Sri Lanka

Etisalat’s Sri Lankan operation begins

On 03.04.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: After acquiring 100% stake in Tigo mobile firm, UAE operator Etisalat has launched its operations in Colombo, Sri Lanka, targeting 1 million customers by the end of the year. A subsidiary of Millicom International Cellular, Tigo was bought at an enterprise value of USD 207 million.

HSPA+ on the network is expected with a connectivity speed of 28 Mbps, on par with the company’s operations worldwide.

According to Etisalat Lanka CEO Dumindra Ratnayaka, within one year, the company will be rolling out 1,500 2G base stations and 500 3G base stations islandwide. Etisalat will be launching its coverage in Jaffna during the mini Infotel exhibitions scheduled to take place there on 26 February

Tagged with: 3G • ASIA • Colombo • Etisalat • HSPA • Launch • Millicom • Millicom International Cellular • operator • Sri Lanka • Tigo • UAE

Millicom subscriber base rises by 22% in Q4 2009

On 02.12.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 22% rise in the subscribers base going to 33.9 million has been reported by Millicom International – a holding company that owns networks in Africa and Latin America. 10% rise in the revenues and 13% in EBITDA has also been announced.

Due to the disposal of its networks in Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Sierra Leone, the one-off gains has been US$309 million taking the net income to US$454.2 million. Capex for the year was $737 million or 22% of revenue while the growth in value-added services continued to be encouraging, and now represents over 21% of recurring revenue.

According to Mikael Grahne, CEO of Millicom, Millicom has had a good fourth quarter, and its consistent performance throughout 2009 demonstrates the strength of the business model and the ability to react quickly to changing market conditions.

Tagged with: Africa • CAPEX • EBITDA • Latin America • Sierra Leone • Sri Lanka

Airtel customers in Sri Lanka to appoint doctor on mobile

On 02.10.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Sri Lankan people can now book doctor’s appointment on phone if they are Airtel subscribers, both postpaid and prepaid. E-Channelling PLC, a Colombo Stock Exchange listed e-commerce Company powers the service on Airtel and it also powers a similar service on competing telco Dialog Telecom.

e-Channelling provides a centralized doctor’s appointment booking system for Sri Lanka’s private healthcare industry, allowing patients to book and pay for appointments via the Internet, mobile, banks and ICT centers called Nenasala on a single dial-in number, 225.

Nawaloka, Asiri Hospitals, Durdans, Apollo, Oasis, Ninewells, Park, Golden Key Eye and ENT, Ceymed and Royal Hospital in Colombo and Southern Hospital in Galle are some of the hospitals connected to e-Channelling and the average cost of an appointment is around Rs. 750

Tagged with: Airtel • ASIA • Colombo • E-Commerce • Prepaid • Sri Lanka

Mobitel carries out HSPA+ tests successfully

On 12.19.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Successful tests of HSPA+ technology with the capability to deliver downlink speeds of up to 28Mbps was completed by Sri Lankan mobile operator Mobitel, a subsidiary of wireline incumbent Sri Lanka
Telecom.

Installation of Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology which effectively uses multiple antennas in both the handset helped to achieve the speed. Besides, HSPA network is also used, that splits the radio signal into multiple streams, providing an ideal platform to offer faster mobile broadband access and enhanced data-based services.

Mobital carried out the tests of HSPA+ in partnership with China’s Huawei Technologies. Commercial 3.5G network services under the ‘M3’ banner was launched by Mobitel in December 2007 based on HSDPA/HSUPA technology, enabling maximum theoretical speeds of 14.4Mbps (downlink) and 2Mbps (uplink).

Tagged with: 3.5G • ASIA • China • HSPA • HSUPA • Huawei Technologies • Mobitel • operator • Sri Lanka

India’s Bharti Airtel to expand its base in SAARC countries

On 12.16.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Leading Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel has announced its prospects of expanding its base in various SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) countries with Bangladesh being the first step towards this direction.

The SAARC includes eight countries — India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. According to Akhil Gupta, the deputy group chief executive officer of the Bharti Enterprises, the company is very much interested in Bangladesh and other SAARC countries and on the auction of 3G spectrum, he hoped that it takes place on the scheduled time of January 14, 2010.

With over 110 million subscribers of the total 520 million and a market share of around 20 percent, Airtel continues to be the market leader.

Tagged with: 3G spectrum • Afghanistan • ASIA • Bangladesh • Bharti Airtel • Bhutan • India • Maldives • operator • Pakistan • SAARC • South Asia • Sri Lanka

Bharti Airtel considering bid for Millicom SL

On 10.07.09, In Mobile, By Editor

Bharti Airtel CEO, Manoj Kohli told reporters in India that Airtel may bid for Millicom’s Sri Lankan operation. Bharti already operates in SL.

Wireless Federation had earlier reported that Millicom/Tigo Laos has been sold to Russia’s Vimpelcom.

Bharti is actively considering acquisitions in Africa and the world over after the talks with MTN collapsed.

Bharti group CEO Sunil Mittal has said that the company won’t engage in dialogue with MTN for a third time, after inconclusive talks twice.

Nasdaq-listed Millicom provides prepaid cellular telephony services to over 30 million customers in 16 emerging markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Asked if Bharti Airtel was also interested in Kuwait’s Zain Telecom, Kohli said they will continue to explore international acquisitions. (Airtel-Zain, See Here)

Tagged with: Acquisitions • Africa • africa and the world • Airtel • ASIA • Bharti • Bharti Airtel • Bharti Group • CEO • CEO Sunil Mittal • Emerging Market • Emerging Markets • India • international acquisitions • Kohli • Kuwait • Lankan • Laos • Latin America • manoj • Millicom • MTN • nasdaq • Nasdaq-listed • Russia • Sri Lanka • Sri Lankan • Sunil Mittal • telecom • Tigo • VimpelCom • Wireless • Wireless Federation

Millicom to exit Asia totally by Q1 of 2010. Sells Laos share to Vimpelcom for $66 Million.

On 09.23.09, In Mobile, By Editor

Millicom has agreed to sell its GSM business in Laos to Russia’s VimpelCom and has bidders lining up for its Sri Lankan operations, the sale of which will end Millicom’s activities in Asia. VimpelCom will pay about $66 million for Millicom’s 78 percent stake in Millicom Lao Co. Ltd.

Last month Millicom agreed to sell its 58.4 percent share in CamGSM, Royal Telecam International, and Cambodia Broadcasting to its Cambodian partner, The Royal Group, for $346 million in cash.

That leaves just Sri Lanka from Milicom’s Asian portfolio, and its operations there are also up for grabs. Millicom is the sole owner of Celltel Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. It was the first mobile operator in Sri Lanka. Mobitel and Tigo both claim to be the second largest. Dialog GSM is the country’s largest operator.

Indian State owned, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), UAE’s Etisalat, Malaysia’s Axiata Group and India’s Bharti are also said to be bidding to acquire Tigo Lanka.

Axiata’s Dialog and Airtel already operate in Sri Lanka. Airtel winning the bid might sit better with the regulator since Axiata winning it would give Dialog an overwhelming position in the market.

Millicom expects to exit Asia Q1 of 2010. At the end of the first quarter, Millicom had a total of just over 4.5 million subscribers in Asia. Millicom’s Asian Revenues for 2008 are at $262 million with an EBDITA of $101.5 million. This is a year-on-year increases of 24.4 percent and 27.5 percent respectively.VimpelCom will pay approx $66 million for Millicom’s 78 percent stake in Millicom Lao Co. Ltd.

Tagged with: ASIA • Axiata • Axiata group • Bharti • BSNL • Cambodia • CamGSM • Celltel • Celltel Lanka • Dialog • Etisalat • India • Laos • Malaysia • Milicom • Millicom • mobile operator • Mobitel • Regulator • Royal Group • Royal Telecam • Russia • Sri Lanka • telecam • Tigo • UAE • VimpelCom

Nawras launches international calling promotion during Ramadan (Oman)

On 08.29.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: As the holy month of Ramadan progresses, pleasingly different communications provider Nawras continues to offer a host of surprises for its customers.
Nawras has now launched a special international call promotion with vastly reduced call rates available from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. everyday, starting 23 August 2009 and lasting until 23 October 2009. This offer will provide customers who are far away from family and friends a great opportunity to share their many experiences and thoughts this Ramadan and beyond.

In order to allow customers to get closer, Nawras has introduced cheaper call rates for seven of the most popular international destinations: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and also Tanzania, where many Omanis still have close family. To give an example of the incredible reduction in prices, customers calling India will pay only 99 Bz per minute for calls during the promotion, which means they will get a lot more talk time for their money. (more…)

Tagged with: Bangladesh • D K Ghosh • ICE • India • Indonesia • Ministry of Communications • Openet • Pakistan • Philippines • Sri Lanka • Tanzania

RCom & China Telecom complete the first terrestrial cable to directly connect China & India

On 08.27.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Reliance Communications and China Telecom have today announced the opening of the first direct terrestrial cable link between the Chinese and Indian domestic markets.
The Reliance Communications and China Telecom constructed cable was the first cross border terrestrial connectivity project to be planned between India and China, and was completed earlier this month. The cable passes through the inhospitable terrain of the Nathula Pass, linking Yadong in China to Siliguri in India. The cable will provide direct, enterprise class connectivity between all major Indian and Chinese locations as well as expanding high-bandwidth coverage to more rural regions and cities in both countries. Neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and even Pakistan and Bangladesh will also benefit in the longer term, through increased bandwidth availability and global termination options. (more…)

Tagged with: Bangladesh • Belarus • Belgacom • China • India • MobileOne • Pakistan • Sri Lanka • Telemig • Termination rates • Window mobile 6

Tigo Sri Lanka’s sale by Q1′10

On 08.24.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Tigo, the Sri Lankan subsidy of the Luxembourg-based telecom operator Millicom International Cellular, is likely to be sold by Q1′10, a Millicom official reportedly said.
“We expect to complete the sale of Celltel Lanka Ltd, (the holding company of Tigo) by March of next year,” Perigreen Riviera, Head of Communications, Millicom said.
Millicom has received several Expressions of Interest (EOI), though the number remains undisclosed.

Tagged with: Baidu • GeoTagged • Interconnection Services • Nokia 5610 • Sri Lanka • VG Mobile