ArmenTel announces imminent launch of GPRS services

By on March 26, 2007 · Leave a Comment 

Telegeography writes…Armenian fixed and mobile operator ArmenTel, which is now owned by the Russian mobile communications firm Vimpelcom, says it has launched a pilot trial of GPRS services and now plans to introduce a commercial service within the next month.

Last week, CommsUpdate reported that the Armenian government had agreed to sell its 10% stake in national telecoms operator ArmenTel to Vimpelcom for EUR38 million (USD50.8 million). The deal will give the Russian operator full ownership of the Armenian PTO, following its acquisition of OTE of Greece’s 90% interest in November 2006 for EUR341.9 million, plus about EUR40 million of debt.

 

 

 

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with , ,

Mobile Cellular Statistics (Free)

By on March 15, 2007 · Leave a Comment 

Mobile cellular subscribers
    Cellular mobile subscribers As % of total
        CAGR Telephone
    (k) (%) subscribers
    2000 2005 2000 – 05 2005
1 Algeria 86 13’661.4 175.5 84.2
2 Angola 25.8 1’611.1 128.6 94.3
3 Benin 55.5 750 68.3 90.8
4 Botswana 222.2 823.1 29.9 86.2
5 Burkina Faso 25.2 633.6 90.5 87.4
6 Burundi 16.3 153 56.5 78.4
7 Cameroon 103.3 2’252.5 85.2 95.7
8 Cape Verde 19.7 81.7 32.9 53.4
9 Central African Rep. 5 100 82.3 90.9
10 Chad 5.5 210 107.2 94.2
11 Comoros - 16.1 - 48.7
12 Congo 70 490 47.6 96.9
13 Congo (Dem. Rep.) 15 2’746.0 183.5 99.6
14 C´te d’Ivoire 473 2’349.4 37.8 90.1
15 Djibouti 0.2 44.1 186.1 80.3
16 Egypt 1’359.9 13’629.6 58.6 56.7
17 Equatorial Guinea 5 96.9 80.9 90.6
18 Eritrea - 40.4 - 51.7
19 Ethiopia 17.8 410.6 87.4 40.2
20 Gabon 120 652.3 40.3 94.3
21 Gambia 5.6 247.5 113.3 84.9
22 Ghana 130 2’842.4 85.3 89.8
23 Guinea 42.1 189 35 85.5
24 Guinea-Bissau - 95 - 90.3
25 Kenya 127.4 4’612.0 105 94.2
26 Lesotho 21.6 249.8 63.2 83.9
27 Liberia 1.5 160 154.5 …
28 Libya 40 234.8 55.7 14.5
29 Madagascar 63.1 510.3 51.9 88.4
30 Malawi 49 429.3 54.4 80.7
31 Mali 10.4 869.6 142.4 92.1
32 Mauritania 15.3 745.6 117.6 94.8
33 Mauritius 180 656.8 29.5 64.8
34 Mayotte - 48.1 - …
35 Morocco 2’342.0 12’392.8 39.5 90.2
36 Mozambique 51.1 1’220.0 88.6 94.6
37 Namibia 82 495 43.3 78.1
38 Niger 2.1 299.9 170.9 92.6
39 Nigeria 30 18’587.0 261.8 93.8
40 R©union 276.1 579.2 20.3 …
41 Rwanda 39 290 49.4 85.8
42 S. Tom© & Principe - 12 - 52.3
43 Senegal 250.3 1’730.1 47.2 86.6
44 Seychelles 26 57 17 72.7
45 Sierra Leone 11.9 113.2 111.7 …
46 Somalia 80 500 44.3 83.3
47 South Africa 8’339.0 33’960.0 32.4 87.8
48 Sudan 23 1’827.9 139.9 73.2
49 Swaziland 33 200 43.4 85.1
50 Tanzania 110.5 3’389.8 98.3 95.6
51 Togo 50 436 54.2 87.4
52 Tunisia 119.2 5’680.7 116.6 81.9
53 Uganda 126.9 1’315.3 59.6 93.8
54 Zambia 98.9 946.6 57.1 90.9
55 Zimbabwe 266.4 668.1 20.2 67.1
  Africa 15’668.7 137’342.5 54.4 83.3
           
           
Mobile cellular subscribers
    Cellular mobile subscribers As % of total
        CAGR Telephone
    (k) (%) subscribers
    2000 2005 2000 – 05 2005
56 Antigua & Barbuda 22 86 31.3 70.8
57 Argentina 6’488.0 22’156.4 27.8 70.1
58 Aruba 15 134.4 55 78.1
59 Bahamas 31.5 186 55.9 57.1
60 Barbados 28.5 206.2 48.6 60.5
61 Belize 16.8 119.6 48 77.7
62 Bermuda 13 49 39.3 …
63 Bolivia 582.6 2’421.4 33 78.9
64 Brazil 23’188.2 86’210.0 30 68.4
65 Canada 8’727.0 17’017.0 14.3 45
66 Chile 3’401.5 10’569.6 25.5 75.5
67 Colombia 2’256.8 21’850.0 57.5 74
68 Costa Rica 211.6 1’101.0 39.1 44.2
69 Cuba 6.5 135.5 83.4 13.7
70 Dominica 1.2 41.8 143 66.6
71 Dominican Rep. 705.4 3’623.3 38.7 80.2
72 Ecuador 482.2 6’246.3 66.9 78.8
73 El Salvador 743.6 2’411.8 26.5 71.3
74 French Guiana 39.8 98 25.2 …
75 Grenada 4.3 43.3 78.2 57
76 Guadeloupe 169.8 314.7 16.7 …
77 Guatemala 856.8 4’510.1 39.4 78.3
78 Guyana 39.8 281.4 47.8 71.9
79 Haiti 55 400 64.2 74.1
80 Honduras 155.3 1’281.5 52.5 72.2
81 Jamaica 367 2’804.4 50.2 89.8
82 Martinique 162.1 295.4 16.2 …
83 Mexico 14’077.9 47’141.0 27.3 70.7
84 Neth. Antilles 30 200 60.7 …
85 Nicaragua 90.3 1’119.4 65.4 83.5
86 Panama 410.4 1’351.9 26.9 75.4
87 Paraguay 820.8 1’887.0 18.1 85.5
88 Peru 1’273.9 5’583.4 34.4 71.3
89 Puerto Rico 926.4 2’682.0 30.4 70.7
90 St. Kitts and Nevis 1.2 10 69.9 28.6
91 St. Lucia 2.5 93 147 …
92 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 2.4 70.6 97.3 75.8
93 Suriname 41 232.8 41.5 74.2
94 Trinidad & Tobago 161.9 800 37.7 71.2
95 United States 109’478.0 213’000.0 14.2 54.8
96 Uruguay 410.8 1’154.9 23 53.4
97 Venezuela 5’447.2 12’495.7 18.1 77.6
98 Virgin Islands (US) 35 64.2 16.4 47.5
  Americas 181’981.1 472’479.8 21 61.5
           
Mobile cellular subscribers
    Cellular mobile subscribers As % of total
        CAGR Telephone
    (k) (%) subscribers
    2000 2005 2000 – 05 2005
99 Afghanistan - 1’200.0 - 92.3
100 Armenia 17.5 320 78.9 25.9
101 Azerbaijan 420.4 2’242.0 39.8 67.2
102 Bahrain 205.7 748.7 29.5 79.2
103 Bangladesh 279 9’000.0 100.3 89.4
104 Bhutan - 37.8 - 53.6
105 Brunei Darussalam 95 232.9 19.6 73.5
106 Cambodia 130.5 1’062.0 52.1 97
107 China 85’260.0 393’428.0 35.8 52.9
108 D.P.R. Korea - - … …
109 Georgia 194.7 1’459.2 49.6 55.2
110 Hong Kong, China 5’447.3 8’693.4 9.8 69.6
111 India 3’577.1 90’000.0 90.6 64.4
112 Indonesia 3’669.3 46’910.0 66.5 78.6
113 Iran (I.R.) 962.6 7’222.5 49.6 27.6
114 Iraq - 574 - 35.7
115 Israel 4’400.0 7’757.0 12 72.5
116 Japan 66’784.4 96’484.0 7.6 62.4
117 Jordan 388.9 1’624.1 42.9 71.8
118 Kazakhstan 197.3 4’955.2 90.5 52.5
119 Korea (Rep.) 26’816.4 38’342.3 7.4 61.8
120 Kuwait 476 2’379.8 38 82.3
121 Kyrgyzstan 9 541.7 126.9 55.2
122 Lao P.D.R. 12.7 638.2 119 89.4
123 Lebanon 743 990 5.9 50
124 Macao, China 141.1 532.8 30.4 75.3
125 Malaysia 5’121.7 19’545.0 30.7 81.7
126 Maldives 7.6 202.1 92.5 86.2
127 Mongolia 154.6 557.2 29.2 78.1
128 Myanmar 13.4 183.4 68.8 26.7
129 Nepal 10.2 227.3 85.9 31.9
130 Oman 162 1’333.2 52.4 83.4
131 Pakistan 306.5 12’771.2 110.8 70.8
132 Palestine 175.9 1’094.6 44.1 75.8
133 Philippines 6’454.4 34’779.0 40.1 91.2
134 Qatar 120.9 716.8 42.8 77.7
135 Saudi Arabia 1’375.9 13’300.0 57.4 77.8
136 Singapore 2’747.4 4’384.6 9.8 70.4
137 Sri Lanka 430.2 3’361.8 50.9 73
138 Syria 30 2’950.0 150.3 50.4
139 Taiwan, China 17’873.8 22’170.7 4.4 62
140 Tajikistan 1.2 265 196.3 16.3
141 Thailand 3’056.0 27’378.7 73 80.1
142 Turkmenistan 7.5 50.1 60.8 2.4
143 United Arab Emirates 1’428.1 4’534.5 26 78.6
144 Uzbekistan 53.1 720 68.4 15.7
145 Viet Nam 788.6 9’593.2 64.8 37.7
146 Yemen 32 2’000.0 128.7 57.3
  Asia 240’579.0 879’493.9 29.6 59.5
           
           
Mobile cellular subscribers
    Cellular mobile subscribers As % of total
        CAGR Telephone
    (k) (%) subscribers
    2000 2005 2000 – 05 2005
147 Albania 29.8 1’259.6 155 82.1
148 Andorra 23.5 64.6 22.4 64.6
149 Austria 6’117.0 8’650.0 7.2 69.8
150 Belarus 49.4 4’098.0 142 55.5
151 Belgium 5’629.0 9’460.0 10.9 66.5
152 Bosnia and Herzegovina 93.4 1’594.4 76.4 62.2
153 Bulgaria 738 6’244.9 53.3 71.5
154 Croatia 1’033.0 3’649.7 28.7 66
155 Cyprus 218.3 718.8 26.9 63.1
156 Czech Republic 4’346.0 11’775.9 22.1 78.5
157 Denmark 3’363.6 5’449.2 10.1 61.9
158 Estonia 557 1’445.3 21 76.6
159 Faroe Islands 17 42 19.9 63.8
160 Finland 3’728.6 5’270.0 7.2 71.3
161 France 29’052.4 48’099.0 10.6 58.8
162 Germany 48’202.0 79’200.0 10.4 59
163 Greece 5’932.4 10’260.4 11.6 61.9
164 Greenland 16 32.2 19.1 …
165 Guernsey 21.9 43.8 19 49.3
166 Hungary 3’076.3 9’320.0 24.8 73.5
167 Iceland 214.9 304 7.2 61.1
168 Ireland 2’461.0 4’270.0 11.7 67.5
169 Italy 42’246.0 72’200.0 11.3 74.2
170 Jersey 44.7 83.9 17 …
171 Latvia 401.3 1’871.6 36.1 71.9
172 Liechtenstein 10 27.5 22.4 57.9
173 Lithuania 524 4’353.4 52.7 85.2
174 Luxembourg 303.3 720 18.9 74.6
175 Malta 114.4 324 23.1 61.6
176 Moldova 139 1’089.8 51 54
177 Monaco 13.9 17.2 4.3 33.6
178 Netherlands 10’755.0 15’834.0 8 67.6
179 Norway 3’224.0 4’754.5 8.1 69.3
180 Poland 6’747.0 29’166.4 34 71.1
181 Portugal 6’665.0 11’447.3 11.4 73
182 Romania 2’499.0 13’354.1 39.8 75.3
183 Russia 3’263.2 120’000.0 105.6 75
184 Serbia and Montenegro 1’303.6 5’229.0 32 63.8
185 Slovak Republic 1’243.7 4’540.4 29.6 79.1
186 Slovenia 1’215.6 1’759.2 7.7 68.3
187 Spain 24’265.1 41’327.9 11.2 69.3
188 Sweden 6’372.3 9’087.0 7.4 63.3
189 Switzerland 4’638.5 6’834.0 8.1 57
190 TFYR Macedonia 115.7 1’261.3 61.2 70.3
191 Turkey 16’133.4 43’609.0 22 69.7
192 Ukraine 818.5 17’214.3 83.9 53.1
193 United Kingdom 43’452.0 65’500.0 8.6 67.3
  Europe 291’428.7 682’857.6 18.6 67.8
           
           
Mobile cellular subscribers
    Cellular mobile subscribers As % of total
        CAGR Telephone
    (k) (%) subscribers
    2000 2005 2000 – 05 2005
194 American Samoa 2 2.2 3.1 17.9
195 Australia 8’562.0 18’420.0 16.6 64.5
196 Fiji 55.1 205 30.1 64.6
197 French Polynesia 39.9 87 16.9 62
198 Guam 27.2 98 37.8 …
199 Kiribati 0.3 0.6 19.7 …
200 Marshall Islands 0.4 0.6 9.6 11.8
201 Micronesia - 14.1 - 53.1
202 New Caledonia 49.9 134.3 21.9 70.8
203 New Zealand 1’542.0 3’530.0 18 67.1
204 Northern Marianas 3 20.5 61.6 …
205 Papua New Guinea 8.6 75 54.4 54.1
206 Samoa 2.5 24 57.2 55.2
207 Solomon Islands 1.2 6 39.1 44.8
208 Tonga 0.2 29.9 178 68.5
209 Vanuatu 0.4 12.7 103.4 64.6
  Oceania 10’294.6 22’659.9 17.1 64.9
   
           
Mobile cellular subscribers
    Cellular mobile subscribers As % of total
        CAGR Telephone
    (k) (%) subscribers
    2000 2005 2000 – 05 2005
  WTI 739’952.1 2’194’833.7 24.3 63.5
           
Source: ITU      

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vimpelcom has closed the acquisition of 90% shares of Armenian operator Armentel for EUR 341.9 mln.

By on November 21, 2006 · Leave a Comment 

Vimpelcom OJSC has closed the acquisition of 90% shares of Armenian operator Armentel CJSC (Armenia) from Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (Greece) for EUR 341.9 mln.

Vimpelcom will also pay the Company’s debts and liabilities worth some EUR 40 mln, Vimpelcom says.

The Services Market Commission of Armenia approved the transaction on November 14, 2006.

In addition, Vimpelcom is interested in the acquisition of the remaining 10% shares of ArmenTel which are now held by the Government of Armenia. But the possibility of such a deal, its terms and parameters have not been defined so far.

Armentel CJSC provides fixed-line and cellular telephony services in the territory of Armenia in GSM – 900 and CDMA standard. The operator’s subscription base totals some 600000 fixed telecommunication users and 400000 cellular subscribers.

Vimpelcom ranks second among cellular operators of Russia and the CIS. It provides services for more than 50 million users. Telenor (26.6% shares) and Alfa-Group (32.9%) are Vimpelcom’s largest shareholders. 44.4% shares are floated on the New-York Stock Exchange. The Company has issued 51281022 ordinary shares and 6426600 preferred shares; Alfa holds the whole preferred stock.

Source-  akm   

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with , ,

Chadbourne Represents VimpelCom in €341.9 Million Deal to Acquire Armenian Telecom Company

By on November 20, 2006 · Leave a Comment 

Chadbourne & Parke LLP represented Vimpel-Communications (VimpelCom, NYSE: VIP) in an agreement with Hellenic Telecommunications Organization to acquire 90% of CJSC Armenia Telephone Company (Armentel).

The purchase price was €341.9 million (US$434.3 million) plus the assumption of approximately €40 million (US$50.8 million) in net debt and obligations. The deal closed on November 16.

Armentel is a fixed-line and mobile operator in Armenia with licenses in the GSM-900 and CDMA standards. Armentel’s subscriber base includes approximately 600,000 fixed-line subscribers and 400,000 GSM subscribers.

Working on the deal for Chadbourne were Laura Brank, head of the Russia & CIS Practice, and Moscow partners Konstantin Konstantinov and Christopher Owen, as well as London partner Charez Golvala and Moscow counsel Evgenia Korotkova.

The VimpelCom Group includes cellular companies operating in Russia and Kazakhstan and recently acquired cellular operators in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. The VimpelCom Group’s cellular license portfolio covers a territory with a population of about 237 million.

VimpelCom is a leading international provider of mobile telecommunications services in Russia and Kazakhstan, with recently acquired operators in Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Georgia. The VimpelCom Group’s license portfolio covers approximately 237 million people. Geographically it covers 78 regions in Russia (with 136.5 million people, representing 94% of Russia’s population) as well as the entire territories of Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Georgia.

Source-  russianewswire   

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Armenia approves VimpelCom’s takeover of telecoms co. Armentel

By on November 15, 2006 · Leave a Comment 

Armenian authorities have approved the sale of a 90% stake in telephone company Armentel, held by a Greek firm, to Russia’s VimpelCom [RTS: VIMP] for $438.9 million, the state commission for public services regulation said Tuesday.

As well as buying the stake from Greek telecoms group Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA (OTE), Russia’s second largest mobile operator, best known for its Beeline brand, will take on Armentel’s debt totaling around 40 million euros ($51 million).

VimpelCom, controlled by Russia’s Alfa Group and Norway’s Telenor, beat Russian mobile market leader MTS [RTS: MTSS] at the tender for the Armentel stake, which will give it 40% of the Armenian mobile telecommunications market. The takeover will be completed by the end of 2006, VimpelCom said.

The Armenian government ceded its right to purchase the stake from OTE on November 9.

Before receiving the authorities’ approval, VimpelCom and OTE had closed the deal, worth 341.9 million euros ($438.9 million).

Armenian Communications Minister Andranik Manukyan earlier said the government will sell VimpelCom the remaining 10% stake, on the condition that the company does not attempt to monopolize the South Caucasus country’s telecoms market.

Greece’s OTE bought Armentel in 1997 for $142.5 million, and has since invested $300 million in the company, whose earnings in 2005 stood at 110 million euros ($140 million).

Armentel has about 600,000 fixed-line and 400,000 mobile service subscribers, and uses the GSM 900 and CDMA standards.

As well as Russia, VimpelCom operates in the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Georgia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

Source- business   

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Government considers selling its remaining 10% in ArmenTel to VimpelCom

By on November 9, 2006 · Leave a Comment 

The Armenian government is considering selling its remaining 10% stake in its national operator ArmenTel to VimpelCom, if the Russian company agrees to the end of the company’s monopoly in the local telecoms market. Last week VimpelCom agreed to buy Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) of Greece’s 90% stake in ArmenTel for USD436.3 million plus about USD51 million in debt. Yesterday, the Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukian, who is managing the sale, said the state would not object to the Russian firm buying the remaining interest if it agreed to remove the monopolies currently enjoyed by the PTO.

Source-  telegeography  

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with , , , , ,

ArmenTel has not been sold – it’s official

By on November 3, 2006 · Leave a Comment 

A spokesperson for Armenia’s Ministry of Transport and Communication says it has not received any official confirmation from OTE of Greece concerning the sale of its 90% stake in national PTO ArmenTel. Tamara Ghalechyan, press secretary to the Ministry, confirmed the operator had not been sold following recent press rumours which suggested the stake had been purchased by UAE-based operator Etisalat. The Russian Kommersant newspaper, citing a source close to the Armenian government, reported that a consortium led by Etisalat, and including investment fund Istithmar, had agreed to pay OTE USD600 million for its stake in ArmenTel. The source said that the consortium won the tender earlier this year, beating off rival bids from Russian companies AFK Sistema and VimpelCom, and a consortium of VTEL Holdings and Knightsbridge Associates. Etisalat has denied the rumour.

Source- telegeography   

Filed under Mobile · Tagged with , , ,

© WirelessFederation, Regd. in England and Wales. All rights reserved.