Arcep reports 21.3 mn fixed broadband connections (France)
French telecoms regulator, Arcep has revealed that the country has recorded 21.3 million high speed and ultra-high speed fixed broadband connections at the end of 2011. It recorded a net increase of 440,000 subscriptions on the end of the third quarter, and 7% higher year-on-year.
The watchdog’s findings show that 19.9 million (or 93%) were xDSL lines, 460,000 were FTTx and the remainders were for other technologies such as cable, wireless or satellite.
Etisalat inks satellite backhaul deal with O3b Networks
O3b Networks, the developer of a high-speed, satellite-based internet network for telecommunications operators and ISPs has signed a global framework agreement with Etisalat.
This deal will allow any of Etisalat’s Operating Companies to benefit from O3b services under a separate bilateral agreement.
The five year agreement will witness O3b provide mobile backhaul, trunking and next generation services to Etisalat’s subsidiaries.
According to John Finney, Chief Commercial Officer, O3b Networks, Ltd, they are delighted to have reached this agreement with Etisalat Group. Continuous availability of right priced, bulk capacity will enable carriers like Etisalat Group OpCos to meet their long term capacity needs. This deal further highlights the demand for O3b’s quality offer of faster, more affordable connectivity available to everyone.
O3b Networks is supported by SES, Google, Liberty Global, HSBC Principal Investments, Northbridge Venture Partners, Allen & Company, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Sofina and Satya Capital.
Sistema Shyam (MTS) to invest USD 55 Mn
Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL), a joint venture company between Russia’s Sistema and Shyam Group of India, will be investing USD 55 Mn to expand its code division multiple access (CDMA) network in one of the southern states in India (Andhra Pradesh) by the end of this year.
MTS India has successfully launched in 12 circles now and MTS India CEO, Vsevolod Rozanov, said the plan for this year was to complete all the 22 circles with an investment of over USD 1.1 Bn.
Currently, MTS India has 4.5 million subscribers, including 72,000 for high-speed data services. Data is the future of our company and is clearly a differential business model than other aggregators. We expect data services to account for one-third of our revenues and achieve break-even by 2013,†Rozanov told Business Standard in India.
Replying to a query, Rozanov said the company would switch to another vendor if China-based Huawei Technologies’ products were not allowed into India.
It may be recalled that the Indian government has blocked Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corporation from selling telecom network equipment to domestic phone carriers due to security reasons.
Qualcomm to acquire Qualphone for $18 million
Qualcomm to acquire Qualphone for $18 million
US based mobile telecom company Qualcomm has said that they are acquiring privately held wireless technology developer Qualphone Inc for $18 million.
The deal would be conducted in a cash only transaction and would help Qualcomm in this market.
The company is basically involved in development of mobile phone technologies and licenses their technologies to mobile phone makers and service providers around the world.
This deal would help Qualcomm to enable integrated features such as photography and video for phones that have high-speed wireless links to the Internet.
Qualcomm added that they expect this deal to be closed by the end of the month
Source- http://business.techwhack.com/`
Technorati : Mobile, Operator, Qualcomm, USA
Ice Rocket : Mobile, Operator, Qualcomm, USA
