Nokia to launch Nokia 808 phone first in India and Russia (India, Russia)
Finland based mobile maker Nokia will launch the first Nokia 808 phone with a 41 megapixel sensor camera lens in India and Russia this month, according to a report by ET. A Nokia spokesperson claims that this is the highest resolution level that any phone camera has.
Nokia has induced PureView technology in Nokia 808, which focuses on enhancing image capturing and related processing feature in the phone. As per the company, the Nokia 808 PureView features a large, high-resolution 41 megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology.
The price at which the phone will sell in India could not be ascertained. However, the report claims that with a 41 MP, the phone is able to shoot images that Nokia claims can be printed in poster size.
A Carl Zeiss lens shoots in continuous focus HD video, at 1080p. Mary McDowell, the firm’s executive vice president for mobile phones, said the company’s engineers had been working on the product for years.
Telenor and BCG study: mHealth to change the face of healthcare (Norway)
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in cooperation with Telenor Group, has now released the complete report on the “Socio-Economic Impact of Mobile Health”. The report explores the potential impact of mHealth solutions, such as how Norway can save $2 billion each year with remote monitoring solutions for the elderly and how Thailand can cure 40,000 cases of tuberculosis through SMS treatment compliance.
The report dives into the healthcare situations in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Thailand, Malaysia, Russia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. It presents potential solutions for each of these markets that are possible through mobile communications.
Jon Fredrik Baksaas, CEO, Telenor Group, has said that they commissioned this report because they wanted to better understand how their solutions can help improve the healthcare situations in the countries where we operate. For instance, how can they increase efficiency in modern healthcare through remote monitoring solutions that enable the elderly people to live longer in their own homes?
The most notable healthcare challenges faced in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro include their aging population and the rising costs of healthcare services. Solutions such as home monitoring aided by mobile technology can keep the elderly in their homes longer, easing the burden on care facilities. However, barriers to widespread mHealth solutions include privacy issues, interoperability challenges when sharing information electronically, and the lack of industry incentive when remuneration is often dependent on nights actually spent in the hospital, nursing facility or face-to-face consultations.
As countries in transition, Malaysia, Russia and Thailand face shared difficulty in ensuring proper maternal health and infant care, combating communicable diseases, and confronting new challenges such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Remote diagnostics and remote patient monitoring can be critical to bringing healthcare to the rural populations in these countries. However, the lack of common standards can prevent the spread of mHealth, along with limited commitment from regulatory bodies to ensure that mHealth happens.
Nations such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are struggling to deliver affordable healthcare to their citizens. Their resources are limited and much of their population is rural. mHealth deployment is currently limited in these countries, partly due to lack of awareness and action from the regulatory bodies. From maternal and infant health challenges to reducing disease, these countries need cost-efficient and widespread solutions that will help their citizens live longer and healthier. mHealth can fill these gaps, but access to mobile services needs to improve, along with government commitment and the creation of incentives to encourage the spread of mHealth.
Baksaas said that mHealth can be one of the keys to redefining and reinvigorating their struggling healthcare systems, as well as enhancing the healthy lifestyles and longevity of the citizens. The telecommunications industry is well-positioned to play a central role in the evolution of mobile health solutions worldwide.
LTE plans in Russia may be delayed owing to governor’s resignation (Russia)
Igor Slyunyaev, governor of the Kostroma region, submitted his resignation from the post which could result in a delay for LTE (Long Term Evolution) frequencies for mobile operators in Russia. According to reports, Sergey Sitnikov, the head of Roskomnadzor, Russia’s telecoms oversight regulator, has been appointed acting governor in his place. The delay could occur as the regulator is the one responsible for organising the tenders.
As per reports, Telesystems, VimpelCom, MegaFon and Rostelecom, had previously submitted their tenders which have already been delayed.
TeliaSonera in discussions regarding ownership structure in MegaFon (Sweden, Russia)
Mobile operator TeliaSonera confirmed that discussions are held between TeliaSonera, AF Telecom and Altimo regarding the future ownership structure and governance of MegaFon. These discussions have so far not led to any agreement, but if and when an agreement is reached, TeliaSonera will present information in accordance with the relevant stock exchange rules.
The operator issued a statement to the media owing to increasing media speculation. At present, TeliaSonera holds a stake of 43.8 percent in MegaFon.
MTS acquires debt-ridden CJSC Sistema-Inventure for US$ 342 million (Russia)
Russia-based telecommunications provider, Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has reportedly acquired CJSC Sistema-Inventure, which owns 29 percent of Moscow City Telephone Network, for US$342 million and has also agreed to pay the company’s debt of US$ 331 million to AFK Sistema by this year end, causing its share price to decline significantly.
As per sources, industry analysts have said that while the acquisition as such is not a concern for the investors, the amount of debt which is almost equal to the amount paid to acquire the company has them worried. Further, with this news, the value of the American depository receipts (ADR) for MTS fell by 3.8 percent, the maximum decline in the past month, to US$ 16.
Rostelecom and MegaFon sign 4G service agreement with Scartel (Russia)
Mobile operator MegaFon along with State-owned telecommunications company Rostelecom, have reportedly signed an agreement with Scartel to offer 4G services in Russia. According to reports, the agreement with Scartel, which operates under the brand ‘Yota’, will enable the two operators to act as mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) for offering 4G services.
As per sources, as part of the agreement, Yota would use Rostelecom and MegaFon’s infrastructure, in exchange for its 4G network. Further, industry analysts have reportedly said that as Scartel is the only company in Russia which has built a 4G network, the two operators will gain significant lead in providing users with 4G services as compared to TeleSystems and VimpleCom.
Vimplecom and MTS offer joint proposal for Ukrtelecom’s 3G business (Europe)
Russian telecom operators, Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) and Vimplecom may join forces in an attempt to offer a joint proposal for the 3G mobile operating business of Ukrtelecom, a Uknranian telecom operator.
According to reports, Ukrtelecom is looking for a buyer its 3G mobile operations after receiving the proposals in the second round. Further, sources claim that Ukrtelecom had announced that it was transferring all assets of its mobile business from its internal Utel division into a newly formed company, TriMob, for sale in September.
Vimpelcom and MTS operate in Ukraine’s mobile and fixed/broadband markets via their respective subsidiaries Kyivstar and MTS Ukraine.
MTS to offer upgraded technology for better management of mobile data traffic (Russia)
Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), a leading telecommunication operator in Russia is reportedly deploying the Harmony Mobile Internet Services Gateway by Flash Networks in an attempt to better manage the mobile data traffic as well as increase the internet speed. According to reports, MTS has begun testing the technology and hopes to make the service available to all its users by the end of this year.
As per sources, Sergei Stepanyuk, Head of Data Transmission Department, MTS has said that the solution introduced by MTS will provide their customers with faster and more convenient Internet access as the up-to-date text and multimedia compression technology applied by Flash Networks optimizes data in a way practically imperceptible to the human eye. Further, Stepanyuk added that the data optimization platform allows them to reduce their mobile network data transmission load by almost 40 percent and their transit load by 30 percent, ultimately resulting in faster Internet speeds and better quality of data services for the users.
Any consolidation of mobile market in Russia to include Tele2 says VimpleCom (Europe)
VimpleCom, the third largest telecom operator in Russia, has reportedly said that any consolidation in the telecom industry in Russia will have to involve Tele2 as there will be no consolidation among the top three wireless operators of the country.
Mobile TeleSystems is the leading operator in the country followed by MegaFon and VimpleCom. Tele2 is currently the fourth largest player serving over 20 million customers. As per sources, Jo Lunder, CEO, VimpleCom said that the outcome of the 4G spectrum auction would be crucial in deciding the future performance of the operators.
He added that VimpelCom’s biggest operational challenge is to improve its performance in its Russian home market. As per reports, the CEO also said that the focus of the firm, which also has operations in parts of Asia and Africa, as well as in Italy and Canada, is more on cash generation and less on building subscriber and revenue market share.
According to reports, Lunder also said that they are very optimistic with regards to Wind and the Italian market, having secured good spectrum for 4G in Italy, and expect it to develop into an advanced data market.
