Wataniya launches 3G
Wataniya Maldives has launched its W-CDMA/HSDPA network with an introductory offer of free video calls. Wataniya’s COO, Abraham Smith, said: ‘We are offering this service for free as a special 3G promotion so that everyone can enjoy the experience of video calls. We will very soon announce the commercial rates and tariffs along with our upcoming Wataniya Mobile Broadband, Wataniya Mobile Video Surveillance and Wataniya Mobile TV services’. Wataniya secured its mobile concession in 2004 but didn’t launch GSM services until 2005. By the end of 2007 the cellco claimed over 25% of the subscriber market.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Yahoo outsources Messenger calls
Yahoo is outsourcing the internet phone functions of its instant messaging (IM) programme to Jajah, an Associated Press report said.
Jajah will connect the calls to and from users of Yahoo Messenger and handle billing and customer care, the company said.
Terms of the deal where not announced. No employees are moving over to Jajah.
The deal is an important win for Jajah, which has grown rapidly since it was founded in 2005 in Austria. It is now based in Mountain View, California, and has 10 million customers.
Yahoo Messenger has 97 million users, but the company has not revealed how many of them use the premium Phone In and Phone Out features.
The Associated Press report quoted Jajah CEO’s Trevor Healy saying that users will see no change to the service.
The Jajah brand may appear in some places, along with Yahoo’s.
Privately-held Jajah said it hopes to attract more corporate customers like Yahoo with a package of managed services for voice calls, and is talking to phone and cable companies.
OTE-Deutsche Telekom talks progress
Talks between Germany’s Deutsche Telekom over the future ownership and management of Greece’s biggest phone company, OTE, have made progress, an Associated Press report said.
“The discussions to conclude a shareholders’ agreement between the Greek state and Deutsche Telekom regarding the future of OTE have shown significant progress and will continue next week,” the Greek Finance Ministry said in a statement
The deal faces strong opposition from Greek trade unions and opposition political parties, which argue Greece’s conservative government should not allow foreign control of OTE, the report added.
Last month, Deutsche Telekom announced plans to acquire a 20% stake in OTE, Greece’s former incumbent, for about €2.5 billion (US$3.9 billion), from Marfin Investment Group Holdings.
That deal, however, is contingent on a follow-on agreement with the Greek government.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Alcatel-Lucent reports Q1 loss
Alcatel-Lucent reported a fifth straight quarterly loss and braced investors for a bleak 2008, saying the telecom equipment market will be flat, an Associated Press report said.
The report quoted the firm saying it lost €181 million (US$282 million) compared with a loss of €8 million a year earlier, when results were boosted by an asset sale.
Revenues fell to €3.86 billion (US$6.02 billion) from €3.88 billion a year earlier.
For the full year, Alcatel-Lucent said it expects revenue to decline 2% to 5% due to the weak dollar and lower spending by telecom operators, it’s biggest customers, the Associated Press report said.
It scaled back its outlook, saying 2008 will be a flat market compared with February expectations of “flat to slightly up.”
CFO Hubert de Pesquidoux, speaking in a conference call, blamed the worsening economic climate.
Rival wireless equipment maker LM Ericsson of Sweden last week predicted “flattish development in the mobile infrastructure market” this year, but good growth in the professional services market.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
