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AIRCOM and mcel together to update 3G in Mozambique

  • November 18th, 2008
  • 8:33 am

AIRCOM International, the leading independent network planning and optimisation consultancy, today announced that it is working with Mozambique operator mcel to support the update of the mcel planning tools for 2G and 3G networks.
In a deal worth USD$ one million, mcel will use AIRCOM’s market-leading network planning and optimisation tools ASSET and OPTIMA to plan and manage its new 3G UMTS network, which is currently being deployed.

Commenting on the new agreement, mcel Chief Operations Officer Luis Mhula said, “We already enjoy a long-standing and productive relationship with AIRCOM for our existing network planning and management needs. Now, as mcel introduces 3G into Mozambique, we’re delighted to once again work with AIRCOM - the quality of its tools and the expertise of its consultants makes AIRCOM the natural partner of choice at this exciting time.”

Using the AIRCOM tools, mcel will not only be able to accurately plan the new network implementation, but also monitor its ongoing performance quickly and easily. In addition, as part of the agreement, AIRCOM will carry out measurement and model-tuning, to identify optimal configurations for specific network traffic requirements and conditions.

AIRCOM will also provide support and training for mcel engineering teams as they make the transition from GPRS to 3G.

“We’re delighted that mcel has once again decided to work with AIRCOM for such a momentous project,” said Graham Kemp, Managing Director, Africa at AIRCOM International. “mcel’s decision to once again use AIRCOM’s tools and consultancy is testament to the high quality of service that we provide to all of our customers around the world.”

About AIRCOM International

AIRCOM is an independent provider of network and data management tools and services. The company specialises in end-to-end network planning, sharing, outsourcing and OSS optimisation for IP and cellular networks.

Headquartered in the UK with offices in 18 countries, AIRCOM has more than 10 years’ experience across 131 countries for over half the world’s mobile operators, including more than 3.5 million man hours working on 3G networks alone. Every day 19 out of the 20 top global operators depend upon AIRCOM’s tools and consultants to improve the coverage and customer experience for more than 1.1 billion subscribers.

AIRCOM continues to grow its customer base each year, offering advice, training and support services, backed by high performance tools designed to deliver real benefits for both subscribers and operators.

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.

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Zain plans network expansion in Africa and Middle East

  • November 7th, 2008
  • 8:24 am

Accoring to Zain CEO Saad Al Barrak, the company is looking to expand its network in Africa and Middle East by making nearly five acquisitions by 2010, worth US$4 billion.
“We are focusing now on our priority in the Middle East and Africa, where we want to become the absolute number one,” he said.
Zain, which operates in 22 countries plans to expand its roots further to six African nations Cote D’Ivoire, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, South Africa and Zimbabwe and Yemen and Syria in the Middle East.
Al Barrak, looking at the global financial crunches, says that Zain will either buy majority stakes or acquire licences.
Al Barrak additionally said that Zain also plans to spend $2.5 billion in 2009 on network upgradation and investments.

   

Batelco gives it’s subscribers, ‘Batelco World Freedom’ (Bahrain)

  • September 26th, 2008
  • 5:26 am

Batelco (Bahrain Telecommunications Company) introduces a new service for it’s subscribers, ‘Batelco World Freedom’. This new service will allow it’s subscribers to recieve free incoming calls from across the world in 21 nations. Subscribers who roam in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Algeria, Norway, Luxemburg, Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Albania, Armenia, Bosnia, Croatia, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Mozambique, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia will be able to use the service.

   

Portugal Telecom eyes Mozambican mobile market, awaits for the third licence (Mozambique, Portugal)

  • September 23rd, 2008
  • 5:22 am

The Portugal’s telco, Portugal Telecom is eyeing the mobile market in Mozambique and looking forward for an entry as and when the government decides for the third mobile licence. The operator is in advanced talks with the Mozambican authorities for investment expansion in the country. PT already owns 50% of the country’s main ISP, Teledata, and has a stake in directories publisher LTM. ‘We are negotiating with the government our plans to expand investments in Mozambique, and one of the areas is mobile phone business,’ said PT’s chief executive Zeinal Bava.

   

mCel launches bonds worth USD10 million (Mozambique)

  • September 16th, 2008
  • 12:35 pm

mCel, Mozambique, launches the second issue of bonds worth USD10 million. According to the firm, the main purpose of the bond issue is fund raising to finance the investment plan worth USD70 million, including improved network quality. ‘The bonds have a maturity of five years, with the possibility of early reimbursement after three years,’ mCel announced. An earlier bond issue, also valued at USD10 million, was carried out three months ago. mCel claims around 70% of Mozambique’s cellular market with approximately three million subscribers.

   

mCel plans to issue bonds worth USD20 million (Mozambique)

  • September 5th, 2008
  • 11:34 am

mCel, Mozambique’s operator with maximum subscribers, has planned to issue bonds worth USD20 million. The issuing of the bond will be held next year.

mCel is reportedly planning to invest USD70 million in 2008 for network expansion and quality enhancement.

   

Vodacom claims of 34.6million subscribers (South Africa)

  • July 22nd, 2008
  • 1:29 pm

Vodacom has reported a 6.6% increase in subscriber numbers in the twelve months to the end of June, with the operator claiming 34.6 million customers in South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho and Mozambique. The company says revenues for the quarter were up 14.5% year-on-year. Vodacom is owned by Telkom South Africa and Vodafone, though the UK group is looking to increase its stake.

   

mCel to increase prices (Mozambique)

  • September 23rd, 2007
  • 2:30 pm

Mozambique’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, mCel, has announced a 12.4% price hike on its services, effective 1 October. Reports from the Maputo-based Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique say the price hike is designed to ‘over part of the increase in operational costs, directly imputable to accumulated inflation between early 2006 and June 2007.’ M-Cel’s smaller rival Vodacom Mozambique is understood to be imposing a similar price increase. The hike has been approved by the regulatory body, the Mozambique National Communications Institute (INCM).

   

 

PT to create African holding company

  • July 31st, 2007
  • 3:09 pm

Portugal Telecom (PT) is setting up a EUR1 billion holding company for its African investments. The new firm will gather together PT’s stakes in Unitel (Angola), Teledata (Mozambique) and CV Telecom (Cape Verde), plus additional interests in Namibia and Botswana. A report from Thomson Financial, which quotes an article in Expresso, made no mention of PT’s joint venture in Morocco, Medi Telecom.

   

 

MTL connects network to Mozambique

  • July 16th, 2007
  • 3:03 pm

Incumbent telco Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) is looking into installing a cross-border fibre-optic link with its counterpart in neighbouring Mozambique, Telecommunicacoes De Mozambique (TDM). The proposed connection will be between Mwanza in Malawi and Zobue in Mozambique. MTL chief technology officer Peter Boll said the USD25 million project would connect the neighbouring countries and eventually allow onward connection to the rest of the world. ‘The implementation schedule of this project, and main construction works from Blantyre will start during the third quarter of 2007,’ he said. TDM’s Head of Technical Planning Division Moises Alexandre Nhabanga said, ‘This project will improve communication capacity and quality and will allow Malawi to connect through the EASSy cable project, having a landing point on the coast of Mozambique.’ Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) Director of Telecommunications Mike Kuntiya welcomed the scheme, saying, ‘This project is a welcome idea as it will form part of the broadband network that government has been encouraging operators to come up with.’

MTL will also be commissioning a microwave link connecting Lilongwe with Mchinji in Zambia and extending the Mzuzu-Karonga microwave link in northern Malawi to Dar-es-Salaam, the former capital of Tanzania.