www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) reportedly unveils that an equity partner for the Zambian incumbent Zamtel will be chosen through an open tender process. Moreover, the announced that the tender would be open to both local and foreign companies.
The announcement was made after the governement last month announced the sale of a 75% stake in the telco in a bid to save it from collapse; the remaining 25% will be retained by the state.
The winner of the tender will receive its stake in Zamtel by January 2009, which will cost around USD200 million to capitalise the ailing operator.
On 08.29.09, In Mobile, By Editor
On 08.28.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: India has reportedly hiked the reserve price for the auction of 3G spectrum to 35 billion rupees ($715 million) from 20.20 billion rupees set last year, the telecoms minister said.
The minister further revealed that four slots in each service area would be put on block and that the auction would be conducted within three months.
On 08.28.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The Macedonian government has reportedly failed in its latest attempt to increase competition in the country’s mobile market. In a second bid to drum up interest, the Macedonian Agency for Electronic Communications (AEC) apparently solicited interest from 19 of the world’s biggest telecoms companies including Vodafone Group (UK), Telefonica of Spain, China Telecom, Telenor Norway and companies in India, Russia and South America. The AEC has requested them to place an auction for for two 3G mobile licences but none of the firms approached showed interest in investing in the country. The licence was offered at a reserve price of just EUR5 million (USD7.1 million).
On 08.26.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Nigerian government wants to privatise the state-run telco NITEL within 60 days of time, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan said.
“Government does not want to take chances.(President Umaru Yar’Adua) wants this exercise to be concluded within 60 days and in a transparent way for all Nigerians to see, and ensure that the purpose of NITEL is realized,” Jonathan said.
“Within the shortest possible time, you are expected to consummate the privatization of NITEL,” the vice president said, while swearing in a new board for the ailing firm.
On 08.25.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Belize’s Prime Minister has reportedly submitted a bill to the Congress to acquire controlling stake in nation’s leading phone carrier, Belize Telemedia Ltd. (BTL).
BTL recently won a $38.5 million judgment against the government relating to the breach of an agreement signed with the previous administration which has been termed as illegal by current officials. The lower house of congress approved the proposal to take over 94% stake in the company’s shares, while paying compensation.
Officials hope the bill will be approved by the Senate and signed into law soon.
On 08.22.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Chilean government has reportedly published the rules for the formation of a technical committee to oversee the introduction of fixed and mobile number portability (NP). The committee will comprise representatives from telecoms regulator Subtel, mobile, local and long-distance operators. The final date for the implementation of NP has not been finalised yet.
On 08.03.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: KPN, the Dutch mobile operator, is returning a part of its UMTS spectrum to the Dutch government from 15 September. The operator has asked Ministry of Economic Affairs to withdraw the licence for frequencies that its subsidiary Telfort won in 1998 and 2000 in the DCS1800 and UMTS bands.
The decision came after KPN lost a court case against spectrum authority Agentschap Telecom (AT) on 13 July, when the Rotterdam Court of Justice upheld the EUR 5 million fine imposed on KPN for failure to comply with the roll-out obligations in Telfort’s licences.
The fine that operator had to pay was EUR 40 million. For the payment of fine, KPN moved its Telfort 3G customers to its own network after acquiring the mobile operator, in order to cut down on its network development costs. Telfort will still hold on to some frequency rights in the 1800 MHz which have no roll-out obligations.
On 08.03.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The Croatian Parliament has given its consent to the new fees proposed by the government for mobile services, in response to the economic crisis in Croatia. Pursuant to the proposal, mobile network services, including SMS, MMS and voice, will be subject to the payment of the fee, which will be paid by mobile network operators.
The proposed fee by the government is 6% of the revenues generated by the mobile service provider in a period of January-December, while the payment of fees to the national budget shall be effected by day 15 of each month. The Act has come into being from 1 August.
On 08.03.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The French government has launched tender for the 4th 3G mobile licence in the country, as it publishes the procedure’s details in the Official Journal on 01 August. The candidates who wish to bid for the licence can do so until 29 September by submitting their proposals. The contenders reportedly are ISP Free, Numericable and MVNO Virgin Mobile France (joint bid).
Arcep, the French regulator, has until the end of May 2010 to decide on proposals based on nine criteria, including the credibility of the business plan, coverage commitments and access to the network by MVNOs.
On 08.03.09, In Mobile, By Editor
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: France has settled on a price that it will charge for a fourth 3G mobile licence, but France Telecom, the leading mobile operator of the country, remains unhappy.
According to a government statement, France will charge 240 million euros ($338.7 million) for the fourth licence for 3G mobile phone services.
Though, France Telecom, said it will challenge government’s decision with EU as for it feels the price being charged is too low.
“Based on this price, we will launch a challenge with the commission in Brussels,” said a France Telecom spokeswoman.