Orange Armenia offers unique roaming discount in USA (Armenia, USA)
Telecom operator Orange has reshuffled the list of Orange Zone countries which will from now on include the USA. Now, while roaming on AT&T USA network, Orange customers can enjoy a unique $0.64 rate for all outgoing and incoming calls, SMS and GPRS. This is great news for those who travel to the USA.
The same tariff is available for other Orange Zone countries where customers can join the following networks: Orange France, Orange Spain, Orange United Kingdom, Orange Slovakia, Orange Austria, Orange Poland, Orange Romania, Orange Moldova, Orange Luxembourg, Orange Liechtenstein, Orange Switzerland as well as Mobistar Belgium.
To activate roaming customers just need to dial *121# before leaving the country.
T-Mobile and Orange partner with Nokia Siemens to improve network coverage (Poland)
Mobile operators, T-Mobile Poland and Orange Poland have partnered with Nokia Siemens Networks as one of the vendors to deploy and upgrade their GSM and HSPA networks, enable radio network sharing and prepare them for Long Term Evolution (LTE).
According to company reports, Nokia Siemens Networks will provide its Single RAN (radio access network) platform and related services to improve the network performance, reduce costs and make the shared network LTE-ready.
Milan Zika, director of the technology and networks division and Board Member, T-Mobile Poland has said that they are focused on delivering high-quality services and introducing the latest technologies in Poland. The network upgrade and development will significantly improve the performance and quality of the shared infrastructure, which will be the largest in the country, to provide an optimum end-user experience. Further, in Nokia Siemens Networks, they have a partner with a global experience of network sharing deployments and this will ensure a speedy roll-out for them.
As per the contract, Nokia Siemens Networks’ Single RAN platform, based on the compact, energy efficient Flexi Multiradio Base Stations, will replace a large part of the existing GSM and HSPA radio access sites. The platform will also allow a percentage of the existing sites to be re-used, thereby lowering costs while protecting investments. In future, it will enable a smooth transition to LTE through a simple software upgrade.
Thorsten Robrecht, head of Network Systems Product Management, Nokia Siemens Networks claims that so far, no operator has undertaken a multiradio RAN sharing initiative of such a broad scope and they are excited to be part of this implementation. Their Single RAN platform will not only enable the operators to adopt new technologies at a rapid pace and use different spectrum bands efficiently but also reduce the cost of delivering high-quality voice and mobile broadband to end-users.
Orange Poland rolls out online TV
Orange Poland has launched its Web TV online-TV service. All subscribers of fixed operator Telekomunikacja Polska (TP), as well as of Orange Poland, will be able to access nine TV-channels via the portal.
Subscribers will be able to reach the service and check their balance with a login and password.
Orange launches HSPA+ DC in Poland
Orange Poland has launched wireless broadband services using HSPA+ DC technology in 24 cities and towns across the country.
With the launch, the operator is offering up to 42 Mbps download capacity to subscribers. The service is currently accessible in Poznan, Wroclaw, Katowice and Szczecin, covering 12% of the population.
The operator is also planning to raise coverage to 60% by the end of the year. The services will in the future also be launched in Warsaw, Lodz, Bydgoszcz, Torun, Bialystok and Lublin.
PTC inks network sharing deal with Orange (Poland)
Polish cellcos Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC) and Orange Poland, a unit of former telecoms monopoly Telekomunikacja Polska, have signed a letter of intent to cooperate on network infrastructure and radio frequency sharing.
The companies have filed a proposal with the Polish Competition Office for permission to establish a joint venture which will be responsible for operating both operators’ radio access networks (RANs).
According to the cellcos, as a result of the cooperation, customers will have access to a better quality network, while at the same time increasing network effectiveness. It will also allow for faster infrastructure development and will deliver to both companies cost savings amounting to ‘hundreds of millions of zloty over the next five years.’
According to the preliminary arrangements, both companies will have a 50% stake in the new joint venture company, which would build, operate and maintain co-used networks within the mutual cooperation.
The companies have agreed that the scope of the cooperation initiative will be limited to technical aspects and will allow the partners to: widen the coverage area, which will support the delivery of modern services, including mobile broadband, to a greater number of customers; reduce costs and maximize the efficiency of investments through joint planning of new investments and network upgrades; and continue to own their respective infrastructure while reducing network operating costs.
Orange to partner P4 for LTE tender in Poland
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A joint venture has been planned by Polish mobile operators P4 (Play) and Orange Poland for participation in the tender for Long Term Evolution (LTE) spectrum rights. An application has already been filed to the national competition watchdog UOKiK by the operators for clearance of the cooperation.
The tender for two frequency blocks of 35MHz each in the 2.6GHz frequency band is expected to be announced in the next few weeks. Operators have opined that the blocks are much too large for the needs of a single operator and suggested the regulator may want to see more cooperation in the industry.
According to Orange, it will take a final decision on whether to partner with Play after it receives the competition regulator’s opinion and the tender details are published.
P4 slashes roaming costs to hit targets
Polish cellco P4 has announced plans to slash roaming costs in a move designed to poach customers from its three better established rivals. The company, a subsidiary of Netia, said it was on track to meet its plan to add 750,000 customers by the end of 2007 and should hit the million mark by March 2008.
P4, which operates under the Play banner, launched its services in March this year, prompting concerns of a price war in a market sewn up by three networks owned by France Telecom (Orange Poland) , Deutsche Telekom (Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa) and Vodafone (Polkomtel).
(Poland)
