Vietnam Ministry to limit the number of simcards per person (Vietnam)
The Ministry of Information and Communications will permit each person to register a maximum of 18 simcards from mobile network operators, according to a report by VNS.
As per the report, the draft of a circular on managing pre-paid mobile phone subscribers reveals that if one person wants to have more than three simcards, he/she must register with another mobile phone network operator. So, one person would register a maximum of 18 simcards from six mobile network operators.
The six operators are Viettel, VinaPhone, MobiFone, S-Fone, Vietnamobile and Beeline. The development is considered a tough measure to closely manage pre-paid mobile phone subscribers.
Nguyen Dinh Chien, deputy general director, MobiFone, the third largest mobile network operator, said that mobile simcards were used in many devices such as USBs of 3G generation, notebook computers and mobile phones. Therefore, the State should increase the maximum numbers of simcards owned by each person to five units.
Nguyen Viet Dung, deputy general director of Viettel Telecom, agreed and said the demand was surely more than three simcards for each person.
The report reveals that the draft of the circular will permit one enterprise to register a maximum of 100 simcards. The regulation is expected to restrict enterprises from registering too many simcards to sell on the market. At present, there is a service provided by individuals that a normal subscriber can change to be a student subscriber even if they are not students to get cheaper mobile phone service charges.
MobiFone plans to hold IPO this year (Vietnam)
The parent company of Vietnamese mobile operator MobiFone is planning to hold an initial public offering (IPO) this year.
According to reports citing ICT minister Le Doan Hop, the company will undergo privatization to improve its competitiveness and attract foreign investors, thereby contributing to the restructuring of the economy. The minister did not disclose the size of the stake that would be sold in the offering.
According to a VNPT executive, the company is unlikely to hold the IPO this year as the government and VMS are unable to come to an agreement on the valuation of the company. VNPT owns a major stake in the company. The executive also stated that the IPO would see a 49% stake sold off.
Viettel becomes third 3G operator in Vietnam
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Vietnamese military-owned telecoms operator Viettel became the third 3G network operator in the country with the official launch of its third-generation mobile services. The other two 3G operators are Vinaphone and MobiFone.
According to Tong Viet Trung, deputy general director of Viettel, after the deployment of 8,000 base transceiver stations (BTSs), operator’s 3G networks covers 63 provinces and cities nationwide. Viettel hopes to raise the number to 20,000 by the end of this year. Video calling and mobile broadband at download speeds of up to 14.4Mbps along with several other services are offered over its 3G network.
The company has also begun to offer Apple’s iPhone 3G and 3GS for the first time. Viettel started the trial of its 3G networks last year in 20 provinces and it has already reached the subscribers mark of one million.
Viettel was awarded a license to operate 3G services by the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) in April 2009, along with Vinaphone, MobiFone and a consortium between EVN Telecom and Hanoi Telecom
Axiata Bangladesh & Vietnam’s MobiFone plan IPO
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: With the return of confidence in the share market, Axiata Bangladesh and Vietnam’s MobiFone- two leading mobile operators in developing Asia- have started preparing for IPO. Aktel which is the third largest operator, with 9.3 million customers at end-December is owned by Axiata and its listing, comes amid huge demand for stock in the no. 1 cellco GrameenPhone.
According to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman, Ziaul Haque Khondker, as price volatility in Grameenphone shares has appeared during the last few days’ trading; the commission has stopped the financial adjustment facilities to bring back stability in prices of the company.
Meanwhile, Vietnam’s dominant cellco MobiFone has taken its long-delayed IPO plans off the backburner, reportedly hiring Credit Suisse to manage its local listing.
MobiFone reports 52% rise in revenue (Vietnam)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 52 % year-on-year rise in revenue in the year ended December 31, 2009, has been reported by Vietnam’s second largest wireless operator by subscribers, MobiFone, reaching VND27.4 trillion (USD1.48 billion).
However, pre-tax profit of the company fell 3.4% compared to 2008 to VND5.6 trillion. The net income of the company is not yet declared. The company is targeting revenue of VND34 trillion in 2010. According to the MobiFone, it is quickly preparing for the privatization process this year in an attempt to improve competitiveness.
It was revealed in 2008 that that in an initial public offering (IPO), 15% tranche would be sold to a strategic investor and 15% to the public. Even after IPO, 19% of the stake might also be sold reducing state-owned Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications’ (VNPT’s) stake to 51%.
SingTel plans to float Optus share as Australian IPO
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: With an aim to raise about A$4 billion, 25% stake of Australian unit Optus is planned to be sold by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd through an initial public offering in Australia. Southeast Asia’s largest telecommunications firm by revenue, Singtel, acquired Optus in 2001 through a bid valuing the Australian telecommunications firm at A$17 billion.
Though Optus is a cash cow for SingTel, 23.0% loss was incurred in the second fiscal quarter compared with 23.2% at the same time a year earlier. The company revenue was 27.8% in the fourth quarter of the previous fiscal year ended March 31.
The pressure will further intensify with the entry of Vodafone Hutchison in the Australian market. In order to deal with the rising competition, the operator is set to create a cash war-chest for acquisitions and expansion in markets outside Australia and Singapore.
According to Singtel, it is evaluating investment opportunities in China and is also interested in taking a stake in Vietnam’s MobiFone.
Mobile search service launched by Mobifone(Vietnam)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Vietnam based mobile operator MobileFone launched its mobile-search service in partnership with Nam Digital Corp Area 1 (VDC1). The msearch service is based on socbay technology of Naiscorp.
The service will operate on GPRS base and high speed 3G. Using a client support of nearly 300 mobile lines in Vietnam, the service will provide relevant information of the search results to the users including pictures, sound and ads.
The aim of the service is to attract businessmen and youngsters, and has been developed to provide an alternative to search engines on mobile devices in the thriving market of 3 G services and smartphone.
Vinaphone to launch Vietnam’s first 3G Network.
VinaPhone, the Vietnamese mobile operator has announced that its 3G network will be launched on October 12th. Vinaphone will be first to go live on 3G in Vietnam.
VinaPhone’s deputy director Ho Duc Thang told a media house that Vinaphone has finalised the installation of thousands of 3G transceiver base stations will announce 3G tarriffs on the day of launch.
Vinaphone officially launched in June 2006 and currently has over 13 million subscribers. Vinaphone is among the top three mobile operators in Vietnam now.
Motorola has earlier announced that it had won the 3G upgrade contract from Vinaphone.
Three more operators in Vietnam have a 3G license – Viettel, EVN Telecom-Hanoi Telecom and Mobifone are testing their networks and will be launching shortly.
Vietnam to privatise telecom groups next year
HANOI (AFP) – Vietnam’s three major telecom companies are expected to be partly privatised next year with the majority of the stakes remaining under government control, officials said.
State-owned Vinaphone, MobiFone and the army’s Viettel said earlier this year they would open their mobile activities to the public without providing any firm calendar dates.
“We plan to equitise them next year, according to a program approved by the government in 2005,” said Nguyen Khac Lap, office manager of Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Ministry.
“We have set no specific date for each company. There are a lots of things to do before the plan is achieved,” he said.
Vinaphone and MobiFone, both subsidiaries of state-owned giant Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Corp (VNPT), currently lead the market.
But the Vietnam Military Electronics and Telecommunications Co. has won widespread praise for its dynamic approach to business since it started operations in late 2004.
The country is considered the second fastest growing telecoms market in the world after China. There are about 13 million mobile phone users in the country of more than 84 million people.
Several foreign groups have shown interests in the sector, among whom French France Telecom, Swedish Comvik and Norwegian Telenor.
Vietnamese banks, investment funds and other local private companies have also followed the process closely, observers said.
But major details remain to be settled. The government has not yet decided on the size of a maximum stake foreign investors can acquire.
“We advised authorities to choose one strategic partner for each company, someone that would invest and bring methods, technology and know-how,” an industry insider said, asking not to be named.
“In a second phase, they could also list the group at the stock exchange and open it to other smaller investors.”
“The privatisation will be a long and progressive process,” he added saying the 2007 target was not impossible but might prove difficult to reach.
Vietnam’s telecom sector has experienced major changes over recent years and will face further pressure once Vietnam joins the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Privatisation of the sector has been fiercely negotiated with foreign countries, especially the United States, and is part of Vietnam’s commitment to join the world trade body.
“The integration of the equitised companies would lower the state’s investment burden, sharing the costs among investors,” said the English-language daily Vietnam News, citing the deputy minister of posts and telecommunications.
Internet and the landlines network will remain entirely controlled by the Vietnamese state.
Source- http://au.news.yahoo.com
