Press Clippings: December 2006
Major Industry items you might have missed
Saturday, December 30, 2006
FCC approves AT&T’s buyout of BellSouth.
Source: Light Reading.
Just one day after AT&T offered to observe the principles of network neutrality, in its own way, the Federal Communications Commission approved AT&T’s proposed buyout of BellSouth Corp.
Now AT&T, once broken up by the U.S. government because it was deemed a monopoly, has successfully put several of its old pieces back together in what is the largest U.S. telecom merger in history. These days, the FCC says a company with AT&T’s size and scope promotes more competition in the enterprise, video, phone, and broadband Internet markets.
Posted by Judith — 4:43 AM
Standard Life backs Vodafone bid for Indian operator.
Source: Scotsman.
Vodafone shareholder Standard Life Investments has backed the mobile firm’s plan to buy a controlling stake in Indian operator Hutchison Essar.
The approval of the city-based investor, which is known for being one of Vodafone’s most vocal shareholders, comes as Indian telecommunications giant Reliance joined the race for Hutchison - alongside Essar, which already has a 33 per cent stake in the company and has offered at least US$11bn.
Posted by Judith — 4:17 AM
Friday, December 29, 2006
BT clears key hurdle on Indian expansion.
Source: Independent.
BT moved a step closer to achieving its ambitions in India yesterday after the Indian Government issued letters of intent for the award of licences allowing it to offer national and international long-distance services.
It means the group has cleared a key hurdle in its attempt to push its full product range in the country.
Posted by Judith — 5:58 AM
Shareholders sound warning over Vodafone pursuit of mobile target.
Source: TimesOnline.
Vodafone’s pursuit of Hutchison Essar drew criticism from some key shareholders yesterday, as fears mounted that the British group would be forced to overpay for India’s fourth-largest mobile operator.
Investors were divided over Vodafone’s bid for Hutchison Essar, after Reliance Communications, India’s second-biggest mobile operator, entered the race for control of its smaller rival.
Posted by Judith — 5:51 AM
AT&T embraces (some) net neutrality.
Source: Light Reading.
How badly does AT&T Inc. want to complete the BellSouth Corp. merger? It’s now willing to formally offer network neutrality as a bargaining chip.
That’s one of several concessions outlined in an 11-page letter sent yesterday from Robert W. Quinn Jr., AT&T’s senior vice president handling regulatory affairs, to the FCC.
Posted by Judith — 5:44 AM
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Verizon to allow ads on its mobile phones.
Source: NYT.
Beginning early next year, Verizon Wireless will allow placement of banner advertisements on news, weather, sports and other Internet sites that users visit and display on their mobile phones, company executives said.
The development is a substantive and symbolic advance toward the widespread appearance of marketing messages on the smallest of screens.
Posted by Judith — 6:14 AM
Judges OK US$2.45 bn. settlement in Nortel case.
Source: Reuters.
Two U.S. judges on Tuesday gave their blessings to an estimated US$2.45bn. settlement between Nortel Networks and shareholders, moving the pact closer to final approval.
Nortel and shareholders had agreed in principle to the settlement in February to put an end to class-action lawsuits stemming from an accounting scandal at the telecommunications equipment company. The settlement still requires approval by various Canadian courts.
Posted by Judith — 6:09 AM
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Founder of Wikipedia plans search engine to rival Google.
Source: TimesOnline.
Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, the online encyclopaedia, is set to launch an internet search engine with amazon.com that he hopes will become a rival to Google and Yahoo!
Mr Wales has begun working on a search engine that exploits the same user-based technology as his open-access encyclopaedia, which was launched in 2003.
The project has been dubbed Wikiasari, a combination of wiki, the Hawaiian word for quick, and asari, which is Japanese for ”rummaging search”.
Posted by Judith — 4:51 AM
Femtocells will give wifi a run for its money.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Low cost femtocells and picocells could emerge as an attractive alternative to voice over IP over wifi (Vowifi), according to analysts.
Chip manufacturers like PicoChip have developed inexpensive baseband processors for very low cost femtocell base stations that can be installed in the home or office. Strategy Analytics believes that these femtocells have the potential to reduce the demand for cellphones that include wifi capabilities, which many industry watchers expect to emerge in high volumes over the next several years to support the convergence of fixed and mobile communications.
Posted by Judith — 4:36 AM
Friday, December 22, 2006
International airline to allow cell phone use on planes.
Source: CNN.com.
Emirates airline plans to launch mobile phone usage in its planes in January, making it the first airline to allow passengers to make cell phone calls on its flights.
Australian carrier Qantas plans to start evaluating technology that lets fliers use their cell phones and PDAs during flight early next year.
Posted by Judith — 4:29 AM
US plans broadband safety network.
Source: BBC.
US politicians have proposed a national wireless broadband network for use by emergency services at times of crisis.
The system, put forward by the FCC, would be built with private companies.
The proposal is a response to the communication problems highlighted during the 11th September attacks and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Posted by Judith — 4:27 AM
Broadband mis-selling ‘targeted’.
Source: BBC.
Telecoms regulator Ofcom has vowed to crack down on mis-selling by phone and broadband providers.
Competition has intensified in the broadband and telecoms markets with the likes of Carphone Warehouse, BSkyB, BT, Orange and Vodafone vying for business.
Posted by Judith — 4:24 AM
Cingular 3G reaches 160 markets.
Source: TeleGeography.
Cingular Wireless, the largest cellular operator in the US, says its 3G mobile network now reaches 160 metropolitan areas, including most of the top 100 markets.
The firm’s 3G systems use a combination of UMTS and HSDPA technologies to offer average download speeds of between 400kbps and 700kbps, with EDGE networks offering coverage where the 3G systems have not reached.
Posted by Judith — 4:17 AM
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Clearwire tries for another IPO.
Source: TeleGeography.
US wireless broadband operator Clearwire has filed for a US$400m. initial public offer. The firm, which offers wireless internet services over pre-WiMAX networks, filed for an IPO earlier in the year but this was later withdrawn. Since then Intel and Motorola have provided around USD1 billion of investment, with Intel taking a 32% stake in Clearwire and Motorola acquiring its infrastructure subsidiary NextNet Wireless.
Posted by Judith — 4:53 AM
Vodafone weighs up US$13.5bn. bid for Indian mobile unit.
Source: TimesOnline.
The board of Vodafone will meet tomorrow to consider a US$13.5bn.(GBP6.9bn.) offer for Hutchison Essar, India’s fourth biggest mobile phone operator.
The move for the Indian arm of the Hong Kong-based communications giant Hutchison Whampoa could be the largest offer ever for an Indian firm.
Posted by Judith — 4:47 AM
FCC approves Telco-friendly video rules.
Source: Light Reading.
The FCC has approved new rules that will let phone companies gain local video franchise rights as soon as three months after they file an application.
The new rules set a 90-day cap for local authorities to approve or deny video franchise applications made by incumbent telcos who already hold public rights-of-way for their wires. The order sets a 180-day cap for municipalities to act on applications by new TV providers that don’t already have the same rights-of-way.
Posted by Judith — 4:25 AM
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Ericsson offers US$2.1bn. for Redback.
Source: Light Reading.
Ericsson AB has agreed a US$2.1bn. cash deal worth US$25 per share to buy IP router vendor Redback Networks Inc.
The Swedish firm, which bought British vendor Marconi about a year ago and has only just completed that integration process, says the deal gives it the edge IP router technology it needs to go with its IP-based fixed and wireless access portfolio, and enhances its growth opportunities as carriers shift towards all-IP infrastructures.
Posted by Judith — 4:58 AM
Pleas for more free HD TV snubbed in Ofcom auction.
Source: TimesOnline.
Ed Richards, the new chief executive of Ofcom, ignored pleas from the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 to guarantee more spectrum for free high-definition television as he unveiled plans for an auction that could raise up to GBP10bn.
The communications regulator instead announced proposals to auction off a valuable amount of broadcast spectrum, the first broadcast spectrum to become available for 45 years, prompting fears that it will be sold to wealthy phone companies with no interest in developing Freeview.
Posted by Judith — 4:43 AM
Vodafone sells Swiss mobile stake for GBP1.8bn.
Source: Independent.
Vodafone has further slimmed down in Europe by selling its 25 per cent stake in the operator Swisscom Mobile.
The Swiss sale has raised GBP1.8bn to be used to reduce debt or possibly to make further acquisitions in emerging markets. Vodafone sold its stake to Swisscom, which already held 75 per cent of Swisscom Mobile and was keen to get full control of the mobile unit to better align it with its fixed-line activities.
Posted by Judith — 4:34 AM
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Group plans to build China-U.S. fibre optic link.
Source: NYT.
A consortium of five Asian companies and a unit of Verizon Communications has agreed to build a high-speed fibre optic cable to link China and the United States by the time the Olympic Games open in Beijing in August 2008.
Verizon Business said yesterday that it had signed a construction agreement for the so-called Trans-Pacific Express with China Telecom, China Netcom, China Unicom, Korea Telecom and Chunghwa Telecom of Taiwan. Ownership of the cable will be evenly split among the six participants.
Posted by Judith — 4:10 AM
F.C.C. official withdraws from vote on AT&T-BellSouth deal.
Source: NYT.
AT&T’s proposed buyout of BellSouth was thrown into doubt Monday when Robert M. McDowell, a member of the Federal Communications Commission and a former telecommunications industry lobbyist, said he would not be voting on the deal.
Mr. McDowell’s personal disqualification means the nation’s largest telecommunications merger is stuck at a presumed 2-2 deadlock.
Posted by Judith — 3:33 AM
Monday, December 18, 2006
FCC to vote on telco TV services.
Source: TeleGeography.
The Federal Communications Commission is voting this week on whether to offer telcos such as AT&T and Verizon Communications an easier entry into the TV market by granting nationwide licences. Reuters reports that the FCC sees the move as a spur to competition in the pay-TV market.
Posted by Judith — 5:42 AM
Viacom’s MTV targets mobile phone content.
Source: FT.com.
Viacom’s MTV Networks has created a new centralised group to increase its participation in the mobile phone business.
The so-called Mobile Media Group will be responsible for developing ringtones, games, videos and other content from its various brands for supply to mobile phone carriers.
Posted by Judith — 5:38 AM
Cingular to offer MySpace on cellphones.
Source: Reuters.
Cingular, the largest U.S. wireless phone carrier, plans to offer a version of popular Internet social network MySpace on its phones in an expansion of their partnership.
Customers will be able to upload photos taken on cellphones, read and respond to MySpace e-mails, update blog entries and view and search for friends from their handsets.
Posted by Judith — 5:30 AM
German Telecoms bill approved; EU will sue.
Source: TeleGeography.
Germany’s upper house of parliament has approved a controversial telecoms bill that will allow incumbent DT to restrict access to the high speed broadband network it is building. While the German parliament said that the bill was necessary to protect domestic business interests and make DT’s investments possible, EU Media Commissioner Viviane Reding said it was anti-competitive and legal action would be taken against Germany as soon as the bill is signed by the German president and passes into law.
Posted by Judith — 5:07 AM
Tiscali to sell UK division for up to GBP600m.
Source: TeleGeography.
Italian internet group Tiscali is reported to be planning to sell its UK division for up to GBP600m.(US$1.17bn.).
Tiscali is reportedly looking to focus on its Italian business after saying in September that it was selling its Dutch business and that it planned to withdraw from Germany and the Czech Republic. Last month it said it booked a net profit of EUR6.9m. in the third quarter compared with a EUR16m. loss a year earlier.
Posted by Judith — 5:02 AM
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Orange (France) plans deployment of FTTH broadband.
Source: TeleGeography.
Orange France has announced its plans for the deployment of FTTH broadband services. The early stage deployment phase will run from 2007 to 2008 with the aim of having 150,000 to 200,000 customers connected by the end of 2008 out of a potential client base of a million. The range of services will include internet access with symmetrical speeds of up to 100Mbps, several high-definition TV and PC channels, and unlimited voice calls.
Posted by Judith — 5:12 AM
i-mode comes to India.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Japanese operator NTT DoCoMo today announced a partnership with Indian operator Hutchison Essar under which Hutch will launch the i-mode mobile internet service in 2007.
DoCoMo will license the patented technologies and know-how needed for Hutch to offer i-mode over GSM, GPRS and WCDMA.
Posted by Judith — 4:16 AM
Friday, December 15, 2006
Nokia Siemens JV in jeopardy.
Source: Light Reading.
A corruption scandal that includes charges of money-laundering via Greece and Lichtenstein has thrown a spanner into the works of the merger that would create the world’s second-largest vendor of wireless infrastructure.
In a terse statement, Nokia and Siemens, whose combined networks divisions were forecast to generate $23.15bn. in revenue in 2007, said they would delay the launch of the joint venture until the first quarter of 2007 rather than starting with the new year.
Posted by Judith — 4:38 AM
T-Mobile to cut tariffs in Europe.
Source: TeleGeography.
Ahead of the proposed cap on international roaming charges the EU wishes to impose on cellcos, Germany’s T-Mobile, the wireless arm of the incumbent Deutsche Telekom, has said it will cut its own tariffs for calls within Europe by 14% from next year.
Posted by Judith — 4:31 AM
Leap acquires licences in Carolina.
Source: TeleGeography.
US cellular operator Leap Wireless International has acquired 13 wireless licences from Urban Comm North Carolina. Leap paid US$31.8m. for the spectrum, which covers 4.9m. people in the Carolinas. The deal includes 10MHz of spectrum in each of the 13 markets and more than doubles Leap’s spectrum holdings in the region.
Posted by Judith — 4:19 AM
BT selects Nortel to help transform communication for UK Enterprises.
Source: BT.
BT and Nortel have signed a new, three-year partnership agreement to drive the uptake of VoIP, multimedia, instant messaging and mobile communications by UK enterprises of all sizes.
The new agreement aims to enhance the ability of BT’s existing and new customers to exploit the opportunities for more easy to use, cost-effective communications made possible by the convergence of multiple voice and data networks into a single, efficient IP-based network.
Posted by Judith — 4:03 AM
Record mobile subscriber growth in India.
Source: BWCS.
Over 6.8m. people joined India’s growing throng of mobile customers in November alone, according to figures from the national regulator the TRAI. The record growth saw the total of second generation CDMA and GSM customers soar to just over 143m.
Posted by Judith — 3:56 AM
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Cisco in US$50m. partnersip with China’s CCS.
Source: FT.com.
Cisco, the US technology group, has struck a deal to invest US$50m. in a Chinese telecoms services company.
Under the deal, Cisco will take a minority stake in China Communications Services Corporation, which was recently spun-off and taken public by some of China’s top telecoms groups, including China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom.
Posted by Judith — 4:34 AM
Microsoft, HP plan joint investment, closer ties.
Source: Reuters.
Microsoft Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. have agreed to invest jointly at least US$300m. over three years and work more closely together to win over large business customers.
The two companies have announced that they plan to work together to develop, test, validate or ensure that products conform to standards and deploy new products, while also collaborating on sales and marketing.
Posted by Judith — 4:24 AM
New rules for UK broadband switchers.
Source: BBC.
Switching broadband suppliers looks set to get easier for UK net users.
Regulator Ofcom has drawn up new rules to address complaints from the “significant minority” who struggle to move to a new high-speed service.
It said the rules would streamline procedures and would replace the voluntary code that broadband firms have abided by before now.
Posted by Judith — 4:22 AM
Telecom NZ goes Yahoo!.
Source: TeleGeography.
Telecom New Zealand has created a joint venture with internet search firm Yahoo! and Australian broadcasting network Seven to produce new content for Telecom’s high speed internet portal Xtra. Telecom is taking a 49% stake in the new firm, which has been christened Yahoo! Xtra.
Posted by Judith — 4:01 AM
More affiliate trouble for Sprint.
Source: TeleGeography.
US cellular operator Sprint Nextel has once again angered affiliate company iPCS which has already been to court to stop the cellco from marketing its services in iPCS territories. iPCS is now complaining to regulators that Sprint wants to introduce an unfair price rise for the back-office services such as telesales and credit checking that it provides to the affiliate.
Posted by Judith — 3:51 AM
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
AT&T opens new Data Centers in Shanghai and Chicago.
Source: Converge.
AT&T has opened two new Internet data centers in Shanghai, China, and in Chicago.The new Shanghai facility is the second AT&T Internet data center in that city.
AT&T will operate the Shanghai facilities in alliance with local service providers and will coordinate service delivery with those providers. AT&T, however, will be customers’ single point of contact for Enterprise Hosting Services being delivered in China.
Posted by Judith — 4:31 AM
Skype’s free phone call plan will soon have annual fee.
Source: NYT.
Skype has announced that as of Jan.1 it would begin charging $30 a year for unlimited calls to landline and mobile phones within the United States and Canada. Those calls had been free since last spring.
The new annual fee for unlimited calling, while still nominal compared with other Internet calling plans, is part of a broader strategy by eBay to expand Skype’s product offerings and revenue.
Posted by Judith — 4:14 AM
A taker for 25% of Russian Phone Company.
Source: NYT.
An up-and-coming telecommunications company has acquired 25% of Svyazinvest for US$1.3bn., signalling the intense interest these days in companies providing services to the growing middle class of Russia.
Comstar, the telecommunications branch of the Sistema holding company of the billionaire Vladimir P. Yevtushenkov, bought the stake from Leonid Blavatnik and Viktor Vekselberg, who are partners in the Alfa Group, a private equity fund. Alfa bought the shares from the financier George Soros in 2004 for US$624m. — a fraction of the US$1.8bn. Mr. Soros and partners paid at a privatization auction in 1997.
Posted by Judith — 4:09 AM
Napster goes mobile in European first.
Source: Telecoms.com.
The peer-to-peer application, Napster, is being offered on mobiles, in what is believed to be the first launch of its type in Europe.
O2 Ireland is claiming the first with the launch of Napster Mobile on its i-Mode handsets.
Posted by Judith — 4:04 AM
RIM shows hand over BlackJack.
Source: Telecoms.com.
BlackBerry maker RIM has issued Samsung with a lawsuit over the naming of two of the Korean vendor’s latest ultra thin gadgets.
RIM has filed suit in an attempt to stop Samsung selling the BlackJack and Black Carbon device models claiming that both devices infringe upon the BlackBerry trademark.
Posted by Judith — 3:53 AM
Alcatel-Lucent offers managed mobile TV in Asia-Pac.
Source: Converge.
Alcatel-Lucent has introduced a managed Mobile Interactive TV service in the Asian Pacific Region. Specifically, Alcatel-Lucent will deploy, host and operate the end-to-end mobile TV solution on behalf of other network operators.
Posted by Judith — 3:29 AM
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Top five accused of negligence in workplace.
Source: Telecoms.com.
New research accuses five of the industry’s leading manufacturers of violating health and safety regulations in the workplace.
The research, from SOMO (Centre for Research on Multinational Corporations), reveals abuses in Chinese, Thai, Philippine and Indian factories by the five largest mobile telephone companies: Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and LG.
Posted by Judith — 4:13 AM
Ottawa loosens rules on telcos.
Source: The Globe and Mail.
The Canadian government moved yesterday to free Canada’s biggest phone companies of their tightest regulatory shackles as early as next summer, raising the possibility of cheaper local phone service and a more aggressive fight for customers.
Industry Minister Maxime Bernier announced that he intends to speed up deregulation of phone services in markets where two or more big phone, wireless or cable companies operate, while also changing the way Ottawa defines a competitive market.
The new definition would cover 60 per cent of the country’s population.
Posted by Judith — 4:11 AM
Microsoft starts test of new VoIP server.
Source: Reuters.
Microsoft Corp. started testing on Monday a new computer server software that allows corporate customers to make Web-based phone calls through its Office suite of business software.
Posted by Judith — 4:07 AM
British and French firms look to re-write EU mobile roaming plan.
Source: TeleGeography.
The EU’s ambitious plan to force down the costs of international mobile calls in the Union looked under threat yesterday following the announcement of an Anglo-French proposal designed to limit its scope. Ms Reding is calling for price caps on the rates that operators are allowed to charge people for making and receiving calls while travelling in EU countries. However, Vodafone Group and France Télécom are instead putting forward a watered-down plan including measures such as a voluntary code under which cellcos could decide to cut customers’ costs voluntarily via a so-called ‘sunrise’ clause.
Posted by Judith — 4:05 AM
BT plans to bid for mobile licences.
Source: BWCS.
BT is gearing up to fully re-enter the mobile market by bidding in the forthcoming radio spectrum auctions being organized by Ofcom. The operator famously moved away from wireless in 2001, when it sold off its mobile wing as mmO2. Nowit is reporeted that BT is preparing to bid for frequencies which it will be able to use for 3G and WiMax services.
Posted by Judith — 3:57 AM
Monday, December 11, 2006
Carphone expects to close AOL UK deal by year end.
Source: TeleGeography.
UK mobile retailer and broadband provider Carphone Warehouse expects to complete its acquisition of the UK operations of Time Warner’s ISP AOL before the end of the year.
Carphone will acquire AOL UK’s customer base as well as supporting management and infrastructure. AOL UK is the country’s third largest broadband provider by subscribers, with around 1.3 million ADSL customers and an 11% share of the market at mid-2006.
Posted by Judith — 5:20 AM
New UK frequencies to go under the hammer.
Source: BWCS.
The British telecommunications regulator, Ofcom, has outlined its plans to auction more radio spectrum next year. Included in the sale will be more spectrum for 3G services as well frequencies suitable for some WiMax services.
Ofcom’s latest published consultation paper covers three bands: 2500MHz -2690MHz, 2010 MHz -2025 MHz and 2290-2300 MHz.
Posted by Judith — 4:39 AM
Nokia to work with FT on ‘Mon PC a Distance’ service.
Source: TeleGeography.
France Telecom and Nokia have signed an agreement under which the latter will integrate a remote content access service into the operator’s network, as well as hosting it and providing the related platforms etc. The service, which will be offered under FT’s flagship Orange brand, will essentially consist of a ‘Mon PC a Distance’ or ‘My Remote PC’ a service that will enable Orange mobile users to remotely access their PCs via their handset.
Posted by Judith — 4:25 AM
Saturday, December 9, 2006
PluggedIn: Taipei, global cities, hum Wi-Fi tune.
Source: Reuters.
As much of the world buzzes with high-speed 3G mobile services, Taipei is humming another wireless broadband tune with a year-old network providing low-cost Wi-Fi service throughout the city.
The Taiwan capital hopes to become a pioneer in the field, leading a group of major global cities in offering Wi-Fi networks as a convenient low-cost alternative to pricey third-generation (3G) mobile services.
Other cities across the globe studying or building similar networks include Singapore in Asia, Philadelphia and San Francisco in North America and Moscow in Europe.
Posted by Judith — 4:52 AM
Cisco to FCC: Hurry Up!
Source: Light Reading
Cisco Systems Inc. today filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) asking it to hurry up and approve the merger of AT&T Inc.and BellSouth Corp.
Cisco, in its first comment to the FCC on the subject, says that the delay is hurting equipment manufacturers.
“Cisco believes that the lack of a decision by the commission in this matter has adversely affected broadband network investment by both applicants and their Cingular joint venture.”
Posted by Judith — 3:54 AM
Telefonica admits customers don’t understand mobile TV.
Source: The Register.
Telefonica is to delay the worldwide launch of its mobile TV service citing difficulties with the service format and customer understanding of the value proposition - basically the customers don’t see the point.
Posted by Judith — 2:58 AM
Friday, December 8, 2006
H.P. will pay US$14.5m. to settle suit.
Source: NYT.
Hewlett-Packard has stated that it would pay $14.5m. to settle a lawsuit by the California attorney general over the company’s use of private detectives to obtain private phone records of board members and journalists.
The company is paying $650,000 in fines for ”statutory damages,” but the bulk of the money, $13.5m., is going to create a state-administered Privacy and Piracy Fund. The fund is to finance the investigation of consumer privacy violations and of intellectual-property theft, including the copying of movies and music.
Posted by Judith — 4:42 AM
DoCoMo user base hit by number portability.
Source: FT.com.
NTT DoCoMo lost customers last month for the first time in its 14-year history as Japan’s biggest mobile phone operator was hit by stiff competition ushered in by the new number portability regime.
The group said it lost 17,500 clients in November, the first full month after the new rules were introduced.
Posted by Judith — 4:32 AM
Vodafone targets India and China.
Source: Independent.
Vodafone emphasised the importance that emerging markets will play in its future growth strategy yesterday after revealing that its investment in Turkey has started to bear fruit and that the company is keen to increase its presence in high-growth regions like India and China.
Posted by Judith — 4:25 AM
Teens keen on mobile content, but won’t pay.
Source: BWCS.
A new survey of over 1,500 young adults has found that the majority believe mobile content should be free and are acting accordingly, i.e. not paying for it. According to a massive survey of 6-13 year-olds released today, youngsters are avid consumers of mobile data, such as music and video services, but demonstrate a marked reluctance to pay for it.
Posted by Judith — 4:15 AM
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Leap expansion.
Source: TeleGeography.
Leap Wireless International has announced that it is to use recently acquired wireless spectrum to expand its coverage along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Leap Wireless bid a total of US$984m. for 100 concessions in the FCC’s recent advanced wireless services spectrum auction.
Posted by Judith — 5:17 AM
BSkyB broadband to partner Google.
Source: BBC.
BSkyB has said it will work with internet search giant Google in order to develop its broadband services and products.
BSkyB, which offers a free broadband internet service to customers, said it would focus on three areas: search and adverts, videos and communications.
The firm are the latest to join forces and try to meet consumer calls for on-demand media and internet products.
Posted by Judith — 4:39 AM
BT sells its NGN knowledge.
Source: Light Reading.
BT Group plc has launched 21C Global Venture, a unit that aims to cash in on the British carrier’s next-generation network (NGN) experience by selling its know-how to other carriers.
11 carriers, including Turk Telekomunikasyon A.S., have already hired BT consultancy teams to help them plan their new network strategies.
Posted by Judith — 4:24 AM
Britain and Ireland lead world in Hotspot penetration.
Source: BWCS.
The UK and Ireland are leading the world in terms of WiFi hotspots per head of population, according to a recent report by the British telecoms watchdog Ofcom. While 26,000, or 25%, of the world’s total number of public W-Lan access points are situated in the US, the UK is the second largest market with some 10,700 hotspots
Posted by Judith — 4:07 AM
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
NTL drops ITV takeover plan.
Source: TimesOnline.
NTL has this morning confirmed that it has abandoned its GBP4.7bn. takeover bid for ITV.
NTL will continue to focus on integrating NTL, Telewest and Virgin Mobile, driving cost synergies, improving operational effectiveness and leveraging its content assets.
Posted by Judith — 4:24 AM
AT&T says won’t need fibre-to-the-home network.
Source: Reuters.
AT&T Inc. has shrugged off concerns that it would need to build a more expensive, all-fibre network to handle an expected surge in high-speed Internet and video traffic.
AT&T is currently upgrading its networks to deliver an Internet-based video service called U-Verse to compete with cable companies.
But unlike Verizon Communications, which is launching a similar service by building a “fibre to the home” network, it is making use of existing copper lines to save costs.
Posted by Judith — 4:21 AM
Oz to bring social networking to mobile phones.
Source: Reuters.
Privately-held Oz Communications, a maker of wireless messaging technologies, will announce a new product allowing people to access social network sites over their cellphones.
Oz will offer a technology that lets cellphone companies and handset makers load a connection to social networking sites onto phones in a bid to capitalize on the growth of community Web sites like News Corp.’s MySpace and Google Inc.’s YouTube.
Posted by Judith — 4:16 AM
Ericsson contracted for T-Mobile network modernisation.
Source: TeleGeography.
T-Mobile UK has selected Ericsson as its sole partner for its dual 2G/3G core network modernisation programme. Ericsson will take full turnkey responsibility for the supply of equipment, deployment, integration and live migration for the deployment of T-Mobile’s new combined 2G and 3G core network.
Posted by Judith — 4:09 AM
Vodafone U-turn on contract upgrades at Carphone.
Source: TimesOnline.
Carphone Warehouse has won back a chunk of business from Vodafone, just weeks after it lost the work.
Vodafone said in October that it would terminate a 17-year deal selling its contract phones in Carphone Warehouse and sell them exclusively in Phones 4 U.
Vodafone has now agreed that existing contract customers can still upgrade to a new Vodafone contract in Carphone Warehouse stores.
It is understood that the upgrade business accounts for about 40 per cent of the value of the total business Carphone lost in October.
Posted by Judith — 4:01 AM
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
Alcatel-Lucent irons out deal to buy Nortel’s UMTS section
Source: BWCS.
Canadian telecoms equipment giant Nortel has finally reached an agreement to sell its UMTS business to French giant Alcatel-Lucent in a US$320m. deal. The agreement is subject to regulatory and other approvals and an estimated 1,700 Nortel staff will transfer to Alcatel-Lucent.
Posted by Judith — 4:27 AM
Cingular, Alltel targets of new Freedom Wireless patent lawsuit.
Source: RCR Wireless.
Freedom Wireless Inc. sued two wireless carriers and three service providers for allegedly violating the company’s patents on providing prepaid wireless services.
Cingular Wireless L.L.C. and Alltel Corp. are named as defendants in two separate suits, along with their prepaid suppliers: Ericsson Inc. is included in the Cingular suit and Comverse Inc. and VeriSign Inc. are listed as co-defendants with Alltel.
Posted by Judith — 4:18 AM
Shift to telecoms as Agere and LSI link up.
Source: FT.com.
LSI Logic’s US$4bn. merger with Agere Systems and two significant acquisitions by Qualcomm on Monday have highlighted consolidation in the semiconductor industry and a shift of focus towards telecommunications.
Silicon Valley’s LSI said it would combine with the Pennsylvania-based Agere Systems in an all-stock transaction, with LSI shareholders owning 52 per cent of the merged company and its name being preserved.
Qualcomm acquired the Bluetooth chip division of RF Micro Devices for US$39m. and bought Airgo Networks, a wireless chip start-up, for an undisclosed sum.
Posted by Judith — 4:13 AM
TeliaSonera completes domestic 3G obligations.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Swedish telco, TeliaSonera on Monday announced that it now covers more than 8.86m. csutomers with its W-CDMA network, and has fulfilled its 3G licence rollout requirements.
Last week TeliaSonera launched its ‘low cost’ 3G network in Spain under the Yoigo brand.
Posted by Judith — 4:05 AM
Baidu changes direction to break into the Japanese internet market.
Source: TimesOnline.
China’s leading internet search engine unveiled plans yesterday to break into the Japanese market, where it hopes that language similarities will enable it to leapfrog Yahoo! and Google.
Posted by Judith — 4:01 AM
China largely silent on Telecom Strategy.
Source: NYT.
If the world’s telecommunications executives thought that bringing their industry’s biggest trade show to China would spur Chinese officials into opening their vast market, they were wrong; at least so far.
Government officials have avoided using the ITU Telecom World 2006 conference in Hong Kong this week to say when they would allow next-generation mobile phone networks to enter the country.
Posted by Judith — 3:54 AM
Monday, December 4, 2006
Germany keeps law that sticks in EU’s craw.
Source: TeleGeography.
German lawmakers intend to defy the European Commission by keeping a clause in draft telecommunications legislation that protects their incumbent telco Deutsche Telekom from having to open up its new EUR3bn. (US$3.95bn. high speed fibre-optic network to rivals. The EU believes the law to be anti-competitive and has threatened to take Germany to court if it is passed in its present form.
Posted by Judith — 3:59 AM
Empower goes into administration.
Source: The Register.
Mobile messaging software company Empower Interactive Group has gone into administration. The company’s SMS and MMS software is used by several mobile operators, including Orange UK, Wind in Italy, Singapore’s Starhub, and Etisalat in the UAE.
Posted by Judith — 3:47 AM
BT Vision launched.
Source: BT plc.
BT today launched its next generation television service, BT Vision. This service puts the viewer in control by combining the appeal of TV with the interactivity of broadband.
BT Vision is the first widely available TV service of its kind. Customers will have access to an extensive library of on-demand content via their broadband and will also receive more than 40 Freeview channels through their aerial.
Posted by Judith — 3:40 AM
Saturday, December 2, 2006
Alcatel and Lucent complete merger.
Source: Converge.
Alcatel and Lucent Technologies completed their merger, creating a global communication solutions provider with pro-forma annual revenues of EUR18.6bn. (US$24.8bn.)
Alcatel-Lucent offers an extensive portfolio spanning IPTV, broadband access, carrier IP, IMS and next-generation networks, and 3G spread spectrum (UMTS and CDMA).
Posted by Judith — 5:42 AM
Ericsson and Intel team up on mobile broadband.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Swedish mobile company Ericsson on Friday announced it had teamed up with chip maker, Intel, on mobile broadband.
According to the companies the joint effort aims to accelerate uptake of mobile broadband and multimedia services.
The integrated solutions will be based on Ericsson’s HSPA platform for mobile broadband and the IMS platform for convergence with Intel’s mobile technology.
Posted by Judith — 5:16 AM
UK consumers taking to triple play.
Source: Telecoms.com.
Ongoing consolidation in the UK communications sector has given way to an increase in the number of consumers taking up double or triple play products. By the fourth quarter of 2005 35 per cent of UK households were taking at least two services from a single provider, compared to 29 per cent at the end of March the same year.
Take up of broadband is now higher in the UK, with around 39 per cent of households adopting high speed internet, than in the US where 38 per cent of households have broadband.
Posted by Judith — 5:10 AM
Friday, December 1, 2006
Italian court disconnects Vodafone plan.
Source: TimesOnline.
A civil court in Rome has stopped the Italian branch of Vodafone marketing a combination fixed-line and mobile contract because it infringes rules laid down by the Italian Communications Authority.
The court action was brought by Telecom Italia, the privatised descendant of the old state telephone monopoly, which continues to dominate the market with 21 million subscribers.
Posted by Judith — 2:51 AM
US Telcos top Cable in Q3 data wars.
Source: Light Reading.
U.S. phone companies added more high-speed data subscribers in the third quarter than their cable rivals.
For at least the eighth time in the past 10 quarters, the bigger phone providers outpaced the larger cable companies as both industries turned in steady performances, collectively signing up more than 2.5m. Americans for high-speed Internet service.
Posted by Judith — 2:45 AM
Family left in turmoil as investors veto the sale of Hong Kong telecom giant.
Source: TimesOnline.
A vote by shareholders yesterday against the sale of Hong Kong’s biggest telecoms group left question marks hanging over the future of PCCW and the relationship between its owner and his father.
An overwhelming 76.3% of minority shareholders of Richard Li’s holding company, the Singapore-listed Pacific Century Regional Developments, voted against proposals to sell its 22.7% stake in Hong Kong’s main fixed-line operator for US$1.2bn.
Posted by Judith — 2:30 AM
Nortel forms JV to penetrate Southeast European markets.
Source: RCR Wireless.
Nortel Networks Ltd. said it is working on a joint venture with advisory firm Southeast European Communications and Investments Inc. to help the Canadian vendor gain a foothold in Southeast European markets.
Nortel said it expects to finalize the joint venture agreement early next year and plans to call the new company Nortel SE.
Posted by Judith — 2:12 AM
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