Computaris provides IN prepaid system for Unify Mobile (Netherlands)
Computaris has provided an IN Prepaid system for Dutch MVNE Unify Mobile.
Unify Mobile operates mobile networks in Switzerland, the US and Liechtenstein, as well as full MVNOs in the Netherlands and Germany.
The new IN Prepaid system will serve all of Unify Mobile’s European networks, supplying real-time control of voice, SMS and data services, as well as other services.
Mobilcom-debitel launches free Navigon software for Android (Germany)
Mobilcom-debitel is offering the navigation software Navigon select Telekom Edition Android for Telekom Deutschland customers with an Android smartphone.
The software includes maps of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein and can be downloaded for free by Mobilcom-Debitel customers with an Android smartphone and mobile service using the network of Telekom Deutschland if they select a two year subscription or extend their current subscription.
TomTom launches map database globally (Germany)
TomTom has launched its map database globally. TomTom has launched the version 2011.03 of MultiNet that covers nearly 34 million kilometres across 103 countries, extending coverage to 3.3 billion people worldwide.
In Latin America, the street network in Brasilia (Brazil), Grand Cordoba (Argentina) and Los Cabos, Merida and Xalapa (Mexico) have been improved.
Additionally, French Guiana is available as a MultiNet product providing street network coverage. The street network in India was also extended, adding 5,800 km across 66 new cities.
In addition to coverage expansion, over 7,000 km in Brazil and over 5,000 km in Russia were realigned to further validate the street network. Finally, in Africa, topographic features were added in Zambia and improvements to the street network were realized in five major Moroccan cities.
TomTom has also introduces advanced features in its enhancement products. Speed Profiles are available in Brazil, providing historical traffic information. The Address Points product includes coverage in the Czech Republic, India, Indonesia and Malaysia and an additional 500,000 Address Points are available in the United States and 120,000 in Russia. The addition of 50 new 3D Landmarks and more than 100 new Landmark Icons throughout the Asia Pacific region, along with nine new 2D City Maps in Russia extend display capabilities globally. Voice Maps are available in Liechtenstein, allowing speech technology to be integrated into map applications.
Cosmote Romania launches three new data roaming add-ons
Cosmote Romania has launched three new postpaid data roaming add-ons.
The offer is available for Cosmote Romania subscribers who travel to EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland (countries included in the operator’s ‘Group 1′ corresponding to its ‘Roaming Avantaj’ tariff scheme).
Dubbed ‘Roaming Internet,’ the add-ons can be acquired on top of existing data subscriptions. Three ‘Roaming Internet’ add-ons are available, namely 25 MB, 50 MB, and 100 MB for US$14.09 (VAT excluded), US$21.13 or US$35.22 per week. Over-the-limit traffic is charged with US$2.81 per MB.
Telekom Austria profit doubles on lower revenues
The Telekom Austria Group has reported a slight decrease in revenues for 2010 but has reported doubling of its net profits.
The company’s revenues for 2010 dropped by 3.1% to US$6.34 billion while profits increased by 106% to US$266 million. Net debt also fell by 9% to US$4.5 billion.
Austria (-4%), Bulgaria (-8%) and Croatia (-5%) showed a slight decline in revenues, whereas Belarus and the Additional Markets segments (Slovenia, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Macedonia and Liechtenstein) recorded a growth of 14% and 8% respectively.
According to Hannes Ametsreiter, CEO Telekom Austria Group, for the first time in 13 years, they were able to return to fixed line customer growth. This demonstrates the effectiveness of their convergence strategy, which they are currently dedicated to implementing in their two largest markets Austria and Bulgaria.
Hannes added that against the backdrop of a challenging market environment,they have adopted the necessary measures – such as the merger of their fixed line and mobile communication operations in Austria – to realize selective growth opportunities going forward. In the years to come, they will have to tackle a number of issues with regard to regulation and competition.
However, they are confident to achieve their targets over the mid-term. The main goal is to secure the Group’s market leadership in Central and Southeastern Europe and to become the most efficient and innovative telecom operator in this region.
At year-end 2010, the Telekom Austria Group had 22 million customers across its operations in 8 countries of Central and Southeastern Europe, a market with 41 million inhabitants.
MTS in merger talks with unnamed companies (Russia)
Russia’s MTS has confirmed that the company is in talks with other telecoms networks for a possible merger, without naming any of the potential partners.
Vladimir Yevtushenkov, the CEO of MTS’s controlling shareholder, Sistema confirmed the talks.
MTS chief executive Mikhail Shamolin had previously suggested that the company would be interested in buying out South Korea based Korea Telecom’s 80% stake in Russia-focused New Telephone Co., but that would not give the company the international scope it has long craved.
Last year, it was rumored that the Sistema Group was looking to buy the Telekom Austria Group in a deal worth in excess of US$6 billion. The Austrian state owned holding company, OeIAG holds 27% of the company, and previously looked to sell the stake.
Telekom Austria has operations in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Serbia, Macedonia, Belarus and Czech Republic. MTS also operates in Belarus, and the local government would almost certainly require that MTS sells one of its two networks in the country if it were to buy Telekom Austria.
MTS and its subsidiaries in Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine and Uzbekistan currently have over 108 million subscribers.
Telekom Austria Group signs five year deal with Nokia Siemens Networks
Operator appoints Nokia Siemens Networks to modernize network and reduce energy consumption.
The Telekom Austria Group (TAG) will soon deploy high-quality mobile broadband services and network performance systems from Nokia Siemens Networks. Under a five-year deal, the service provider has selected Nokia Siemens Networks to replace and modernize its radio networks in Austria, Liechtenstein and Slovenia, and to further deploy 3G services in Serbia and Belarus. The new, energy-efficient network will be ready to support next generation mobile technologies, including High Speed Packet Access Plus (HSPA+) and Long Term Evolution (LTE), via software upgrades.
Nokia Siemens Networks’ mobile network technology* brings an array of benefits mobile broadband services with a clear evolution path for our subscribers, efficient use of future investments as well as lower electricity bills for us,†said Hans Pichler, Group Chief Technology Officer of the Telekom Austria Group.
We are proud that together with the Telekom Austria Group we can bring real broadband experience to its subscribers across the region,†added Dietmar Appeltauer, head of Subregion Central East Europe, Nokia Siemens Networks. We share a long-standing relationship and now we are also moving together into the next phase of mobile communications.â€
Nokia Siemens Networks will provide its comprehensive radio solution comprising industry-leading Flexi BSC (Base Station Controller), Radio Network Controller and the small, modular and weatherproof Flexi Multiradio Base Station. The contract includes a broad range of services such as implementation, commissioning, network optimization and maintenance as well as vendor’s network management and optimization solution NetAct.
The renewal of GSM in Austria and Slovenia has already started and the 3G network deployment in Belarus was successfully launched in March 2010, while the deployment in Serbia started in June 2010. A1 Telekom Austria started technical evaluation of LTE pretty early. The first LTE showcase was conducted with Nokia Siemens Networks in May 2008, so the company is technically well prepared for a possible rollout.
The networks will offer the end user a full mobility of data services, improved multimedia, gaming, web browsing and email service experience.
By deploying Nokia Siemens Networks’ radio solution the Telekom Austria Group will enjoy significant savings in network energy consumption.
About Telekom Austria Group
The Telekom Austria Group is the leading telecommunications provider in the CEE area. The Group has been listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange since November 2000 and is currently operating in 8 countries: in Austria (A1 Telekom Austria), Slovenia (Si.mobil), Croatia (Vipnet), the Republics of Serbia (Vip mobile) and Macedonia (Vip operator), Bulgaria (Mobiltel), Belarus (Velcom) and Liechtenstein (mobilkom liechtenstein). The Fixed Net segment encompasses voice telephony, data and IT solutions, Internet access, multimedia services as well as wholesale. The Mobile Communication segment includes mobile voice telephony, mobile Internet and data as well as m-payment solutions. The Telekom Austria Group services to roughly 2.3 million fixed net lines in Austria and has a customer base of 19.2 million mobile subscribers in 8 countries. The Group’s headcount amounts to more than 16,000 employees, with revenues totalling EUR 4.8 billion as of year-end 2009. The Management Board includes Hannes Ametsreiter (CEO and Chairman of the Board) and Hans Tschuden (CFO and Vice Chairman of the Board).
More detailed information is available at http://www.telekomaustria.com
About Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of telecommunications services. With its focus on innovation and sustainability, the company provides a complete portfolio of mobile, fixed and converged network technology, as well as professional services including consultancy and systems integration, deployment, maintenance and managed services. It is one of the largest telecommunications hardware, software and professional services companies in the world. Operating in 150 countries, its headquarters are in Espoo, Finland. www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com
Telekom Austria eyed by Sistema
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Sistema, Russian telecommunications holding company, is seeking to bid to acquire Telekom Austria. Vladimir Yevtushenkov, who is the main owner of Sistema would be prepared to pay much more than the current share price, which values Telekom Austria at EUR 4.5 billion.
27 percent of Telekom Austria is currently held by Austrian state holding company Oeiag. However, any legal permission to sell its share is denied by Oeiag as a result of which it is unable to be in talks to sell Telekom Austria shares.
Telekom Austria has mobile operations in Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Serbia and Belarus. Sistema which has operations in Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Belarus is among others owner of Russia-based mobile operator MTS.
Qtel issues alert on SMS Fraud for “Free Hummer”
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The text message reads, “Congratulations, you have won a Hummer 2009″ and then provides a fifteen digit number to call to collect the prize, starting with 0042 366.
However, the SMS alert is not an authorized contest in Qatar, and Qtel believes that the people behind the message are seeking to lure people into calling a premium overseas number with expensive per-minute international call charges, and trying to collect private and financial details when the call is put through.
Qtel is working to trace and block the lines that are provided in the SMS message. However, typically the gangs behind these scams change numbers and locations and continue to send the fraudulent messages.
This is the second attempt detected this year to send fraudulent messages requesting people to call numbers starting with the prefix 0042 366 – the international calling code for Liechtenstein, a country with a population of less than 36,000 people.
In both attempts, Qtel believes these are sophisticated operations targeted specifically at the people of Qatar, using Call Forwarding to disguise the call’s country of origin.
Qtel is reminding customers that no legitimate contests licensed in Qatar will use SMS to contact winners and request they call a premium or overseas number. In addition, when customers use their call forwarding feature, they should always verify the number before they forward their phone.
As well as safeguarding their mobile numbers, Qtel also advises customers to exercise caution when they receive calls or messages from unknown numbers.
