Grupo Iusacell

Iusacell SA to delist from stock market (Mexico)

On 12.15.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Cost cutting has become a regular lingo of the industries nowadays with Grupo Iusacell SA, a Mexican mobile phone company been the latest to sing the tune. The company announced that the company is planning to delist its shares from the Mexican stock market to cut costs.

Iusacell is Mexico’s third-largest mobile operator with 3.6 million subscribers at the end of the third quarter, for a market share by subscribers of 4.4%.

A meeting of the shareholders has been called on December 30 to vote for the proposal. The company also said that 95% of its shareholders have already expressed their intention of supporting the decision. After the approval of the delisting the company plans to carry out an offer to purchase outstanding shares.

2degrees to launch 3G services by H1′10 (New Zealand)

On 08.25.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 2degrees, the New Zealand based mobile operator, has announced that it will launch 3G services across the nation in 2010. Chief executive Eric Hertz said that while the cellco’s network was 3G capable, the service will not be on offer until the H1′10: ‘As we turn on [the network] and optimise it, it will take some time to make sure the quality is good… There will be a strategic and sequenced roll-out of additional services.’
The operator intends to introduce services based on W-CDMA platform with built in HSPA+ evolution, capable of delivering peak download speeds of 4Mbps.

Tagged with: Commercial Paper • Grupo Iusacell • Mobile payment • New Zealand • Telecom Ministry • Vodafone Egypt

Telecom shelves plans of 4G upgradation of CDMA network (New Zealand)

On 08.24.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Telecom New Zealand has reportedly shelved its plans to upgrade the CDMA network in a 4G network based on LTE technology. It was in February that Telecom announced that it would work with technology partner Alcatel-Lucent in 2010 to see whether an upgrade from CDMA was viable. But spokesman Ian Bonnar says it now believes the route to LTE is from UMTS, the technology standard on which its XT mobile network is based.
“As we have invested in UMTS, and that is the network we are going to be pushing over the next few years, it seems sensible to evolve it.” he stated.
Vodafone and Telecom now intend to deploy 4G networks in 2012, though they are likely to have to wait till 2013-2015 for radio spectrum to be released. Vodafone spokeswoman Alison Sykora says it plans to test LTE next year. 2degrees chief executive Eric Hertz says it will not be left behind and also intends to look at the technology.
Mr Bonnar says the move to 4G does not necessarily mean that XT susbcribers will have to look for new mobile handsets. “The way it will probably play out is we will keep the [XT] network for voice and use LTE for data, but it depends on what handsets evolve.”

Tagged with: Cell Phones • Charges • Grupo Iusacell • M-tel • Mobile Penetration Rate • Mobile Phone Interface • New Zealand • Nokia • Optus • PT Telkomsel • Swisscom Mobile

2degrees selects eServGlobal for prepaid services platform (New Zealand)

On 08.11.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: eServGlobal Limited, a provider of end-to-end solutions, enabling smart communication and charging services for telecom operators on any generation network, today announced that their prepaid services platform has been selected by Two Degrees Mobile Limited.

As the newest entrant to the New Zealand telecoms sector, 2degrees is preparing to supply great value services to the New Zealand mobile communications market. eServGlobal secured the multi-million dollar contract to provide ChargingMax, its prepaid services platform, following 2degrees’ satisfaction with Mailis, eServGlobal’s voicemail solution.

The ChargingMax, IN-based, solution provides for a distributed architecture, thus separating billing and rating from call control, which leads to a more scalable and highly available solution. In addition, ChargingMax includes value-added services and online network control, allowing 2degrees to monitor customer usage and modify features to maximise customer satisfaction.
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Tagged with: Grupo Iusacell • GSM World Association • New Zealand • print advertisements • PT Telkomsel • United States of America

2degrees unveils calling and text tariffs (New Zealand)

On 08.05.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 2degrees, the new mobile entrant in the New Zealand mobile market, has reportedly revealed calling and text tariffs, which it says are half of what Telecom and Vodafone offer to their pre-pay subscribers.

Local mobile to mobile calls will cost 44 cents per minute compared with the 89 cents per pre-pay minute offered by Telecom and Vodafone. The local SMS will cost 9 cents each.
The operator says that these tariffs are same anytime of the day to any network and hold no contractual commitment to the service.
The operator says making international calls to selected countries are lower than the rivals offer. 2degrees CEO Eric Hertz says subscribers thinking of switching to its service can do so without losing their existing phone number.

Tagged with: Aicatel-Lucent • Chinguitel • Free Airtime • Grupo Iusacell • New Zealand • T-Mobile Netherlands • Tel Aviv Stock Exchange • Unitec Wireless • ZN200

2degrees eyes roaming market worth $100Mn/year (New Zealand)

On 07.31.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 2degrees, the upcoming operator in New Zealand, is eyeing a slice of the roaming market, wherein foreign operators pay the operator to allow their subscribers to use mobile phones while roaming in New Zealand. The operator will target international tourist as a key part of its sales strategy.
Chief commercial officer Bill McCabe says 2degrees has signed roaming agreements with over 150 international carriers.

“A lot of networks have knocked on our door as previously they have only been able to get deals with Vodafone.”
The CCO has reportedly estimated that the market is worth $100 million a year, although it is anticipated that Vodafone at present is charging premium rates as before the launch of Telecom’s XT network and 2degrees upcoming network, they had the monopoly in the market.

Tagged with: Free Airtime • Grupo Iusacell • Mobile Phone Interface • New Zealand • Nokia • Oklahoma City

2degrees to launch services on 5 August (New Zealand)

On 07.28.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 2degrees, a new name in the New Zealand mobile market, has reportedly announced to commercially launch its network on 5 August. 2degrees, formerly known as NZ Communications, has from past 8 years made attempts to build and launch a national network to break Telecom and Vodafone’s mobile duopoly.
2degrees will be taregetting the prepay market of the country and will sell cellphones, plans and SIM cards through petrol stations, supermarkets and other retailers.
The tariffs will be unveiled a day before the launch of services.

Tagged with: Aicatel-Lucent • China Netcom • Extension • Free Airtime • Fujian • Grupo Iusacell • Hebei • Heilongjiang • Hunan • New Zealand • Nokia • Rural Region • Sichuan • TVA • ZN200

Vodafone & 2degrees ink deal to cut mobile fees (New Zealand)

On 07.23.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Vodafone and 2 degrees, the two New Zealand’s mobile operator, have inked a deal in order to slash the charges 2degrees will have to pay to route calls and texts to Vodafone customers.
Spokesman Paul Brislen says the arrangement means 2degrees will pay Vodafone mobile termination fees of less than 9.5 cents a text and 15c a minute for calls, quoted as prevailing by the Commerce Commission.
He believed the rates set out in the confidential agreement were lower than those that would apply if mobile termination was regulated.

Tagged with: Free Airtime • Grupo Iusacell • Mobile Telephony Traffic • New Zealand • Nokia • Satellite Network • Wadrid Telecom

Trilogy raises stake to 52% in 2degrees (New Zealand)

On 07.15.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Trilogy International Partners, a US-based telecommunications holding company, has announced its intention to acquire an additional 26% stake in 2degrees, a Greenfield mobile wireless operator in New Zealand, bringing Trilogy’s interest in the venture to 52%.

Trilogy agreed to purchase the interest currently held by Hong Kong based General Enterprise Management Services (GEMS) in exchange for approximately 8% of Trilogy equity.
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Tagged with: Consultation Paper • Data Roaming Access • Grupo Iusacell • HFCL Infotel • New Zealand • Non-Equity Deal

UAE ends February with a mobile penetration of 193%

On 05.13.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Mobile penetration in UAE has risen to 193% at the February’09-end, up from 182% in September’09. TRA has disclosed the stats according to which Du enjoyed a greater market share of 28% from 26% six months earlier, while Etisalat’s market share dropped to 72% in February from 74% in September 2008. Etisalat’s mobile subscriber base reached 7.341Mn in Q1′09 whereas Du posted a subscriber base of 2.75Mn at March’09.

Tagged with: British Columbia • Easyown • Grupo Iusacell • Kazakhastan • Redknee • WAP • Zhejiang Telecom