Atlantique Telecom partners with Thuraya
African mobile operator Atlantique Telecom has partnered with mobile satellite services provider Thuraya to extend its coverage. Atlantique is active in seven countries in western Africa and controlled by the UAE’s Etisalat. It will purchase 30,000 Thuraya SG handheld units, of which the first shipment of 5,000 units will be delivered in August. The remaining quantity will be delivered on a monthly basis until July 2008. Atlantique will get a special price on Thuraya services and start a marketing campaign in its markets for the satellite service. Thuraya said it expects similar deals with other mobile operators in coming months, especially in Africa.
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Global Crossing launches new services in Latin America
Global Crossing has launched a new, expanded range of services in Latin America following its acquisition of Impsat Fiber Networks. The new service portfolio will be marketed under the Global Crossing brand, as the company begins to officially retire the Impsat brand. The combined companies’ nearly 100 products are now organised under eight targeted solution areas. Global Crossing’s new service suites have been designed to address companies’ critical needs by offering accessibility, security, continuity, productivity and collaboration. The new capabilities include Global Crossing IP Solutions, Global Crossing Data Transport Solutions, Global Crossing Security Solutions, Global Crossing Continuity Solutions, Global Crossing On Demand
Solutions, Global Crossing Voice Solutions, Global Crossing Collaboration Solutions and Global Crossing Consulting Services. The transition from Impsat to Global Crossing will be introduced at local customer events through mid-August.
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Vringo receives USD 12 mln in series B funding
Vringo, a specialist in video ringtone sharing, has closed its Series B round of venture capital funding. The company has received USD 12 million in a round led by Warburg Pincus, the global private equity firm. The company will finance for its global expansion as it brings new personalisation and content services to mobile phone markets in the United States, Europe and Asia. The Vringo application, now in public beta, will soon be available on a wide set of mobile handsets including devices made by Nokia, Motorola, SonyEricsson and Samsung. The company will use this investment round to formally launch its product and to expand global partnerships with mobile carriers and content providers. With this funding round, the company has appointed George Allen, a principal at Warburg Pincus, to its board of directors.
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Prexar to acquire Amp’d Mobile assets
Prexar Mobile has agreed to acquire the assets of bankrupt US MVNO Amp’d Mobile. The Prexar Mobile offering is managed by USA Telephone, a CLEC providing local and long-distance phone services. Amp’d Mobile customers moving to Prexar Mobile can for the most part continue to use their existing mobile phones, and will be able to choose from a range of calling and text messaging plan options. Financial details of the agreement were not released.
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Weather buys PPC stake in Tellas for EUR 125 million
Weather Investments has agreed to buy the rest of Greek internet provider Tellas from Public Power Corp for EUR 125 million. The deal gives Weather 100 percent of Tellas and the ability to bundle its fixed and internet services with offerings from its Greek mobile operator Wind. PPC also agreed to continue to rent its network to Tellas and take services from the company.
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Free only bidder for France’s fourth 3G licence
Free Mobile, wholly owned subsidiary of Iliad, was the only company to apply for France’s fourth 3G mobile network licence by the deadline of mid-day on 31 July, writes telecommunications regulator Arcep. Thus there is no bid from Numericable, which recently signed an agreement to use the network of Bouygues Telecom. Les Echos writes that Egypt’s Orascom and Spain’s Telefonica also chose not to come forward, perhaps preferring to form a partnership with Free later or to try to acquire Bouygues Telecom. Although Arcep has until the end of February 2008 to make a decision, it may do so sooner in light of the fact that there is only one candidate.
FCC agrees to open wireless broadband network
The US Federal Communications Commission has agreed to reserve spectrum for a wireless broadband network open to a range of devices and applications. The FCC will auction in early 2008 spectrum freed up by the transition to digital TV. Part of the 700 MHz frequency will be reserved for a new national public safety network for emergency responders, while another spectrum block will go to the open network. The aim of the open network is to allow consumers to use the handset or device of their choice and download whatever content or applications they choose. Overall, 62 MHz in five blocks will be auctioned. Winners will face stricter roll-out requirements than in the past on certain blocks, having to reach 35-40 percent of the population with services within four years of receiving the licences and 70-75 percent by the end of the licence term. The mobile operator industry group CTIA issued a cautious reaction to the announcement, saying while it welcomes certain changes on bidding and licence requirements, it is “disappointed” by the “strings attached” to the open network block, which may limit the number of interested bidders.
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Telefonica strong in ADSL in June, cable operators suffer
Spain’s ex-monopoly Telefonica captured 71.2 percent of new broadband customers in the country in June, according to the latest data from the CMT. In May, it got 61 percent of new customers, said the regulator. Cable operators gained 9.2 percent of new customers, more than half that of May when they gained 19.7 percent and in April when they gained 20.9 percent. The remaining companies such as Ya.com, Tele2 and Orange, accounted for 19.6 percent of new customers in June, compared to 19.2 percent in May. In total, at the end of June, Spain saw an extra 102,472 broadband lines connected, bringing the country’s total to 7.4 million, giving the country a penetration rate of 16.6 lines per 100 inhabitants.
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