China Unicom

Motorola to roll out Android smartphones in China

On 03.12.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Android smartphones incorporated with the Bing search engine will be rolled out by US vendor Motorola in China by the end of this month. Bing search and map functions will be added by Motorola to its Android-powered smartphones, as part of a global alliance just signed with Microsoft. A new widget that also includes the Microsoft search engine along with a pre-loaded Bing bookmark on its mobile browsers will be included by the company.

A new feature on the Android handsets for China was announced by the company in the month of January in the wake of the Google-Chinese censorship debacle. The new article would have enabled the users to select their own search provider, including local search champion Baidu.

The first customized Android device supporting Wi-Fi and WAPI, the Motorola XT701 was launched by W-CDMA operator China Unicom earlier this week.

China Unicom to re-enable Wi-Fi on iPhones

On 03.09.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: With an aim to re-enable the Wi-Fi functionality on its range of iPhone handsets, China Mobile and Apple have joined hands. Initially, Chinese market was devoid of this facility. Some form of compensation is also considered to be offered by the company to existing handset owners in the form of improved 3G tariffs.

Selling of iPhone handset with support for Wi-Fi connectivity by the telco was banned. The decision was taken due to government regulations that favored the home-developed WAPI security standard. However, the rules have been relaxed since then and the use of Wi-Fi is permissible as long as they include support for the WAPI standard as an extra function.

According to Chief Executive Chang Xiaobing, the iPhone in China is priced similarly to iPhones in other markets after calling plan costs are taken into account but people would like to see lower prices and China Unicom will lower iPhone prices if conditions permit. However, any comment as to whether or not the company has any plans at present to lower the price has been denied.

Tagged with: 3G • Apple • ASIA • China • China Unicom • iPhone

Minerva Group emerges top bidder for Nigerian Telecommunications

On 02.23.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: With a bid of USD2.5 billion, the main financial backer of New Generation Technology, Dubai’s Minerva Group has emerged as the preferred buyer for ailing incumbent telco Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL).

New Generation is a consortium involving China Unicom, Minerva and local firm GiCell. According to GiCell’s managing director, Usman Gumi, the company has a firm commitment from its investors and partners, the Minerva Group, that it is working with and also believes that NITEL is worth the amount because of the infrastructure and potential that it has.

A search for a buyer for a minimum 75% of NITEL and 100% of its mobile unit M-Tel had been started by the Nigerian government in July 2009 after previous majority shareholder Transcorp divested its stake earlier in the year.

Tagged with: Africa • China Unicom • Dubai • M-tel • Middle East • Nigeria • NITEL

China Unicom expresses interest in Nigerian telco, Nitel

On 02.23.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: China Unicom has changed its denial in which it showed its non interest in the long winded privatisation of Nigerian telecoms network operator, Nitel. The company has clarified that a UK-based subsidiary has indeed been in talks with other groups about joining a consortium in a joint bid.

According to China Unicom, Unicom Europe has indicated its interest in the provision of technical and managerial support services in relation to the proposed privatization and it has also indicated that, subject to certain conditions being fulfilled, it would be interested in exploring the possibility of equity investment in Nitel.

A consortium, New Generation Telecommunications was named by Nigerian govt last week as the preferred bidder for the 75% stake in the dominant landline operator. However, it was later clarified that China Unicom’s UK subsidiary might take a 20% stake, although it was not clear if that was 20% of the consortium, or 20% of Nitel.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • China • China Unicom • consortium • Europe • Nigeria • NITEL • operator • UK

China Unicom denies involvement in Nigeria telcom sale

On 02.18.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The denial of China Unicom’s involvement in a $2.5 billion bid for Nigeria’s former state telecoms monopoly by the company has shadowed the African country’s biggest privatization bid. China Unicom made it clear in a statement that there is no involvement of this project from the parent company, the listed company or any subsidiary of the company.

Earlier, it was reported that a consortium involving China Unicom was the preferred bidder with a bid far higher than any of others or than many had expected. As per the National Council on Privatization, New Generation Telecommunications Ltd had become the preferred bidder for Nitel, which Nigeria has struggled to sell since liberalization in 2001 made it uncompetitive against rivals.

Nigerian government has not made any comment on China Unicom’s denial.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • China • China Unicom • Nigeria • NITEL

China Unicom bid $2.5 billion to buy Nigerian telco

On 02.17.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: $2.5 billion has been bid by China Unicom to take control of suffering Nigerian telco Nitel in partnership with Dubai-based telecom distributor Minerva and local CDMA player GiCell in a group called New Generations Telecommunications.

If the deal materializes, it would be one of China’s biggest investments in Africa, even though the bidding price is said to be too high for the under-performing business, which the Nigerian government has been trying to sell for ten years.

The consortium has 10 days to pay 30% of the price, and a further 50 days to pay the balance if it is to secure a 75% holding in Nitel.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • CDMA • China • China Unicom • Dubai • GiCell • Nigeria • NITEL

Bharti keen to enter African market by buying Zain’s African assets

On 02.17.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: By seizing on a potential $9 billion deal with Kuwait’s Zain, Bharti Airtel appears determined to wade into a market loaded with poverty, promise and major legal tussles but the deal if completed, would catapult the company into the ranks of major telecom operators in Africa. Thus Bharti would have significant footholds in two continental markets- India and Africa.

While Zain appears to be keen seller, Airtel too expects to get a head start over those trying to buy scattered operations or acquire licenses in different African countries.

However, Bharti isn’t the only telecom operator eager to enter the African market. $2.5 billion has been bid by a consortium involving China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd for the former state telecoms monopoly in Nigeria.

Tagged with: Africa • Airtel • ASIA • Bharti Airtel • China • China Unicom • Hong Kong • India • Kuwait • Nigeria • Zain

Mobile operators join force on global apps platform

On 02.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: An open international applications platform has been launched by a joint force of the world’s largest mobile operators. This marks the largest unified move to date by the operator community into the mobile apps space.

A combination of 24 of the world’s largest mobile carriers, the so called ‘Wholesale Applications Community’ includes America Movil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, KT, mobilkom Austria, MTN Group, NTT Docomo, Orange, Orascom Telecom, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, Telenor, TeliaSonera, SingTel, SK Telecom, Sprint, VimpelCom and WIND.

Vodafone, China Mobile, SoftBank and Verizon Wireless in the Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) mobile apps initiative are also included in the group. The move has been backed by GSMA, an industry association. The aim of the alliance is to create a wholesale platform for mobile apps providing a single point-of-entry for developers. Operators are also eyeing the revenue-generating potential of getting into the apps business.

The new operator-led initiative has also got the support from the handset vendors including LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson.

Tagged with: Airtel • alliance • Austria • China • China Mobile • China Unicom • Deutsche Telekom • Ericsson • GSM • GSMA • Launch • LG • Mobilkom • MTN • NTT DoCoMo • operator • Orange • Orascom • Samsung • SingTel • SK Telecom • Sony • Sprint • Telecom Italia • Telefonica • Telenor • TeliaSonera • Verizon Wireless • VimpelCom • Wholesale Applications Community

Telefonica’s stake in China Unicom to be raised

On 02.10.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: From a current holding of 8.37%, Telefonica has expressed its desire to raise its stake in China Unicom (Hong Kong). According to Telefonica Chairman Cesar Alierta, both the companies will do it little by little as they already know each other, trust each other, and that opens new possibilities.

Besides China Unicom, the synergies with Telecom Italia are also working out very well, and the company seems to be satisfied with the current situation.

Tagged with: ASIA • China • China Unicom • Hong Kong • Telecom Italia • Telefonica

China Unicom’s net profit for 2009 falls by 50%

On 02.02.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After China Unicom’s announcement that it is expecting 50% drop in its net profit, the company’s shares fell as much as 4.6% on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

One-off disposal gain in 2008 and high costs and expenses for its new third-generation mobile business had been cited as the reasons behind the expected drop in earnings. It has also been figured that the company’s profit will likely continue to fall this year, as marketing expenses for its 3G services will rise further with intensifying market competition.

According to Elinor Leung, analyst at CLSA, profit warning does not come as a surprise as 67% earnings decline was expected for 2009; however, even excluding one-off items, core earning is expected to fall 20% in 2009 due to declining fixed-line business and 3G startup cost.

Tagged with: 3G • ASIA • China • China Unicom • CLSA • Hong Kong

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