CommsUpdate
TeleGeography's free daily email summary of the world’s top telecom news stories.
20 Mar 2013
WIRELESS
Telenor Norge enhances network with HD Voice
Telenor Norge claims to have become the first mobile network operator in Norway to offer HD Voice services over its entire infrastructure. In a press release the cellco confirmed that... more
Tele2 said to be preparing Austrian 4G bid
Swedish-backed Tele2 will bid for a 4G mobile licence in Austria later this year in an auction which will include spectrum set aside for a new mobile entrant, reports Dow... more
Incumbent cellcos win 2.5GHz/2.6GHz spectrum
Hong Kong’s Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) yesterday announced that the territory’s five existing mobile network operators successfully bid for a total of 50MHz of mobile spectrum in the... more
MTS Belarus, beCloud mull joint LTE development plan
Belarusian news agency BelTA reports that domestic mobile carrier MTS Belarus and Belarusian Cloud Technologies (beCloud) are discussing plans to cooperate in the development of Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology... more
MNP to go live next week
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that the long-delayed launch of mobile number portability (MNP) will take place on 25 March 2013, writes PM News. The regulator’s head of... more
CA again upholds NTC decision on 3G licences, report says
The Court of Appeals (CA) in the Philippines has once again upheld the decision of the telecoms regulator, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), concerning the award of 3G mobile licences... more
Lycamobile announces US MVNO launch
UK-based mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Lycamobile has announced that it has launched in the United States. Although the reseller offers nationwide GSM coverage, its operations will be concentrated in... more
Rostelecom launches 4th 3G network in Penza
State-backed telecoms giant Rostelecom has announced that it has launched its fourth commercial HSPA+ network in Penza, through its regional subsidiary ZAO. The network consists of 76 base transceiver stations... more
Judge issues summons for corruption case
A Delhi court has summoned Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal, former managing director of Hutchison Max Telecom (now Vodafone India) Asim Ghosh, Essar Group vice chairman Ravi Ruia and former... more
Vimpelcom inks outsourcing deal covering six regions
According to unconfirmed local media reports, Russian mobile giant Vimpelcom has signed a five-year deal with the NVision Group for the outsourcing of its network in six regions. The outsourced... more
BROADBAND
OTH still awaiting deal to allow extension of MENA cable into Egypt
Egypt’s Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) has confirmed that has still not reached a final agreement with fixed line incumbent Telecom Egypt (TE) with regards to the extension of its Middle... more
NBN rollout off the pace, as Syntheo is dropped as rollout partner for Northern Territory
Construction of the AUD37.4 billion (USD38.8 billion) National Broadband Network (NBN) is some ten weeks behind schedule, The Australian reports, with delays attributed to ambitious rollout targets and a lack... more
O3b Networks announces capacity deal with unnamed DRC ISP
Channel Islands-based satellite service provider O3b Networks has announced what it describes as a major long-term capacity deal providing highly resilient and affordable capacity to ‘the leading ISP in the... more
ANACOM clamps down on blackmarket telco
Portuguese telecoms regulator Autoridade Nacional de Comunicacoes (ANACOM) has reportedly taken action against a blackmarket telecoms operator which is active in the towns of Viseu, Moimenta da Beira and Vila... more
Hutchison ups investment in fixed network
Hong Kong’s Hutchison Global Communications, which offers residential fibre broadband and fixed telephony services under Hutchison’s ‘3’ brand, has reported that its fixed broadband (fibre-to-the-building [FTTB]/fibre-to-the-home [FTTH]) network now passes... more
CORPORATE/FINANCIAL
Liberty agrees to buy 27.3% Charter stake for USD2.6bn
Liberty Media has announced that it will buy a 27.3% in US cableco Charter Communications for USD2.62 billion. Liberty, which is controlled by cable industry veteran John Malone, will pay... more
Drillisch halves freenet shareholding
German mobile service provider Drillisch has announced the transfer of 13.32 million registered shares in freenet – corresponding to a 10.4% stake – to Bank of America, via its subsidiary... more
OFT calls for comment on BSkyB’s proposed purchase of O2 UK fixed line ops
The UK’s Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has invited submissions as it examines BSkyB’s proposed acquisition of the fixed line business of Telefonica’s UK subsidiary O2. The competition authority has... more
GloBul bidding deadline extended by a month
Greek telco OTE has extended by one month the deadline for bids in the proposed sale of its Bulgarian mobile subsidiary, Cosmo Bulgaria (GloBul), with the cut-off date now 18... more
MTS: 2012 revenues edge up less than 1% despite growth in key markets
Russian giant Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) has posted revenues of USD12.44 billion for the year ending 31 December 2012, up just 0.9% year-on-year. The growth was thanks to increased sales from... more
China Telecom profits take a hit despite revenue growth
China Telecom has booked a 9.5% drop in net profits for 2012 to CNY14.925 billion (USD2.375 billion) despite recording 15.5% growth in operating revenues. Total revenues for 2012 were CNY283.073... more
MISCELLANEOUS
World Bank launches project to boost telecoms access
The World Bank has approved a USD3 million plan to help reform the Marshall Islands’ telecommunications sector and boost access to mobile telephony and internet for the country's 53,000 people,... more