Zong launches network coverage along Karakoram Highway (Pakistan)
Zong, the Pakistani operator, launches its network coverage along the Karakoram Highway (KKH), also adding coverage of some of the larger cities in the surrounding northern areas, including Daggar, Chilas, Dassu, Bunji, Sikandrabad and Astore. Zong, owned by China Mobile, and Zafar Usmani, Zong’s chief operating officer commented, ‘We will be covering areas in the northern belt and in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and we are fulfilling every commitment that we had made. The company has been focusing on aggressively expanding its network coverage amid growing demand from people living across the vast and diverse geography of Pakistan.’
Telesur Suriname launches as a Dutch MVNO
Suriname incumbent, Telesur, becomes a new entrant to the Dutch MVNO market. The operator plans to target an estimate of 330,000 with a Suriname heritage living in the country and will work with a leading drugstore chain Kruidvat and Trekpleister for distribution of its mobile services, and will be using the mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE) Teleena for the provision of its pre-paid services to subscribers.
MobiFone inks expansion contract with Alcatel-Lucent (Vietnam)
MobiFone inks an expansion contract with Alcatel-Lucent worth $48 million. Under the contract Alca-Lu will expand the Vietnamese operator’s network capacity to northern Vietnam. he vendor will provide full turn-key services for the implementation of the upgrade, scheduled for completion by the end of the Q1’09. The services include project management, installation and deployment as well as radio network engineering services.
du offers free incoming calls while roaming in Saudi Arabia during Haj (UAE)
As a special service for Haj pilgrims, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider is offering the facility of free unlimited incoming calls to all its mobile postpaid and prepaid subscribers roaming in Saudi Arabia between 27 November -20 December 2008.
Congratulating the Haj pilgrims, Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “du constantly strives to provide convenience of special services to customers on important occasions. Haj pilgrimage is a special moment in the life of all Muslims and the free incoming call facility is a small gesture from us that will enable our customers to stay in touch with their loved ones during this important journey of a lifetime.”
All du mobile customers (Monthly Plan, Pay as you Go and Visitor Mobile Line subscribers) will benefit from this promotion by default while roaming with any service operator in Saudi Arabia. To make the process convenient, there is no registration or subscription involved.
While the du subscriber roaming in Saudi Arabia will not be charged for receiving calls (i.e. no international charges), the caller from outside Saudi Arabia will be charged with the regular national rates in his residence country.
du Monthly Plan subscribers can continue enjoying regular services with the regular rates to make calls, send and receive SMS and MMS, access high speed mobile internet, use BlackBerry® services and video calling while roaming in Saudi Arabia. du Pay as You Go ® and Visitor Mobile Line subscribers can make voice calls and send and receive SMS while roaming with any operator in Saudi Arabia.
Roaming du subscribers will also be able to access their Voice Mail service by calling +971 55 5678161 or du Customer Care by calling +971 55 5678155. For more information about du international roaming, du customers can go to the ‘Traveling Abroad’ page at www.du.ae
About du
du, the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, launched mobile telecommunication services on 11 February
2007 across the UAE in addition to internet and pay TV services in some of the free zones of Dubai. Call Select, the first of du’s nationwide Fixed line services for voice telephony, was launched in July 2007.
Among du’s many firsts is its historic Number Booking Campaign for both individuals and business, Pay by the Second
billing system, Mobile TV, Mobile Payments, first of its kind ‘WoW’ recharge card (which offers customers the choice between more credit and more time) and Self Care. du business offers include Closed Business User Group and
preferred International Destinations.
du’s retail network, currently numbering 24 du shops located in strategic locations across all emirates, was launched on 25 February 2007, supporting the delivery of du services to customers.
du is 40 percent owned by the UAE Federal Government, 20 percent by Mubadala Development Company, 20 percent
by Emirates Communications & Technology Company LLC and 20 percent by public shareholders. It is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and trades under the name du.
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 please log on to www.wirelessfederation.com
VideoEgg extends Engagement-Based Solution to Mobile (USA)
VideoEgg, the video and rich media ad network that guarantees brand engagement, introduced AdFramesSM for mobile, a performance-based ad offering that enables advertisers to distribute invitation-based, expandable video or rich media ads to iPhone users. Nikon is among the first brands to leverage AdFrames’ mobile distribution as a measurable way to promote its CoolPix and D90 cameras and reach highly engaged consumers.
The growth of 3G networks and emergence of open mobile platforms like Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android are driving the creation of 3rd party applications, with almost 9,000 developed for the 10 million iPhones predicted to be sold this year. Consumers are now enjoying a new breed of web-based social, gaming and media experiences using their mobile devices, representing a major shift in activity and creating opportunities for brand marketers. VideoEgg’s expansion of AdFrames into mobile devices allows advertisers to seamlessly extend rich brand experiences across the mobile channel, bringing even more reach to the company’s network of more than 80 million consumers.
The way in which consumers use their mobile phones is changing drastically,†said Paps Shaikh, European MD of VideoEgg. These devices have evolved into complete media environments, opening an entirely new channel for marketers. Our AdFrames for mobile offering builds off of VideoEgg’s strength in creating powerful, cost effective methods for brands and enables advertisers to connect with consumers across any digital environment.â€
Despite years of hype, mobile advertising is still pretty nascent in the UK; text-based marketing dominates,†said Steve Mullins, Media Analyst for Informa Telecoms & Media. The iPhone is the market-changer the sector has been waiting for as users lap up rich-media content. As the penetration of the iPhone and similar handsets increases, we expect to see more and more brands getting involved in mobile video advertising.â€
VideoEgg will offer mobile distribution across both applications and Web pages on the iPhone, and over time extend to other mobile platforms and devices. The mobile distribution channel is offered as part of VideoEgg’s comprehensive ad platform and will be included as a standard option on all large campaigns. The pricing model is based on cost per engagement (CPE), which delivers accountability and unmatched insight into ad effectiveness. Rich media ads are served for free and advertisers pay only when a user engages, providing a risk-free method to distributing highly targeted brand content.
VideoEgg’s cost-per-engagement ad model will likely prove very attractive to advertisers. Not only does it offer an inexpensive way to test the mobile-ads water, it also provides much-needed accountability in a difficult economic climate,†added Steve Mullins.
With digital being such an accountable media, cost-per-engagement models are something we are constantly pushing. As such we love the idea of extending the AdFrames offering across multiple digital platforms,†said Damien Hodge, Head of Trading, Mediacom. We are interested in anything that can extend our reach, especially on a CPE basis, and in new environments such as mobile that complement our existing online activities.â€
With AdFrames for mobile, publishers can now partner with VideoEgg to effectively monetise content across this medium. Launch partners will deliver advertisers wide reach across a broad category of iPhone apps such as UrbanSpoon, Yelp!, Movies, iGolf, i.TV, TouchHockey and MarbleMash from top application developers and platforms including SGN, Jirbo, i.TV, Flipside5 and Mobclix.
VideoEgg also announced today that it has been short listed in the inaugural E-consultancy Innovation Awards 2008, which recognises cutting-edge innovation in digital marketing and e-commerce. Award winners will be announced on Tuesday 2 December 2008. VideoEgg has been selected as one of only five finalists in the Innovation in Online Adverting†category: http://www.e-consultancy.com/awards/shortlist.asp.
About VideoEgg
VideoEgg is a new kind of rich media advertising network that guarantees brand engagement. The network is composed of over 80 million uniques across more than 200 leading video, gaming and social network sites as well as social applications, bringing outstanding consumer reach and engagement to its advertising partners. An advertising innovator, VideoEgg was the first to commercialise interactive advertising overlays onto video, an approach that is being widely adopted by the industry. Founded in 2005 and based in San Francisco, with offices across North America, in the UK and Australia, the company is privately held and backed by August Capital, First Round Capital, Maveron, WPP and Focus Ventures.
For more information please log on to www.videoegg.com.
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 please log on to www.wirelessfederation.com
DoT & Govt. calls for MNP bid (India)
Department of Telecom (DoT) along with the Government of India has invited proposal for the licence of Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The service enables mobile phone users to retain their mobile numbers when changing from one mobile network operator to another. According to the authorities, the license would be implemented in each intra licensed service area (LSA). The licence holder will operate the MNP system based on ‘build, operate and owned basis’. It shall take into account traffic study, services to be given, etc. for dimensioning of its Mobile Number Portability Clearing House (MCH), Number Portability Data Base (NPDB) and database query response system. The licensee shall have to arrange all those equipments and solutions (including tools and testers etc.) from time to time which may be required for efficient working, authorities further added.
Moreover, each successful bidder have to pay the entry fee and furnish Performance Bank Guarantee of Rs 10 million and Financial Bank Guarantee of Rs 20 million before grant of MNP license.
Cellular South announces mobile banking services for Regions Bank customers (USA)
Cellular South today announced that it will provide mobile banking services to customers who bank with Regions Bank , one of the nation’s largest providers of consumer and commercial banking services. The new mobile service will bring the convenience, flexibility and security of online banking to Regions’ customers’ wireless phones.
Cellular South, the nation’s largest privately owned wireless carrier, now offers the free wireless mobile banking application to customers who bank with Regions and eight other Mid-South financial institutions, including BancorpSouth, SunTrust, USAA, Wachovia, Trust One, Coastal Bank and Trust, Vanguard and Bank of Pensacola in the Mid-South region.
The mobile banking application is available on both cell phones and BlackBerry devices, including the Curve, the Pearl and the World Edition. The service allows individuals who are customers of both Cellular South and participating banks to view account balances and history, transfer funds and pay bills from their mobile handsets through a secure, PIN-protected gateway.
“More and more of our wireless customers are demanding mobile banking services, and we are pleased that we can now offer the application to our customers who bank with Regions,” said Cellular South President Hu Meena. “Across the industry, people are realizing that mobile banking gives them the flexibility to pay bills, transfer funds and make financial decisions, anywhere, anytime.”
A recent Harris Interactive study revealed that consumer demand for mobile banking among wireless customers is continuing to grow, as 16 percent of U.S. adults say they already use the services, and another 35 percent report that they are open to checking bank account balances and transferring funds via their mobile phones, smart phones or PDAs.
To use Cellular South’s mobile banking feature, customers must have an account with a participating bank, such as Regions, and must enable online access to their account, a free feature at most banks. Users who sign up for Cellular South’s mobile banking receive a secure initialization code and can access and monitor multiple bank accounts from the same application and PIN.
“We’re pleased to work with wireless carriers like Cellular South to bring mobile banking to our customers,” said David Rupp, Regions senior executive vice president for consumer services. “Managing bank accounts from a wireless device fits the busy lifestyle that many of us share and it will make banking more convenient for Regions and Cellular South customers.”
Cellular South has been a leader in wireless communications for 20 years. Offering exceptional service and a suite of mobile commerce applications to customers across the Southeast, Cellular South continues to make the wireless lifestyle easily accessible. Mobile banking will provide yet another innovative mobile commerce solution for Cellular South customers.
For more information on Cellular South mobile banking, visit http://www.cellularsouth.com/mobilebanking. For a list of mobile devices that support Regions mobile banking, visit http://www.regions.com/mobilebanking.
About Cellular South
Cellular South is a privately-owned diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The company accomplishes this goal by providing the most reliable and advanced 3G nationwide wireless voice and data network, offering industry-leading unlimited flat rate plans, and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information on how to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information, visit http://www.cellularsouth.com.
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 please log on to www.wirelessfederation.com
China Unicom to launch 3G trials by 2008-end (China)
China Unicom, China’s second leading mobile operator, announces a launch of its W-CDMA networks trial in seven cities of China. Around 100 W-CDMA base stations will be built in each of these cities and the trial networks will start once the company receives the 3G license from the Chinese government, said Chang Xiaobing, chairman and CEO of China Unicom. The trials are anticipated to begin on 31 December 2008 allowing the customers in Wuxi can apply to participate in the W-CDMA networks and base stations.
DNA introduces ad-funded mobile phone subscription (Finland)
Finnish Operator DNA brings in a mobile phone subscription partly financed by advertisements. The subscription plan dubbed as DNA Mainio. The plan provides users with benefits, special offers and announcements from DNA and advertisers. The charges for DNA Mainio users are EUR 0.067 per minute for calls and video calls, with no call set-up fee, while SMS and MMS cost EUR 0.067 each. For the launch campaign, until end-February, DNA Mainio users will pay EUR 0.049 for national calls and video calls and EUR 0.049 per SMS/MMS. This plan is available at a monthly fee of EUR 0.65. The new service plan targets 3G phone users and aims to encourage them to use MMS and video call features more, said DNA.
Vimpelcom posts a subscriber base of 45.09Mn at Q3’08 end in Russia
Russia’s second largest mobile operator Vimpelcom psts its Q3’08 revenues of $2.84 billion, up 45.3% since last year, driven by a strong subscriber base. OIBDA grew by 36.7% to $1.38 billion, giving a margin of 48.8%. Net income rose by 41.3% to $269 million. Capex doubled since 2007 to $692.9 million from $339 million. Vimpelcom’s Russian operation’s revenues rose by 46.8% in Q3’08 since last year to $2.4 billion. Revenues from the Beeline mobile operation rose 23.2% to $2.03 billion. OIBDA in the Russian mobile segment reached $1.2billion, a rise of 39.3% from 871 million in Q3’07. Vimpelcom, at the end of Q3’08 had a subscriber base of 45.09 million in Russia, generating ARPU of $15.2, up 19.5% from 2007.
