www.WirelessFederation.com/news: BASE, the Belgian mobile operator has reportedly announced its plans to launch 3G HSPA technology by 2009-end. The operator initially is offering data services using an Edge network, and plans to gradually roll out the next-generation technology across its national network. The operator intends to offer the 3G services with devices such as netbooks and e-readers, saying it will offer “extremely attractive” prices competitive with fixed broadband services.
On 08.31.09, In Mobile, By Editor
On 07.13.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The BlackBerry Storm smartphone’s revolutionary SurePress™ touch-screen, which depresses ever so slightly when the screen is pressed, dramatically enhances the touch interface for both typing and navigation. Virtual keyboards on the BlackBerry Storm respond like a physical keyboard to allow easy and precise typing and the interface also supports single-touch, multi-touch and gestures for intuitive and efficient navigation.
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On 06.15.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: KPN’s belgian mobile unit has introduced four new business subscriptions under the brand Base. It is anticipated that the new subscriptions will help to fetch market share from Belgacom unit Proximus. Base promised transparency and simplicity for its business subscribers.
On 05.28.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The Belgian Competition Council (BCC), has fined the Belgian mobile operator Belgacom relating to its mobile arm, Proximus. The fine slapped on the operator was of EUR66.3 million (USD92.6 million).
The fine has been levied by the watchdog which it says is the Belgacom’s abuse of its dominant position, and is the largest penalty ever handed down by the BCC.
The fine covers the time period of the 2004-2005, in which the operator allegedly set out to unfairly exclude rivals, and the BCC found that the tariffs charged by the cellco were lower than the wholesale prices charged by other operators; the examination of Proximus’ operations for this period stems from a complaint in 2005 by cellco BASE. ‘Competitors were unable to propose prices to their clients for communications towards the Proximus network that were more interesting or even similar to the prices that Proximus could offer to its clients’, a BCC statement on the matter noted.
Belgacom has said it plans to consider the ruling, and is likely to ascertain whether there are grounds for an appeal in the next few days.
On 05.01.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Base, the E-Plus’ flatrate brand, has introduced a prepaid service dubbed as Base Prepaid. The service will offer unlimited calls to other Base subscribers and all E-Plus subscribers at a cost of EUR10 per 30 days. The calls made to other German fixed networks will be charged at EUR 0.29 per minute and sending SMSs within Germany will cost EUR 0.19 per message.
The Base Prepaid starter package is priced at EUR 19.99 including EUR 5 call credit and as introduction offer, Base offers the first 30 days for free.
On 04.28.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Base, the Belgian mobile operator, has posted a 4.9% rise Q1′09 revenues to EUR 191 million. Service revenues grew by 6.2% to EUR 154 million, whereas EBITDA rose by 13% to EUR 62 million. The Belgian operator added 52,000 new subscribers in Q1, of which 14,000 attributed to the postpaid base, taking the total to 3.497 million subscribers at Q1′09-end.
Net additions in comparison to Q4’s 204,000 were sluggish and the operator also cleaned-up the inactive prepaid base, resulting in the loss of 93,000 subscribers.
ARPU for the operator dipped to EUR 15 from EUR 16 in Q4, while SAC/SRC rose to EUR 18 from EUR 17. MOU rose to 124 minutes/customer from 122 in Q4.
Base said it intends to launch first HSPA services towards 2009-end in major cities, and further expansion planned for 2010.
On 04.22.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Base, the Belgian mobile operator, has introduced new portfolio of products and tariffs, which are simpler and transparent. The new portfolio will offer five tariff plans: prepaid solution “prepaid”, and four postpaid solutions “postpaid 0″,”postpaid 1″, “postpaid 3″, and “postpaid 5″. The new tariff plans will come into effect from today. Base spokesperson Bart Vandesompele said on this day, the site will also be refreshed and new plans revealed.
On 09.08.08, In Mobile, By Editor
Belgian newspaper publisher Groupe Sud Presse and mobile operator Base are in a partnership to instigate their own mobile brand as of 2009. This new service will help the publisher to further its strategy of making available local and regional information to the public at large across different media platforms at any time of the day, said Didier Hamann, Sud Presse Group’s Director General. Its mobile offering will be available both in the form of prepaid cards and regular subscriptions. This will also include the full range of services on offer from BASE.
On 08.14.08, In Mobile, By Editor
Belgium’s mobile market has three main operators Proximus, Mobistar and Base and around 7 MVNOs. The incumbent’s Proximus unit controls just less than half of the market, and remains the only operator to have launched 3G services. The mobile market has room to grow both in terms of penetration and technology.
Notable highlights of the Belgium Mobile Forecast include:
- The wireless penetration level of Belgium is gradually increasing, and it will reach 106,4% in 2010. The number of total subscribers will increase from the projected 10.78 million in 2008 to 10.53 million in 2010.
- A significant drop in the market share for Proximus is forecasted. It’s current projected mobile market share (by subscribers) of 42.5% will drop to 41.2% in 2010. It is believed that most of the drop in market share will be taken up by Base.
- Based on Q1.08 data, the ARPU forecasts are reversing. According to the forecast, Proximus and Mobistar will continue to receive similar ARPUs over the next three years. It will be US$46.43 per month for Proximus and US$47.72 per month for Mobistar in 2010.
- Proximus will continue to enjoy the highest EBITDA margins in the Belgium operator space in 2010 at 47.3%.
On 08.20.07, In Mobile, By Editor
KPN’s wholly owned subsidiary KPN Mobile International has entered into an agreement with Versatel Telecom International and Versatel Nederland for the acquisition of Tele2 Belgium and Versatel Belgium for a consideration of EUR 95 million on a debt and cash-free basis. This acquisition will allow KPN’s mobile subsidiary BASE to further expand its regional distribution reach in Belgium, while driving further revenue growth through cross-selling and up-selling opportunities, which will also include bundled product offers. Tele2’s substantial residential subscriber base in specific regions and its deeply rooted position in the B2B market, will allow BASE to expand and grow its presence in Belgium as a result of this acquisition. For Versatel, the transaction will have a positive one-time profit and loss effect on Versatel of approximately EUR 5 to EUR 10 million. Versatel will use the proceeds of the transaction to repay an outstanding loan to the Tele2 group, while at the same time securing a stand by facility from Tele2 for the same amount to fund, inter alia, general corporate purposes.
Commenting on the transaction Stan Miller, member of the board of KPN and CEO of its International activities said: “Over the last 5 years, BASE has become the leading challenger mobile company in Belgium and Europe in terms of growth and margin. It has increased its market share from less than 10 percent to more than 22 percent. Through this acquisition along with the recently announced purchase of Allo Telecom, I am confident that BASE now has the distribution and sales capability to continue to grow its business in Belgium in a profitable way”. KPN intends to run Tele2 Belgium independently from BASE. The transaction is subject to approval from the Belgian competition authorities. Lazard acted as financial advisor to KPN on this transaction.
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