3G network-sharing agreement signed by French mobile operators
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: An agreement has been signed between three established mobile phone operators of France to share third-generation mobile network installations in order to extend 3G network coverage across the country.
Principles on how to share 3G mobile network deployments has been laid down in the framework agreement signed by France Telecom’s Orange, Vivendi SA’s SFR and Bouygues’ Bouygues Telecom on February 11.
According to French telecoms regulator Arcep, the agreement will help speed up the extension of the 3G network in France and will enable full nationwide coverage by the end of 2013. Terms for the inclusion of Iliad’s Free Mobile in the agreement will also be discussed by the three operators before May 31, 2010.
Zain denies the sale of its African assets
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Reports that Kuwait operator Zain was in talks with Vivendi, France Telecom and Vodafone to offer a possible sale of the former Celtel networks has been denied by the telco. It was reported by a newspaper that Zain had been in talks with the other operators for the past couple of months and is seeking US$11-US$12 billion for its African assets.
Last year, Vivendi’s plan to buy the African networks, for a reported US$12 billion was said to be an all-share based transaction, with Zain taking 20 percent of Vivendi, in exchange for 10 percent of Zain Africa.
However, Vodafone recently increased its holdings in South Africa based Vodacom to 65%,
Kuwait’s Zain gets no offers for African assets
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: No offers have been received by Kuwait’s Mobile Telecommunications Co., better known as Zain for its Africa assets. Earlier it was reported that France’s Vivendi, France Telecom and the U.K.’s Vodafone Group are holding talks with Zain to buy the company’s Africa operations.
Zain, which has been in discussions with the international companies for about two months, could sell its Africa assets for $11-$12 billion and the resignation of chief executive officer Saad Al Barrak intensified the talks.
Class action suit lost by Vivendi
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: French telecommunications and entertainment group Vivendi has been found guilty by a New York court guilty on all 57 counts of misleading shareholders on its financial health between October 2000 and August 2002.
A statement has already been issued by Vivendi citing its disagreement with the decision and its plan to appeal on the grounds of court’s decision to allow French shareholders to join the US class action, its rulings on jurisdiction, and the plaintiff’s method of proving and calculating damages.
A maximum damages at EUR 6.6 billion, down from EUR 8 billion has been estimated by attorneys for the plaintiffs.
According to Vivendi, damages will be calculated at a later stage, on a per-share and per-day basis, and that it is impossible to know at this time the total number of shares traded by class members, the dates of the sales and the number of class members who will submit a valid claim.
India’s mobile market eyed by Vivendi France
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Vivendi France may take over 51% of the India’s Datacom Solutions. Two rounds of talk have taken place between the officials of Vivendi and Datacom team and both the sides will meet again in a few weeks to take the discussion forward.
Owned by Videocon group, Datacom solutions has also attempted to sell a stake to Etisalat or Turkcell foundered during the credit crunch. Rumors were also there that America Movil or France Telecom could be interested in acquiring a stake in the company.
Datacom already has radio spectrum covering 21 of India’s 22 circles and have the advantage of its parent’s vast distribution network for selling phones and SIM cards, despite the late launch. Earlier, it was said that the firm is planning a US$2.8 billion GSM tender, but nothing seems to have happened since that was announced.
Vodafone’s SFR stake may be offered to Vivendi for sale
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 44% stake of Vodafone in French mobile network SFR may be sold by the company to its majority shareholder, Vivendi. In order to continue acquisitions in emerging markets, the executives of the company will have to consider the sale of minority interests, such as SFR.
The worth of Vodafone’s stake in SFR is around EUR6.8 billion on the open market. But Vivendi, which has a first right of refusal is not likely to pay above EUR6 billion.
It was after beating Vodafone in a battle to acquire British Telecom’s 26% stake in Cegetel that Vivendi took control of the mobile operator. 80% of the GSM network SFR is controlled by Cegetel giving 56% controlling interest to Vivendi in the network.
Vivendi, Televisa join hand for license bid by Cofetel
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A joint bid has been planned by Mexican media group Televisa and French telecommunications and entertainment group Vivendi for a mobile license in Mexico. The partnership agreement is expected to be reached by February 15.
Deployment of mobile network with nationwide coverage is intended by the two parties with an investment of over USD 3 million on the project in 2010. More than 90 companies have acquired the bid documents for the mobile license tender launched by Cofetel on 6 January.
Additional 120 MHz spectrum in the 1.7 and 1.9 GHz frequency bands has been offered as a part of the tender by Mexican telecoms regulator Cofetel. Cofetel’s authorization will allow the operators to submit their bids on 25 May and the result is expected to be released by June.
5% acquired by Vivendi in Brazilian GVT
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Vivendi, French entertainment and telecoms group, increased its equity stake by 5% in Brazilian telco and ISP Global Village Telecom (GVT), lifting its ownership to 85.7% in the firm. Close to 118 million of GVT’s total of 137 million shares is owned by Vivendi after the transaction.
Vivendi’s purchase of GVT is currently reviewed by Brazil’s securities regulator amid accusations that the deal was unfair to minority shareholders. Earlier, details concerning alleged irregularities in the takeover were asked by Telefonica’s Brazilian subsidiary from country’s securities regulatory authorities.
A letter was also sent to the head of the securities regulator CVM, requesting information on the probe. The probe began in the month of November after which Vivendi launched its surprise bid. Telesp, on the other hand alleges that shareholders of the Brazilian company sold their stock based on inaccurate assumptions from the French group and financial agents linked to the GVT offer.
Telesp seeks details of probe by CVM in GVT takeover
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: The alleged irregularities in Vivendi of France’s takeover of local telco Global Village Telecom (GVT) has made Telesp to request information on the alleged irregularities from Brazil’s securities regulatory authorities. Soon after Vivendi launched its surprise takeover, the probe was started in November.
Possible infractions on call options held by Vivendi to acquire GVT shares have been interrogated by CVM.
According to Telesp, Telefonica’s Brazilian subsidiary, French group and financial agents linked to the GVT offer gave conflicting information and this prompted shareholders of the Brazilian company to sell their stock based on inaccurate assumptions.
SFR Deploys Nokia MSC Server Mobile Softswitch in France
ESPOO, Finland, September 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Nokia (Nachrichten/Aktienkurs) and SFR have signed a contract for the turnkey supply of the Nokia MSC Server (MSS) mobile softswitch to enhance the French operator’s network coverage and capacity. The network modernization deal upgrades SFR’s current circuit switched core network with a Nokia solution that fully enables fixed mobile convergence and the rapid growth of 3G-traffic.
The Nokia MSC Server System, including the Nokia Multimedia Gateway, will enable SFR to manage the demands of its growing traffic while reducing its operational expenditure (OPEX). Nokia has now deployed its MSS to over 100 mobile operators worldwide, a strong sign of the success of the mobile softswitch solution initially specified by 3GPP Release 4. Since mid 2005 the MSC Server has accounted for over 75% of Nokia’s switching deliveries.
The turnkey nature of the deal with SFR means that Nokia will manage all activities related to network roll-out from adaptation works on site to integration, re-hosting the radio equipment and operating the network. Also included is the multitechnology Nokia NetAct(TM) network and service management solution.
“Nokia’s impressive track record and the proof of its ability to deliver extended services, as well as the long-standing, successful relationship between SFR and Nokia made it easy for us to choose Nokia for this ambitious network modernization project,” says Paul Corbel, Chief Technical Officer, SFR. “The change of our existing MSCs to Nokia’s integrated 2G/3G MSC Server mobile softswitch will enable SFR to now offer a whole suite of innovative services to our customers in the most cost efficient manner and enable convergence.”
“We are very happy to be continuing our long-term collaboration with SFR setting the stage for even stronger cooperation in the future,” says Roberto Loiola, Vice President, Networks, Nokia. “And we’re doubly pleased to be providing SFR the industry’s leading mobile softswitch, bringing significant cost savings and a clear evolution next generation networks.”
Nokia is creating seamless user experiences in converging networks thanks to mobile softswitching and IMS for fixed and mobile. With over 100 customers for its mobile softswitching and over 50 live networks, Nokia is clearly the most experienced mobile softswitching supplier worldwide.
Nokia is also the front-runner in IMS for fixed and mobile networks, with over 120 references. Nokia’s IMS for fixed and mobile has been in commercial use since 2005. With 20 convergence trials, enabling personalized VoIP and multimedia, Nokia is paving the way for the renewal of fixed networks and the usage of access technologies like WLAN.
About SFR
With 17.4 million customers and 8,000 employees, SFR is the second largest mobile telecommunications operator in France and has been the market leader in terms of net sales (new customers) since 2003. Operating its own GSM/GPRS and UMTS/HSDPA networks, SFR is able to provide a complete range of mobile telephony and multimedia services, as well as mobile data solutions to its personal, SOHO and business customers. SFR has become the operator of choice for new uses of mobile phones, having been the first operator to launch 3G and 3G+ services on the French market, and now boasts more than 1.5 million exclusively 3G customers. The company is also a player on the fixed telecommunications market through its 40.8 % interest in neuf cegetel, the leading alternative operator on the French market. SFR benefits from a stable ownership structure, with two major shareholders, Vivendi (56%) and Vodafone (44%).
About Nokia
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations.
Source- http://www.finanznachrichten.de
Technorati : Finland, France, Mobile, Nokia
Ice Rocket : Finland, France, Mobile, Nokia
