www.WirelessFederation.com/news:ProInversion, Peru’s agency for promoting private investment, has reportedly confirmed 30 June as the date for the award of 25MHz of spectrum in the 1900MHz band. The government is believed to be expecting to raise USD150 million from the sale of the 20-year concession period. Today is the last date for companies to present prequalification documents and technical and economic bids is 30 April; companies have until 7 May to clear up any inquiries from ProInversion about their proposals with the final list of prequalified companies made public on 26 June.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: From the second half of 2009, a variety of the GPS-enabled Smartphones on offer from T-Mobile Deutschland GmbH will be equipped with MobileNavigator 7 navigation software. This will allow Smartphones with integrated GPS-receivers to be transformed into hand-held navigation systems. With their strategic cooperation, T-Mobile and NAVIGON are ushering in a new era in mobile-phone navigation.
This will allow Smartphones with integrated GPS-receivers to be transformed into hand-held navigation systems. This will be available exclusively with NAVIGON software within T-Mobile sales channels – in a package combining attractive accessories and convenient services.
“We want to offer our customers a first-rate, convenient mobile-navigation experience,” said Philipp Humm, divisional manager for sales of Deutsche Telekom in Germany. “Therefore, we put particular emphasis on finding a partner who is able to provide reliable, proven and professional navigation software for all mobile platforms. That’s why we’ve chosen to work with NAVIGON – one of the leading providers of navigation systems.”
“We had always said that 2009 would be a crucial year for mobile-phone navigation. That’s why we are so delighted to have found a first-class partner in T-Mobile, offering us whole new possibilities for the use of mobile navigation and for providing access to mobile services,” said Egon Minar, chairman of NAVIGON AG. “This strategic partnership is one of a kind. It is a milestone for the market, and will provide great impetus for the area of mobile-phone navigation. We, as one of the leading companies in the navigation market, are now joining forces with the largest German mobile-phone service provider.”
About NAVIGON:
NAVIGON AG is a world-leading manufacturer of navigation systems. With its own portable navigation systems, and thanks to its partnership with reputable consumer electronics manufacturers, NAVIGON stands for high-quality GPS navigation on pocket PCs, PNDs and mobile phones. NAVIGON also provides professional navigation solutions such as driver-assistance features for the automotive OEM market. NAVIGON was founded in 1991, and employs over 400 workers in locations in Asia, Europe and North America. – NAVIGON. And the world is yours.
About T-Mobile:
T-Mobile provides the mobile-phone services of Deutsche Telekom AG. With over 39 million customers, T-Mobile is the market leader in Germany. T-Mobile International AG is one of the world-leading mobile-phone service providers, with more than 110 million customers in Europe and the USA. Future development programmes are focusing on mobile broadband services with innovative language and data services – in effect, “web&walk”, which is to provide mobile access to the open Internet.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
According to Vodafone, it has completed its launch of 3G coverage to towns north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and the Coromandel Peninsula, a month ahead of schedule. The telco further said that it is still on track to “extend 3G coverage to 97% of the places New Zealanders live, work and play by 31 May 2009”. Recently, Vodafone made an announcement that it would complete its “XT” 3G network, also with 97% coverage, by May 13.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: MTN, South African mobile operator is reportedly eyeing a 60% shares in Telecel Zimbabwe. “We have always said we are looking for value-enhancing opportunities and Zimbabwe presents us with one. Zimbabwe is our neighbour sitting there waiting. The Government is embarking on a reinvention of itself and has opened up to South African companies to go in and operate there,” MTN spokeswoman Nozipho January-Bardill, reportedly said. She said MTN was likely to enter through acquisition of an existing operator or applying for a new licence. MTN had raised its visibility in Zimbabwe and had shown people the services it could offer.
“MTN has taken risks in much poorer countries and from what we are seeing there seems to be a commitment to grow and redevelop the economy,” January-Bardill said. The three mobile operators serving Zimbabwean market is Econet, NetOne and Telecel, but failed to serve it adequately.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Telco CallPlus has inked a wholesaling deal with Vodafone to offer mobile phones in New Zealand. Under the agreement, CallPlus will go live as a MVNO in August, operating of Vodafone’s network.
Mark Callander, general manager of CallPlus’ Slingshot brand, said the mobile deal built on an established wholesale relationship in the broadband market.
“We’ve managed to get a deal that will work for both parties,” he said.
The wholesale deals establish a common point wherein the network customers are able to create a point of difference – both on pricing and service – from the network operator.
Callander is confident of CallPlus deal that will enable it to offer a range of services not available in the market. He said that was not the case with the first deal tabled by Vodafone when it began offering MVNO contracts in 2007. Callander said the combination of a better relationship with Vodafone and the impending competition from Telecom’s XT Network had improved the deal on offer. Callander said the company would look to bundle the mobile service with its fixed-line and broadband offers.
“We’re fairly aggressive in terms of pricing models and pricing structures. We do things differently,” Callander said. “We wouldn’t have signed up for a deal that didn’t enable us to innovate because we see no value in just being a ‘me too’ reseller.”
Along with CallPlus, Vodafone has also inked deals with Australian telco M2, plus Orcon and Compass, which are due to launch later this year.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Virgin Mobile, the Indian mobile service provider, has launched VJazz music phone, which offers unlimited downloads of music tracks for one year. The handset is priced at INR 4250 and features a 1.3 megapixel camera, 1000 SMS and phonebook storage space. The handset is being offered with a 1GB SSD card.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: France Telecom (FT) has posted a drop of 4.4% in the first quarter profit. The drop is driven by costs related to buying programme content for its new TV service in France. EBITDA of the group plunged from EUR4.63 billion (USD6.04 billion) in Q1 2008 to EUR4.3 billion a year later, on sales which drop 2.6% to EUR12.69 billion from EUR13 billion. The revenue figure didn’t meet the estimated figure which was less than the EUR12.84 billion.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Bharti Airtel is considered to form a Joint Venture with Alcatel-Lucent which will result in the latter managing Airtel’s network for the entire fixed line operations including broadband and value added services. The value of deal is estimated to be in the range of $ 200-300 million spread over two years. The operator has reportedly taken in-principle decision on the issue.
On 04.30.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Etisalat, country’s largest mobile operator, will be fined Dh400,000 for failure to comply with fair-competition rules demanded by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).
The country’s two operators were asked to introduce carrier pre-selection service, which enables landline telecom users to choose between the operators.
According to the regulator, the deadline was given to both the operators in June’08, the deadline which Etisalat failed to fulfill.
It was last month that TRA fined Etisalat Dh200, 000 and issued a new deadline of April 16, which also remained unfulfilled. The fine has since been doubled to Dh400, 000 and a new deadline of May 16 has been set. The regulator said the fine would continue to be doubled for each month of non-compliance.
Etisalat said it had upgraded 70% of its network to enable carrier pre-select, while the remaining 30% allows the service to be used with special dialing codes or devices.
“They decided unilaterally that they will not go with the full system. It was unacceptable to us. We believe it will lock competition in the fixed-line service because the second operator cannot launch a service in islands of geographical locations,” Mohammad Al Ganem, director-general of TRA said.