Headlines for: 4 Dec 2006

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Filipino fixed line network operator Eastern Telecom has selected Nokia to supply it with a next-generation network (NGN) core as part of its network modernisation programme. Under the deal, Nokia will...

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has rejected the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) recommendation that mobile number portability (MNP) be implemented in a phased manner from 1 April, 2007. The...

BNamericas reports that Argentinian mobile operators had 29.5 million lines in service at the end of October 2006, an increase of 44.9% in twelve months. Quoting the national statistics institute Indec,...

Anticipating stiff competition from newcomer Du when it launches services in 2007, incumbent operator Etisalat has announced a number of price revisions, which have been approved by the Telecommunication Regulatory Agency...

Celtel Malawi is launching a GSM payphone called One-4-All, which has already been a success in Zambia, Kenya and Uganda. Costing MWK8,000 (USD60), it will allow street operators to monitor their...

Caribbean cellco Digicel has launched a service whereby its customers throughout the eastern Caribbean can top up their talk-time wherever they travel in the region. For example, customers in Barbados can...

Italy’s number three mobile operator Wind has selected Nokia to supply a turnkey W-CDMA radio network solution to augment its existing 3G system. The three-year contract will see the Finnish vendor...

More than 8.86 million Swedes are now covered by TeliaSonera's W-CDMA network, the company has announced, fulfilling its 3G licence rollout requirements set by telecoms regulator the PTS. TeliaSonera added in...

Saudi Arabia’s second cellular operator Mobily has begun phase three of its GSM/GPRS network expansion, under which it aims to reach 90% geographical coverage by year-end. The firm, which is owned...

Russia’s largest CDMA-450 operator SkyLink has launched Qualcomm’s BREW platform to support a new range of mobile applications. The firm, which has licences covering 65 of Russia’s 88 regions, currently serves...

Russia’s Ministry of IT and Communications (Minsvyaz) is examining ways of increasing the presence of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) in the country’s cellular market. Prime Tass, citing local newspaper Kommersant,...

The Bangladeshi unit of UAE-based Warid Telecom has announced that it plans to launch commercial mobile operations in early 2007, making it the country's sixth cellular network operator. In September 2005...

Cisco Systems has inked a deal to deploy a Wi-Fi mesh network for Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) covering the North region of the country. As part of the government’s Wireless@SG project, SingTel...

The Honduran telecoms regulator, the Comision Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Conatel), has passed Resolution NR005/06 which allows for the allocation of the 450MHz band for fixed wireless access digital services. The watchdog...

Telefónica de Argentina (TAR), the former monopoly wireline provider, has authorised its sister company Movistar to resell Speedy, TAR’s broadband service, reports BNamericas. This will be the first joint venture between...

Israeli wireless broadband solutions company Alvarion Ltd has signed a WiMAX network build contract with Fiji's international telecommunications provider, Fiji International Communications Limited (FINTEL), allowing FINTEL to offer wireless internet data...

Orbitel, the Colombian long-distance operator owned by EPM (Une Telecomunicaciones), has announced the launch of WiMAX services in Medellín, writes BNamericas. Orbitel has invested USD35 million in the rollout of wireless...

Taiwan’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC) and the National Communications Commission (NCC) have proposed two differing plans for the licensing of WiMAX spectrum. DigiTimes reports that the MOTC is looking...

Indonesia's second largest telecoms operator, Indosat, has reported a 63% rise in net profits for the third quarter to 30 September 2006, driven by a recovery from its mobile arm Satelindo....

Japanese telecoms conglomerate Softbank Corp has completed a JPY1.442 trillion (USD12.4 billion) refinancing deal for the mobile business it acquired from Vodafone Group, marking one of the biggest ‘whole-business’ securitisations on...

Verizon Communications has announced that it has closed the sale of its Dominican subsidiary to América Móvil. According to a press release from the US telco, the transaction has received the...

The court of appeal in Warsaw has upheld Vodafone’s request to forbid the sale by TDC of its stake 19.61% in Polish cellco Polkomtel. Vodafone reportedly paid EUR43 million (USD57.4 million)...

Greek Finance Minister George Alogoskoufis has announced that the government is aiming to sell a 20% stake in the country’s incumbent telco OTE to a strategic investor, but does not intend...

Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) has posted a profit of LKR3.87 billion (USD36 million) for the first nine months of 2006, up by 55% year-on-year, on revenues of LKR29.9 billion (USD290 million),...

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has revealed that it plans to increase telecommunication coverage in Sabah to 80% within a year. Sabah Regional Office Head Ahmad Nor Hisham Mohd...

Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) received eleven bids for two National Fixed Wireless Services (NFWS) licences by the 28 November deadline. The list of bidders is: ATCO Clearwire Telecom Limited, Qatar...