Hutchison to buy Orange Austria for US$ 1.7 billion (Hong Kong, Austria)
Hutchison Whampoa has finalized plans to purchase Orange Austria in a bid to enhance its presence in the country. According to reports, the deal valued at US$ 1.7 billion, is an attempt by the operator to increase its market share in the European telecom sector.
As per a statement made by the company, Hutchison Whampoa will divest its assets to Telekom Austria for US$ 514 million. Further, the assets currently owned by Orange Austria include some frequencies, base station sites, intellectual property rights and Orange Austria’s local discount operator Yesss! Telekommunikation GmbH. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2012, and will be financed out of Telekom Austria’s existing cash flow.
According to sources, the deal is beneficial for France Telecom as it enables the operator to concentrate its activities on emerging markets such as Middle East and Africa.
Orange to offer free Wikipedia access in Africa and the Middle East (Europe, Africa, Middle East)
Telecommunications operator Orange has entered into an agreement with the Wikimedia Foundation to provide over 70 million Orange customers in Africa and the Middle East (AMEA) with mobile access to Wikipedia, without incurring data usage charges.
The move comes in an attempt to make knowledge more easily available to Orange mobile customers, in both remote and urban areas, throughout Africa and the Middle East. According to a company report, this new partnership will be gradually launched throughout 2012 across 20 African and Middle Eastern countries where Orange operates, with the first markets launching early in the year. The initiative is part of the Wikimedia Foundation’s mobile strategy that aims to reach the billions of people around the world who access the internet solely through mobile devices.
The report reveals that any customer with an Orange SIM and mobile internet enabled phone will be able to access the Wikipedia site either through their browser or an Orange widget. They can access the Wikipedia encyclopaedia services for as many times as they like at no extra charge as long as they stay within Wikipedia’s pages.
Sue Gardner, Executive Director, Wikimedia Foundation said that Wikipedia is an important service, a public good, and so they want people to be able to access it for free, regardless of what device they’re using. Further, this partnership with Orange will enable millions of people to read Wikipedia, who previously couldn’t.
Marc Rennard, Group Executive Vice President of Orange, Africa, the Middle-East and Asia, commented, in countries where access to information is not always readily available, they are making it simple and easy for our customers to use the world’s most comprehensive online encyclopaedia. It is the first partnership of this kind in the world where they are enabling customers to access Wikipedia without incurring any data charges; and shows Orange’s ability, once again, to innovate in Africa and the Middle East, and bring more value to their customers.
Etisalat and Mobily compete to be the first to provide LTE services in the Middle East
Mobile operators Etisalat in the UAE and Mobily in Saudi Arabia are both in an attempt to become the first operator to provide LTE services in the Middle East. According to reports, Marwan Zawaydeh, Etisalat’s CTO, said in April, that the firm was satisfied with its trials of LTE and that the market was ready for the technology, hinting at an early launch. However, based on recent news, sources claim that Etisalat may offer the service early next year.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabian operator Mobily has been facing problems with the allocation of LTE spectrum in Saudi Arabia. With the military using the 2.6 Ghz spectrum band, the operators are not allowed to launch their preferred FDD-LTE in that band. As a result, Mobily aims to launch a TD-LTE service using spectrum that it holds through a subsidiary.
3A Technology signs 10 year satellite contract with NewSat
Pakistani telecommunications company, 3A Technology has reportedly signed a ten year contract with NewSat, for $134 million. Reports suggest that the Australian satellite company NewSat, is planning to launch the satellite Jabiru-1, in 2012. This satellite will serve mobile carriers, enterprise and government clients in multiple regions having high demand within the Middle East, including Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Sources claim that Ali Ather, President, 3A Technology, will use the capacity to provide services to companies such as Mobilink, Pak Datacom and the Pakistan government in areas of the Middle East with previously poor coverage, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. Further, he has also said that the rapidly growing consumer, business and government markets for internet, voice and secure data in Pakistan and Afghanistan require reliable satellite communications to support their network expansions and future business growth.
NewSat has reportedly said that the capacity would also be used for cellular backhaul in Pakistan and Afghanistan and to support the roll-out of 3G and 4G networks.
Comba Telecom Enables 4G Network Deployment in Middle East
Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Limited(“Comba” or “the Group”), a leading wireless enhancement solutions provider, announced that it had been selected by a major operator in the Middle East to supply wireless equipment for its LTE network build out in the region.
Under the terms of the agreement, Comba provided a number of LTE equipment including indoor and base station antennas for deployment in both indoor and outdoor environments for the network. In addition, Comba also supplied 3G antennas to enable a ubiquitous wireless coverage experience for the mobile operator’s customers.
At the initial phase of the project, Comba’s LTE equipment was subjected to rigorous tests and trials by the operator. Convinced by the product features and performance in addition to Comba’s service and support facilities, the operator expanded the order to include hundreds of LTE antennas and thousands of 3G antennas.
Based in Dubai, Ms. Charlene Chong, General Manager for Comba’s Middle East operations, said, “We are delighted to be part of such an important project. Besides the performance and value proposition of our products, we believe that Comba’s superior support, delivery and customer-focused service orientation were key factors in our win.” She further added, “Comba is involved in a number of LTE trials in the region and the fact that market analysts are forecasting LTE adoption in the Middle East to be one of the fastest in the world with a higher penetration rate adds further luster to this project and the other regional LTE trials. It is an honor for Comba to help the region move onto the next generation of wireless communications.”
Ms. Carol Ye, Deputy General Manager for Comba’s Antenna and Sub-Systems division, said, “One of the key components in the suite of LTE equipment is our base station antennas. Comba’s LTE antenna supports multiple protocols including 3G and LTE 2.7GHz for mobile broadband connectivity in a single integrated design for efficiencies in footprint and performance. In this case, we delivered these antennas and other LTE equipment under very tight time-lines and fully met the operator’s deployment schedules without compromising on quality expectations. We are delighted with the trust that the operator has placed in Comba and will continue to improve and upgrade the current LTE offerings for Middle East and beyond.”
About Comba Telecom Systems Holdings Limited
As one of the leading wireless solution providers in the world, Comba is primarily engaged in the R&D and manufacturing of wireless enhancement products including RRU, base station subsystems & antennas, and wireless transmission & access systems. The Group also provides complete turnkey solutions and services to its global customers. Headquartered in Hong Kong, Comba’s global operations include manufacturing platforms in China, R&D centers in China and the USA, and over 40 offices worldwide. In September 2009, Comba was named “Asia’s 200 Best Under A Billion” by Forbes. In March 2010, it was included into the Hang Seng Composite Index Series (under the Information Technology category). In May 2011, Comba secured winning places in five categories in FinanceAsia’s Top Companies Poll, namely, “Best Mid-Cap” (first place), “Most Committed to a Strong Dividend Policy”, “Best Corporate Social Responsibility”, “Best Corporate Governance”, and “Best Managed Company”. For further information, please visit: www.comba-telecom.com
Motorola Xoom launches in Middle East market
The Motorola Xoom tablet device with Wi-Fi has been launched in the GCC from 7 May from Axiom Telecom stores for USD 735.
The device features a 10.1-inch HD screen, a dual-core processor and 1 GB of RAM. The Motorola Xoom is designed to deliver a fast web-browsing performance and features Google Maps 5.0 with 3D interaction and a user menu which supports Arabic, aimed at the Middle East consumer.
The Motorola Xoom also supports Adobe Flash Player 10.2 beta downloadable from the Android Market.
Friendi Group secures $25 mln in funding (Middle East)
MVNO Friendi Group has secured US$25 million in funding to further accelerate expansion plans across the Middle East, Africa and Asia region.
The funding for Friendi Group consists of US$10 million equity from new and existing shareholders and a US$15 million structured debt facility from Standard Bank.
The US$10 million equity element of this funding is provided partly by existing Friendi Group shareholders, led by Dolphin International of Oman, and partly by a new shareholder National Technology Enterprises Company (NTEC) of Kuwait.
ViewSonic offers tablet PCs in Middle East
ViewSonic has announced that the company is launching its latest tablet PCs in the Middle East.
The ViewPad 10s is an Android 2.2 tablet powered by the Nvidia Tegra 2 dual core 1GHz processor. It supports 1080p video, HDMI and Flash 10.1 for video streaming and comes with USB, microSD, SIM and 3.5mm audio ports.
The ViewPad 10s also offers a 1.3 megapixel front camera for video calls. In addition, ViewSonic launched the ViewPad 7, with a smaller screen, in the region.
Samsung launches Galaxy Pro in Middle East
Samsung has announced that it has launched its Galaxy Pro smartphone in the Middle East.
Featuring Samsung’s integrated Social Hub Premium, Android 2.2 and dual-input control via a touch-screen and full QWERTY keyboard, the Galaxy Pro will be available at a range of retail outlets across the GCC countries for a recommended price of US$271.48.
Sony Ericsson offers Xperia arc in Mideast
Sony Ericsson has announced that it will be launching new Xperia arc, an Android 2.3 smartphone in Middle East.
The Xperia arc is 8.7mm at its thinnest part and weighs 117 grams. Sporting a 1 GHz Qualcomm CPU and a 4.2-inch multi-touch screen, the smartphone is ergonomically designed to fit into the user’s hand. Crafted with a type of mineral glass that is used for making watch crystals, the smartphone is scratch- and shatter-resistant.
The Reality Display with Mobile Bravia Engine delivers a clear image for multimedia entertainment. Sony’s Exmor R for mobile sensor with the f/2.4 lens enables high-quality pictures and HD videos even in low light. All pictures and videos can be shared in HD on any TV via the built in HDMI connector. The Xperia arc camera offers auto focus, face detection, LED flash, image stabilizer, geotagging and noise suppression. As far as connectivity goes, the smartphone has a 3.5 mm audio jack, in addition to HDMI, USB, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi support. The device also supports A-GPS and DLNA as well as memory card with capacity up to 32 GB.
