Orascom Telecom, which operates in Egypt, has announced that its fully-owned subsidiary Telecel Globe has entered into an agreement to sell Powercom to Investec and Nedbank.

The consideration for the sale consists of all liabilities of Powercom of about US$60 million. The sale is conditional upon regulatory approval.

According to Orascom Telecom CEO Ahmed Abou Doma, they consider the transaction to be positive for Powercom as it­ strengthens the company through solid local partners. The development is also in line with the firm’s overall company strategy to focus on profitable growth. Powercom operates the Leo mobile network in Namibia.

 

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A recent report by Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has revealed that around 208 operators are now investing in LTE, which is 98 operators more than in June 2010.

According to the report, the number of countries and territories where LTE systems are deployed or planned has increased by 32 in the same period.

The report confirms 154 firm LTE network deployments are in progress or planned in 60 countries, including 20 networks which have commercially launched. A further 54 operators in 20 more countries are engaged in LTE technology pilot trials or tests.

Taken together, it means that 208 operators in 80 countries are now investing in LTE. The report covers both LTE FDD and LTE TDD systems. The 60 countries and territories having firm LTE network commitments are Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong S.A.R., Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore , South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, UAE, UK, Uruguay, USA, and Uzbekistan.

LTE networks are launched in 14 countries, namely Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, USA, and Uzbekistan. GSA forecasts that at least 81 LTE networks will be in commercial service by end-2012.

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MTC launches iPad 2 in Namibia

MTC has introduced the iPad 2, following the launch of the original iPad in September 2010.

The uptake and use of the first generation iPad was so high that users enquired about the availability of the new iPad2 as soon as it was introduced in overseas markets.

MTC has now launched the iPad2 on its Connect, Netman Plus and OfficeBox packages.

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MTC is currently trialing a new method of generating power through wind in a continued effort to find alternative power solutions.

The special wind charger is mounted on the existing radio tower whereas the most common systems require a separate structure. This immediately cuts costs for building an extra tower or structure to host the generator.

The demo system is a 1.1kW (at wind speeds of 12.5m/sec) and weighs 29kg in total. At MTC’s trial site good wind speeds of 3m/sec to 7m/sec are experienced. This gives power generation from 220Watt to 700Watt into the batteries. The system has control intelligence and during fully charged battery conditions, the electronics automatically breaks the wind generator and thus no power is being pushed into the batteries.

This means there is no need to dump the surplus charge current into a load and therefore no energy is wasted. The immediate benefit of the wind-power solution, once fully commissioned, is an increase in up-time, so less failures and therefore an improved service to customers.

The Airdolphin trial follows on the heels of the inauguration of its first fully-funded wind-powered solution on the Erindi Mountain at the Erindi Game Reserve in north-central Namibia, at Mile 108 in the Erongo Region and on the Sossusvlei Mountain in southern Namibia. MTC also has a number of BTS run on solar power.

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MTC has revealed that it ended 2010 with a total 1.53 million active customers, an increase from 1.28 million compared to the previous year.

According to the company, revenues for the year were little changed due to the cuts in termination rates, while EBITDA improved to $785.8 million from $748 million in 2009.

Capex increased from $260 million to $410 million, almost half of which went to 3G network roll-out. The 3G investment helped data revenues grow 50% over the year, to 7.6% of total revenues by September 2010. Capex was higher than net profit for the year and a record for the company since its start.

MTC added that it was opposed to the regulator’s latest policy to cap off-net retail voice prices, stating that this is unprecedented for a regulator to intervene on retail prices. However, the company is positive on the country’s new communications law, which should allow it to gain a technology- and service-neutral licence.

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Portugal Telecom’s unit in Namibia (MTC) has stated that it opposes a move to force mobile-phone companies to charge the same rates when subscribers call other networks in the southern African nation.

According to MTC, a decision by the Namibia Communications Commission, which regulates telecommunications in the country, will block innovation in terms of products and service that are the engine of competition.

As per the company, a bid by the company to block the commission’s move was rejected by the High Court in Windhoek, the capital. MTC has about 1.5 million subscribers and is Namibia’s biggest carrier.

 

Telecom Namibia is set to link the southern African country to the consortium submarine system called West African Cable System (WACS) that links Africa to Europe.

The undersea fiber-optic cable, which was installed along the West African coast, delivered higher broadband connectivity for Namibia and its neighboring cities.

The WACS consortium includes 12 companies. They are Vodacom, Togo Telecom, Telkom SA, Telecom Namibia, Tata Communications/Neotel, Portugal Telecom/Cabo Verde Telecom, Office Congolais des Postes et Telecommunications, MTN, Congo Telecom, Cable & Wireless, Broadband Infraco and Angola Cables.

It is anticipated that the high-speed fiber-optic cable will help in reducing the cost for internet users. The cable will also be expanded to Botswana. According to media reports, Telecom Namibia has installed the required infrastructure to connect its Swakopmund’s landing station to the domestic network. The cable, which is installed in Swakopmund beach, was developed by Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks and Telecom Namibia.

Telecom Namibia anticipates that the commercial operation will be initiated in the Q2 of 2011 and hopes that the country will benefit from direct access to worldwide network cable network.

Telecom Namibia’s Managing Director, Frans Ndoroma stated that the 14,900 km WACS will provide direct connectivity between the UK, West Africa and Namibia.

Telecom Namibia ready for WACS

Telecom Namibia is ready to connect the country to the West African Cable System (WACS), a consortium high speed submarine system linking Africa to Europe, which it hopes will lead to higher-bandwidth, cheaper data and voice services for all end-users.

The US$600 million fibre-optic cable has reached the shores of Namibia, while Telecom has already deployed infrastructure to link its landing station at Swakopmund to its domestic network and expects that commercial services could be launched by the second quarter of this year. The project will give Namibia its first direct access to global submarine cable networks.

The WACS consortium consists of twelve companies: Angola Cables, Broadband Infraco, Cable & Wireless, Congo Telecom, MTN, Office Congolais des Postes et Telecommunications, Portugal Telecom/Cabo Verde Telecom, Tata Communications/Neotel, Telecom Namibia, Telkom SA, Togo Telecom and Vodacom.

Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH”) announces that its Algerian subsidiary Orascom Telecom Algeria (OTA”) has received the final tax notification from the Algerian Direction des Grandes Enterprises (Tax Department for Large-Scale Companies) (the DGE”) in respect of the years 2008 and 2009, in which the DGE has re-assessed taxes alleged to be owed by OTA in the amount of approximately DZD 17 billion (approximately USD230 million) (the Reassessment”).

The Reassessment is considered a final notification pursuant to the preliminary notification OTA received in September 2010. This Reassessment comes despite the fact that OTA had already paid the taxes due for the same years.

Without prejudice to their rights under the Investment Agreement, applicable bilateral investment treaty and applicable laws, OTH and OTA intend to take all necessary legal steps to challenge this completely unfounded Reassessment.

About Orascom Telecom

Orascom Telecom is a leading international telecommunications company operating GSM networks in high growth markets in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, having a total population under license of approximately 506 million with an average mobile telephony penetration of approximately 48% as of September 30th, 2010. Orascom Telecom operates GSM networks in Algeria (OTA”), Pakistan (Mobilink”), Egypt (Mobinil”), Bangladesh (banglalink”), North Korea (koryolink”) and Canada (Wind Mobile”) through its indirect equity shareholding in Globalive Wireless. In addition it has an indirect equity ownership in Telecel Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe) and through its subsidiary Telecel Globe; OTH also operates in Burundi, the Central African Republic and Namibia. Orascom Telecom reached almost 98 million subscribers as of September 30th, 2010.

Orascom Telecom is traded on the Cairo & Alexandria Stock Exchange under the symbol (ORTE.CA, ORAT EY), and on the London Stock Exchange its GDR is traded under the symbol (ORTEq.L, OTLD LI). For more information visit www.orascomtelecom.com.

Telecom has announced that it is all set to launch an innovative text message service, which for the first time in Namibia will deliver a range of key classified business information using Short Messaging Service (SMS) platforms across a multiple of mobile networks in Namibia.

The service, which will be available from next Monday will offer classified directory information searches for business and service types covering the most common needs of mobile phone users whilst on the move or in the event of an emergency.

According to the company, the SMS offering reflects Telecom’s commitment to provide new and flexible ways for consumers to access its database of business listings as quickly and conveniently as possible.

Telecom is offering the service through a partnership with CellDirect Namibia and Schoemans Office Systems. CellDirect is an SME with four years of experience in SMS Communications services working with Schoemans Office Systems, an organization that has been providing innovative solutions for over 50 years in Namibia.

The service will enable mobile users to request and receive contact details of companies such as Taxis, Florists, Takeaways and Locksmiths, by SMS – at any time and where there is network coverage. Users on the main mobile networks can access businesses across various locations via a single designated number, 100, and have a choice of results sent direct to their phone quickly and discreetly, 24 hours a day.

According to Telecom Namibia’s Managing Director Frans Ndoroma, the Namibian market has embraced the text message and made it one of the most popular ways to communicate. The company has recognized this and as a result has developed a service which enables users to access our business directory data via text. It’s more flexible, less intrusive and more discreet than a telephone call and can be used in situations with a lot of background noise such as busy bars and clubs.

He added that the use of SMS as a communication tool has grown beyond anyone’s expectations around the world. The company has seen how difficult it is to simply find a business name or phone number. With people using SMS for everyday communication, they realized that there is a gap in the market for a simple SMS directory service.