www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Mobistar, the Belgian mobile operator, has posted a 4% rise in its subscriber base in H1′09, ending with 3.87 million subscribers. The number of Mobistar postpaid subscribers grew by 8.6% over a one-year period and at June’09-end, passed the 2 million mark.
Turnover went up by 2.2% to EUR 761.6 million from EUR 745.5 million in the year-ago period. However, EBITDA dipped by 7.2% to EUR 278.4 million from EUR 300. Mobistar posted a net profit of EUR 128.5 million for H1′09, down 11.4% from EUR 145.1 million a year earlier, due to lower EBITDA margin and an increase in the financial costs.
On 07.23.09, In Mobile, By Editor
On 06.29.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Mobistar, the Belgian mobile operator, will reportedly launch the apple iPhone 3G S across the nation on 26 June. The Apple device will be offered in two versions: a 16 GB model for 575 Euro and a 32 GB for 675 Euro. The price of the current 8 GB iPhone3G. The price of 8 GB iPhone3G will drop to 475 Euro. The prices for the My for iPhone tariff plans remain unchanged and also have integrated MMS since 17 June.
On 04.24.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Mobistar, the Belgian mobile operator, posts a 6.6% fall in Q1′09 core profits whereas EBITDA dropped to 134.0 million euros ($174.5 million).
Mobistar reportedly said that it anticipates lowered profits in 2009 driven by regulatory pressure, competition and the global economic recession. The operator predicts a stable turnover in 2009, a telephone EBITDA margin close to 40%, and a net result of 240 million to 260 million euros, implying a fall of about 10% from 2008.
“The hypotheses could be modified if the economic situation were still to worsen,” the group warned however.
On 03.25.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Mobistar, the Belgian incumbent, announces two prepaid bundles for making calls abroad. One of the bundles, dubbed as Holiday Pass, is priced at EUR 6.00 and is good for ten minutes call time, ten minutes of receiving calls and sending 10 text messages, a 36% drop in tariffs. The validity of Holiday Pass bundle is 7 days.
The second bundle is Internet Pass, which caters to the ‘Internet Everywhere’ users, with 30 Mb of datatraffic for EUR 30.00.
On 02.17.09, In Mobile, By Editor
At the Mobile World Congress, which is being held at Barcelona, the day one seemed to bring a new foray of mobile handsets being introduced by world’s largest manufacturers, Nokia and Sony Ericsson.
Sony Ericsson, came up with a new strategy dubbed as ‘Entertainment Unlimited’, which reportedly enables the users to share and access media across various products like mobile phones to PCs to Television, a strategy which is a bare weapon to sustain itself against its competitiors like Apple and Nokia. Sony Ericsson also unleashed two new mobile handsets Sony Ericsson W995 and Sony Ericsson Idou, carrying 8.1Mp and 12Mp camera respectively.
Nokia, world’s largest handset manufacturer launched two new E series mobile handsets, namely E55 and E75, featuring a new service called Nokia Messaging, an email user interface and targeting corporate users. The manufacturer also unveiled two more user friendly navigational handsets the 6710 Navigator and 6720 Classic. The recent integration of Maps with Ovi allows 6710 users to pre-plan their journey at home on their PC and synchronize with their mobile device. The maps have been updated to include high-resolution aerial images, 3D landmarks for over 200 cities, terrain maps, weather service, premium travel and events content and traffic and safety warnings.
LG Electronics and HTC joined the relay mobile handsets launch with the LG-GM7300, HTC’s Touch Diamond 2 and HTC Touch Pro 2 respectively.
Samsung, which seemed to offer services with a cause, launched a solar powered mobile with a body made of recycled water bottles called Blue Earth sporting a special energy-efficiency mode. It even has a large touch screen. The company’s launched UltraTouch S8300 as the flagship phone for Mobile World Congress, a slim slider phone with a 2.8-inch touch screen and an 8-megapixel camera. Samsung also unveiled its high definition handset – the Omnia. The manufacturer aims at growing sales during global recession as it has already shipped 200 million units in 2008.
Microsoft, the software firm, unveiled a voice search software, Recite, capable of recording quick bytes and can also act like a voice sticky note.
LG Electronics and Microsoft teamed up to bring in a large number of Windows mobile phones. Additionally, LG is also closely working with Intel for Mobile Internet Devices. New Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) will be based on Intel’s next-generation processor, codenamed “Moorestown,” and will reportedly run on Moblin 2.0, a variant of Linux.
Opera’s mobile browser Turbo was showcased at MWC. The browser flaunts advanced compression technology which accelerates page download rates even for devices with limited hardware capabilities.
Adobe presented the Adobe Flash Lite 3.1 Distributable Player – a new, over-the-air mobile runtime and the Adobe Reader Mobile SDK. Adobe and Nokia together plan to set up a $10 million Open Screen Project fund designed to help developers create applications and services for mobile, desktop and consumer electronics devices using the Adobe Flash Platform.
ZTE revealed two datacards: the MF662, and the MF645, USB TV data card enabling the viewers to watch digital TV from a laptop over a mobile broadband connection.
Atheros exhibited mobile connectivity over Android. Atheros’ mobile Wi-Fi soft access point enables up to four notebook computers to have access to Internet applications such as email, web browsing and multimedia downloads via a single handset’s 3G connection.
Mapping firm Navteq demonstrated its product Discover Cities, which takes navigation outside the car and to 86 cities, showing walkways, pathways, cross-walks, tunnels and even public transit systems.
Omnifone, the UK based firm, unleashed a music service which allows the consumers to download and stream music via Internet. Named as MusicStation Next Generation, this service lets the broadband provider to offer unlimited music services to their users legally.
Samsung revealed a new certification dubbed as DivX Theatre Profile for mobile licensees to certify their handsets with the studio requirements for premium DivX video playback support.
Nimbuzz, social messaging client developer, joined hands with Toshiba on its latest handset TG01.
Huawei instigated the world’s smallest 3G modem, named the iMo. The USB modem or data card, as it known as, also acts as a WiFi hotspot.
Nvidia built a $99 Mobile Internet Device Platform and DotMobi launched its Instant Mobilizer service for SMBs.
Microsoft Advertising partnered with eight new mobile advertising firms including Belgian operators MobiStar and Base, Dow Jones arms eFinancialNews and Private Equity News and Wayn, a mobile travel site.
A ’single-click’ option has been showcased by Mojiva and Billing Revolution, which allows merchants and consumers to buy items by just clicking at the advertisements over Mojiva’s mobile ad network.
On 02.05.09, In Mobile, By Editor
Mobistar, the Belgian incumbent, posts its annual earning for the year 2008 along with forecast for 2009. The operator forecasts a lowered profit this year driven by regulatory pressures, competition and the global recession. Mobistar reports a decline of 0.1% in its EBITDA since last year.
Revenues dipped by 1.5% to 1.53 billion euros, against an expected 1.54 billion euros. The net profit fell by 3.4% since 2007 to 280.1million euros. The operators predicts 2009 to be flooded with regulatory pressure, greater competition and unfavourable fiscal condition. Among the various changes, the operator still expects 2009 to be stable.
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On 10.23.08, In Mobile, By Editor
Mobistar reported its financial results for the third quarter. In this quarter the performance is quite stronger than expected. The cellco posts a slight rise in EBITDA which is EUR150.4 million, up from EUR148.7 million for the same period last year, with the operator noting that EBITDA margin had remained stable due to cost efficiency, regardless of what it termed ‘an environment of increasing costs.’ This year revenues slipped from EUR71.2 million to EUR70.4 million, with Mobistar attributing the drop to the decrease in mobile termination rates in May and July 2008, alongside lower fees for roaming.
However, Mobistar posted 10% rise in its subscriber base over the twelve months to 30 September 2008 to 3.75 million. The operator further stated that it had invested EUR109.1 million in its network during the first nine months of 2008, as they are planning to launch its 3G/HSDPA covering 85% of the population by the end of 2008.
On 09.24.08, In Mobile, By Editor
Mobistar Belgium, as following the trend will target the youth market. The Belgian operator introduces a new offer wherein it will offer cash for viewing advertisement. In partnership with Belgian start-up Pumbby launches the service for Mobistar TempoMusic subscribers. According to a survey by the operator nearly 50% of young people are willing to view advertisement in exchange of cash benefits. The subscribers can choose the kind of ads they wish to view regarding which they will receive SMS with links to advertising messages. If they view the ad, Pumbby credits them EUR 0.44.
Pumbby will send a maximum 10 messages per day. Mobistar contract subscribers can use the service if they sign up for an Orange World plan at EUR 6 per month. When they sign up via Orange World they can look at several ads in one session. Through the Pumbby portal, subscribers can swap their credits for TempoMusic top-up cards, cinema tickets, DVDs and CDs, books or a cash transfer to their bank account. The new service comes ahead of the launch of Blyk on the Belgian market, expected next year. Blyk offers free voice and SMS credit in exchange for viewing ads.
On 07.25.08, In Mobile, By Editor
Mobistar, Belgium, has revealed it’s financial results for H1′08, showing a drop of 3.7% in net profit to USD 28.5 million (EUR145.1 million) against the same period last year.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) also fell, down 0.7% to EUR300 million. The figures are stronger than analysts had expected and as a result Mobistar has revised guidance for the financial year, raising both its revenue and net profit share forecasts.
Lower revenues had been expected due to the reduction of mobile termination rates by the Belgian Institute for Post and Telecommunications (BIPT), but the operator claimed that strong performance from its Luxembourg subsidiary, VOX Mobile, helped offset losses. Mobistar is currently the second largest cellco in Belgium, and according to a database, claimed 30.52% of the market at March 2008, trailing Proximus, the wireless arm of former monopoly PTO Belgacom.