Mauritel adds 120,000 mobile customers in Q1 (Mauritania)
Maroc Telecom has increased its mobile subscribers in Mauritania to 1.696 million at the end of Q1, increased by 120,000 from the end of 2010.
The local subsidiary Mauritel generated quarterly revenues of US$38.32 million, increased 5.8 percent compared to the same period last year, thanks to an increase in the mobile customer base and international rates.
Operating profit was unchanged year-on-year at US$10.89 million.
Expresso Telecom re-launch operations in Ghana
The United Arab Emirates Expresso Telecom, a mobile telecommunication service provider, has resumed operations in Ghana with an official launch of the network after acquiring Kasapa Mobile Network.
The company aims to expand its CDMA mobile networks in the sub-regional market, after acquiring the Intercellular mobile network in Nigeria, as well as licenses to operate in Mauritania and Senegal.
Chief Executive Officer of Expresso Ghana Limited, Isham Ayum, noted that tremendous opportunities exist in the telecommunication industry in Africa, and that the growth of the industry has the potential of spurring the continent’s pace of development.
According to Isham Ayum, the company has undergone several remarkable innovations by extensively expanding its network to provide subscribers nationwide coverage and revamped its billing system to be able to handle the numerous offers it intends to introduce on the market. The introduction of fast and reliable data service is necessary to be able to offer consumers on the Ghanaian market an experience that has been missing for a while – adding that the company is focused on introducing flexibility to offer a more customer-oriented service so as to unleash the potential that is locked up in the Kasapa network.
According to Minister of Communications, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the 74% penetration of mobile telephony in the country is remarkable, thanks to a strong and effective oversight and regulatory environment. Ghana’s mobile telecommunication industry has simply exploded and is thriving due to the continuous development in the country, a fast-growing customer-base and a competitive array of competent providers.
Mr. Haruna added that competition is important in the mobile telephony industry in order to inject efficiency into the system and also give consumers a wide range of products at relatively affordable cost.
Maroc Telecom revenues rises 4.3% (Morocco)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Consolidated revenues of MAD7.437 billion (USD858 million) has been reported by Moroccan telecoms group Maroc Telecom in the first quarter of 2010, reflecting an increase of 4.3% compared to the same period in 2009.
The total customer base of the group stood at 22.4 million, up by 14% year-on-year, across divisions in Morocco, Mauritania (Mauritel), Burkina Faso (Onatel), Gabon (Gabon Telecom), Mali (Sotelma) and Belgium (Mobisud Belgium).
EBITDA reached MAD4.282 billion, up 1.5% y-o-y and consolidated operating income rose 0.5% year-on-year to MAD3.205 billion. Fixed, mobile and broadband operations of the company in Morocco garnered MAD6.095 million, down 0.7% year-on-year. Financial impact of marketing and communications efforts has been attributed the reason behind the gain.
Vivendi reaches its 2008 goals, proposes dividend of $1.76/share (France)
Outlook 2009: Strong Growth of the EBITA
- Revenues 2008: EUR 25,392 million, an increase of 17.2% (+18.3% at constant currency).
- EBITA(1): EUR 4 953 million, an increase of 4.9% (+5.6% at constant currency) after EUR 245 million in Neuf Cegetel and Activision cost integration.
- Adjusted Net Income(2): EUR 2,735 million; Adjusted Net Income at constant perimeter(3) up 8.4%.
- Earnings attributable to equity holders of the parent: EUR 2,603 million (-0.8%).
- Proposed dividend of EUR 1.40 per share.
Comments by Jean-Bernard Levy, CEO of Vivendi
“We reached the goals that we set in the beginning of 2008. Despite an unstable environment, our business units’ operating performances were excellent.
In 2008, we created Activision Blizzard, the leading third-party publisher of video games worldwide. With the completion of the Neuf Cegetel integration, we established the new SFR, a major telecommunications group capable of responding to the needs of all markets (general public, enterprise and wholesale).
Vivendi’s shareholders will benefit from our strong 2008 results. Our strategy has allowed Vivendi to strengthen its leadership in each activity. Our balance sheet is solid and our liquidity secure. At the shareholders’ meeting we will propose to increase the dividend per share to EUR 1.40.
Despite the current market conditions, I approach 2009 with confidence and vigilance. Vivendi has the ability to resist, due to its subscription based model and the quality of its contents and services, added to continuous cost control. The profitable growth is expected to continue. Vivendi expects its EBITA will show strong growth in 2009.”
Middle East mobile subscription rates set to hit 15 % growth in 2009
The Middle East region represents one of the world’s fastest growing mobile subscription markets with a 47% year-over-year increase in 2008, even as the world economy struggles and slows, according to figures from Informa Telecoms & Media at this year’s GSM 3G Middle East Conference in Dubai.
Globally, subscription growth of 11.7% is still expected for 2009, driven by increasingly mobile and growing populations, but the economies of Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East will be the engine for this growth, with a regional forecast of more than 15% subscription growth for the next year. In contrast, growth of just below 5% is expected in Western Europe and 5.6% in North America in 2009.
Mobile penetration in Arab countries reached 56% at end of the second half of 2008, although this figure is much higher across GCC markets, with the more mature markets expected to see a surge in wireless broadband usage as operators look to develop their networks and drive an increase in data traffic levels in 2009. Some of the most dynamic economies in the Gulf are already seeing a surge in the use of Wi-max and broadband technology.
The new data was unveiled by Abdulaziz Fakhroo, Chairman of GSM Arab World, the regional representative body of the wireless industry representing mobile operators in 22 Arab countries and 199 million customers, as part of his welcoming address entitled “GSM/3G Status and Future Opportunities in Arab Countries.”
“The region is still seeing growth rates in mobile subscriber numbers that are higher than the economies of Europe and the Americas, and this lead seems set to widen in 2009. With each new generation of broadband technology, the nations of the Arab world are enjoying an increasing range of social and economic benefits that are enabling people to benefit from the good times and be resilient in the more challenging ones,” said Engineer Fakhroo.
Fakhroo, who is Divisional Manager, Wireless Networks, at Qtel, commented on the current status of 3G technology and the future opportunities to be found in Arab countries. Key trends emerging in the market include a shift from voice to increased data usage; increases in customer-driven content, products and services; and a striking decrease in the “digital divide” in the Arab world.
In particular, he noted that – in spite of the slowing economies – mobile broadband technologies are likely to increase in importance in 2009, because of the benefits delivered for the knowledge economies of nations, which are becoming more valuable as commodity prices fall.
Fakhroo noted that regionally, Arab countries have been able to realize significant value by supporting the growth of their knowledge economies.
Now in its 13th year, the GSM 3G Middle East Conference is the Middle East’s leading communications conference and exhibition. The conference brings together 2,500 telecom decision makers from across the whole communications value chain – mobile and fixed line operators, internet service providers, regulators, investors, telecoms solution vendors, content providers and more, 160 exhibitors and 65 expert speakers for agenda setting and strategic debate.
Fakhroo concluded, “I am delighted to represent Qtel at this prestigious and important conference, especially since Qtel was the first telecom operator to bring 2G services to the Middle East in 1994. This year’s theme, “Towards a Broadband World” is highly appropriate. The conference’s appeal is now truly global as the telecom companies of the Middle East expand beyond the region and into new emerging markets.”
About GSM Arab World
GSM Arab World (GSMAW) is the Arab interest group of the GSM Association, the premier global body behind the world’s leading wireless communications standard. GSM Arab World represents mobile operators in 20 countries in the Arab region and serves around 199 million customers.
GSM Arab World is the public face of mobile operators and the key representative forum for the wireless industry in the Arab region. GSM AW promotes and facilitates GSM development within the region, seeks to enhance investments in network infrastructure and aims to drive innovation, growth and expand consumer choice. GMA Arab World endeavors to promote the benefits that mobile communications bring to the society and economy of countries in the Arab region and how they impacts the lives of the vast majority of citizens.
GSM Arab World represents the interest of mobile operators in the following countries:
Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros,Djbouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and
Yemen.
About GSM Association
The GSM Association (GSMA) is the operator-led trade association representing the global mobile industry. Encompassing technical, commercial and public policy initiatives, the GSMA focuses on ensuring wireless services work globally, thereby enhancing the value of mobile services to individual customers and national economies while creating new business opportunities for operators and their suppliers.
About Qtel
Qatar Telecom (Qtel) is the telecommunications service provider licensed by the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) to provide both fixed and mobile telecommunications services in the state of Qatar. We have a presence in 16 countries and we are committed to expansion both in the MENA region and South East Asia. Our vision is to be among the top 20 telecommunications companies in the world by 2020.
For more information, please visit www.qtel.com.qa
Maroc Telecom reports a 10% rise in H1’08 revenues (Morocco)
Maroc Telecom has reported a 10% year-on-year rise in first half revenues to USD1.985 billion (MAD14.308 billion), reason being the continous growth of its domestic and foreign mobile operations. (more…)
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
Mauritania gets 3G (Mauritania)
Mauritania’s third cellco Chinguitel has launched 3G services with coverage of 4,000 km of main routes throughout the desert nation on the western edge of the Sahara. Chinguitel is majority owned by Sudan’s national telecoms company Sudatel. Technology Minister Oumar Ould Yali said, ‘Chinguitel has paid more than MRO27 billion (USD105 million) and signed agreements to ensure mobile coverage of several towns across the country and contribute to promoting access to information technology.’ Mauritania is currently served by two mobile providers, Mattel, partly owned by Tunisian investors, and Mauritel, partly-owned by Maroc Telecom, and had 600,000 subscribers at the end of 2005 out of a mostly nomadic population of some three million.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
Maroc Télécom’s revenues up 15.9%
Moroccan incumbent telephony operator Maroc T©l©com achieved a consolidated turnover of MAD6.11 billion (USD739.1 million) in the first quarter of 2007, up 15.9% on the same period of 2006, the company announced in a press release. The group consolidated the results of subsidiaries Mauritel (Mauritania),Onatel (Burkina ) and Mobisud (French MVNO) for the first time in the quarter. Revenues from fixed line and internet services rose by 2.1% year-on-year to MAD2.62 billion and mobile revenues by 24.5% to MAD4.16 billion. Consolidated earnings from operations rose by 22.3% to MAD2.84 billion, including fixed line and internet earnings down 17.6% to MAD682 million and mobile earnings up 44.3% at MAD2.16 billion. The group’s operating margin rose by three percentage points to 46.6%. In Morocco, T©l©com’s fixed line and internet turnover fell by 6.3% to MAD2.32 billion as its fixed line customer base decreased by 4.9% year-on-year to 1.27 million, whilst Moroccan internet customers rose by 38.6% to 424,000. Domestic mobile revenues rose by 19.3% to MAD3.8 billion as the company’s subscriber base grew by 32.6% to 11.37 million. The company claimed a 66.4% share of the country’s mobile market at the end of March, ahead of GSM rival Meditel.
Wireless Mobile Telecom Wireless News
