Digicel Haiti completes Voila integration

The pan-Caribbean mobile operator Digicel has announced the completion of a project to integrate the network of recently acquired Haitian cellco Voila, which is also known as Comcel, with its local unit. Digicel Group bought Voila from US-based firm Trilogy International in March this year, and has now successfully combined the Voila network with the infrastructure and systems of Digicel Haiti. At the end of June this year market leader Digicel Haiti claimed around 63% of the country’s wireless subscribers, while third-placed Voila accounted for 17.7%, according to figures from TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database.

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OVETEL Digicel Haiti completes Voila integration

Japan set for two LTE launches this week as iPhone 5 hits the stores

Two Japanese cellular operators are expected to launch commercial 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) services later this week to coincide with the introduction of the new Apple iPhone 5 handset on Friday. Second and third-placed cellcos KDDI and Softbank will be hoping that the new LTE-enabled iPhone model will help them make an immediate dent in the market share of mobile market leader and long-term LTE provider NTT DoCoMo, which launched 4G services in December 2010 and recently passed the five million subscriber milestone on its LTE network.

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OVETEL Japan set for two LTE launches this week as iPhone 5 hits the stores

TPG reveals net profit jump in FY11/12

Australia’s TPG Telecom has announced that its normalised net profit after tax surged by 46% in the year to end-July 2012 to AUD114.2 million (USD117.4 million), with that figure adjusted to exclude a AUD23.2m one-off tax expense. Recorded net profit for the telco stood at AUD91.0 million, up 16% year-on-year, with TPG reporting earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBTIDA) of AUD261.4 million for the financial year, up 12% against FY10/11, and slightly above the top-end of its EBITDA guidance for the period

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OVETEL TPG reveals net profit jump in FY11/12

Batelco and CWC discussing GBP614m sale of Monaco Islands business

Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) is reportedly holding talks with UK-based Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) with a view to acquiring the latter’s assets in Monaco and a number of small island nations. According to Reuters, which cites three banking and industry sources, the duo are negotiating a potential deal thought to be worth around GBP614 million (USD1 billion). While both Batelco and CWC have confirmed that they are discussing the possible sale, it is understood that a deal is not imminent, and both parties have stated that there is no guarantee that a deal will be reached

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OVETEL Batelco and CWC discussing GBP614m sale of Monaco & Islands business

Myanmar close to selecting consultant to manage telecoms liberalisation

The government of Myanmar has shortlisted five firms as part of its efforts to appoint a consultant to oversee the liberalisation of the country’s telecoms markets. A total of 64 companies applied for the position, including GTL of India, Huawei of China and Thailand’s Symphony Communications, as well as consultancy firms from Japan, Australia, Germany and the United States, the Myanmar Times reports, but just five have made it to the final selection phase

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OVETEL Myanmar close to selecting consultant to manage telecoms liberalisation

FCC to come under scrutiny for encouraging LightSquared progress

According to Fierce Wireless, the House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on 21 September focusing on the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) role in granting a conditional waiver for LightSquared to build out a nationwide hybrid Long Term Evolution (LTE) network using terrestrial and satellite networks, and encompassing non-traditional spectrum in the 1.4GHz and 1.6GHz bands. The committee, which launched an investigation into the matter earlier this year, has not said which witnesses will be called to testify. The hearing will look at whether the FCC followed its own policies, procedures and precedents correctly

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OVETEL FCC to come under scrutiny for encouraging LightSquared progress

Solomon Islands govt snags submarine cable loan

The Solomon Islands’ government has confirmed that it will borrow USD78 million from Asian Development Bank (ADB) this year to fund the deployment of its own, as-yet-unnamed fibre-optic submarine link. The initiative, which will be managed by the Solomon Oceanic Cable Company (SOCC), itself co-owned by the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) and Solomon Telekom Ltd (STL), will link the Solomon Islands to the rest of the world by connecting to existing infrastructure linking Sydney and Guam. The cable project will also encompass a domestic cable link between Auki and Noro, while microwave and satellite links will be extended to the Choiseul and Isabel provinces

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OVETEL Solomon Islands govt snags submarine cable loan

Investment talks between TelOne and Telkom break down

Negotiations between the South African operator Telkom and Zimbabwe’s state-owned telco TelOne have broken down, with TelOne now thought to be looking elsewhere for a strategic investor.

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OVETEL Investment talks between TelOne and Telkom break down

T-HT grabbing its slice of dividend, hopes to be icing on 4G cake

Croatia’s T-Hrvatski Telekom (T-HT), part of the Deutsche Telekom group, has responded to the regulator HAKOM’s public call for 4G mobile licence applications in the digital dividend (790MHz-862MHz) band, by applying for a 2x10MHz spectrum allocation.

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OVETEL T-HT grabbing its slice of dividend, hopes to be icing on 4G cake

EU regulators likely to impose further conditions on 3, Orange merger

According to Reuters, European Union (EU) regulators have raised further objections to the proposed EUR1.4 billion (USD1.87 billion) bid by Hutchison 3G Austria (H3G) for France Telecom-Orange’s Austrian mobile unit, and will now carry out a full probe into the transaction. The European Commission, which has been examining the takeover since June, maintains that it is concerned that the deal will cut the number of telecoms operators in Austria from four to three and lead to higher consumer prices

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OVETEL EU regulators likely to impose further conditions on 3, Orange merger

Telcor negotiates satellite deal with Chinese firm

The Nicaraguan government is reportedly in negotiations with Chinese satellite firm Great Wall, to purchase a USD300 million satellite, which the Central American nation hopes to launch into orbit by 2016. Sources familiar with the deal have suggested that an accord between the Instituto Nicaraguense de Telecomunicaciones y Correos (Telcor) and Great Wall, which has manufactured satellites for several Latin American, African and Asian countries, could be signed in October. *Speaking at a press conference in Nicaragua, the Chinese firm’s vice president He Xing, indicated that the device would be a third-generation satellite, capable of providing modern telephone, internet and digital television services for residents of Nicaragua and its neighbouring countries

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OVETEL Telcor negotiates satellite deal with Chinese firm

Tashkent confiscates MTS assets

The Tashkent Criminal Court has ordered the confiscation of the assets of Russian-backed cellco MTS Uzbekistan in a criminal case against the operator.

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OVETEL Tashkent confiscates MTS assets

Almost time for Teletalk IPO, must wait for SEC

Bangladesh’s Daily Star has reported that state-run cellco Teletalk is finalising plans to raise BDT6 billion (USD72 million) from the capital market to expand its services via an initial public offering (IPO). The country’s telecoms minister, Shahara Khatun, said that the applications for an IPO and prospectus will be sent ‘by next month’ to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for approval

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OVETEL Almost time for Teletalk IPO, must wait for SEC

Lucky Solomon Islands residents see 13 new cell towers deployed by Telekom

According to the Solomon Star newspaper, Solomon Telekom Company has rolled out 13 new base transceiver stations (BTS), as part of its ongoing project to boost its mobile presence across the sovereign state. The rollout was overseen by Irish wireless network solutions provider Altobridge. A Telekom spokesperson commented: ‘Following the completed of the 13 towers another nine new sites are in progress in terms of civil works and installation.

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OVETEL Lucky Solomon Islands residents see 13 new cell towers deployed by Telekom

Baby steps: TOT’s 3G/4G plans crawl towards parental approval

Thai state-owned telco TOT’s delayed second-phase 3G investment plan was yesterday approved by its board, leaving it needing permission from the ICT ministry and the cabinet before proceeding. TOT plans to roll out a total of 5,200 3G W-CDMA/HSPA base stations nationwide by November 2012 – 4,250 by October – under an overall THB30 billion (USD970 million) expansion programme, while extending coverage through infrastructure sharing with private operators, to reach an eventual total of 12,000 3G base stations across the country serving 80% of the Thai population. As reported by local newspaper The Nation, the telco’s board simultaneously approved a plan to utilise its existing 2300MHz frequencies for 4G mobile trials by the end of this year, although it needs regulatory and state approval for the plan too

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OVETEL Baby steps: TOT’s 3G/4G plans crawl towards parental approval

From Bee to G: GTel Mobile rebrands following Vimpelcom’s exit

Vietnamese wireless operator GTel Mobile has unveiled a new brand following the decision of Amsterdam-headquartered international telecoms group Vimpelcom to sell its entire 49% stake in the cellco in April 2012. GTel Mobile, which has offered GSM/EDGE services under Vimpelcom’s Beeline brand since launch in July 2009, has announced that it has chosen to rebrand as ‘Gmobile’ and has unveiled a new logo and slogan

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OVETEL From Bee to G: GTel Mobile rebrands following Vimpelcom’s exit

Hungarian court annuls fourth licence award to MPVI Mobil

A Hungarian court yesterday annulled the results of a tender for the country’s fourth mobile licence to MPVI Mobil, a consortium of state-owned companies Magyar Posta, Hungarian Electricity Works (MVM) and Hungarian Development Bank (MFB). The concession was originally awarded in January this year, but the court’s decision means the whole process must now be repeated, local daily Nepszabadsag reports.

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OVETEL Hungarian court annuls fourth licence award to MPVI Mobil

Pan-European operator GTS CE selects Overture for Ethernet services in central Europe

GTS CE, a pan-European service provider supplying business and wholesale services in central and eastern Europe, has selected Overture Networks as a key equipment supplier of its Ethernet-over-copper (EoC) network. The altnet is deploying EoC services in the Czech Republic as well as in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Poland. The new infrastructure will serve around 40,000 retail business customers in those markets

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OVETEL Pan-European operator GTS CE selects Overture for Ethernet services in central Europe

Regulator to auction off state’s 51% stake in MTS Belarus this year, report says

According to a report in The Moscow Times, Belarusian telecoms regulator the State Commission on Radio Frequencies is preparing to auction off the government’s 51% stake in MTS Belarus, its mobile joint venture with Russian giant Mobile TeleSystems (MTS). The auction is scheduled to take place before the end of this year, and has a starting price of USD1 billion

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OVETEL Regulator to auction off state’s 51% stake in MTS Belarus this year, report says

CRa hits Telefonica with USD167m lawsuit for abusing position

Czech altnet Ceske Radiokomunikace (CRa) has launched a lawsuit against the country’s dominant carrier Telefonica O2 CR for allegedly abusing its dominant market position, Reuters reports.

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OVETEL CRa hits Telefonica with USD167m lawsuit for abusing position

Perfect ten: figures shaping up to fit Rogers’ Long Term model curve

Canada’s Rogers Communications has announced that it is launching 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband services in ten additional cities, as it drives towards an end of year target of 60% 4G population coverage. The new locations are: Barrie, Burlington, Cambridge, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Oakville and Waterloo (all in Ontario province), Edmonton (Alberta) and Quebec City. The expansion adds to Rogers’ existing LTE coverage of approximately 40% of the population including areas in and around Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, St.

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OVETEL Perfect ten: figures shaping up to fit Rogers’ Long Term model curve

M1 goes live with commercial LTE network

As planned, Singaporean mobile operator M1 Limited (M1) has launched its nationwide commercial Long Term Evolution (LTE) service in Singapore, in collaboration with network partner Huawei.

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OVETEL M1 goes live with commercial LTE network

T-Mobile's LTE network now covers over 650,000 Austrians

T-Mobile Austria has revealed that its in-deployment Long Term Evolution (LTE) network is currently available to over 650,000 citizens in Vienna, Linz, Graz and Innsbruck.

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OVETEL T-Mobile's LTE network now covers over 650,000 Austrians

HAKOM issues public call for digital dividend 4G licences

In a press release, Croatian regulator HAKOM has issued a public call for the allocation of the 790MHz-862MHz wireless spectrum band (the ‘digital dividend’ band) for mobile network operators, following the release of the frequencies via the country’s transition to digital broadcasting in October 2010, and in response to market interest. The auction of mobile licences in the band suitable for 4G (LTE) services is expected to bring in state revenue of ‘several hundred million’ in terms of local currency, the watchdog stated. It added that, taking into account the differing dates of digital dividend release in neighbouring countries, at this point there remain some limitations on the use of this spectrum in certain areas of Croatia, and therefore the regulator has issued a document describing the current situation in the neighbouring countries.

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OVETEL HAKOM issues public call for digital dividend 4G licences

Asiacell shares could trade on the ISX as early as next month

Asiacell, Qatar Telecom's Iraqi mobile subsidiary, has been admitted to the Iraq Stock Exchange (ISX) and trading of its shares could begin as soon as next month, The National newspaper reports. ISX chief executive Taha Abdulsalam commented: ‘We are just waiting for a few technical things to happen before we can start trading in Asiacell.

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OVETEL Asiacell shares could trade on the ISX as early as next month

USVI authorises USD14m worth of construction contracts for NGN

The Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (VINGN), a project wholly owned by the Virgin Islands Public Finance Authority, has awarded a series of contracts to local firms to begin the process of rolling out the Virgin Islands’ broadband infrastructure, the Caribbean Journal reports, citing a statement from governor John de Jongh. The VINGN’s board of directors has authorised USD13.4 million in construction contracts for trenching that will allow for the implementation of high speed fibre-optic cable infrastructure across the territory

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OVETEL USVI authorises USD14m worth of construction contracts for NGN

Sutel dismisses ICE request to delay MNP

Costa Rican regulator the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel) has rejected a plea from incumbent cellco ICE Celular seeking to delay the introduction of Mobile Number Portability (MNP). Local paper Costa Rica reports that the cellco, which operates under the ‘Kolbi’ banner, sought to delay the introduction of MNP until 2014.

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OVETEL Sutel dismisses ICE request to delay MNP

Tax evasion telcos to reach out of court settlement with FBR

The five telcos under investigation for tax evasion have reached an agreement with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to settle the disagreement out of court, the Business Recorder reports. Rather than going through the courts the parties will seek an ‘amicable’ close to the issue through the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee (ADRC)

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OVETEL Tax evasion telcos to reach out of court settlement with FBR

Infratel looks for USD1bn from IPO

Indian towerco Bharti Infratel has filed a draft prospectus for an initial public offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India, reports the Business Standard.

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OVETEL Infratel looks for USD1bn from IPO

iiNet to offer 4G mobile broadband over Optus’ network

Alternative Australian broadband provider iiNet has reportedly inked a deal with the country’s second largest cellco by subscribers, Optus, under which it will resell services over the latter’s recently inaugurated Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. According to Delimiter, iiNet is expected to introduce its own range of commercial 4Gservices in ‘the coming months’, and in a statement cited by the report iiNet has claimed it is the first reseller of Optus’ LTE-based products. It is understood that iiNet will launch its 4G wireless broadband services with a choice of own-branded devices, including a wireless USB modem and a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, although full details regarding the services and hardware on offer, as well as the actual date at which they will be introduced, are only likely to be forthcoming once Optus confirms the launch date of its wholesale service.

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OVETEL iiNet to offer 4G mobile broadband over Optus’ network

First phase of SIM registration to expire next month

Around 1.5 million mobile phone subscribers of the United Arab Emirates’ two telecoms operators, Etisalat and Du, have until 16 October to register their details or face the disconnection of their service, reports Emirates 24/7, citing local newspapers which quote officials at the service providers. The deadline is the first of six three-month phases of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s (TRA’s) SIM registration campaign, known as ‘My Number, My Identity’, which was unveiled in June 2012 and launched the following month

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OVETEL First phase of SIM registration to expire next month

NTC to investigate new submarine cable

The Express Tribune reports that Pakistan’s National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) is considering deploying a new submarine cable linking the UAE and Pakistan, citing an official source. The NTC will commission a commercial study and feasibility report to investigate the viability of a new link, as well as determining the likely cost of the project.

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OVETEL NTC to investigate new submarine cable

NTC warns Globe: announce deadline for systems upgrade

The BusinessMirror newspaper writes that the Filipino telecoms watchdog the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has called on fixed and mobile operator Globe Telecom to set a deadline for the completion of its ongoing network systems upgrade amid continuing complaints from consumers.

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OVETEL NTC warns Globe: announce deadline for systems upgrade

Last Tango in Luxembourg: cellco reveals 1 October LTE launch date

Tango Luxembourg, the Grand Duchy’s second largest mobile operator by subscribers, has announced that it will start offering services over its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network on a commercial basis from 1 October. At launch, the 4G network will cover around 60% of the population, principally in the south and centre of the country, plus all of the main cities in the north. Tango has indicated that it plans to expand the network to 90% of the population by the end of 2012, and confirmed that the in-deployment network has been configured to offer peak theoretical download speeds of up to 150Mbps, although the real world speeds are expected to be significantly lower.

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OVETEL Last Tango in Luxembourg: cellco reveals 1 October LTE launch date

2K Telecom inks MoUs with Huawei, Eximbank

2K Telecom, a Romanian WiMAX operator currently participating in the country’s ongoing auction for Long Term Evolution (LTE)-suitable spectrum, has reportedly inked memorandums of understanding (MoU) with Chinese telecoms vendor Huawei Technologies and financial institution Export-Import Bank of China (Eximbank), according to ACTmedia.eu. The contract was signed by Mihai Alexandru Voicu, Romania’s coordinator for the China-Central and Eastern Europe Cooperation Programme, Mihai Alexandru Voicu during a recent visit to Beijing.*While the majority of the bidders involved in ANCOM’s spectrum auction are already prominent presences within the domestic wireless market, 2K Telecom is something of an unknown quantity.

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OVETEL 2K Telecom inks MoUs with Huawei, Eximbank

Nawras introduces FNP for corporate customers

Oman’s second national telecoms operator Nawras has announced the launch of fixed number portability (FNP) for its business customers. The service will enable corporate customers using a Primary Rate Interface (PRI) to keep their existing number when switching to Nawras, which is majority owned by Qatar Telecom (Qtel), from another telecoms operator. ‘The launch of FNP is a major milestone achievement for the telecommunications industry in Oman and an eagerly awaited development for the corporate sector,’ commented Adnan Zubaid Khan, product manager for Fixed Voice and International Data Services at Nawras, adding: ‘FNP for corporate customers with PRI is the first step in a service that will expand over time to enable more corporate customers to join Nawras

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OVETEL Nawras introduces FNP for corporate customers

15 3G application forms issued

A total of 15 application forms have been issued to companies interested in Thailand's upcoming third-generation (3G) 2100MHz mobile licence auction scheduled for 16 October, reports the Bangkok Post. The forms are available until 27 September, with applications due in the next day, and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) will announce qualified bidders on 10 October. Representatives of all 15 companies attended the 3G information session held yesterday by the NBTC, namely: Jasmine International, Jasmine Telecom System, BB Connect, Jaya Soft Version, Victory Motor, Cable Thai Holding, ACT Mobile (a unit of state-run telco TOT), three subsidiaries of Advanced Info Service (AIS), two subsidiaries of Total Access Communication (DTAC) and three subsidiaries of True Corporation.

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OVETEL 15 3G application forms issued

Operators begin ten-second charging

All of Bangladesh’s cellular network operators, except market leader GrameenPhone, implemented ten-second pulse call billing by restructuring their call packages from Saturday onwards, as per the directive of the telecoms regulator, reports the Financial Express.

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OVETEL Operators begin ten-second charging

3 Denmark plans 4G switch-on

Danish cellular operator 3 Denmark has revealed that it plans to switch on its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network on 28 September. The firm will at the same time begin selling the new iPhone 5 handset. At launch, 3 Denmark’s 1800MHz and 2600MHz LTE networks will cover 37% of the population, Telecompaper reports, with coverage increasing to 50% by the end of the year

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OVETEL 3 Denmark plans 4G switch-on

Ericsson selected for Indosat modernisation plan

Ericsson has been awarded a three-year contract by Indonesia’s second largest telecoms group PT Indosat, as the latter looks to modernise its network infrastructure in the capital Jakarta to meet growing demand for mobile data services. Indosat president Harry Sasongko confirmed that the group is looking to upgrade both its radio access equipment and core network to boost both speed and coverage for end users. ‘We are always looking for new ways to offer a better service to our customers and become the leading cellular broadband provider in Indonesia,’ Sasongko said during the contract signing last week.

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OVETEL Ericsson selected for Indosat modernisation plan

Finger on the trigger in shareholder dispute, as armed squad raid Telenor’s Moscow office

According to Reuters, the increasingly acrimonious shareholder dispute between Vimpelcom’s co-owners escalated on Friday, when a bailiff accompanied by around 15 armed men in uniform visited Telenor's Moscow office to demand information. The Norwegian telecoms giant, which currently owns 39.5% of the voting rights in the Russian firm, commented: ‘We consider it an effort to pressure Telenor during the continued dispute between Vimpelcom shareholders’. Typically, any such requests would normally be sent by post, emphasising the heavy-handed tactics that have come into play.

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OVETEL Finger on the trigger in shareholder dispute, as armed squad raid Telenor’s Moscow office

ComReg issues market report for Q2 2012

Ireland’s telecoms regulator the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has issued its quarterly market report for the April-June 2012 period, showing that overall electronic communications revenues stood at EUR930 million (USD1.22 billion) for the period, down 0.3% on the previous quarter. The watchdog said total voice traffic (fixed and mobile) declined by 1.8% over the same period to approximately 4.26 billion voice minutes, with a 0.6% increase in mobile voice traffic being wiped out by a 5.9% decline in fixed voice traffic. ComReg said that the country was home to a total of more than 1.654 million broadband subscriptions (fixed and mobile) at end-June, up by 1.6% year-on-year but a marginal 0.7% dip quarter-on-quarter

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OVETEL ComReg issues market report for Q2 2012

PLDT’s Smart now offering tri-band LTE

Smart Communications, the mobile arm of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), has successfully deployed Long Term Evolution (LTE) services in the 1800MHz band, making its 4G service tri-band.

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OVETEL PLDT’s Smart now offering tri-band LTE

Three cellcos’ bank accounts ‘frozen’ for non-payment of VAT

Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue (NBR) yesterday told banks to freeze accounts of three cellcos – Robi, Banglalink and CityCell – for 15 days, and to deduct overdue value added tax (VAT) from the accounts, and deposit it to the public exchequer, due to the companies’ failure to pay their dues within a stipulated timeframe. The Financial Express reports that the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the NBR sent a letter to all banks concerned, asking them to suspend all transactions, including withdrawal and transfer of money from accounts of the three companies, who owe a total of BDT3.93 billion (USD47 million) in VAT to the NBR.

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OVETEL Three cellcos’ bank accounts ‘frozen’ for non-payment of VAT

Damy uses SES Broadband satellites to spread access in Benin

Damy Engineering has signed an agreement with SES Broadband Services to use 18MHz of the latter’s sub-Saharan satellite bandwidth to launch internet access services in Benin from mid-September. Damy is focusing on connecting post offices via an agreement with La Poste du Benin, as well as schools across the country and individual customers, and is also cooperating on the project with Nomotech, a subsidiary of French telco SFR

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OVETEL Damy uses SES Broadband satellites to spread access in Benin

TeliaSonera’s open fibre rollouts march on

TeliaSonera Sweden has announced its latest batch of agreements to deploy fibre broadband networks, having signed an open fibre agreement with municipal housing and urban network associations in Ovanaker in Halsingland, under an eight-year contract worth an estimated SEK22 million (USD3.3 million). It also signed a ‘multimillion’ agreement to deploy fibre in Hultsfred municipality, with the aim of signing up 90% of homes and businesses in the municipality to 100Mbps broadband by 2017. In the case of open fibre rollouts, tenants may choose services from multiple service providers offering high speed internet, IPTV and telephony

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OVETEL TeliaSonera’s open fibre rollouts march on

CiG Wireless acquires assets from Towers of Texas

CiG Wireless Corporation, a leading independent owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure in the United States, has announced that it has acquired certain communications towers and related assets and rights from Towers of Texas, a privately held company.

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OVETEL CiG Wireless acquires assets from Towers of Texas

Amis expanding fibre in capital

Croatian alternative telco Amis Telekom is building a fibre-optic network in Zagreb, commencing construction in November 2012 for completion by August 2013. Telecoms regulator HAKOM has approved the project to build an optical distribution network in the centre of the capital to serve 3,500 businesses/public entities and over 7,000 residents.

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OVETEL Amis expanding fibre in capital

Etisalat Sri Lanka launches commercial DC-HSPA+ services

Having launched a HSPA+ (21Mbps) network in May 2011, which was capable of supporting DC-HSPA+ (42Mbps) speeds, Etisalat Sri Lanka has finally begun selling DC-HSPA+ capable devices for users of the network, which it says is 42Mbps-enabled across its entire national 3G footprint. The HSPA network covers over 45 main population centres, according to the cellco's own coverage map. The company is claiming a first in Sri Lanka by offering a range of DC-HSPA+ devices including USB dongles for individual mobile use and wireless routers for home and business purposes

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OVETEL Etisalat Sri Lanka launches commercial DC-HSPA+ services

PLDT finishes PHP67bn network modernisation plan ahead of schedule

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the country’s dominant provider by subscribers and revenue, has reportedly completed a major two-year PHP67 billion (USD1.6 billion) network modernisation plan ahead of schedule. The ambitious project is expected to significantly enhance service quality through a more than tripling of voice and data capacity, it said. Commenting on the development, PLDT president and CEO Napoleon L Nazareno said: The group's investments have produced a network that is unrivalled in terms of coverage, capacity, and resiliency … What was already the most extensive and advanced network in the country has been further super-charged with our access network providing the widest coverage via the expansion of LTE sites and a transport network that rides on over 48,000km of fibre assets with an additional 6,000km of fibre-to-the-home rolled out.’ In total, the PLDT group now has over 54,000km of fibre in its network, roughly four times the 12,000km of fibre-optic networks being built by its rivals.

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OVETEL PLDT finishes PHP67bn network modernisation plan ahead of schedule

CNT rolling out third phase of CDMA 450 network

Ecuadorian state-run full-service telco Corporacion Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CNT) has announced the latest locations to receive CDMA-450 fixed-wireless coverage under its third-phase network rollout, namely, Moraspungo, El Corazon, Zumbahua, Guangaje, Pilalo, La Mana, Angamarca and Pinllopata, reports La Gaceta. The deployments form part of an ongoing CDMA wireless in the local loop rollout, the third phase of which involves the deployment of 167 base stations, so that coverage can be extended to 3,883 locations in all 24 provinces of the country. This year so far, 89,832 CDMA-450 lines have been activated in the provinces of Imbabura, Tungurahua, Santa Elena, Bolivar, Galapagos, Loja and Cotopaxi

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OVETEL CNT rolling out third phase of CDMA 450 network

XL Axiata sale raises USD510m for Etisalat

UAE-based Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) has raised IDR4.88 trillion (USD510.03 million) from the sale of most of its 13.29% stake in Indonesian mobile carrier XL Axiata. According to a term sheet of the offering seen by Reuters on Thursday, Etisalat sold a total of 775 million XL Axiata shares at IDR6,300 per share

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OVETEL XL Axiata sale raises USD510m for Etisalat

Fibre-optic cable to link Dosso and Konni

Niger’s state-owned telco Sonitel has begun work on laying a 300km fibre-optic cable link between Dosso and Konni, reports Afriscoop. At a launch ceremony, the country’s communications minister stated that the government’s goal is to increase broadband coverage from the 54% recorded in 2010 to 72% by 2015

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OVETEL Fibre-optic cable to link Dosso and Konni

Ukraine dashes any hopes of 3G licensing this year

Ukrainian cellcos will have to continue their long wait for a 2100MHz 3G licence auction, as the National Commission for State Regulation of Communications and Informatization (NCCIR or NKRZI), has confirmed that no funds will be released this year for the conversion of frequencies from their current military allocation to commercial usage. Interfax-Ukraine quoted the regulator as saying that the military had not cleared the UAH800 million (USD97 million) necessary, while no other plan for raising funds had yet been approved by the government. The allocation of 3G licensing funding was not in the state’s 2012 budget, while the private sector’s hopes for an alternative route to 2100MHz – the sale of state-run Ukrtelecom’s TriMob 3G division – also stalled earlier this year on failure to agree over pricing, TeleGeography notes.

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OVETEL Ukraine dashes any hopes of 3G licensing this year

Movistar ‘in second 4G pilot phase’; expands eastern HSPA capacity

Movistar Venezuela reports that it has invested VEF16 million (USD3.7 million) in a project to enhance the capacity of its 3.5G HSPA-based services in the eastern areas of Anzoategui, Nueva Esparta, Monagas, Sucre and Bolivar, while rolling out new coverage zones in the eastern cities of Puerto La Cruz, Puerto Ordaz and others. The Spanish-backed cellco also said it expanded by 140% the fibre-optic backbone between the states of Monagas and Anzoategui, costing VEF300,000, according to Entornointeligente.com.

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OVETEL Movistar ‘in second 4G pilot phase’; expands eastern HSPA capacity

Singapore’s M1 abandons 4G surcharge plan

Mobile network operator M1 Limited (M1) has decided to waive a value added service (VAS) charge it imposed on its fledgling 4G service, following similar moves from rival SingTel Mobile.

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OVETEL Singapore’s M1 abandons 4G surcharge plan

Regulator set to discuss technological neutrality on 2 October?

Russia’s State Radio Frequency Commission (SRFC) is set to consider the introduction of technological neutrality at its next board meeting, which is scheduled for 2 October, Prime-Tass news agency reports, citing an advance copy of the meeting’s agenda. The technological neutrality principle means that operators can use their frequency resources to develop the technology of their own choosing, for example refarming existing GSM spectrum to offer 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE)

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OVETEL Regulator set to discuss technological neutrality on 2 October?

BTP publishes first ever set of Sint Maarten telecoms data

The Bureau of Telecommunications and Post of Sint Maarten (BTP-SXM) has released its first ever set of telecoms data relating to the Caribbean island nation. The watchdog, which was established as an independent regulatory authority on 10 October 2010, following the formal dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, has revealed that the country recorded a total of 67,124 mobile subscribers as at 31 December 2011, equivalent to a population penetration rate of 164.3%. Meanwhile, broadband subscribers numbered 10,966 at the same date, with Sint Maarten accounting for just 6,862 wireline customer accounts

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OVETEL BTP publishes first ever set of Sint Maarten telecoms data

Swisscom to invest EUR400m in FastWeb network

According to Dow Jones Newswires, Zurich-based Swisscom has revealed plans to invest EUR400 million (USD516.8 million) in the expansion of Italian unit FastWeb’s fibre-optic broadband network. The move, which the telco says will help it to increase competitiveness, will entail the rollout of new fibre-to-the-street (FTTS) infrastructure to complement its existing fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network, which already covers around two million households in Italy's urban areas. Swisscom plans to invest around EUR130 million in its FTTS infrastructure by the end of 2013, while a total of around EUR400 million will be invested by 2016.

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OVETEL Swisscom to invest EUR400m in FastWeb network

SSTL holds off on auction until SC hears case

Russia’s Sistema group has announced that it will not make its decision on whether or not to participate in the upcoming spectrum auction in India until the Supreme Court has heard its petition to be exempted from the mass cancellation of licences earlier this year. Zee News India quotes the company’s CEO Mikhail Shamolin as saying: ‘Auction prices announced by the regulator are unjustifiably high and no decision on auction participation will be taken until our case is heard in our Curative Petition to the Supreme Court.’ As previously reported by CommsUpdate, Sistema, which holds a 56.68% stake in Indian cellco Sistema Shyam TeleServices (SSTL), is also prepared to launch legal proceedings against the Indian government for the withdrawal of its operating licences citing the Bilateral Investment Protection Agreement (BIPA) signed between Russia and India.

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OVETEL SSTL holds off on auction until SC hears case

TDSAT supports TRAI against closed down operator

India’s Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has ruled in favour of the sector watchdog the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) confirming that former cellco S-Tel, which closed down operations after its operating licences were cancelled by the Supreme Court in February this year, ‘ignored its legal obligations’ by shutting down. In early April, S-Tel was ordered by the TRAI to continue offering services until the licences are officially terminated, though this decision was challenged by the provider.

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OVETEL TDSAT supports TRAI against closed down operator

Telecoms America (Claro) deploys first LTE sites in Sao Paulo

America Movil’s (AM’s) Brazilian mobile service provider Telecom Americas (Claro) has commenced 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network trials in the area of Joquei Clube in Sao Paulo, having previously launched trials of the technology in the capital Brasilia, Campos do Jordao (Sao Paulo), Paraty and Buzios (Rio de Janeiro). The latest trial will use equipment provided by Ericsson, reaching peak speeds of 80Mbps, Teletime reports, citing Claro Brasil CEO Carlos Zenteno as saying. According to Zenteno, Claro plans to commercially launch its LTE network in Brazil by April 2013.

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OVETEL Telecoms America (Claro) deploys first LTE sites in Sao Paulo

Extra mobile broadband spectrum approved; PEOPLEnet eager to grab it

The Ukrainian cabinet has approved amendments to the national frequency plan to allow the use of the 1900MHz-1920MHz and 1980MHz-2000MHz bands for mobile data/voice services. Comments.ua reports that Decree No.838 of 5 September 2012 was approved following lobbying from Privat Group, the parent company of mobile operator PEOPLEnet.

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OVETEL Extra mobile broadband spectrum approved; PEOPLEnet eager to grab it

Go Glo go; Ghana’s newest cellco hits two million subs

Glo Ghana, which became the country’s fifth mobile network operator after launching commercially in April 2012, has reportedly confirmed that it has surpassed two million subscribers. According to AllAfrica, the cellco claims that it now accounts for more than 8% of Ghana’s mobile voice accesses. In revealing the milestone the report cited a statement by Glo Ghana as saying of its progress in the market: ‘In keeping with our innovative tradition, we also rolled out the most modern telecommunications network and introduced into the market abundant, superior and attractive value offerings in all ten regions of the country from day one.

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OVETEL Go Glo go; Ghana’s newest cellco hits two million subs

Liberty Telecom Holdings’ reports widening first-half loss

Liberty Telecoms Holdings, which operates Wi-Tribe branded wireless broadband internet services in the Philippines, has reported widening losses for the first six months of this year, despite an increase in revenue. Liberty Telecom, a joint venture between San Miguel Corp (SMC), Qatar Telecoms Group and Skyphone Logistics Inc, booked a net loss of PHP762.96 million (USD18.35 million) in H1 2012, 6% higher than for the corresponding period of 2011, on turnover that increased to PHP295 million from PHP240.95 million previously.

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OVETEL Liberty Telecom Holdings’ reports widening first-half loss

Telefonica Mexico trumpets mobile voice, SMS reliability

Citing data produced by local telecoms regulator Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones (Cofetel), Telefonica Mexico noted that it has the highest percentage of completed calls of all the nation’s mobile operators. Operating in the mobile sector using the Movistar brand, the company highlighted the fact that, alongside completing 99.18% of calls, it was the only cellco which guaranteed 100% delivery of SMS messages, while also boasting the shortest average time for delivery. Meanwhile, alongside reiterating Cofetel’s findings, Telefonica Mexico took the opportunity to relay details on the status of its mobile infrastructure, as well as the future plans for its development

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OVETEL Telefonica Mexico trumpets mobile voice, SMS reliability

MVNO probes Turkish Virgin tie-up

Fast-growing international mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Virgin Mobile is in talks with Turkish mobile giant Turkcell regarding the establishment of an MVNO in Turkey, Reuters reports.

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OVETEL MVNO probes Turkish Virgin tie-up

Telecom Namibia sets up international PoPs on WACS route

Telecom Namibia is in the process of setting up four international Points of Presence (PoPs) along the WACS undersea cable route, which entered service in May, reports DatacenterDynamics. The Namibian telco’s PoPs will be located in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Frankfurt and London and will be deployed by NewTelco South Africa and its affiliate Jasco Co-location Solutions

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OVETEL Telecom Namibia sets up international PoPs on WACS route

Construction on ‘most advanced data centre in Caribbean’ underway in Curacao

The Curacao Technology Exchange (CTEX) has confirmed that it is in the construction phase of ‘CU-1’, the first of four data centres scheduled to be built on Curacao. When complete, the structure will reportedly be the first Tier-IV Uptime Institute-certified data centre in the Caribbean and Latin America.

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OVETEL Construction on ‘most advanced data centre in Caribbean’ underway in Curacao

Sky Mobile expands HSPA+ network

The Kyrgyz cellco Sky Mobile, which operates under the Beeline brand, has expanded its 3G HSPA+ network, reports online portal Tazabek. New base stations have been deployed in Bishkek and Tyup. Meanwhile, 2G base stations were installed in Talas, Issyk-Kul and Jalal-Abad.

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OVETEL Sky Mobile expands HSPA+ network

Funding problems for stricken cellcos

Wireless operator Uninor, a joint venture between Telenor of Norway and Indian real estate company Unitech, is involved in talks with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the finance ministry to discuss the relaxation of external commercial borrowing (ECB) rules, reports the Business Standard. The cellco’s managing director Sigve Brekke said that the company was having difficulty raising the funds needed to participate in the upcoming 2G spectrum auction, as ‘some banks are seeking more regulatory clarity, while some have reached the maximum exposure limits to the telecom sector.’ Brekke added that Uninor was requesting for the same relaxation in ECB norms seen in the 3G auction, asking authorities to lift the USD750 million cap for funds raised via ECB.

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OVETEL Funding problems for stricken cellcos

Safaricom seeks to defer USF introduction after management qualms

According to Business Daily Africa, Kenyan mobile giant Safaricom has petitioned the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) with a view to deferring the implementation of the country’s Universal Service Fund (USF) until those parties contributing to the kitty are given seats on the management board.

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OVETEL Safaricom seeks to defer USF introduction after management qualms

T-Mobile selects Transmode to increase fibre capacity

T-Mobile Austria has selected Swedish equipment vendor Transmode to increase the capacity on its nationwide fibre-optic network, in a bid to meet the growing needs of its mobile users.

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OVETEL T-Mobile selects Transmode to increase fibre capacity

Five groups take 3G application forms, but only three to bid

A total of ten companies from five groups have so far picked up application forms for Thailand’s upcoming 3G 2100MHz mobile licence auction scheduled for next month, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) disclosed, although only three bids from the existing private sector cellular network operators are expected. As reported by The Nation newspaper, three of the firms are part of the Advanced Info Service (AIS) group – the country’s leading cellco by subscribers – namely AIS itself, Advanced Wireless Network and Advanced Mobile Broadband. Second- and third-placed players Total Access Communication (DTAC) and True Corp also took multiple copies of the 3G documents via their respective group units DTAC Internet Network and DTAC Broadband; and True Move, Real Future and Real Move

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OVETEL Five groups take 3G application forms, but only three to bid

Third MVNO to enter market

Voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) provider Redvoiss has been issued a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) licence by Chilean regulator Subtel. According to Prepaid MVNO, Redvoiss received a 30 year concession and plans to launch the service by late 2012/early 2013

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OVETEL Third MVNO to enter market

Vodafone NZ pays the price for misleading consumers

Vodafone New Zealand has been ordered to pay fines of almost NZD1.5 million (USD1.2 million) for a total of 21 breaches of the Fair Trading Act. The charges, which were brought by the Commerce Commission, relate to inaccurate marketing campaigns, and now Vodafone has been fined NZD960,000 in addition to fines of just under NZD500,000 imposed in 2011 for six other related charges. This week’s decision means that the total financial penalties incurred by Vodafone to date now stand at NZD1.444 million – reportedly the highest ever sum imposed on a single defendant under the Fair Trading Act

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OVETEL Vodafone NZ pays the price for misleading consumers

Vodafone picks Astellia for network optimisation and performance testing

Vodafone’s Czech mobile subsidiary has selected Astellia, a leading provider of monitoring solutions for the optimisation of mobile network quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE), as its primary partner for testing and optimising its infrastructure under a three-year project. Under the agreement, Astellia will help to ensure that Vodafone can implement a speedy upgrade of more than 40 base station controllers (BSC) in its 2G network, reduce CAPEX and OPEX, and deliver an enhanced service quality to end users.

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OVETEL Vodafone picks Astellia for network optimisation and performance testing

Wind to hand Panos Germanos 10% stake in return for retail distribution

Greek entrepreneur Panos Germanos and mobile/fixed network operator Wind Hellas have reached a cooperation agreement that will see Mr Germanos acquire a 10% stake in Wind before 2016 in exchange for selling the telco’s products and services on an exclusive basis for 15 years at his group’s Multirama and Public branded retail stores, reports Ekathimerini.com. In addition to the issuing of new Wind shares for free to the businessman – who formerly owned the Germanos retail chain before selling it to Wind’s larger Greek telecoms rival OTE/Cosmote – the cooperation deal is aimed at complementing the existing Wind branded retail outlet network, as well as sharing knowledge and resources between the two groups’ sales distribution networks.

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OVETEL Wind to hand Panos Germanos 10% stake in return for retail distribution

AT sets its sights on CenturyTel spectrum

US mobile giant AT&T Mobility is seeking Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval for the purchase of 51 Lower 700MHz ‘B Block’ licences, four Lower 700MHz ‘C Block’ licences and six Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) licences, Fierce Wireless reports citing a recent regulatory filing.

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OVETEL AT&T sets its sights on CenturyTel spectrum

Etisalat aims to raise USD502m from sale of XL Axiata stake

The United Arab Emirates' biggest telecommunications company Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) has announced plans to sell most of its stake in Indonesian mobile operator XL Axiata, aiming to raise up to USD502 million in what will be the Asian country’s biggest block offering since December 2010. The UAE-based group owns 13.29% of the Indonesian company, which it acquired in 2007 for USD440 million, but has struggled to develop a working relationship with XL Axiata’s main shareholder, Axiata Group of Malaysia. Current estimates value the cellco at around USD500 million, considerably less than the USD600 million-USD700 million placed on it when rumours of a sale first emerged earlier this year.

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OVETEL Etisalat aims to raise USD502m from sale of XL Axiata stake

Kosovo-Serbia clash over prefix change

The Kosovo assembly has adopted a resolution requesting that the government move to replace the current international prefix – currently Serbia’s +381 for fixed telephony and +377 and +386 for mobile telephony – to Albania’s unique country code +355.

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OVETEL Kosovo-Serbia clash over prefix change

SSTL books INR11.8bn net loss

Russian-backed cellco Sistema Shyam TeleServices (SSTL), which operates under the MTS India brand, has reported that net losses widened by 79% year-on-year to INR11.80 billion (USD213.64 million) for the three months to end-June 2012, from a net loss of INR6.58 billion in the corresponding period of 2011. Total revenues for the beleaguered cellco in the second quarter of 2012 were INR4.18 billion, a 50% rise y-o-y driven largely by subscriber additions.

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OVETEL SSTL books INR11.8bn net loss

Vodafone inaugurates DC-HSPA+ in seven locations

Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) has enabled Dual Carrier HSPA+ (DC-HSPA+) technology commercially in seven locations in what it has termed ‘the most critical phase of its AUD1.7 billion (USD1.78 billion) network upgrade’.

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OVETEL Vodafone inaugurates DC-HSPA+ in seven locations

PTCL revenues grow 8% for 2011-12

Incumbent telco the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) has booked net profits of PKR7.24 billion (USD76.08 million) for FY2011-12, ended 30 June 2012, on the back of annual revenue growth of 8.0%. Total revenues for the twelve month period were PKR110.8 billion, up from PKR102.6 billion a year earlier. As noted by TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, PTCL provides broadband and fixed telephony services as well as wireless, which is offered via its wholly owned subsidiary Pakistan Telecommunication Mobile Ltd (PTML) under the ‘Ufone’ moniker

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OVETEL PTCL revenues grow 8% for 2011-12

Econet aims for 100% mobile coverage in Zimbabwe within three years

The Zimbabwean cellular operator Econet Wireless is targeting 100% network coverage in the country by 2015, up from around 74% currently and just 13% three years ago. The firm says the dollarisation of the economy, which saw the local Zimbabwe dollar replaced by the US dollar under a multi-currency system in 2009, and improving political stability have helped create a sound platform for investment in infrastructure. ‘The shift to a multi-currency economy by the minister of finance, and the creation of the national unity government opened up a world of new opportunities for Zimbabwe, and certainly for the ICT sector,’ New Zimbabwe reports Econet chief executive Douglas Mboweni as saying

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OVETEL Econet aims for 100% mobile coverage in Zimbabwe within three years

Belgacom eyeing 3Q launch for commercial LTE services?

Belgium’s largest mobile network operator by subscribers, Proximus (Belgacom Mobile), is planning to launch its 4G network commercially in the third quarter of 2012, local news outlet Le Soir has claimed. It is suggested that Belgacom will initially make its Long Term Evolution (LTE) services available to customers in eight areas, those being: Liege, Namur, Antwerp, Mons, Waver, Ghent, Leuven, Hasselt and the Haasrode industrial park. The capital Brussels will, however, reportedly miss out on 4G initially, due in part to strict technical restrictions in the city

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OVETEL Belgacom eyeing 3Q launch for commercial LTE services?

Huawei confirms GBP1.3 billion investment/procurement plan for UK

Chinese vendor Huawei has confirmed that it has committed to investing GBP650 million (USD1 billion) in the UK, while also outlining plans to spend a further GBP650 million in procurement in the country over the next five years.

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OVETEL Huawei confirms GBP1.3 billion investment/procurement plan for UK

2G scam update: Uninor promises to limit impact on customers, SSTL ready to begin BIPA lawsuit

Sigve Brekke, the managing director of embattled cellco Uninor has promised to keep the impact of the 2G spectrum auction to a minimum for customers in the Jharkand circle. The Times of India reports that Uninor will participate in the tender, despite the ongoing litigation between the operator’s shareholders Unitech and Telenor, and will aim to retain licences for operations in Bihar and Jharkhand which it has identified as growing markets

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OVETEL 2G scam update: Uninor promises to limit impact on customers, SSTL ready to begin BIPA lawsuit

Telefonica O2 CD teams up with Ingenico for mobile payment deployment

Ingenico, a leading European manufacturer of point of sale devices, has announced that it is teaming up with Czech mobile operator Telefonica O2 CR, Visa Europe, Komercni Banka and Samsung to deploy mobile payment services in the Republic. Under the agreement Ingenico will be supplying payment terminals for the new near field communication (NFC) mobile payment scheme across the country, which will allow Telefonica O2 subscribers to swap out their mobile device's SIM card for one that supports NFC technologies. The new SIM card will act exactly like a regular SIM, but will come linked to a pre-paid credit card account preloaded with USD16 to encourage users to trial NFC mobile payments.

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OVETEL Telefonica O2 CD teams up with Ingenico for mobile payment deployment

Liquid refreshment? Fibre-optic firm reveals SA progress

Liquid Telecom has announced that the construction of its new fibre-optic link between Johannesburg and Zimbabwe, which commenced three months ago, is progressing well. The new 521km link connects to Liquid’s existing pan-African fibre network and will carry much needed capacity from the influx of submarine cables docking in South Africa inland. Liquid, which was established in 2003 as a subsidiary of the Econet Wireless Group, claims to preside over the ‘largest fibre network in Southern Africa’, which provides backhaul between most urban areas and last mile connectivity in the main cities of Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa

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OVETEL Liquid refreshment? Fibre-optic firm reveals SA progress

Ghana gets new rural wireless networks

Wireless network solutions provider Altobridge has announced the completion of the first phase of a project to provide mobile voice and broadband services to rural areas of Ghana. The solar-powered satellite-backhauled network is being operated by domestic cellular operator Tigo Ghana

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OVETEL Ghana gets new rural wireless networks

MTS Belarus reports 16% y-o-y dip in Q2 revenues

Belarus’ leading mobile operator by subscribers, MTS Belarus, says that its revenues for the April-June 2012 quarter declined 16% year-on-year to USD86.7 million, although on a positive note, turnover was up 14% quarter-on-quarter.

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OVETEL MTS Belarus reports 16% y-o-y dip in Q2 revenues

It could be yu! Essar needs USD250m cash injection

Essar Telecom Kenya, which operates under the ‘yu’ brand name, has confirmed that it requires a cash injection of up to USD250 million over the next two years to grow its ailing mobile business. However, according to AllAfrica.com, the company has been restricted from borrowing locally by the high interest rates, and is now seeking funding from the likes of Europe and China.

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OVETEL It could be yu! Essar needs USD250m cash injection

Full house? Vimpelcom receives Scartel LTE MVNO approval

According to Prime-Tass news agency, Russian mobile giant Vimpelcom has received approval to initiate mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) services using Long Term Evolution (LTE) infrastructure owned by Scartel (Yota). The development means that Vimpelcom is eligible to join its chief rivals MegaFon, which part-owns Scartel following a July 2012 deal, and Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), both of which have already launched LTE MVNO services over Scartel’s in-deployment network. Elsewhere, Russian national operator Rostelecom filed a lawsuit against Scartel in the Moscow Commercial Court last week, regarding wholesale access to the latter’s LTE network.*According to a recent report by Reuters, Scartel’s network can potentially accommodate a maximum of four operators, possibly explaining Rostelecom’s dissatisfaction with the current situation.

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OVETEL Full house? Vimpelcom receives Scartel LTE MVNO approval

Myanmar considering SEA-ME-WE 5 connection

Myanmar’s Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraph, U Thein Tun, has revealed that state-owned telco Myanmar Post and Telecommunication (MPT) is looking to improve its international connectivity by adding a link to the new SEA-ME-WE 5 undersea cable system. MPT currently has international links via the older SEA-ME-WE 3 undersea system and through overland routes to Thailand and China, and the company is looking to add another connection to improve its international bandwidth, which will in turn support the introduction of future 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile services, the Myanmar Times reports.

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OVETEL Myanmar considering SEA-ME-WE 5 connection

Congressman calls for an end to taxes on international calls

La Tribuna newspaper writes that Honduran congressman Rodolfo Irias Navas has introduced a bill that proposes eliminating taxes on incoming international calls to the country. The paper says that under Navas’ recommendation voice telephony providers such as Hondutel would be exempted from the current fee of HNL3 (USD0.16) levied on all incoming international long-distance phone calls. The congressman says his plan is designed to ensure that Hondurans are able to take advantage of high quality, low-cost services from a wide range of different suppliers, whilst simultaneously stimulating inward investment in the country’s telecommunications industry

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OVETEL Congressman calls for an end to taxes on international calls

Public hearing on BCE’s Astral takeover begins

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced on 10 September 2012 the beginning of a public hearing on the proposed CAD3.3 billion (USD3.39 billion) takeover of broadcasting group Astral by Bell Canada Enterprises (BCE). The CRTC deemed the review necessary as it said: ‘This is a large transaction that could have a significant impact on the Canadian broadcasting sector and the broader communications system.’ Prior to the hearing commencing, several of BCE’s telecoms and broadcasting rivals lodged their opposition to the proposed takeover on anti-competitive grounds.

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OVETEL Public hearing on BCE’s Astral takeover begins

StarHub sets 19-Sep as launch date for LTE

Singaporean fixed and mobile operator StarHub has announced that its Long Term Evolution (LTE) servicewill go live in the city-state on Wednesday 19th September, and that concurrently, it will upgrade its existing 3G network. The carrier, the market’s second largest cellco by subscribers, will initially offer 4G services in Singapore's Central Business District, as well as in Changi Airport and Singapore Expo. In 4Q12 it expects to have extended its LTE footprint to over 50% of the territory, targeting key high traffic areas and suburbs in the first phase, with nationwide coverage scheduled to be completed by 2013.

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OVETEL StarHub sets 19-Sep as launch date for LTE

4G concessions within the year, fibre rollout regulations to be relaxed

Chinese 4G licences are due to be issued within the next twelve months, starting with concessions for the home grown Time Division Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) platform, Chinese state news agency Xinhua cited Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei as saying. Further, the ministry has agreed to modify building codes to allow fibre-optic cables to be installed in new buildings alongside water, electricity and gas lines, saying that deployment in new constructions costs only ‘a few dollars’ per metre, compared to the high cost of replacing copper connections

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OVETEL 4G concessions within the year, fibre rollout regulations to be relaxed

Telus wins court ruling against investor Mason

Reuters reports that Canadian telecoms group Telus Corp has won a court ruling that its largest individual investor, US hedge fund Mason Capital Management, cannot hold a meeting of its shareholders to consider a proposal that potentially would have blocked the telco’s ownership restructuring plan. Mason has effectively stalled Telus’ previous attempts to eradicate its legacy dual voting and non-voting share structure

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OVETEL Telus wins court ruling against investor Mason

CTU confirms four bidders in 4G mobile frequency auction

National telecoms regulator the Czech Telecommunication Office (CTU) has received four bids for its upcoming auction of mobile frequencies suitable for 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technologies. The companies to have submitted applications include the three incumbents – T-Mobile Czech Republic, Telefonica O2 CR and Vodafone Czech Republic – and a possible new market entrant, local financial firm PPF Group’s subsidiary PPF Mobile Services. The CTU is confident that the auction will generate ‘billions of crowns’ for state coffers, as well as from the ongoing annual fees licensees will be required to pay for using the frequencies

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OVETEL CTU confirms four bidders in 4G mobile frequency auction

Rebranded EE to introduce commercial LTE by end-2012

Everything Everywhere, the joint venture between UK mobile network operators Orange UK and T-Mobile UK, has made a number of notable announcements, chief among them being a corporate rebranding and the release of a timeframe for the commercial launch of 4G services.

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OVETEL Rebranded EE to introduce commercial LTE by end-2012

Chinese R firm linked with new mobile licence

According to local press reports Beijing-based research and development firm Xinwei Telecom Enterprise Group is one of the companies interested in securing a mobile phone licence in Nicaragua. The development was revealed at an investment forum in Managua, and the company indicated that, if successful in its bid for the concession, it will invest around USD300 million in the deployment of infrastructure

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OVETEL Chinese R&D firm linked with new mobile licence

Sprint announces LTE rollout underway in 100 new markets

US mobile giant Sprint Nextel has announced that its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network rollout is now under way in more than 100 additional cities across the US and in its unincorporated territories Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands (US). The network build is taking place at a number of locations in the following states: North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Massachusetts, Louisiana, Maryland, Illinois, Florida, Kansas, Arkansas, South Carolina, California, New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri. Meanwhile, in Puerto Rico, the following municipalities are set for LTE access: Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastian, Coamo, Guayama, Mayaguez, Ponce, San German-Cabo Rojo, San Juan and Yauco

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OVETEL Sprint announces LTE rollout underway in 100 new markets

See you in court! Rostelecom initiates legal action against Scartel over LTE access

According to a number of unconfirmed local press reports, Russian national operator Rostelecom has filed a lawsuit against WiMAX-turned-Long Term Evolution (LTE) operator Scartel (Yota) in the Moscow Commercial Court, regarding wholesale access to the latter’s under-deployment LTE network. *Last week TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate reported that Rostelecom had abruptly changed its plans to offer LTE technology as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) over Scartel’s infrastructure starting on 1 September, citing disagreements with the wholesale provider regarding the terms of the offer. The lawsuit was reportedly registered on 6 September.

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OVETEL See you in court! Rostelecom initiates legal action against Scartel over LTE access

Swisscom acquiring Telecom Liechtenstein, merging into Swiss business

Swisscom has agreed to purchase a 75% controlling stake in state-owned Telecom Liechtenstein and integrate the telco into its Swiss operations, having signed a declaration of intent with the Principality of Liechtenstein.

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OVETEL Swisscom acquiring Telecom Liechtenstein, merging into Swiss business

Fixed wireless base on the slide, copper wireline usage boosted by ADSL

Data published by Sri Lanka’s Central Bank show the country’s fixed wireless telephony subscribers decreasing in the second quarter of 2012 to 2.46 million at the end of June, down from 2.64 million a year earlier and a peak of 2.66 million at end-December 2011. Meanwhile, the statistics indicated that copper wireline local access was expanding, driven by the take-up of ADSL broadband, with the Bank calculating that wireline connections – nearly all provided by Sri Lanka Telecom – had reached nearly 970,000 at end-June 2012, up from 918,000 twelve months previously

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OVETEL Fixed wireless base on the slide, copper wireline usage boosted by ADSL

FNP on the horizon

The Peruvian parliament has passed a law establishing the right to fixed number portability (FNP) reports TeleSemana. The new system is due to be implemented by July 2014; previous plans had sketched out an early 2014 date, though this was pushed back to allow operators time to meet technical requirements

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OVETEL FNP on the horizon

SFR, Verizon and others form Network Team alliance

The French telco SFR has expanded its relationship with US-based operator Verizon Communications to create a business telecoms alliance under the name Network Team. Besides SFR and Verizon, the entity will also include Vodafone, Etisalat, Maroc Telecom and Tata Communications

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OVETEL SFR, Verizon and others form Network Team alliance

Google Fiber confirms 180 ‘fiberhoods’ are eligible for connection in Kansas

Google Fiber, the project to build an experimental 1Gbps fibre-optic broadband network in Kansas City, has confirmed that at least 180 of 202 would-be ‘fiberhoods’ in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri have qualified to receive connectivity to Google Inc’s high speed fibre-optic network.

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OVETEL Google Fiber confirms 180 ‘fiberhoods’ are eligible for connection in Kansas

SaskTel trials TD-LTE 2.5GHz fixed wireless services with Huawei

Canadian regional full-service telco SaskTel and Chinese technology provider Huawei have signed an agreement to launch a Time Division Duplex Long Term Evolution (TDD-LTE) fixed wireless broadband trial in Saskatchewan.

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OVETEL SaskTel trials TD-LTE 2.5GHz fixed wireless services with Huawei

M1 awards mobile backhaul contract to Ericsson

Singapore operator M1 Limited (M1) has awarded a contract to Swedish equipment maker Ericsson for the supply of its mobile backhaul network. Under the deal, the vendor will be responsible for upgrading the carrier’s TDM-based transmission network with IP-enabled microwave and fibre-optic equipment, as well as providing backhaul management software, it said. No financial details were disclosed about the deal, which comes hard on the heels of M1’s recent announcement that it is readying itself for the launch of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) services from 15 September.

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OVETEL M1 awards mobile backhaul contract to Ericsson

IDC plans FTTB expansion

InterDnestrCom (IDC), the main internet service provider (ISP) in the breakaway republic of Trans-Dniester, has announced plans to roll out a fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) network to 90% of apartment buildings in the cities of Tiraspol – the state’s capital – plus Bendery and Rybnitsa over the next six months.

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OVETEL IDC plans FTTB expansion

Zain launches Wi-Fi roaming with iPass

The Kuwaiti cellular operator Zain has launched a Wi-Fi hotspot roaming service in partnership with global Wi-Fi provider iPass. The service, which is being marketed to Zain customers under the label ‘Zain Pass’, gives users access to over one million hotspots around the world.

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OVETEL Zain launches Wi-Fi roaming with iPass

DoT u-turn on Chinese security issues

The International Relations (IR) cell of India’s Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has highlighted 15 nations for possible collaboration on the development and manufacturing of infrastructure equipment. The Economic Times quoted a DoT spokesperson as saying that despite previous security concerns, China had been listed as a potential partner in ‘technology research and development, manufacturing, telecom infrastructure in managing urbanisation.’ As previously reported by CommsUpdate, in late August this year the DoT had proposed limiting Chinese telecom imports to accessories and devices, leaving more strategic imports to ‘non-controversial countries.’ However, the IR official stated that China and India ‘cannot grow adversaries.

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OVETEL DoT u-turn on Chinese security issues

Qtel launches LTE trial ahead of end-year launch

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has announced the launch of a trial of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband services for hundreds of customers in the capital Doha, to gauge user feedback ahead of a planned commercial launch at the end of 2012. The company called the test phase ‘an essential step for ensuring the best possible customer experience,’ and claimed the LTE network will offer ‘the best penetration’ in the Gulf region, and will on average offer speeds that are three-to-six times faster than 3G. As part of the pre-launch phase, Qtel has installed 100 antennas throughout Doha, including sites in The Pearl, Katara, West Bay, The Corniche and Sealine.

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OVETEL Qtel launches LTE trial ahead of end-year launch

NBN formally withdraws Special Access Undertaking; revised version expected soon

NBN Co, the public-private company overseeing the construction and management of Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN), has formally withdrawn its Special Access Undertaking (SAU), the Australian Financial Review reports. As previously reported by CommsUpdate, in June 2012 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced that it was suspending its assessment of the SAU, which will work in tandem with NBN Co’s wholesale broadband agreement (WBA), and sets out the terms of access to the in-deployment fibre infrastructure over the life of the operator’s 30-year corporate plan

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OVETEL NBN formally withdraws Special Access Undertaking; revised version expected soon

UK operators agree not to launch legal action over 4G rollout plans for a month

A legal challenge to UK telecoms regulator Ofcom’s decision to vary Everything Everywhere’s (EE’s) licence to allow for 2G spectrum to be refarmed for 4G services looks to have been halted for now. According to the Financial Times, the government stepped in to broker a deal between the country’s four mobile network operators – EE, O2 UK, Vodafone UK and Hutchison 3G UK – with a view to ensuring that the commercial rollout of Long Term Evolution (LTE) services was not delayed. It is understood that the chief executives of all four operators were summoned to a meeting, with Ofcom representatives also attending, with the report claiming that the talks resulted in the signing of a ‘stand-still agreement’, which will ensure that no legal action is undertaken for a month while negotiations continue between all parties regarding 4G deployments

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OVETEL UK operators agree not to launch legal action over 4G rollout plans for a month

Statistics Mauritius reports 8.7% growth in mobile in 2011

The number of mobile phone users in Mauritius increased by 8.7% in 2011 to 1,294,100, up from 1,190,900 in 2010, according to data published by Statistics Mauritius. The agency also reported that the total number of internet subscriptions in the country increased by 30% over the same period, from 284,200 to 370,000, taking internet population penetration to 28.7%. According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, wireless growth has continued in the first half of 2012, with the total number of mobile subscriptions reaching more than 1.345 million by end-June – a population penetration of 104.4% - led by Cellplus Mobile Communications with 54.4% of the market, Emtel (37.8%) and Mahanagar Telephone Limited (7.8%)

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OVETEL Statistics Mauritius reports 8.7% growth in mobile in 2011

SabaFon recovery underway

Reuters reports that Yemeni cellco SabaFon has begun to recover after suffering damage to its infrastructure during the revolution in 2011. SabaFon claimed to have come under attack from government forces during the conflict, thanks to the political allegiance of Hamid Al-Ahmar, one of the major shareholders in the cellco: around a quarter of its facilities were reportedly attacked with gunfire, shelling and rocket-propelled grenades. The damage resulted in a slump in subscriber figures, though it has since begun to recover

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OVETEL SabaFon recovery underway

PLDT targets overseas workers with MVNO expansion

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) says its international sales and marketing division Philippine Global Corp (PGC) intends to expand its mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) service to Japan, the US, the Middle East and Europe, with a view to serving up to a million Filipino overseas workers within three years.

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OVETEL PLDT targets overseas workers with MVNO expansion

Slight fall in market share at Vodafone Ghana, as Glo passes the one million subscriber mark

According to the latest market statistics released by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), Vodafone has seen its share of the country’s cellular market fall slightly during July. The firm ended the month with 4.76 million customers, down from 4.82 million at end-June, with its market share falling from 21% to 20% over the same period

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OVETEL Slight fall in market share at Vodafone Ghana, as Glo passes the one million subscriber mark

DoT committed to amicable resolution of disputes; CBI investigates spectrum conspiracy

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has told foreign investors that it is committed to resolving any dispute arising from the Supreme Court’s cancellation of 122 2G licences. The Business Standard quoted letters sent to the likes of Telenor of Norway and Malaysia’s Axiata as saying: ‘Government of India confirms its commitment to engage in negotiations to amicably resolve any alleged dispute between the investor and the government of India.’ The declaration came after several investors served notices to the Indian government to settle disputes over the cancellation, citing the bilateral investment protection treaties signed between India and the investors’ home nations – namely Singapore, Mauritius and Malaysia. *In related news, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has instructed the DoT to provide copies of licences, amendments and additional spectrum issued by the telecoms ministry to Bharti Airtel and Vodafone India

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OVETEL DoT committed to amicable resolution of disputes; CBI investigates spectrum conspiracy

RCA gets Competitive as it ditches Rural tag

After 20 years operating as the Rural Cellular Association (RCA) the Washington-based pressure group has reportedly rebranded itself as the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) to better reflect its membership and enlarged role within the industry. Fierce Wireless quotes CCA president Steve Berry as saying: ‘Rural makes some people think it is not state-of-the-art technology or capability. That is not true because many of our members are operating state-of-the-art networks

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OVETEL RCA gets Competitive as it ditches Rural tag

MTN accuses local shipping company in USD3.8bn fraud case

Local newspaper the Daily Monitor reports that Uganda’s largest cellco by subscribers, MTN Uganda, has allegedly been ‘conned’ out of UGX9.5 trillion (USD3.772 billion) in undelivered network equipment. The paper claims that Ugandan authorities are investigating a fraud case filed by South-African backed MTN against Threeways Shipping Group Ltd, with the courts blocking the accounts of the shipping company at the behest of investigators

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OVETEL MTN accuses local shipping company in USD3.8bn fraud case

SKT reaches five million LTE users

South Korea’s SK Telecom (SKT) reports that it surpassed a total of five million Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile subscribers in the first week of September 2012, up from 3.75 million at the end of June. Having launched commercial LTE data services in July 2011, SKT remains ahead of nearest 4G rival LG Uplus, which launched LTE in the same month and claimed 2.58 million users at mid-2012, and KT Corp, which joined the LTE market in January 2012 and signed up 1.17 million subscribers by end-June.

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OVETEL SKT reaches five million LTE users

C Spire confirms first batch of LTE launches in Mississippi

Regional US mobile operator C Spire Wireless has announced that it has inaugurated its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in four Mississippi markets, the first of 31 locations which are scheduled to receive the service before the end of October. A further six markets will be activated by the end of 2012 as part of the company’s rollout plan, while additional expansion in Mississippi and other states is expected in 2013. The initial deployment, which takes the form of 364 cell sites, will cover 2,700 square miles, covering a population of 1.2 million.

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OVETEL C Spire confirms first batch of LTE launches in Mississippi

Tunisia lays ‘Ammar 404’ to rest

Tunisia’s ICT Minister Mongi Marzoug has announced that the government is no longer involved in any internet censorship, reports Tunisia Live. Marzoug said that the system of censorship implemented under the ousted President Ben Ali, referred to locally by its nickname Ammar 404, was ended during the revolution, calling it an ‘old practice that we won’t follow again.’ To that end, Tunisia has joined the ‘Freedom Online Coalition’, an international coalition dedicated to freedom of expression on the internet.

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OVETEL Tunisia lays ‘Ammar 404’ to rest

NBTC refuses MCOT’s application for IPTV over 2.6GHz frequencies

Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has rejected a request from TV broadcaster MCOT for permission to launch IPTV over 2600MHz wireless frequencies, as it did not follow the correct submission procedure.

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OVETEL NBTC refuses MCOT’s application for IPTV over 2.6GHz frequencies

Eastern promises: MTS agrees to invest RUB3.5bn in Primorsky Krai

Russian telecoms giant Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has agreed to invest RUB3.5 billion (USD110.5 million) in the development of wireless infrastructure in Russia’s Far East Primorsky Krai federal district, Prime-Tass news agency reports. MTS signed the relevant agreement with the region’s authorities at the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Vladivostok. Under the terms of the contract, MTS is expected to expand its 2G and 3G coverage in remote areas of the region, along the federal and regional highways, and in small localities.

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OVETEL Eastern promises: MTS agrees to invest RUB3.5bn in Primorsky Krai

TRAI orders greater transparency from ISPs

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed internet service providers (ISPs) to improve transparency regarding the provision of broadband services, reports India Blooms.

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OVETEL TRAI orders greater transparency from ISPs

Telcor set to introduce two new mobile licences to boost rural uptake

According to unconfirmed local press reports the Nicaraguan government has launched a tender for two new mobile licences, with a view to breaking up the long-standing Claro/Movistar duopoly. Orlando Castillo, head of telecoms regulator Instituto Nicaraguense de Telecomunicaciones y Correos (Telcor), has reportedly indicated that each concession will encompass mobile voice, broadband and 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) connectivity. He added that the licences, which are rumoured to include frequencies in the 1800MHz band, will be geared towards companies who are prepared to focus on the deployment of rural-focused services.

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OVETEL Telcor set to introduce two new mobile licences to boost rural uptake

Telecom Italia rules out move for GVT

According to Reuters, Telecom Italia (TI) has ruled itself out of a possible bid for Global Village Telecom (GVT), the Brazilian fixed and broadband provider owned by French media and telecoms group Vivendi. TI chief executive officer Marco Patuano told reporters that his firm does not have ‘any dossier on the table at the moment’ as far as a bid for GVT is concerned

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OVETEL Telecom Italia rules out move for GVT

Softbank reaches 30 million subscriber milestone

The Japanese cellular operator Softbank Mobile passed the 30 million subscriber milestone during August, ending the month with 30.14 million customers. Softbank remains the market’s fastest-growing operator; it added 217,000 net new users in August while rival operator KDDI added 161,900 net new customers to take its total base to 35.89 million, and market leader NTT DoCoMo attracted 81,200 users to see its customer total reach 60.63 million

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OVETEL Softbank reaches 30 million subscriber milestone

Orange ceases marketing Ya.com to new users

Orange Espana has stopped marketing its second fixed broadband brand Ya.com to new customers, to focus on its main Orange brand, but will continue to service existing Ya.com customers, reports lainformacion.com. Orange Espana’s parent France Telecom-Orange acquired ADSL broadband and VoIP operator Ya.com in June 2007 from Deutsche Telekom (T-Online) for EUR320 million (USD410 million)

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OVETEL Orange ceases marketing Ya.com to new users

MCMC proposes accounting separation for communications, multimedia industry to improve transparency

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has published a press release outlining its proposal to launch a consultation on an ‘Accounting Separation Framework and Implementation Plan’, which it hopes will improve operational transparency in the domestic communications and multimedia industry. Under the plan, the MCMC says that local telecommunications service providers will soon have to prepare separate wholesale and retail financials for the regulator

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OVETEL MCMC proposes accounting separation for communications, multimedia industry to improve transparency

Consultancy appointed for 4G auction

Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has appointed a consultancy, Frontier Economics, to design and manage a competitive 4G mobile licensing process scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2013, reports Arabianbusiness.com. A first stage will involve two paired 40MHz allocations in the 2600MHz band auctioned under technology-neutral licences in Q1 2013, while a further 2x30MHz in the band will become available by the end of 2014.

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OVETEL Consultancy appointed for 4G auction

SkyNet to deliver broadband to the Colombian Amazon

Internet service provider (ISP) SkyNet Colombia has signed a ‘multi-year, multi-million dollar’ agreement with UK-based satellite service provider O3b Networks to deliver high speed internet to the Colombian Amazon region. SkyNet will utilise O3b’s trunking services to deliver broadband access to the region, which is home to around 70,000 people and currently lacks either fibre- or microwave-based infrastructure.

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OVETEL SkyNet to deliver broadband to the Colombian Amazon

M1’s LTE network available nationwide from 15 September

Singapore fixed and mobile operator M1 Limited (M1) has announced that its fourth-generation Long Term Evolution (LTE) network will go live nationwide on 15 September, making the carrier the second player – behind rival SingTel Mobile – to offer the service commercially in the city state.

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OVETEL M1’s LTE network available nationwide from 15 September

Vivacom sale approved

Reuters reports that Bulgarian telco Vivacom has been given a green light by the High Court in London to carry out a EUR1.7 billion (USD2.14 billion) debt restructuring.

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OVETEL Vivacom sale approved

JT signs up 1,000 homes to FTTH-based services

JT Jersey has revealed that its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network rollout has reached a notable milestone, with the telco reporting that 1,000 homes are now signed up to its fibre-based services.

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OVETEL JT signs up 1,000 homes to FTTH-based services

MoCI sets September date for 3G channel sale; sets fee at USD20m

Online news journal Tech In Asia writes that Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCI) plans to hold a tender to auction so-called ‘channel 11’ and ‘channel 12’ 3G frequencies this month, although it has yet to set a concrete start date. The sale of the 3G channel frequencies was postponed at the end of last year, since when it has been rescheduled no fewer than three times

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OVETEL MoCI sets September date for 3G channel sale; sets fee at USD20m