NEXTEL

Motorola Opus rechristened to i1

On 03.08.10, In Mobile Phones, By Editor

Motorola Opus is expected to make an official announcement at the CTIA Wireless in Las Vegas next month. The iDEN based device is attracting people because of its name. Instead of Opus, Motorola will be calling it i1. This gives a hint that even i2 and i3 are in development.

It’s likely that i1 will run Android 1.5 and will be loaded with various features including 3-megapixel camera. Since it’s an iDEN device, it surely will be having push-to-talk functionality.

Motorola is expected to make easy money with this iDEN-based Android smartphone. Though it’s not a large market but at the same time the product lacks competition, which is a positive sign. As it is Motorola is ruling Nextel’s offering and by adding an Android device the brand could at least bring their margins to some higher level. The i1 is expected to be a bit more expensive than some other MOTO phones sold through Sprint-owned networks, Nextel and Boost Mobile included.

Nextel Mexico’s 30% stake bought by Televisa

On 02.16.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Stakes in local unit of NII Holdings’, the mobile operator Nextel Mexico, will be bought by pay-TV provider and media group Televisa at a price of USD 1.44 billion cash for an initial 30 percent equity stake in Nextel Mexico. 70 percent stake in Nextel Mexico will be maintained by NII along with the management.

An additional 7.5 percent stake in Nextel Mexico can also be acquired by Televisa from the third or fourth anniversary of the completion of the initial transaction.

The services will be cross sold to each other customers base. The companies have also planned to use the Televisa media and distribution channels to market Nextel services and work on bundling services and developing a quadruple-play offering.

Tagged with: Mexico • NEXTEL • Nextel Mexico • NII Holdings • North America • operator • Televisa

NII contracts Nokia to manage network in five countries

On 02.11.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Nokia Siemens Networks has been contracted by Latin American mobile operator NII Holdings to manage its network operations across its regional footprint. 1,000 NII Holdings employees will transfer to Nokia Siemens Networks under the terms of the deal.

Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru are covered in the contract where NII operating under the Nextel brand, will hold its operations.

According to Alan Strauss, chief technology officer at NII Holdings, the focus of the company to deliver differentiated wireless service is strengthened by this partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks, as it allows NII to increase the operational flexibility, improve the cost efficiencies, and improve the service quality.

Tagged with: Brazil • Chile • Latin America • Mexico • NEXTEL • NII Holdings • Nokia • Nokia Siemens • operator • Peru

Nextel’s stake to be acquired by Televisa (Mexico)

On 02.09.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: CFC’s approval has been seeked by Mexican media group Televisa to acquire a stake in the local unit of mobile operator NII Holdings. Both the companies have notified the Federal Competition Commission regarding their intention to undertake this acquisition.

The CFC has 30 days to approve or deny the acquisition.

There are 2.9 million customers and 3.6 percent mobile market share of NII Holdings operating in Latin America under the Nextel brand name, in Mexico at the end of September 2009.

Tagged with: Acquisition • federal competition commission • Latin America • Mexico • NEXTEL • NII Holdings • operator • Televisa

Nextel Chile and VTR win 3G spectrum

On 09.13.09, In Mobile, By Editor

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.

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.

Tagged with: 3G networks • 3G wireless • América Móvil • Chile • Mobile Network • Movistar • NEXTEL • Telefonica • VTR • wireless spectrum

Sun Cellular launches Sun Prepaid Roaming (Philippines)

On 08.29.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Sun Cellular proudly introduces its newest service, Sun Prepaid Roaming. This service provides prepaid subscribers who travel abroad a convenient yet affordable way to keep in touch with their family and friends. This service is especially beneficial to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) wanting to remain in constant contact with their loved ones.

Sun’s Prepaid Roaming Service can be activated in any Sun Prepaid SIM – Sun Super Value SIM, Super Combo SIM, Sun Call & Text International SIM, or Super Budget SIM. Subscribers traveling to countries like China, Macau and Singapore can avail of the Prepaid Roaming Service without having to change their current Sun Prepaid SIM.

Activation of the service is easy: Just text “ROAM ON” to 222 (free of charge), and your roaming service is immediately activated. With Sun’s roaming service, you can make and receive calls and texts.

But what makes Sun Cellular’s service unique is that family and friends in the Philippines can send unlimited texts to the Sun subscriber abroad! All they have to do is load any of Sun Cellular’s unlimited texting products, and then they can send texts all they want, just like local texts. Furthermore, Sun Cellular’s Prepaid Roaming service does not require a maintaining balance in order to receive text messages.

Sun Prepaid Roaming SIM is initially available to 5 countries – China, Macau and Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. But for Sun Postpaid subscribers, international roaming service is already available in 100 countries with over 200 roaming partners. For more information, you can call the SUN hotline 395-8000 using a landline, or 200 from a mobile phone.

Tagged with: Acquisition • Any Mobile • AnyMobile • Anytime • China • Mobile Calling • mobile network operator • Mohamed Fitri Abdullah • NEXTEL • Philippines • Singapore • Vavasi • yasser

PLDT delays the launch of MVNO in Japan

On 05.08.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: PLDT, the Filipino mobile operator, has delayed the launch of a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service in Japan, but is still likely to launch virtual network operator model in Macau, Taiwan and two countries of Europe in 2009. PLDT president Napoleon Nazareno reportedly said, ‘We were supposed to have a major meeting this month with them but the discussion won’t push through anymore so the launch, which was supposed to take place this year, would be postponed as well.’ It is understood the delay is the result of ‘different situations’ in the country. ‘Based on current regulation they have in relation to MVNO, there are some limitations in Japan. The discussion may likely be moved in the third quarter,’ he added.

Tagged with: Austin Ventures • Cingular • Cogo • Free Airtime • Irancel • Japan • NEXTEL • SAP • Taiwan

HTIL to offshoot, list Hong Kong and Macau businesses on 8th May’09

On 04.21.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd (HTIL) has reportedly announced that it will off shoot and list its Hong Kong and Macau operations on 8 May 2009. The Hong Kong-based group said that it will not raise any new funds from the spin-off, whilst the Hong Kong unit plans to pay an interim dividend of HKD0.01 per share to its shareholders in 2009. The spin off is aimed at providing HTIL’s parent Hutchison Whampoa with a new platform for capital-raising.

Tagged with: Anacom • Ericsson Consulting • Hong Kong • Nevada • NEXTEL • Niqatak Programme

Hutchison Telecom announces 2008 full year results

On 03.05.09, In Mobile, By Editor

Key Highlights of 2008 Full Year Results:

Group mobile customer base grew approximately 28% to over 12 million

Turnover increased over 16% to approximately HK$24 billion

EBITDA rose approximately 17% to over HK$6.1 billion

Operating profit turned positive to approximately HK$4.1 billion

Indonesian operation surpassed all operational targets

Vietnamese operation to launch GSM during March 2009

Hutchison Telecommunications International Limited (‘Hutchison Telecom’; ‘the Group’; ‘the Company’; HKEx: 2332; NYSE: HTX) announced the financial results for the full year ended 2008 and quarterly key performance indicators for the fourth quarter of 2008. Driven by the strong growth in total customer base and increased revenue contributions from established operations in Hong Kong and Israel, the Group reported an increase of over 16% in total turnover to approximately HK$24 billion and an increase of 16.8% in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (‘EBITDA’) to HK$6,138 million. EBITDA margin for the full year 2008 trended up slightly to 25.9% while operating profit, on a like-for-like basis and after excluding several one-off items recorded in 2008, jumped 29.1% to HK$2,092 million reflecting the continued improvement in the fundamentals for profitable growth.

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Tagged with: Anacom • ASIA • CDMA • CMU • Deutsche Telekom • Geo Solutions • GSM • Hong Kong • Israel • LookatmeTV • Mauritania • Mobile ESPN • NEXTEL • Pakistana • RIMM BlackBerry • Safaricom • Telekom Slovenia • ValueFirst

3 Group subscriber base grows by 7% (Hong Kong)

On 08.21.08, In Mobile, By Editor

3 Group has reported an EBIT loss of HKD 3.18 billion in H1′08 which was HKD 11.32 billion a year earlier. The Hutchison Whampoa company has restated it’s target to move to positive EBIT for a positive full year result in 2009.
The H1 revenue rose 14% HKD 32.09 billion, and EBITDA improved to HKD 10.50 billion from HKD 4.15 billion a year ago.
The subscriber base grew by 7% and reached 19.015 million, out of which 10.675 million were contract subscribers.
The total figure includes 3G subscribers in Hong Kong, Macau and Israel. Excluding these, 3 had a total 16.866 million subscribers in Europe and Australia.
Average revenue per active subscribers fell by 7% year-on-year to EUR 37.11, hurt by cuts in termination rates and a higher proportion of data subscribers, who generate lower ARPU but higher gross margins.

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Tagged with: Anacom • Australia • Charges • Hong Kong • Israel • Mauritania • NEXTEL