Italy

Buongiorno Enters Gaming Market

On 03.18.10, In Mobile Marketing, By Editor

Buongiorno, the world’s biggest mobile entertainment company, has announced its entry into the online and mobile ‘skill games’ market in Italy. The company seeks opportunities in business with the launch of WINGA, which includes a set of skill games, including slot machines, roulette, black jack and baccarat, plus casino, poker and bingo.

The company expects to launch WINGA by the end of Q2 2010 as it has secured a license to operate in the gaming business from the State Monopoly. In order to launch its commercial activities, as soon as the regulatory framework in those countries allows it, the company is also monitoring the evolution of regulatory procedures in other markets where it is already successfully operating in the B2C segment.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Andrea Casalini, the company sees a major opportunity opening up at the international level. After Italy, their target is the developments in gaming regulations in Europe.

Apple IPad to hit the stores in April

On 03.06.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The technology oriented people waiting anxiously for the much anticipated Apple iPad to adore their gadgets collection will have to wait a little more as the launch of the device has been delayed and will now hit the stores on April 3.

Earlier, Apple scheduled the launch of the device worldwide by end March. No reasons have been cited by the company behind the delay. According to analysts, Apple might have to delay or limit the size of the launch because of an unspecified production problem but denied any affect of the delay on the sales of the iPad during Apple’s fiscal third quarter, which ends in June.

Depending on the data storage capacity, the range of the first iPad will vary between $499, $599 or $699 and will be connected to Wi-Fi networks only. The cost of those versions which can also be connected to 3G cellular networks will range between $629, $729 or $829.

Orders can be placed by the US customers from March 12 and all models will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. by late April.

12 new applications will be included in the iPad, especially designed for the touch-screen device. According to Apple, it will also run “almost all” of the more than 140,000 apps already available for the iPhone and iPod Touch and users will be able to access the applications they bought for those devices through the iPad.

Tagged with: 3G • Apple • ASIA • Canada • Europe • France • Germany • iPad • iPhone • iPOD • Italy • Japan • Launch • North Amercia • Spain • Switzerland

Telecom Italia launches investigation in tax scam

On 02.26.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Thorough investigation has been launched by Telecom Italia into the role of one of its subsidiaries in an alleged €2bn ($2.7bn) tax evasion scam. The Italian prosecutors believe this scam to be one of the biggest in the country’s history.

The alleged €2bn fraud centers on Sparkle, Fastweb and a network of offshore groups in Panama, Luxembourg and other jurisdictions. The alleged evasion of €350m in value-added tax on the deals is also investigated by the prosecutors and Italy’s tax police.

According to Franco Bernabé, chief executive, board of Italy’s biggest telecommunications group was examining 1,600 pages of court documents relating to a sweeping tax evasion and money laundering probe involving Sparkle, its wholesale voice and broadband business, and Fastweb, another Italian telecoms group.

Tagged with: Europe • Fastweb • Italy • Launch • Luxembourg • Sparkle • Telecom Italia

Telefonica, Telecom Italia merger: Bankers work on solution

On 02.06.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Merger of Spain’s Telefonica SA and Telecom Italia has been planned by a group of unnamed bankers by creating a new holding company controlled by all the existing shareholders of the two telecommunication companies.

Currently, 23% stake in Telecom Italia is controlled by its core shareholders.

There would have been no need for a full takeover of the Italian peer if the above proposal would have been implemented by Telefonica. However, the solution for Telecom Italia has not yet been identified by the bankers.

Tagged with: Europe • Italy • Spain • Telecom Italia • Telefonica SA

Telecom Italia proposal yet not received: Italy PM

On 02.05.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has not yet received any proposal or plan regarding the proposed merger of Italy’s largest phone operator Telecom Italia SpA and Spain’s Telefonica SA. According to Silvio Berlusconi, his government believes in a free market economy.

The Italian government has denied any involvement in a merger plan with Telefonica; besides making it clear that it had no contacts or meetings on the issue and hasn’t stipulated any condition for a possible tie-up.

According to Italian Minister for Parliamentary Relations Elio Vito, the Italian government would support the creation of an “ad hoc company” to include Telecom Italia’s fixed-line network which is considered a strategic asset for the country with the participation of all the main operators

Tagged with: Europe • Italy • operator • RIM • Silvio Berlusconi • Spain • Telecom Italia • Telecom Italia SpA • Telefonica SA

1.4 million Ovi Maps already downloaded

On 02.04.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: About 1.4 million Nokia’s Ovi Maps application has been downloaded since January 21 after the service was made available for free. First million downloads have been cleared by the vendor within a week, and is averaging one download every 24 seconds.

Nokia’s maps are most popular in China, followed by Italy, UK, Germany, and Spain. With the Ovi Maps getting embedded in all new smartphones shipped, the service is likely to get even more popular next month.

Tagged with: ASIA • China • Europe • Germany • Italy • Nokia • Ovi Maps • Spain • UK

Telecom Italia’s takeover report rise shares prices

On 02.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: An explanation has been seeked from the government by the Italian stock market watchdog Consob regarding a report claiming it would give the all clear to a takeover of Telecom Italia by its Spanish shareholder Telefonica.

As per the report published in the newspaper, the Berlusconi government agreed to the merger provided management of the company remains in the hands of Italy while the alleged merger would have brought both companies under a single umbrella group called Telecom Europa

Soaring as high as 9 percent, Telecom Italia shares settled on a 6 percent gain to reach EUR 1.14. The government on the other hand has categorically denied that there had been any contact, meetings, or deal about an eventual merger.

Tagged with: Consob • Europa • Europe • Italy • merger • Telecom Italia

Telecom Italia to face moral suasion from Italy govt

On 01.30.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Italy government has expressed that the only way to stop the merger of Telecom Italia and Telefonica SA is the moral suasion of the shareholders of the former.

Telecom Italia which is Italy’s largest telecom group is considered an asset by the country’s politicians who are disgusted to see it fall into the hands of a foreign operator. But at the same time, the Italian banks owning stakes in Telecom Italia are unsatisfied with their investment.

According to Telecommunications Deputy Minister Paolo Romani, in case of a merger with a multinational company, it would be important to maintain some kind of Italian governance for Telecom Italia, which would be able to decide on how to prioritize investments.

Tagged with: Europe • Italy • merger • operator • Telecom Italia • Telefonica SA

Vodafone’s DRM-free music service a hit

On 01.28.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After attracting almost half-a-million paying subscribers to its DRM-free services since March 2009, Vodafone has claimed to rule Europe’s mobile music market. The clear pricing policy of the carrier has been credited behind the subscription of 450,000 users for its music services.

A monthly bundle allowing the users to download 10 tracks, or a variety of all-you-can-eat packages has been provided to the subscribers. Some 100,000 subscribers have signed up in December alone in Vodafone’s eight key European markets – Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the UK.

The company has signed deals with Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music, and Universal Music, to provide DRM-free MP3 content.

Tagged with: DRM-free • EMI Music • Europe • Germany • Greece • Ireland • Italy • Mobile Music • Netherland • Portugal • Sony • Spain • UK • Universal Music • Vodafone

China, Germany, Brazil get Samsung app store

On 01.19.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Omnia II (I8000) and OmniaLite (B7300, I329) users in Singapore, Germany, Brazil and China can now have an access to the application store of the company, Samsung Apps from late January.

Samsung’s application store is already launched in the UK, France and Italy. Singapore, Germany, Brazil and China users can download the Samsung Apps client from Samsungmobile.com through Wap.

Products in Singapore and Germany will be shipped with the application store pre-installed from mid-February. These customers will also be able to take advantage of Kies – a new software suite that allows users to search and download applications directly from PCs.

Tagged with: App Store • ASIA • Brazil • China • Europe • France • Germany • Italy • Samsung • Singapore • South America • UK