Netherlands will drop fees on copyrights
The Dutch government said Wednesday that it would exempt digital music players and hard-disk video recorders from copyright taxes, saying the levy, which compensates artists for unauthorized copying, forced many consumers to pay it twice.
The decision comes a week after the largest consumer electronics and computer makers in Europe threatened to sue the Netherlands and three other European countries after the European Commission dropped plans to compel them to cut the copyright fees. (Reuters)
FCC splits on cable rules
A divided Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 along partisan lines to impose new measures meant to ensure that local governments do not block new competitors from entering the cable television market.
The FCC chairman, Kevin Martin, also released a new pricing report that showed rates for basic and expanded cable rose 93 percent over a 10- year period.
Telecommunications companies including Verizon Communications and AT&T have been lobbying aggressively to make it easier to obtain local franchises as each company sinks billions of dollars into its networks to deliver video programming. (AP)
Music site faces suit
WASHINGTON: Sony BMG Music Entertainment and the other three biggest record companies sued Allofmp3.com Wednesday for copyright infringement, asking a judge to order the Russian music Web site to stop distributing songs online.
Allofmp3.com’s business “amounts to nothing more than a massive infringement,” the labels said. The Recording Industry Association of America sued on behalf of record labels owned by Warner Music Group, Vivendi and EMI Group.
The groups quoted the U.S. trade representative as calling Allofmp3.com a “poster child for Internet music piracy.” (Bloomberg)
Rocker loses song rights
PARIS:The French rocker Johnny Hallyday on Wednesday lost the last round of a two-year battle against his former record company for control of his back catalogue.
The ruling by the Cour de Cassation, the highest French court, is a boon for the music industry, which feared the case could set a precedent for granting artists more rights.
Hallyday, whose real name is Jean- Philippe Smet, lost the appeal against an April 2005 court decision that refused him control of his master tapes recorded from 1961 to 2004.
The ruling means Universal Music Group will retain the rights to Hallyday’s more than 1,000 songs even though they stopped working together in 2004. (Reuters)
VimpelCom signs deal
MOSCOW: VimpelCom, the wireless operator that sponsored Madonna’s first concert in Russia, signed an agreement with Universal Music Group to offer content like ring tones to subscribers in former Soviet countries.
The accord with Universal Music Russia, a unit of the world’s largest music record company, comes as VimpelCom and its competitors, Mobile TeleSystems and MegaFon, look for new services in a saturated market.
VimpelCom also has an arrangement for content with Warner Music International. (Bloomberg)
Telekom Austria, the largest Austrian telephone operator, said it had agreed to acquire eTel, a phone company with operations in its home market and four East European countries, for €90 million, or $118 million, in cash. (Bloomberg)
Juniper Networks, a maker of equipment that directs internet traffic, said that it would record about $900 million in expenses dating to 1999 to reflect backdated stock options grants that were given to officials including the chief executive, Scott Kriens. (Bloomberg)
Source- iht Wireless Mobile Telecom
Nokia Wins Over EUR 320 Million GSM/GPRS/EDGE Network Expansion Contract With MegaFon in Russia
Nokia (Nachrichten/Aktienkurs) has won a major GSM/GPRS/EDGE network expansion contract from leading Russian operator MegaFon that will see it deliver both radio and core equipment as well as a range of services, helping MegaFon deliver advanced mobile solutions to its fast-growing subscriber base. The value of the agreement is over EUR 320 million, and equipment deliveries have already begun.
“The Russian mobile communications market is no longer driven by price competition but instead network quality. Mobile leadership will be taken by those who now take measures to create a solid foundation for maintaining high quality of services. Our cooperation with Nokia means that MegaFon prepares for the future and takes the required steps towards network development,” said Sergey Soldatenkov, CEO, OAO MegaFon.
“The Russian market is extremely important for Nokia and we are pleased to extend our strategic cooperation with MegaFon, one of the leading players in this rapidly growing mobile arena,” said Jonathan Sparrow, General Director, Networks, Nokia, Russia. “A further demonstration of our commitment to the Russian market is the increased service support capabilities in the regions where we work with MegaFon.”
Nokia will supply radio and core network equipment including its mobile softswitching and IP Multimedia Subsystem solution (IMS) for fixed and mobile. The frame agreement also includes Nokia’s multivendor, multi-technology NetAct(TM) solution, which provides operational efficiencies and OPEX savings for MegaFon’s network. The very same platform also provides support for future technologies like WCDMA 3G.
Nokia is also supplying a range of services including project management, installation and relocation services for the fast ramp-up of the network, care services, and software maintenance and training services to keep the network running at peak performance. The contract, an extension of an existing agreement signed by the companies in 2003 and valid for supplies in 2006 – 2007, covers North-Western and Central Russia as well as Northern Caucasus.
About MegaFon
OAO “MegaFon” is the first all-Russian mobile operator in GSM 900/1800 standard. The company was founded in May 2002 as a result of renaming and reorganization of Open Joint Stock Company “North-West GSM” and integration under one brand with ZAO “Sonic Duo” (Moscow), ZAO “Mobicom-Kavkaz”, ZAO “Mobicom-Centre”, ZAO “Mobicom-Novosibirsk”, ZAO “Mobicom-Khabarovsk”, ZAO “Mobicom-Kirov”, OAO “MSS-Povolzhie”, ZAO “Volzhsky GSM” and ZAO “Uralsky GSM”. Major stockholhers of OAO MegaFon are OAO “Telecominvest”, OOO “CT-Mobile”, Sonera (Finland) and Telia (Sweden). OAO MegaFon license area covers 100% of Russia’s territory — all 89 RF subject with the population of 145 mln. Currently the number of the Company’s subscribers exceeds 23 mln.
Source- finanznachrichten Wireless Mobile Telecom
Tesco, O2 to launch mobile service in Ireland
Tesco Plc and cell-phone group O2 said on Tuesday their Irish units would launch a 50:50 joint venture next year to sell Tesco-branded mobile services in Ireland.
The two groups said the joint venture, called Tesco Mobile, would launch next summer, becoming the fifth mobile operator in an already saturated Irish mobile market.
Ireland’s mobile market is ripe for the entry of new operators as it has the highest revenues per user anywhere in Europe. O2 last month reported an average revenue per user (ARPU) figure of 545 euros (366 pounds) a year at its Irish business, compared with 299 euros in Germany and 272 pounds in Britain.
Tesco Mobile will be Ireland’s first mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) — operators that don’t own their own networks and instead rent capacity on others’ networks.
The company will use O2′s network infrastructure in Ireland and Tesco’s distribution network of 82 stores.
Tesco and O2, which is now owned by Spanish telecoms group Telefonica, already have a similar joint venture in Britain which has over a million customers.
Tesco Mobile will initially sell Tesco-branded pre-paid mobile services at launch. A pay-monthly service will be offered later.
The two groups did not say how many customers the new venture hoped to sign up, but the service is expected to target cost-conscious Tesco family shoppers who need a cut-price service without fancy handsets.
“The launch of Tesco mobile next year will bring new competition to the market and enable us to provide an excellent quality, value for money product for customers throughout the country,” Tony Keohane, chief executive of Tesco Ireland, said in a statement.
Source- uk.news.yahoo Wireless Mobile Telecom
Portugal\’s AdC to clear Sonaecom bid for Portugal Telecom today – reports
AdC chairman Abel Mateus is expected to green light the biggest M&A deal ever in Portugal at a press conference scheduled for 4 pm.
Separately, Diario de Noticias said the conditions set by the AdC are likely to be in line with earlier reports.
Sonaecom will have to sell some mobile frequencies after the merger, sell mobile antenna sites and assure that mobile service prices will be similar to those of new mobile operators, the paper adds without quoting sources.
Additionally, Sonaecom will have to sell off either Portugal Telecom’s fixed line telephone network or its cable system.
Source- sharewatch Wireless Mobile Telecom
WWE(R) Signs Mobile Deals
World Wrestling Entertainment® has signed new content agreements with: communications company Orange, Britain’s third-largest network operator; Heylife, a mobile, Internet and TV content producer and distributor based in Portugal; and German broadcaster Tele5, which currently airs weekly installments of WWE’s television program, SmackDown®.
Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE – News), can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
Trademarks: All World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, and logos are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include the conditions of the markets for live events, broadcast television, cable television, pay-per-view, Internet, entertainment, professional sports, and licensed merchandise; acceptance of the Company’s brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to litigation; risks associated with producing live events both domestically and internationally; uncertainties associated with international markets; risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television distribution agreements; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, our dividend is based on a number of factors, including our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan, our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends and such other factors as our board of directors may consider relevant.
Source- biz.yahoo Wireless Mobile Telecom
Voda makes India mobile bid
THE world’s largest mobile phone company, Vodafone Group, is set to enter a bidding war to buy Indian mobile firm Hutchison Essar, a newspaper has reported.
The Economic Times newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, said the firm was holding talks with bankers to raise cash to buy the majority stake in Hutchison Essar, owned by Hong Kong-based Hutchison.
However Vodafone’s Indian partner Bharti Airtel told the Business Standard it was not aware of any move.
“I am not aware of their plans, but in case they do, I will welcome them,” said Bharti chairman Sunil Mittal.
Hutchison Essar is India’s third largest mobile phone company with around 27 million susbcribers.
Local media reports have said the Hutchison Whampoa stake and a minority stake held by the joint venture partner, India’s Ruia family – which controls the Essar Group of companies – could fetch as much as $US14 billion ($17.8 billion) if sold together.
Earlier reports said that India’s Reliance Communications and Malaysia’s Maxis Communications were also in the fray.
India is one of the world’s fastest growing markets for mobile phone handsets and services with more than 100 million subscribers.
Source- australianit Wireless Mobile Telecom
Global agreement signed with France Telecom
More than 200,000 employees worldwide are covered by a global agreement signed on December 21 between UNI, telecom unions around the globe and France Telecom.
France Telecom Chief Executive Didier Lombard and UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings signed the agreement – which recognises labour rights – in Paris along with French telecom affiliates and UNI Telecom’s global alliance of France Telecom unions.
France Telecom is big across Europe (particularly in France, Poland and the UK) and in francophone Africa and owns the Orange mobile phone company. 80,000 of its employees work outside of France.
The agreement is a major success for UNI’s global alliance of France Telecom unions – headed by Gabou Gueye of Senegal – which has been leading the negotiations with the company. The alliance was launched at the UNI Telecom World Conference in Zagreb in 2003 and achieving a global agreement with the company was a first priority.
This is the second global agreement signed by UNI in a week – a deal with National Australia Group was signed on December 15.
Other agreements signed this year have been with Securitas, Nampak, Portugal Telecom and Euradius. It’s the fourth global agreement with a telecom operator – following the very first agreement with Telef³nica in 2000, OTE and Portugal Telecom.
“UNI has made good progress in building global agreements in 2006 and we will push ahead in 2007,” said Philip Jennings.
“This is very encouraging for UNI Telecom,” said UNI Telecom’s Neil Anderson. “It is a fitting tribute to the work of the global alliance of France Telecom alliances and this will provide encouragement for alliances in other major telecom players, including Vodafone.”
The agreement ensures the core standards of the International Labour Organisation across the group – including the right to join a union and to bargain collectively and freedom from discrimination and forced or child labour. These rights will also apply even in countries that have not yet ratified the relevant ILO conventions.
The company also commits to seek to ensure health and safety at work and acknowledges the importance of access to training for employees.
“To favour the employability of its employees within the company, the France Telecom Group facilitates access to the training necessary for them to carry out their work and for their professional development throughout their career.”
Dialogue is an important part of the agreement, with employees and their unions recognised as stakeholders by the company alongside the State, professional bodies and shareholders.
The role of the France Telecom global union alliance in monitoring the agreement with France Telecom management is acknowledged. The company will meet UNI and the alliance twice a year to review the operation of the agreement and discuss progress reports.
To anticipate and resolve problems with implementation of the agreement, UNI and the alliance will report problems to the company and France Telecom commits to implementing “any measures necessary to ensure compliance with the content of this agreement”.
The company also commits to ensuring that management teams in all subsidiaries are told of the agreement and will also promote the agreement in companies that they do not directly control.
Supplier companies will be informed of the agreement – “Effectively demonstrating the adoption of these principles is a favourable foundation for long-term partnerships”.
Source- union-network Wireless Mobile Telecom
Investors concerned by Vodafone deal
Shares in Vodafone slipped more than 2% today following a report the firm was mulling a multi-billion pound bid for India’s fourth largest mobile phone operator.
The Financial Times said executives at the Newbury-based firm will meet today to discuss whether to offer US$13.5bn (€10.23bn) for Hutchison Essar.
It is thought a bid could be tabled as early as tomorrow to Canning Fok, managing director of Hutchison Whampoa, and Ravi Ruia, vice chairman of Essar.
The move for the Indian mobile operator would be aimed at helping to offset slowing revenue growth in Vodafone’s core European markets.
Vodafone announced on Tuesday it had agreed to sell its 25% stake in Switzerland’s leading operator Swisscom Mobile for £1.8bn (€2.68bn).
Hutchison Essar has around 18 million customers and is owned by Hutchison Telecom International and shipping, steel and oil group Essar.
Vodafone shares stood 2.25p lower at 143.75p today amid concern the company was set to enter into a bidding war with Mumbai-based Reliance Communications.
Vodafone chief executive Arun Sarin is reported to have said the firm is interested in “selective acquisitions” to broaden its reach outside Europe.
However, a Vodafone spokesman declined to comment today on whether a bid would be made or was being considered for Hutchison Essar.
One analyst said a move would be in line with Vodafone’s strategy, but noted foreign ownership restrictions prevented it owning more than 74% of the group.
Last month, Vodafone said adjusted group operating profits increased by 7.5% to £5.1bn (€7.6bn) during the first six months of the year to September 30.
It was helped by a 4% increase in revenues to £15.6bn (€23.3bn) compared with the same period last year, thanks to powerful progress at its Spanish operation.
Mr Sarin said pressures in the competitive European zone especially in the UK, Germany and Italy had been offset by a strong performance in the company’s developing markets.
In August, Vodafone lost the title of the world’s largest mobile phone company to China Mobile, although it still boasts greater turnover.
3 Italia launching 3 Navigator
Wayfinder and 3 Italia are excited to be announcing the launch of 3 Navigator, powered by Wayfinder, on the Italian market on five of their best-selling mobile phones.
3 Italia will be offering a tailor made version of Wayfinder Navigator 6 on five of their best-selling mobile phones on the Italian market. For 119EUR the offer will give a Nokia LD3W (Sirf 3) Bluetooth GPS and a one-year 3 Navigator licence, with free access to the data channel for that period. The user will then have the best of GPS navigation in their mobile phones, with a range of extras including radars and speed traps, information on selected local services and locations of particular interest and much more.
“It’s great to be adding Wayfinder’s state-of-the-art navigation technology to the package we already offer our customers in Italy” says Dina Ravera, COO 3 Italia. “We want to provide an unbeatable service, and in terms of navigation, Wayfinder does that for us.”
3 Italia will offer renewal periods to customers who wish to retain the service after a year.
Magnus Nilsson, CEO Wayfinder says:
“This link-up with 3 Italia extends our expansion across the European market and provides 3′s Italian customers with cutting-edge navigation and positioning technology on their mobile phones. It’s good news for us, but more importantly, it’s really good news for Italian travellers.”
Source- 3gnewsroom Wireless Mobile Telecom
Italian gets 50,000-euro mobile phone bill
They have been billed??? the most expensive films in history: A well-known mobile phone company has charged an Italian man 50,000 euros (66,000 dollars) for downloading three movies from the Internet via his cellphone.
According to a report on Tuesday in Bergamo’s local newspaper, the 30-year-old, who has not been named, thought his Vodafone Connect 600??? subscription allowed unlimited downloading.
I would leave my PC on all night, believing that all traffic was included,??? the man was quoted as saying.
In fact, the plan allows users to download 600 megabytes (MB) every two months, with excess traffic billed at two cents per kilobyte.
Given that compressed movies, on average, are about 600-700MB each, and that each megabyte is composed of 1,000 kilobytes, it is not difficult to understand how the man ran up such an astronomical bill.
The man has asked for help from Italy’s consumer groups, who are advising customers to read contracts properly before subscribing.
