France telecom to acquire Ezypt’s Mobinil
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: France Telecom got a green signal from Egypt’s regulator to acquire the assets of Egypt’s largest mobile carrier Mobinil. The decision puts an end to the dispute between France Telecom and Orascom
Telecom, other major shareholder in Mobinil.
Three offers ranging from EGP187/share, EGP237/share, and EGP230/share were made by France Telecom to buy Mobinil shares. The final offer that was accepted was 245 Egyptian pounds per share (€30.15).
Orascom Telecom is now left with two options, either to respond to the decision by selling all its shares of Mobinil and the holding company to France Telecom or objecting to the offer and challenging it through court or another arbitration round.
Meanwhile, the French Competition Authority fined France Telecom with €63 million, along with its Caribbean subsidiary, Orange Caraibe, following a complaint from Bouygues Telecom’s Caribbean subsidiary. In the complain, the telco is accused of thwarting competition in the mobile and landline markets in the French overseas territories of Guadeloupe, Martinique and Guyana.
In other complaints it is also accused of offering fixed to mobile tariffs to corporate clients at rates that were below reasonable costs.
Nauruans make mobile calls and access the internet for the first time on Digicel’s new GSM network
Digicel, the fastest growing telecommunications operator in the Pacific, today announced its launch in the Republic of Nauru.
The President of Nauru, Hon. Marcus Stephen, M.P., made the first call on the new Digicel network at a press conference this afternoon. The President said, “We are thrilled to welcome Digicel to Nauru, offering Nauruans access to GSM mobile telecommunications for the first time.
“Digicel’s launch is very significant for the people of Nauru. It is a truly exciting time and we look forward to the prospect of having mobile telecommunications and mobile internet accessibility in Nauru,” continued the President.
The Government of Nauru is currently working towards the economic redevelopment of the country and a first world telecommunications infrastructure is essential to the continued growth of the nation. In celebration of Digicel’s launch in Nauru, President Marcus Stephen has declared September 1st, 2009 a ‘national holiday’ in Nauru.
Digicel Pacific CEO, Ms. Vanessa Slowey, said, “Digicel is committed to making an important contribution to the growth and development of Nauru economically and socially. Digicel Nauru will provide innovative and accessible telecommunications services that meet and exceed customer demand.
“The wait for the launch of telecommunications in Nauru is now over. Since receiving a licence in Nauru in June this year, Digicel has established a world class mobile network in Nauru bringing 24/7 free customer care, a wide range of new handsets, cutting-edge products and services and competitive calling rates making it affordable for everyone in Nauru to now be part of the mobile world.”
Nauru is full of frenzy and excitement as Digicel’s two-day launch activities get underway. All Digicel customers who purchase a phone will receive $10 worth of free credit so they can start texting and talking immediately.
ABOUT NAURU
The Republic of Nauru is located in the Pacific just north of the Solomon Islands and 40 kilometres south of the Equator. The island is 21 kilometres square and with a population of 10,000 people, who speak Nauruan and English. Prior to Digicel’s launch in Nauru, there was no mobile phone service in the country.
ABOUT DIGICEL PACIFIC
Since its launch in the South Pacific in November 2006, Digicel has become the fastest-growing mobile operator in the Pacific, with current operations in Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
Digicel is the largest telecommunications company in the Caribbean operating in 32 markets worldwide, as well as a new entrant to Central America. The company is renowned for competitive rates, unbeatable coverage, and superior customer care, a wide variety of products and services, and state-of-the-art handsets.
Digicel is the proud sponsor of several national rugby teams across the South Pacific including; Fiji Rugby, Digicel Fiji 7′s and the Digicel Cup, Digicel Tonga Ikale Tahi 7s and 15s, Digicel Vanuatu 7′s and 15′s. Digicel is also the proud sponsor of the Vanuatu Cricket team.
For more information, please visit http://www.digicelpacific.com
Cable&Wireless launches BlackBerry Solution for subscribers in UK
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Cable&Wireless Worldwide and Research In Motion (RIM) today announced the availability of the BlackBerry® solution to Cable&Wireless customers in the UK.
The BlackBerry solution brings together smartphones, software and services to allow Cable&Wireless customers in the UK easy wireless access to email, phone, messaging, social networking, calendar, web, multimedia and other business and lifestyle applications. Cable&Wireless customers will now be able to enjoy the freedom and productivity benefits of using BlackBerry® smartphones to stay connected to people and information on the go.
Customers can take advantage of Cable&Wireless’ FMC proposition when using a BlackBerry smartphone. This allows mobile services to be delivered over a fixed IP network – converging fixed and mobile services onto a single wireless device. Business users benefit from the ease and simplicity of a streamlined data network with one number, one voicemail and one bill. The FMC technology also lets a mobile device act as a landline when the user is inside the office, transferring traffic to the fixed voice network, and costing the same amount as a landline call. When the user is outside of the building, they seamlessly roam onto a national mobile network.
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RIM launches BlackBerry Curve 8520 in Latin America and the Caribbean
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Research In Motion (RIM) today announced plans to launch the new BlackBerry® Curveâ„¢ 8520 smartphone in various countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. The BlackBerry Curve 8520 a new addition to the BlackBerry Curve series – is an incredibly approachable smartphone with plenty of easy-to-use communications and multimedia features to keep you connected and entertained on the go. It is expected to be available starting in early September, with specific dates varying from country to country.
For people who like to be connected, the slim new BlackBerry Curve 8520 provides easy mobile access to email, messaging (IM, SMS, MMS) and popular social networking sites (including Facebook® and MySpace) and features a highly tactile full-QWERTY keyboard for comfortable, accurate typing. It also features rich multimedia capabilities and easy access to music, games and other mobile entertainment apps.
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Digicel launches two promotion, Double the Love & Summer Love
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Digicel, the Caribbean mobile operator, has launched two new promotion for better top up services. The first promotion Double the Love will be offered on Saturday, July 18th, for one day only in retail stores selling Digicel top up across the USA. Customers in the USA who top up their friends and family in Honduras, El Salvador, Jamaica, Haiti and Guyana, will receive 100% extra top up for free from Digicel.
The second promotion will start on Monday, July 20th – and running until Friday, July 31st, Summer Love allows customers in the USA to top up friends and family via the internet with Digicel’s Online Top Up service in 18 countries across the Caribbean and Central America, and get 25% extra credit for free.
Digicel launches new Caribbean plan for subscribers (British Virgin Islands)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news:Digicel BVI has announced Bigger, Better Savings for its subscribers which will allow for more FREE talk on its network. The subscribers signing up for the new caibbean plan will get all local Digicel to Digicel calls totally FREE, effective as of midnight tonight. The Caribbean Plan was introduced June 18th and is available to both Digicel’s prepaid & postpaid subscribers to make unlimited calls to other Digicel customers across its Caribbean and Central America networks for just $49 per month.
CEO, Digicel, Alan Bates, said with the added value of including all local calls to the plan, Digicel is offering Better Choice to all customers in BVI.
We had this in testing over the last few weeks and now it is ready to launch to give everyone Better Value from The Bigger, Better Network,†he said. The Caribbean Plan is the best value unlimited plan in the BVI as it is unlimited to local and Caribbean destinations, all for just $49. This offer is not only available on postpaid plans, but also prepaid subscribers, who can also opt in without having to commit to a longer term agreement. Just dial *134# send.â€
Bates said the thousands of customers previously subscribed to the Caribbean Plan will automatically benefit from this new offer as of 12 midnight and will also be able to make FREE local Digicel to Digicel calls as part of the plan.
Orange Jordan expands its roaming offer coverage
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Orange Jordan, the sole integrated telecom operator in the Kingdom, has expanded the coverage of its roaming retail offer, enabling its Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go subscribers to receive reduced tariff calls during their travel from any fixed or GSM network in the Kingdom.
Mrs. Majd Shweikeh, CEO of Orange Mobile, pointed out that this service comes as part of the efforts placed by Orange to improve its services and offers according to the international trends in the telecom field.
‘With this announcement, we further highlight Orange’s policy of transparency when launching any offer or service. Ever since introducing it end of last year, the roaming retail offer has been known for this transparency and the reduced tariff,’she added. (more…)
Digicel introduces Caribbean unlimited plans for British Virgin Islands subscribers
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Digicel, the Caribbean mobile operator, has launched unlimited voice packages for its subscribers in British Virgin Islands. Subscribers can sign up to the Caribbean Plan and make unlimited calls to Digicel numbers across the Caribbean and Central America for $49 per month.
At a monthly fee of $129, the postpaid subscribers can also register for the Caribbean Unlimited Plan which offers unlimited local calls, unlimited international calls to Digicel Caribbean destinations, Panama, Honduras, El Salvador, US, UK (landline only), Canada, Puerto Rico and the USVI, along with unlimited SMS, web browsing and email access. Subscribers of the Caribbean Unlimited Plan can also purchase the Blackberry models 8120, 8320, 8900, 9000 and 9500 for $79, 169, 299, 379 and 449, respectively.
Digicel intends to launch mobile operations in Costa Rica in 2010
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Digicel, the Caribbean mobile operator, intends to launch mobile operations in Costa Rica in 2010, when the government will award licences to three mobile operators. According to Costa Rica telecommunications Vice-Minister, Hannia Vega, the tender will be launched in Sept’09, with the licence being awarded between March-April 2010.
Costa Rica “is an ideal market for us, we plan to invest heavily in the future to develop a first-class network”, Colm Delves, Digicel group CEO reportedly said. Delves also said that finding money to invest should not be a problem for Digicel. “We are well capitalized, but I am confident that we can raise cash if needed, particularly in a place like Costa Rica”, he added.
Digicel ends fiscal year with 7.1Mn subscribers
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Digicel, the Caribbean mobile operator has ended the fiscal year on 31 March’09 with a subscriber base of 7.1 million, up 34% since March’08. Digicel posted revenues of USD 1.73 billion, up 11% on a year-on-year basis. The EBITDA margin stood at 40%. Digicel in Haiti and Jamaica ended March with over 2 million subscribers. Digicel which was recently launched in Honduras and Panama posted a subscriber base of over 1.1 million, which brought the total subscriber base across 26 markets in the Caribbean and Central America to 8.2 million.
