Turkey

Turkcell net profit drops by 45.3%

On 03.12.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 45.3% year-on-year decline in fourth quarter net profit has been reported by mobile group Turkcell, whose revenues went to TRY253 million in 2009 from TRY462 million (USD300.4 million) in the final three months of 2008.

Drop to impairment charges, fixed asset write-offs and legal payments totalling TRY256 million in the three months have been attributed as some of the reasons behind the loss. With 3% year-on-year fall, the revenues for the period slipped to TRY2.26 billion. EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) fell by 11.5% from TRY770 million to TRY682 million.

Meanwhile, the full year net profit of the company fell by 25.9%, down to TRY1.7 billion. The company had a tough time dealing with the accumulated legal fees and impairment charges of TRY381 million which greatly affected the earnings.
A consolidated customer base growth of 2% year-on-year has been recorded by Turkcell despite a 4.3% drop in subscribers in its domestic operation (down to 35.4 million cellular subscribers)

Turkcell expects net profit of around TRY 250m (Turkey)

On 03.04.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A net profit of around TRY 250 million has been expected by telco Turkcell as a result of extraordinary charges for impairments, write-offs and legal reserves in Q4.

Legal reserves related to the Telecommunications Authority, fixed asset write-offs related to operations in Belarus and Turkey, goodwill impairment charges in Belarus and Tax Authority and Competition Board’s recent decisions in Turkey have been recognized in line with IFRS guidelines.

As an impact of the one-time charges and reimbursements based on the regulator’s decisions, revenue of TRY 2.260 billion is expected by the operator in its fourth quarter. EBITDA is expected to be approximately TRY 680 million in Q4.

Tagged with: Belarus • EBITDA • Eurasia • IFRS • operator • Turkcell • Turkcell AS • Turkey

Vodafone to supply low-Cost mobiles to its emerging markets

On 02.15.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A couple of low-cost mobile phones will be started by Vodafone that will retail, without a subsidy, for less than US$20 each. India, Turkey and 8 markets in Africa – The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Qatar, South Africa and Tanzania will receive the phones initially.

An extensive logistics infrastructure, reaching deep rural segments where mobile penetration typically remains low will support the launches in order to maximize the availability of the handsets across countries with sizeable and isolated rural populations.

According to Patrick Chomet, Vodafone’s Group Director of Terminals, the cost of mobile handsets can be one of the most significant barriers for people in accessing and benefiting from the growing number of socially valuable mobile services and the lives of the people will be changed and improved as they become part of the mobile society.

Tagged with: Africa • ASIA • Congo • Democratic Republic of Congo • Ghana • India • Kenya • Qatar • Tanzania • Turkey • Vodafone

Turk Telekom’s net profit rises 4.6% year-on-year

On 02.15.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 4.6% year-on-year rise in net profit from TRY1.75 billion (USD1.16 billion) in FY2008, to TRY1.83 billion has been announced by Turk Telecom, for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Revenues for the period increased 3.7% to TRY10.57 billion in 2009, rising from TRY10.19 billion a year earlier. Operating expenses grew by 8% year-on-year while CAPEX jumped by 40.7%, up to TRY6.3 billion and TRY2.47 billion respectively.

According to Paul Doany, CEO of Turk Telekom, in 2009 the primary focus for Turk Telekom Group was improving the basic communication infrastructure to launch an 8Mbps standard speed internet service across the whole of Turkey and over the next year the firm will continue to add more innovative services and offerings, such as IPTV, and add more focus to the exporting of the services and products.

Avea, the mobile arm of the company, posted revenues of TRY2.5 billion for the year ended December 31, 2009, up from TRY2.11 billion in 2008

Tagged with: AVEA • CAPEX • Eurasia • Launch • RIM • Turk Telekom • Turkey

In-flight mobile phone calls activated in Turkish Airlines

On 02.08.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Turkish Airlines’ passengers can now attend to their mobile phone calls during the flight. As per the contract signed between Turkish Airlines and ¬Panasonic Avionics, Panasonic’s eX2 In-Flight Entertainment and Global Communications Suite powered by AeroMobile will be installed to enable the passengers to have a full complement of in-flight entertainment and communication options available at their fingertips.

According to Temel Kotil, President and Chief Executive Officer of Turkish Airlines, Panasonic’s eX2 and Global Communications Suite will give the ability to tailor passengers’ experiences with live broadcast TV, Wi-Fi access for laptops and PDAs, as well as the use of mobile phones.

Over one million airline passengers have now used AeroMobile services since inception. On some flights, passenger adoption rates are exceeding 40%.

Tagged with: Panasonic • AeroMobile • Avionics • Eurasia • Global Communication • HT Mobile • Turkey • Turkish Airline

VimpelCom, Megafon deals opposed by Russian regulator

On 01.28.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Alfa Group’s efforts to combine two of Russia’s biggest mobile operators VimpelCom and Megafon with peers in Ukraine and Turkey have been blocked by Russia’s competition watchdog, Igor Artemev.

According to the head of Russia’s Federal Anti-monopoly Service, the deals simultaneously would be undesirable and even unacceptable. Most of the shares of VimpelCom and Ukraine’s Kyivstar are owned by Alfa and Norwegian co-investor Telenor. Plans to combine the two companies were announced last September.

Alfa along with its Nordic partner TeliaSonera joined the forces several week later to try and merge Russia’s third-largest mobile firm Megafon with Turkey’s largest mobile company Turkcell.

Tagged with: ASIA • Federal Anti-Monopoly Service • MegaFon • operator • Russia • Telenor • TeliaSonera • Turkcell • Turkey • UK • Ukraine • VimpelCom

Sale in Turk telecom expected on 2010

On 01.08.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: To sell the remaining 31.7% stake in incumbent fixed line operator Turk Telekom (TT), a second public offering this year could be held by Turkish government. 15% stake in TT was offloaded via an initial public offering (IPO) in May 2008, raising around TRY2.42 billion (USD1.9 billion) for state coffers.

Earlier, country’s privatisation administration denied that it had started preparations for a TT stake sale. The administration has a revenue target of TRY10.4 billion for 2010 and is overseeing sales of electricity and gas grids, roads and sugar factories.

According to Turkish Communications Minister Binali Yildirim, privatisation administration is working on public offering and the situation on the stock exchange and global financial markets will determine the timing which could be in 2010. Further investments will determine the size of the public offering.

Tagged with: Eastern Europe • global financial markets • initial public offering • operator • Turk Telekom • Turkey

Talks on Borusan’s takeover by Vodafone Turkey about to conclude

On 12.24.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Negotiations for the purchase of a controlling stake in Turkish alternative fixed line telco Borusan Telekom by Vodafone Turkey is on the verge of successful conclusion. Earlier, India’s Dhanus Technologies bought Borusan for USD30 million.

The two parties have three options- a partnership giving the UK-backed mobile operator management control of Borusan, 100% stock takeover or a majority stake purchase.

Vodafone Turkey’s acquisition of Borusan would help it to offer converged fixed, mobile and broadband services, and develop its corporate sector presence. Turkcell and Avea, rival telecom operators have already drafted the converged strategies. ISP unit, TTNet of PSTN operator Turk Telekom, which cross-markets mobile broadband and Wi-Fi packages owns Avea.

Turkcell, a fixed broadband operator Tellcom (Superonline), on the other hand, is aiming at extended high speed internet service coverage both with HSPA mobile and fibre-optic technologies.

Tagged with: ASIA • AVEA • Borusan Telekom • Dhanus Technologies • Europe • HSPA • India • Tellcom • Turk Telekom • Turkcell • Turkey • Vodafone Turkey • Wi-Fi

Italia Sarkle’s IP backbone extended to Bucharest and Istanbul

On 12.22.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Complementing the undisputed leadership position of Telecom Italia Sparkle throughout the whole Mediterranean basin, SEABONE, its global 1.5Tbps IP backbone has been extended to Bucharest (Romania) and Istanbul (Turkey). IP connectivity solution is now offered by SEABONE to the local Balkan and international communities of ISPs, ASPs and content providers.

A unique, ring-based topology submarine cable system in the Mediterranean Basin is run by Nautilus (MedNautilus) which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sparkle in Turkey. Telehouse and Data Centre facility in Istanbul has also been constructed and currently offers IP transit and connectivity solutions and also host services. 2010 will witness the launch of SDH/DWDM services.

According to Francesco Armato, CEO of Telecom Italia Sparkle, the local availability of the top-performing global IP and data solutions in Turkey and Romania will benefit both existing and future customers in these countries, by satisfying their increasing and sophisticated connectivity needs.

Tagged with: Europe • MedNautilus • SEABONE • Telecom Italia Sparkle • Turkey

Avea launches “Welcome 3G Package” (Turkey)

On 08.17.09, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Avea presents “Welcome 3G Package” which consists of 200 minutes of call and 3G services to its subscribers every month during 6 months when they buy one of U800 or I900 Omnia 3G compatible models of Samsung.
Avea, Turkey’s GSM operator with highest MoU, launched a new campaign for its subscribers wishing to utilise 3G technology. Adding pleasure to the lives of its subscribers with the products and services it develops, Avea presents 3G Welcome Package and 1200 free minutes in total during 6 months to its individual subscribers buying one of Samsung U800 and I900 Omnia models within the scope of 3G device campaign.
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Tagged with: Bank of Ayudhya • BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8110 • BlackBerry® Service Cap • GSM • Philippine • Solusindo Kreasi Pratama • South Korea • Turkey • Vertu Phones • Volantis • Yahoo! ® Messenger