Comcast appeals FCC sanction.

Source: NYT.

Comcast has filed a suit in the United States Court of Appeals in Washington mainly to challenge the authority of the commission to rule on such matters. The regulatory body had ordered the Philadelphia company to make changes in how it would handle periods when its Internet network was nearing full capacity — changes Comcast had already agreed to make.
The central issue is whether the sanction was appropriate, given that the commission had not previously published a rule about the issue in question: Whether Internet providers can choose to block one Web site or program while allowing traffic to others.

Posted by Judith — 3:56 AM

Vodafone acquires BroadNet.

Source: Digita lMedia Europe.

Vodafone has completed the acquisition of BroadNet Czech, a fixed telecommunication provider in the Czech market.
BroadNet provides voice, data and internet services to business clients and operates its own FWA (Fixed Wireless Access) broadband network in the nationwide licensed bandwidths of 26 and 28 GHz. BroadNet was a part of pan-European BroadNet Holdings, fully owned by the US cable and broadband services corporation Comcast.

Posted by Judith — 3:09 AM

Globalive to enter mobile market in 2H09.

Source: TeleGeography.

Toronto-based Globalive Communications has revealed plans to launch commercial mobile phone services over its own newly built network in the second half of 2009. Globalive, parent of Canadian long-distance service reseller Yak, won 30 wireless spectrum licences worth CA$442m. (US$416m.) in a national auction in July, giving it good coverage of every province except Quebec.

Posted by Judith — 2:58 AM

Irish telco Interconnect House buys NY cousin.

Source: TelecomWeb.

Dublin-based telecoms carrier software and services vendor Prime Carrier Ltd. has bought New York-based F-Line Technologies, in a deal that gives Prime a far firmer footing in the U.S. to serve its North American customers - a group that includes Verizon, the former Bellsouth, Alltel and Nortel.

Posted by Judith — 2:14 AM

Telefonica going ahead with fibre-optic plan.

Source: TeleGeography.

Spanish incumbent telco Telefonica has announced that it will launch a commercial fibre-optic broadband internet access network on 31 October, regardless of opposition from alternative operators that are lobbying for the right to use the infrastructure on an equal basis.

Posted by Judith — 2:01 AM

Telefonica ups stake in Netcom pre- and post-merger.

Source: TeleGeography.

Telefonica has confirmed that it will pay as much as EUR1.1bn. (US$1.6bn.) to boost its stake in China Netcom. The company will buy an additional 2.7% stake in Netcom for EUR368m.n before Netcom merges with China Unicom. The Spanish firm will then buy an additional 3.03% stake of the unified company for between EUR392m. and EUR434m. Once the stake purchases have been made, Telefonica will own more than 5.5% of the combined China Unicom-China Netcom, and will be the company’s single largest private investor.

Posted by Judith — 4:34 AM

Vodafone buys Australian retailer.

Source: TeleGeography.

Vodafone Australia is reported to have acquired the Australian phone retailer Crazy John’s in a deal valued at between AU$150m. and AU$200m. (US$124.8m. to US$166.4m.). The retail chain has around 105 outlets across the country.

Posted by Judith — 3:37 AM

MetroPCS signs Best Buy deal.

Source: TeleGeography.

The low-cost flat-rate wireless provider MetroPCS has signed a distribution deal with the largest US electrical retail chain, Best Buy. The new service, which will be branded Best Buy Mobile, will be available at more than 200 of the retailer’s outlets. The company claimed just under 4.6m. customers at the end of June

Posted by Judith — 5:59 AM

Verizon goes underground.

Source: TelecomWeb.

Commuters on their way to work via Chicago’s underground trains are now able to stay connected via data and voice - if they are Verizon Wireless subscribers.

Chicago has actually had subway cellular service for more than a year, but the only carrier to use the system had been regional cellular operator U.S. Cellular, which paid US$2.9m. for a 10-year license. Verizon is paying US$3.35m. for a similar 10-year term.

Posted by Judith — 4:36 AM

More WiMax networks open for business.

Source: BWCS.

New WiMax operations have been launched in Saudi Arabia and Russia. The new WiMax network in St Petersburg and Moscow has been launched by Russian telco Scartel using Samsung equipment. The Saudi operation is controlled by national mobile operator Mobily which recently purchased data services provider Bayanat - owner of a WiMax licence.

Posted by Judith — 3:50 AM