Maroc Telecom 9M turnover up 19% (Morocco)
For the first nine months of 2007, Moroccan incumbent Maroc Telecom reported consolidated group revenues of MAD20.326 billion (USD2.651 billion), up 19% compared to the same period of last year, and consolidated operating profit of MAD9.509 billion, up 25.2% year-on-year. The telco attributed the performance to strong growth in its customer bases, especially mobile, both in Morocco and at foreign subsidiaries Mauritel (Mauritania), Onatel (Burkina Faso), Gabon Telecom and MVNO Mobisud France/Mobisud Belgium. In the third quarter of 2007 Maroc Telecom’s consolidated turnover amounted to MAD7.320 billion, up 18.2% year-on-year, whilst consolidated operating income rose 13% year-on-year to MAD3.510 billion. Moroccan operations generated nine-month revenues of MAD19.726 billion, up 8% y-o-y, and operating profit of MAD9.265 billion, up 25.6%. Mobile revenues accounted for MAD12.622 billion of the domestic total, up 16.9% from 2006, with the number of wireless customers rising by 22.3% compared to September 2006, to 12.838 million, after a net increase of 1.1 million users during the July-September quarter. Moroccan mobile churn rate reached 26.6% in 3Q07, up 6.2 percentage points compared to the year-ago period, while monthly blended ARPU stood at MAD109, down 8.1% year-on-year. Domestic fixed line and internet revenues amounted to MAD7.104 billion, down 5.0% year-on-year. At end-September, Maroc Telecom’s number of fixed lines in service reached 1.279 million, up 0.9% in twelve months, and its ADSL customer base reached 443,000, up 36.3%. At its Mauritanian unit Mauritel, a 51.1% annual rise in mobile customers to nearly 843,000 drove an 18.3% year-on-year rise in total revenues to MAD873 million in the first three quarters of 2007.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
African operations to keep Celtel brand for now (Africa)
Kuwait-based international cellular group MTC is to continue trading under the Celtel banner in its African operations for the forseeable future. Last week the group decided to change its name to Zain, and rebranded its mobile operators in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Sudan with immediate effect. Emmanuel Otokhine, public relations manager at Celtel Nigeria, said that keeping the Celtel brand on the continent would ensure certainty and continuity, particularly in the Nigerian and Kenyan operations, which rebranded to Celtel less than twelve months ago. Celtel currently operates in 14 African countries (not including Sudan): Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The group’s mobile subsidiaries in Saudi Arabia and Iraq are to be rebranded to Zain by early 2008.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Kenya: Goodbye Celtel? (Kenya)
Celtel International is considering a major re-branding strategy that would see it drop the ‘Celtel’ brand and adopt a completely new identity – Zain. The plan is expected to create unique difficulties in Kenya and Nigeria, where the Celtel brand is still quite new, as well as across all non-Arab operations. It is part of a long-term strategy by Kuwait’s MTC Group, which owns the mobile telephone operator, to re-invent itself through the launch of a global brand.
MTC, which has expanded significantly through acquisitions, is seeking to consolidate recent growth under one banner. “We have a new brand that will be launched as single global brand for all our operations,” Dr Saad Al-Barrak, MTC’s deputy chairman and chief executive officer, said recently. “We will start any new operation with this new global brand.”
Controversy
Controversy has already erupted over the brand name chosen. Critics feel Zain, leaked in Kuwait in early August, has limited appeal to cultures outside the Arab world. A recent valuation of MTC by analysts from investment banker Morgan Stanley found that Africa accounted for 70 per cent of the company’s fair value.
MTC Chairman, Mr Asa’ad Al Banwan , Celtel International Chairman, Mr Mo Ibrahim, and MTC Deputy Chairman & Managing Director, Dr Saad Al-Barrak. Photo by MTC
The new logo has also been described as too dark and moody. The re-branding process has reportedly begun in Kuwait and is expected to spread to other MTC-branded operations in the Middle East.
Change will come to Africa and its Celtel-branded operations from 2008. The new changes come shortly after a regional marketing blitz to announce the expansion of Celtel’s borderless mobile network to include the Republic of Congo, Gabon and Democratic Republic of Congo. The service was previously limited to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The decision to re-brand will create a costly marketing and logistical challenge for the Kenya and Nigeria operations, given that the two only recently re-branded to Celtel from KenCell and V-Mobile respectively.
The change from KenCell, which began in 2004, is yet to be completed by Celtel Kenya: Many of their telephone booths – admittedly an atrophied part of the business – are still branded KenCell. Nigeria’s switch from VMobile, which began last year, will also have to be scrapped.
A huge task
Speaking to FS during the Second Annual Connecting Rural Communities Africa Forum in Nairobi, Mr Mwaghazi Mwachofi, Celtel International Vice-President for Regulatory Affairs, confirmed that discussions on rebranding were in progress. “Nothing has been decided as yet, nothing concrete,” Mwachofi said when pressed on the matter.
“The Celtel brand is strong and powerful and re-branding is huge task.” MTC Kuwait is also expected to form a new subsidiary, MTC International, as a private company to hold all the MTC Group’s foreign assets and operations.
A newspaper report on the plan several weeks ago saw the Kuwait Stock Exchange halt trading in MTC shares pending clarification of the issues raised.
A local Arabic-language daily had reported that MTC was going to form an entity with $1.73 billion (Sh116 billion) in capital as an umbrella company under which MTC Kuwait and MTC International, called Zain, would operate.
The paper had also said the international unit would sell a stake – possibly 40 per cent or more – in an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange next year. The re-branding confirms MTC’s ambitions to become one of the biggest mobile operators in the world.
The strategy
According Al-Barrak, the company was looking for a global brand that would work from China to Gabon, in Rio-de-Janeiro and Madras, in Moscow and Iceland. Currently, MTC is looking to fill gaps in sub-Saharan Africa – for example Angola Ethiopia and Senegal – and eyeing Saudi Arabia’s third licence. The company is also making noises about moving its headquarters because of Kuwait’s investor-unfriendly laws.
“The Kuwaiti business environment repels investment and the country’s laws are not good for a financial hub,” Al-Barrak was recently quoted as saying. Kuwait has been dragging its feet on reforms to create a more transparent stock exchange.
Another Kuwaiti law imposes a 55 per cent tax on foreign investors. MTC, Kuwait’s largest publicly traded company, said last week that it could move to Dubai or Bahrain, the Gulf’s financial centres, or to Amsterdam, headquarters of its subsidiary Celtel. The firm operates in Bahrain in partnership with Britain’s Vodafone Group and acquired Netherlands-based Celtel in 2005. It has no presence in Dubai. “MTC is today thinking on the global scale… especially since Kuwait accounts for only 15 per cent of its revenue, (a figure that) will fall below seven per cent in the next two years.” Incorporated in 1983 in Kuwait, MTC now has a presence in 20 countries.
The Group is a leading mobile operator in six Middle Eastern and 14 sub-Saharan African countries providing a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services to over 29.7 million active individual and business customers.
It operates in Kuwait and Bahrain as MTCVodafone, in Jordan as Fastlink, in Iraq as MTC-Atheer, in Lebanon as MTC-Touch and in Sudan as Mobitel. It also has 14 operations in sub-Saharan Africa as Celtel. These are Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The company has also won Saudi Arabia’s third mobile license and is expected to roll-out a network soon. The change of identity is part of MTC’s plan to re-brand its operations across all networks in line with their “three by three by three (3x3x3)” strategy.
Maroc Télécom confirms suspension of its purchase of Gabon Telecom
Moroccan former monopoly telco Maroc T©l©com has confirmed in a statement that a Gabonese court has suspended the completion of its purchase of incumbent telco Gabon Telecom and its wholly owned mobile unit Libertis, which it agreed with Gabon’s government in February, as reported in CommsUpdate yesterday. The statement reads: ‘Maroc T©l©com has been informed that following a request introduced by seven employees of Libertis to cancel the privatisation process of Gabon Telecom and Libertis, the Gabonese Supreme Court (Court Constitutionnelle) has ordered an interim measure suspending the transfer and sale agreements. This interim measure has been cancelled [sic] on 24 July 2007 by the President of the Supreme Court. Pending the decision of the Supreme Court, Maroc T©l©com will continue to follow this matter with the greatest attention and shall take all necessary action in order to protect its rights and those of its shareholders.’
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Celtel expands free roaming to 6 countries
African mobile operator Celtel has expanded its One Network free roaming to six countries. Already available in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, the service will now also be available to subscribers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo and Gabon. One Network gives users the same prices when roaming in the six countries that they pay at home and free incoming calls. Celtel aims to expand the service to all 15 countries where it has a presence in Africa. Inter-regional traffic jumped 300 percent in the first three months after the launch of One Network in the three east African countries, Anna Othoro, Celtel marketing director in Kenya, told Business Day.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Celtel honour for MTC-VB official
MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) chief operating officer Mahmoud Hashish has been named to Celtel Kenya board of directors, replacing Mandla Ndlovu.
Mahmoud has also been appointed the Vice President for Celtel International in-charge of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Madagascar.
Mahmoud, who has over 25 years experience in sales and marketing management, joins the board at a time when the company is busy rolling out new products and services.
Prior to assuming his position with MTC Group, where he supported the far-reaching strategic development programs being brought to life by the MTC Board in Kuwait, Mahmoud had led several regional projects in the Banking and Telecommunications Industries throughout Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore.
In April 1992, Mahmoud moved to Kuwait where he played the role of Senior Account Manager at International Turnkey Systems (ITS).
He was responsible for developing the company’s business in the Telecommunications industry.
Mahmoud helped in the growth of ITS from a regional annual revenue of $6.3 million in 1991 to US$12 million in 1995.
Mahmoud holds a Masters degree in Computing from the Monash University, Australia and is married with one son.
MTC is the pioneer of mobile telecommunications in the Middle East and now a major player on the African continent.
They began life in 1983 in Kuwait as the region’s first mobile operator, and since the initiation of our 3x3x3??? expansion strategy in 2002, we have expanded rapidly.
As a leading mobile and data services operator in 6 Middle Eastern and 14 sub-Saharan African countries with 10,000 employees, they provide a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services to over 25 million individual and business customers.
They operate in Kuwait and Bahrain as MTC-Vodafone, in Jordan as Fastlink, in Iraq as mtc atheer, in Lebanon as mtc touch, in Sudan as Mobitel and in 14 sub-Saharan countries in Africa as Celtel: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Nigeria.
Source- tradearabia Wireless Mobile Telecom
Kenya Tailing in Celtel Bloc Growth
Celtel Kenya is tailing Uganda and Tanzania in percentage subscriber growth, a company report has shown.
The report that Business Week has seen, reveals that while Kenya still continues to perform exceptionally well, its subscriber base grew by a mere 19% compared to Uganda’s 64% and Tanzania’s 83%.
While subscriber numbers in Tanzania and Uganda grew from 738, 000 to 1.349 million and from 233,000 to 381,000 respectively, Kenya’s grew from 1.461 million to 1.743 million.
Announcing the 2006 third quarter earnings for the nine months ending September 30, Celtel’s parent company, MTC of Kuwait said the company recorded positive subscriber growth in all 15 African countries in which it operates.
In the report, MTC recorded consolidated revenues of US$ 2.92 billion, an increase of 115% over the same period in 2005 and posted a net income of $767.46 million, an increase of 64% compared to the same period last year.
The report released last month in Kuwait shows that while the group boasts of a growing customer base of 24.9 million customers in both Africa and the Middle East, total Celtel subscriber growth alone stood at 15.270 million up from 5.375 million (184%).
Celtel Zambia topped all the other countries after recording a 116% growth in subscriber numbers while Sierra Leone tailed at 48% growth.
Burkina Faso recorded an 86% growth, Chad (70%), Congo Brazzaville (87%), DR Congo (80%), Gabon (66%), Malawi (107%) and Niger (107%).
Statistics for Nigeria and Madagascar subscriber growth were unavailable because the two operations were only acquired in May 2006 and December 2005 respectively.
However, their customer base stands at over 5.993 million and 302,000 respectively.
There are over 2.462 million subscribers in Sudan where the pan African mobile firm operates as Mobitel.
With 12,000 employees in both Africa and the Middle East, MTC has mobile voice and data services operations in Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Lebanon.
Industry experts tie the good group performance figures to organic growth, new license awards and acquisitions over the past three and a half years since the company embarked on its profitable expansion strategy.
“The company’s remarkable customer growth is primarily driven by its African operations; and its enviable financial performance is driven by its more mature Middle Eastern operations,” a company statement said.
Mr. Asaad Ahmed Al-Banwan, chairman of MTC said, “We are continuously on the look out for new profitable opportunities.
The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has launched a process that will lead to a 3rd license award and we will participate. We are also evaluating a couple of smaller opportunities in Africa.”
Celtel is still basking in its world record borderless network for East Africa launched in September 2006 that allows customers to travel across the three borders without roaming call surcharges and paying to receive incoming calls.
Source- allafrica Wireless Mobile Telecom
Celtel to introduce one network in Ghana
Celtel International, a telecommunications group based in the Netherlands, has declared its intention to invest in Ghana, as well the as likelihood of introducing its mobile phone system that networks countries and eliminates roaming charges.
It is currently undertaking investment studies in the country, which will become the sixth West African country it will be operating in and the sixteenth in Africa.
Once operational in the country, the company will study the network system in other West African countries and decide on when to introduce its unique “One Network” service.
The service, which is currently in use in East Africa (Tanzanian, Uganda and Kenya) makes it possible for a user of a Celtel mobile phone to use the same number in another networked country without paying for roaming surcharges.
The “One Network” is automatically activated once a customer crosses over into the geographic border of any other networked countries without prior registration or new cellular phone chip. The customer can also place calls to any of the networked countries without any restriction.
Dave Hagedorn, Business Development Manager of Celtel, and Khaled Al-Anjiri, Mergers and Acquisitions Specialist from Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC), the parent company of Celtel, headquartered in Kuwait, are in the country this week to hold talks with investment partners.
Without mentioning the amount to be invested, Mr. Hagedorn told the Times “we are looking at the opportunities and we will be investing substantially.
“We are hopeful that we will start operations in the coming month that Ghana will be the next country for the group,” Mr. Hagedorn added.
He indicated the expansion of their operations to Ghana was in line with their vision to cover the entire continent. Celtel is also operating in Burkina Faso, Chad, DR Congo, Gabon, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Congo, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Sudan.
The company intends covering the entire Africa with the “One Network” service by implementing it on a regional basis, he said.
Mr. Al-Anjiri, for his part, said the MTC was committed to investing in infrastructure to offer improved services for customers and also taking advantage of opportunities that could be used to remove barriers between populations and make life better.
Source- http://www.andnetwork.com
Uganda: Celtel Takes Over Nigeria’s Vmobile
CELTEL International has fully taken over control of Nigeria’s Vmobile and re-branded it into its famous red and yellow logo along with its brand promise of ‘Making Life Better.’
In a press statement issued recently, the Celtel International Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Marten Pieters, said Nigeria is a very important market for any serious telecommunications operator in the world.
“Celtel has taken Nigeria seriously right from the days of the license auction. We also tried to acquire Nitel, when it was up for sale, but the more attractive option of buying into Vmobile proved too tantalising to be ignored,” he said.
Celtel’s success in Nigeria underscores the increasing competition among telecom players on the continent for more visibility and business as Africa continues to take leaps into the cyber world.
Re-branding Vmobile, the first mobile network to launch commercial services in Nigeria, follows the acquisition of a controlling stake in the company by Celtel.
The deal, worth $1.005 billion (Shs1.8 trillion), was concluded in May 2006. Officials said the Group plans to do an extensive rollout of the Celtel brand in Nigeria, with investments already hitting more than $700 million (Shs1.2 trillion) being spent to improve network coverage through the erection of 1,000 new base stations and bringing the latest mobile network products to our customers
Celtel offers telecommunications services with mobile licenses covering more than 400 million people, close to half of Africa’s population.
Celtel International is owned by MTC, a leading provider of mobile telecommunications in the Middle East and Africa.
It has more than 15 million customers and operates mobile cellular operations in 14 countries. These include Burkina Faso, Chad, DR Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia among others.
Source- http://allafrica.com
Technorati : Africa, Celtel, MTC, Middle East, Mobile, Nigeria, Uganda, Vmobile
Ice Rocket : Africa, Celtel, MTC, Middle East, Mobile, Nigeria, Uganda, Vmobile
