Telefonica launches HP’s netbook in Spain
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: HP’s Compaq AirLife 100 netbook has been launched by Telefonica in Spain. 10.1-inch diagonal screen, a full keyboard, 16 GB solid state internal storage, SD card slot, Android operating system and customized touch interface are some of the features of the device.
The device also has several other facilities like access, Wi-Fi connectivity, VGA webcam, up to 12 hours of battery life in active use and up to 10 days of standby time, GPS capabilities, preinstalled NDrive navigation software with included regional maps with points of interest, and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon QSD8250 chipset platform.
AirLife 100 netbook will offered by Telefonica at Movistar stores across Spain for EUR 230. It will combine with Movistar’s Internet Maxi data plan with a monthly fee of EUR 49. HP netbook can also be acquired by customers for EUR 300 along with Movistar’s Internet Plus data plan with a monthly fee of EUR 39.
Telefonica to re-brand in Spain & Latin America
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: May 1 will witness the rolling out of the rebranding process by Telefonica under which its mobile operations across Spain and Latin America will be re-branded as Movistar.
With this move, Telefonica will continue the rebranding process it started in Chile in October 2009, after which Chile became the first country where the commercial name of Telefonica was replaced by Movistar.
Northern European operations will continue to work under O2 brand, including fixed and mobile telephony services. The brand name Telefonica will continue to be used by the operator for institutional purposes, to address employees, investors, for corporate social responsibility activities, as well as for sponsorship, patronage and social programs.
Movistar takes legal action to fight mobile lines deactivation (Mexico)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A legal action has been started by Telefonica to obtain a court order against the deactivation of lines that were not registered in the Mobile Phone Users National Registry (Renaut). A provisional court order has been recently obtained by America Movil, via its Mexican unit Telcel against the suspension of unregistered mobile lines.
It was announced by Movistar on April 9 that it will maintain the unregistered mobile phone lines active, even after the April 10 deadline. It has also maintained that it will go to court in defense of its subscribers in case it becomes necessary.
However, Movistar has been compelled by Mexican telecommunications regulator Cofetel to suspend service to mobile customers who have not registered their numbers in the Renaut database by April 10.
It has asked the telco to either abide by the law or face penalties. A provisional court order is hoped to be obtained by Movistar releasing it from cutting off service to customers who have not provided proof of identity.
Movistar asked to suspend unregistered numbers by regulator (Mexico)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Mexican telecommunications regulator Cofetel has asked Movistar to suspend service to mobile customers who have not registered their numbers in the Renaut database by April 10. Earlier it was announced by the Mexican operator that unregistered mobile phone lines will remain active even after the April 10 deadline.
he aim of the Mexico’s Mobile Phone Users National Registry (Renaut) system is to identify mobile phone users and register mobile service subscription activation and cancellation. The information collected is later used in investigations involving kidnapping, extortion, threats and organized crime.
As per the regulations passed by Cofetel, mobile phone owners who have not signed up to the national registry by April 10 will have their service suspended without liability to their provider and Movistar has been asked to comply with the law.
Movistar Argentina plans investment of USD284 million
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: An investment of USD284 million has been expected by the Argentine mobile unit of Spanish telecoms heavyweight Telefonica, Movistar in its networks and services this year. The major portion of the total amount is decided to be kept aside for the expansion of the company’s 3G network infrastructure.
Spanish telecoms giant, Telefonica owns 100% of Movistar Argentina.
According to the company, its UMTS infrastructure currently covers 350 municipalities across the country and serves over 600,000 mobile broadband subscribers, out of a total user base of more than 16 million.
Telefonica purchase of ETB raises questions (Colombia)
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Several market implications might arise with the potential purchase of Colombian telecoms operator ETB by Telefonica as ETB also owns 25% of mobile operator Tigo.
Tigo which is controlled by Luxembourg-based mobile group Millicom International Cellular had 4.19 million subscribers at the end of the year while Telefonica operating under the Movistar brand had 8.96 million subscribers at the end of 2009. When combined, the total subscriber base of the company will become 13.2 million, making it a distant second from America Movil’s Comcel, which ended the year with 28.8 million subscribers.
The merger will also result into four million fixed line subscribers and 1 million internet customers of Telefonica. Telefonica might also sell its stake in Tigo after which the other two shareholders, UNE-EPM with a 25% stake and Millicom with 50%, would have the right of first refusal.
EUR700 million (USD962 million) would be invested by Telefonica to acquire a controlling stake in ETB. 86.59% of ETB is currently controlled by the Bogota municipality and minority shareholders have the remainder. In order to improve its situation in the highly competitive telecom market, a partner is needed by ETB. The telco plans to sell new shares, equivalent to a 36.6% stake.
Telefonica & ZTE to supply Movistar handsets in Latin America
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A full range of Movistar branded handsets will be launched by Telef³nica and ZTE in 12 Latin American countries during 2010, starting in Q2. An agreement has been signed between the two companies for the development of a complete range of mobile devices. The price details have not been disclosed yet.
The handsets have been designed by both the companies and it marks the first strategic cooperation in the handsets space between the two companies.
According to Luis Miguel Gilp©rez, Director of Mobile Business, Telef³nica Internacional, consumers in Latin America are becoming increasingly demanding and have specific requirements in terms of handset design and desired features and by customizing a complete range of handsets, ZTE will enable Telef³nica to meet the requirements of its Latin American customers and further build the Movistar brand.
Movistar Argentina signs management contract with NSN
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Movistar Argentina and Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) have entered into a key identity management contract as per which, NSN will provide the technology that will let Movistar subscribers automatically link to their online identities on sites such as Facebook through their SIM cards.
The customers would not have to separately sign on to the social network site or other online destinations such as Flickr for photo-sharing. In the three year deal, NSN will also handle maintenance and support.
According to Pablo Vita, head of the Movistar Argentina business team at NSN, this unified approach will help Movistar Argentina subscribers to unlock the potential of their mobile presence and share it securely with other trusted third parties besides increasing its revenue and strengthen its market position.
LTE deployment by Movistar to be launched in 2011
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Second half of 2011 could encounter the deployment of LTE infrastructure in large cities across the country by the Venezuelan mobile operator, Movistar. However, the necessary wireless spectrum to launch LTE is still not allocated to the company.
According to company’s networks and infrastructure VP, Juan Comerma, low frequencies are required to achieve LTE deployment. Price and availability of LTE devices are the other factors affecting the commercial launch date.
Nextel Chile and VTR win 3G spectrum
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After winning 60MHz of the 3G spectrum in a closed tender, Nextel Chile has announced that it will invest USD300 million in the mobile network. VTR, a local cableco, an arm of Liberty Global and Nextel both submitted bids for three bands of 30MHz of 3G wireless spectrum. Nextel, offering USD14.6 million for the two bands was the highest bidder, while VTR will pay USD3 million for a single 30MHz band. The contracts are yet to be signed. Both the companies have twelve months to build their 3G networks and start offering services nationally.
Nextel and VTR will compete with Chile’s three main mobile telephone companies Entel PCS, Telefonica (Movistar) and America Movil (Claro), that already have the 3G spectrum.
