy services to Mobinil’s engineers, to ensure a seamless integration into the network.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

The Western Union Company today announced that it has created an alliance with Orascom Telecom Holding S.A.E., one of the largest mobile operators in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Orascom Telecom and Western Union plan to work together to introduce mobile remittance services in select markets. The services aim to make low-principal, high-frequency remittances more convenient to the millions of consumers who send money every day.
Orascom Telecom, which was established in 1998, operates six mobile networks with a combined total of 77 million subscribers, including Djezzy in Algeria, Mobilink in Pakistan, Mobinil in Egypt, Tunisiana in Tunisia, Banglalink in Bangladesh, and Telecel Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe. In addition, in early 2008, Orascom Telecom acquired a license in North Korea to operate mobile services.
“Orascom Telecom mobile networks are in areas with high populations of people who have limited access to financial services,” said Naguib Sawiris, Orascom Telecom Chairman and CEO. “We believe this alliance, supported by our current mobile subscribers throughout the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, presents an effortless method to bring financial services to many of the world’s families for the first time.”
Western Union, together with its affiliates Orlandi Valuta and Vigo, maintains the industry’s largest global money transfer Agent network with more than 355,000 locations in over 200 countries and territories.
“As the need for remittances continues to grow, so does the desire for new channels to conduct quick, convenient and affordable money transfers,” said Gail Galuppo, Western Union Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Western Union is already offering this convenience with mobile money transfers from select locations, and we look forward to working with Orascom Telecom to offer this option to their subscribers in the future.”
Several of the countries where Orascom Telecom operates are among the top receivers of remittances in the world. For example, according to the World Bank, Bangladesh received US$6.6 billion in remittances in 2007; Pakistan received US$6.1 billion, and Egypt received US$5.9 billion.
The Western Union(R) mobile money transfer service is currently available from select Western Union Agent locations in the United States, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Europe to Globe Telecom and Smart Communications subscribers in the Philippines.
The mobile money transfer service connects mobile operators to Western Union’s trusted global “hub” for processing cross-border remittances. Once connected to Western Union’s service, mobile operators use their own “mobile wallet” software to enable person-to-person mobile money transfers over Western Union’s global remittance network. The Mobile Money Transfer service enables consumers to transfer money to or from mobile wallets and is being introduced into the global network of Western Union Agent locations for cash-to-mobile and mobile-to-cash transactions.
The agreement with Orascom Telecom is part of the pilot program of Western Union and the GSM Association, a global trade association representing over 750 GSM mobile phone operators, to facilitate the development of cross-border mobile money transfer services.

About The Western Union Company

The Western Union Company is a leader in global money-transfer services. Together with its affiliates, Orlandi Valuta and Vigo, Western Union provides consumers with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, as well as send payments and purchase money orders. It operates through a combined network of more than 355,000 Agent locations in over 200 countries and territories. Famous for its pioneering telegraph services, the original Western Union dates back to 1851. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

About Orascom Telecom

Orascom Telecom is a leading international telecommunications company operating GSM networks in six high growth markets in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, having a total population under license of approximately 440 million with an average mobile telephony penetration of 44% as of June 30, 2008. Orascom Telecom had over 77 million subscribers as of June 30, 2008.
Orascom Telecom is controlled by Weather Investments S.p.a. which also owns Wind Telecomunicazioni S.p.a., Italy’s third largest mobile operator and second largest fixed-line operator, and Wind Hellas, the third largest mobile operator in Greece.
Orascom Telecom is traded on the Cairo & Alexandria Stock Exchange under the symbol; and on the London Stock Exchange, its GDR is traded under the symbol.

About Wireless Federation

Wireless Federation is an industry research conglomerate headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The mandate of the Wireless Federation is to provide its members and customers industry knowledge that can further enhance their understanding of the wireless industry. Wireless Federation conducts bespoke research and produces boxed reports in collabaration with Industry Bodies, Telecom Operators for Issues that revolve around ARPU, CHURN and Loyalty.
They have been associated with more than 225 mobile operators globally to set their Pricing/ Tariff Strategies, Go-To-Market Strategies for Mobile Advertising, Mobile Payments, Cutting VAS among others amongst 59 countries globally.

For more information you can log on to www.wirelessfederation.com

Egypt mobile market has reached a total subscriber base of 33.86million as Q2′08 ends, net addition of 3.01million quaterly and 10.99 million yearly. The penetration rose from 28.5% to 41.5%, seeing a rise of 13% on y-to-y basis. The 9.8% growth in Q2 overpowered the Q1 growth of 6.6%. The annual growth rate of Egyptian mobile market fell acutely to 29.2% compared to last year’s 61.7%.
Mobinil lead the market 16.33million subscribers, adding 1.31million subscribers in the quarter and 4.82million in past one year. Oddly, the market leader Mobinil lost it’s market share to the upcoming mobile operator Etisalat, and posted it’s lowest ever market share of 48.2% and annual growth rate of 59.2%.
Following the footprints of Mobinil, Vodafone also lost 2.7pp of it’s market share coming down to 44.3% by the end of Q2, and this dip came when Vodafone saw a perked up growth of 4.25million in subscriber base, crossing the 15million mark. The operator recorded an annual growth of 25.4%, falling to half since last year.
Etisalat, completing an year in the Egyptian market, had a subscriber base of 2.53million subscribers by the end of Q2, a rise of 94.9% since it’s launch. The mobile operator earned a market share of 7.5% in past one year, rising from 2.6%.

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Green Power for Mobile program is launched by GSM Association that will help interested mobile operators to use renewable services. Bharti, Mobinil, Orange, Orascom, Safaricom, Telefónica, Vodafone and Zain are among the list of operators. By 2012, aim is to power 118,000 new and existing off-grid base stations in developing countries which will save upto 2.5 billion liters of diesel per year and cuts carbon emissions  up to 6.3 million tons. These are not pie in the sky figures, we have taken a very measured view of what can be done and as the underlying technology improves the numbers can go up, said David Pringle, spokesman at GSMA. According to the GSMA Development Fund, Presently only 1,500 base stations worldwide are powered by at least one form of renewable energy. Pringle Further said that there are obstacles which are yet to be overcome. Challenges includes commercial viability, equipment availability and lack of expertise. But as the cost of diesel goes up, environmental interest grows and operators also want to move into new areas interest is on the rise.

Mobinil, Egypt, unviels it’s 3G services. According to the firm, it now has 6,5000 base stations, of which 300 for 3G services and 2,100 Edge enabled. The Egyptian operator has also added switches and enhanced capacity on the network. Nokia Siemens Networks, along with Huawei were appointed to develop the 3G portion of the network, while Alcatel-Lucent and Motorola had built the 2G portion. The 3G services are available in large cities and tourist, industrial and corporate centres in Cairo, Alexandria, Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Dahab, Taba, Safaga, Marsa Alam, Luxor and Aswan, in addition to the industrial zones as well as petroleum fields and business districts.
Mobinil has planned to extend the 3G coverage, for better coverage for all the regions. The company has invested ore than EGP 3.3 billion in its network last year and plans to spend EGP 4.8 billion this year.

Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News

Egypt mobile market statistics reveals that the penetration rate has almost doubled since then to reach 43% in March 2008. The network operators have launched a wide range of advanced services, including 3G mobile broadband. Also Mobinil has launched commercial 3G services over a W-CDMA network covering Cairo, Alexandria, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, Dahab, Taba, Safaga, Marsa Alam, Luxor and Aswan. Mobinil have invested USD749 million so far this year on its infrastructure. Number of active base stations have been increased to more than 6,500 of which 700 offer 3G access.

Operators serving the Egyption mobile market are:

• Mobinil

• Vodafone

• Etisalat

Notable highlights of  Egypt Mobile Forecast include: