Wholesale VoIP: September 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

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 ... http://bit.ly/Ujd94u

Batelco and CWC discussing GBP614m sale of Monaco Islands business

Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) is reportedly holding talks with UK-based Cable Wireless Communicatio ... http://bit.ly/RoSqYq

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, ... http://bit.ly/RoSpn7

Digicel Haiti completes Voila integration

The pan-Caribbean mobile operator Digicel has announced the completion of a project to integrate the network of rec ... http://bit.ly/RoSozI

Solomon Islands govt snags submarine cable loan

The Solomon Islands’ government has confirmed that it will borrow USD78 million from Asian Development Bank (ADB) ... http://bit.ly/RoSnvw

Telcor negotiates satellite deal with Chinese firm

The Nicaraguan government is reportedly in negotiations with Chinese satellite firm Great Wall, to purchase a USD30 ... http://bit.ly/RoSmYD

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 ... http://bit.ly/Ujdcx6

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 (US ... http://bit.ly/UjdeoE

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 ... http://bit.ly/U82hHV

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, ha ... http://bit.ly/RoSmHT

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 ... http://bit.ly/U82hYA

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 ... http://bit.ly/RoSqHT

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-J ... http://bit.ly/U82jj6

Eastern promise: ZTE and Mobitel’s USD40m 4G handshake

Chinese technology provider ZTE Corp has signed a strategic cooperation agreement worth USD40 million with Sri Lank ... http://bit.ly/PvuJiG

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 ... http://bit.ly/U82j2F

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 s ... http://bit.ly/PvuGDo

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 ... http://bit.ly/Ujdcgy

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 ... http://bit.ly/Ujd7JD

Tashkent confiscates MTS assets

The Tashkent Criminal Court has ordered the confiscation of the assets of Russian-backed cellco MTS Uzbekistan in a ... http://bit.ly/Ujd7cE

Nigerian quintet select DragonWave backhaul solution

DragonWave, a supplier of packet microwave solutions, has announced that five Nigerian carriers have selected its H ... http://bit.ly/RoSmYo

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 ... http://bit.ly/PvuK6c

Alca-Lu chosen for Colombia fibre project

French-US vendor Alcatel Lucent has been selected by Azteca Comunicaciones Colombia as a major supplier for the dep ... http://bit.ly/RoSkjh

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 Mobi ... http://bit.ly/PvuIex

Monday, September 17, 2012

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, ... http://bit.ly/Pl5yzq

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 ov ... http://bit.ly/Pl5AHq

TI COO admits that network spin-off is ‘interesting’

Telecom Italia's (TI’s) chief operating officer Marco Patuano has admitted that the idea of spinning off its fixe ... http://bit.ly/Pl5Aaz

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 sta ... http://bit.ly/Pl5Cz5

2K Telecom inks MoUs with Huawei, Eximbank

2K Telecom, a Romanian WiMAX operator currently participating in the country’s ongoing auction for Long Term Evol ... http://bit.ly/OzM1OS

NTC to investigate new submarine cable

The Express Tribune reports that Pakistan’s National Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) is considering deploying ... http://bit.ly/Stghq1

TOT, CAT present post-BTO business plans

State-owned TOT and CAT Telecom have presented their business plans for continuing operations after the expiry of t ... http://bit.ly/Pl5CiH

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 Aut ... http://bit.ly/OzM39j

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 o ... http://bit.ly/Pl5Ara

Operators begin ten-second charging

All of Bangladesh’s cellular network operators, except market leader GrameenPhone, implemented ten-second pulse c ... http://bit.ly/OzM2Ct

NTC warns Globe: announce deadline for systems upgrade

The BusinessMirror newspaper writes that the Filipino telecoms watchdog the National Telecommunications Commission ... http://bit.ly/Pl5zn2

Sutel dismisses ICE request to delay MNP

Costa Rican regulator the Superintendency of Telecommunications (Sutel) has rejected a plea from incumbent cellco I ... http://bit.ly/OzM1OK

Infratel looks for USD1bn from IPO

Indian towerco Bharti Infratel has filed a draft prospectus for an initial public offering (IPO) with the Securitie ... http://bit.ly/Pl5yPO

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 (FB ... http://bit.ly/OzM2SN

PLDT’s Smart now offering tri-band LTE

Smart Communications, the mobile arm of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), has successfully deploye ... http://bit.ly/Pl5xM1

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 ... http://bit.ly/Pl5waE

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 cel ... http://bit.ly/RfrOyk

15 3G application forms issued

A total of 15 application forms have been issued to companies interested in Thailand's upcoming third-generation (3 ... http://bit.ly/OzM2Ch

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 l ... http://bit.ly/OzM1hJ

ComReg issues market report for Q2 2012

Ireland’s telecoms regulator the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) has issued its quarterly marke ... http://bit.ly/Pl5yiN

Friday, September 14, 2012

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 Commissio ... http://bit.ly/RWmluM

Amis expanding fibre in capital

Croatian alternative telco Amis Telekom is building a fibre-optic network in Zagreb, commencing construction in Nov ... http://bit.ly/RWmlei

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, Eti ... http://bit.ly/RWmleo

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 sat ... http://bit.ly/Q89nH3

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, B ... http://bit.ly/Q89qml

CNT rolling out third phase of CDMA 450 network

Ecuadorian state-run full-service telco Corporacion Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CNT) has announced the latest l ... http://bit.ly/Q89qmd

XL Axiata sale raises USD510m for Etisalat

UAE-based Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) has raised IDR4.88 trillion (USD510.03 million) from t ... http://bit.ly/RWmiiC

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 dat ... http://bit.ly/RWmkHv

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 ... http://bit.ly/RWmkqJ

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 f ... http://bit.ly/RWmi2h

CiG Wireless acquires assets from Towers of Texas

CiG Wireless Corporation, a leading independent owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure in the ... http://bit.ly/RWmiPR

TeliaSonera’s open fibre rollouts march on

TeliaSonera Sweden has announced its latest batch of agreements to deploy fibre broadband networks, having signed a ... http://bit.ly/RWmj6f

Liberty Telecom Holdings’ reports widening first-half loss

Liberty Telecoms Holdings, which operates Wi-Tribe branded wireless broadband internet services in the Philippines, ... http://bit.ly/RWmjTZ

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 ... http://bit.ly/Q89pyB

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 u ... http://bit.ly/RWmkqP

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 ... http://bit.ly/RWmiiS

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, h ... http://bit.ly/Q89iTI

PLDT finishes PHP67bn network modernisation plan ahead of schedule

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the country’s dominant provider by subscribers and revenue, ha ... http://bit.ly/Q89mmC

Telefonica Mexico trumpets mobile voice, SMS reliability

Citing data produced by local telecoms regulator Comision Federal de Telecomunicaciones (Cofetel), Telefonica Mexic ... http://bit.ly/Q89liv

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 Ev ... http://bit.ly/Q89lPj

MVNO probes Turkish Virgin tie-up

Fast-growing international mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) Virgin Mobile is in talks with Turkish mobile gia ... http://bit.ly/RWmhLQ

Thursday, September 13, 2012

3 signs world first WhatsApp IM roaming deal

Hong Kong mobile operator Hutchison Telephone Company (3) has struck a deal with instant messaging (IM) provider Wh ... http://bit.ly/UNRoZV

Columbus completes TeleBarbados takeover

Columbus International, which offers triple-play services in the Caribbean region under the Flow brand, has receive ... http://bit.ly/TWRGxO

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 ... http://bit.ly/SfwOhb

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-o ... http://bit.ly/SfwO0w

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 brea ... http://bit.ly/SfwNtA

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 underse ... http://bit.ly/Qecwry

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 2100 ... http://bit.ly/UNRpwG

Third MVNO to enter market

Voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) provider Redvoiss has been issued a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) lice ... http://bit.ly/Qecy2W

Safaricom seeks to defer USF introduction after management qualms

According to Business Daily Africa, Kenyan mobile giant Safaricom has petitioned the Communications Commission of K ... http://bit.ly/Qecwbj

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 opti ... http://bit.ly/QecxMn

Telecom regulators from six east European nations form new association

On 11 September the presidents of telecoms regulatory authorities in six eastern European countries (Armenia, Azerb ... http://bit.ly/TWRxKV

SSTL books INR11.8bn net loss

Russian-backed cellco Sistema Shyam TeleServices (SSTL), which operates under the MTS India brand, has reported tha ... http://bit.ly/Qecy2N

Funding problems for stricken cellcos

Wireless operator Uninor, a joint venture between Telenor of Norway and Indian real estate company Unitech, is invo ... http://bit.ly/SfwMpD

MCIT blocks YouTube over inflammatory video

Afghan internet service providers (ISPs) have temporarily blocked the YouTube website after a video portraying the ... http://bit.ly/SfwKOq

AT sets its sights on CenturyTel spectrum

US mobile giant ATT Mobility is seeking Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval for the purchase of 51 Low ... http://bit.ly/UNRlx8

Kosovo-Serbia clash over prefix change

The Kosovo assembly has adopted a resolution requesting that the government move to replace the current internation ... http://bit.ly/Qecy2L

PTCL revenues grow 8% for 2011-12

Incumbent telco the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) has booked net profits of PKR7.24 billion (USD76. ... http://bit.ly/SfwM8X

Sky Mobile expands HSPA+ network

The Kyrgyz cellco Sky Mobile, which operates under the Beeline brand, has expanded its 3G HSPA+ network, reports on ... http://bit.ly/TWRwGY

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 agreemen ... http://bit.ly/SfwJKk

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 ... http://bit.ly/U8ZREy

Etisalat aims to raise USD502m from sale of XL Axiata stake

The United Arab Emirates' biggest telecommunications company Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) has ... http://bit.ly/TWRzlX

Vodafone inaugurates DC-HSPA+ in seven locations

Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) has enabled Dual Carrier HSPA+ (DC-HSPA+) technology commercially in seven locat ... http://bit.ly/TWRyP3

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Ghana gets new rural wireless networks

Wireless network solutions provider Altobridge has announced the completion of the first phase of a project to prov ... http://bit.ly/Pi7p6f

Belgacom eyeing 3Q launch for commercial LTE services?

Belgium’s largest mobile network operator by subscribers, Proximus (Belgacom Mobile), is planning to launch its 4 ... http://bit.ly/OGbnWS

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 ... http://bit.ly/Pi7pTJ

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, whi ... http://bit.ly/OGbqlx

Full house? Vimpelcom receives Scartel LTE MVNO approval

According to Prime-Tass news agency, Russian mobile giant Vimpelcom has received approval to initiate mobile virtua ... http://bit.ly/OGbq5d

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 quar ... http://bit.ly/QcDQGS

ANCOM confirms that demand will not exceed supply in spectrum auction

Romania’s National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications (ANCOM) has confirmed that demand fr ... http://bit.ly/QcDTCB

Myanmar considering SEA-ME-WE 5 connection

Myanmar’s Minister for Communications, Posts and Telegraph, U Thein Tun, has revealed that state-owned telco Myan ... http://bit.ly/Pi7mat

Government invites bids for PTK

Following the completion of the prequalification stage, Kosovo has invited five companies to bid for a 75% stake in ... http://bit.ly/QcDTCx

Public hearing on BCE’s Astral takeover begins

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced on 10 September 2012 the beginning ... http://bit.ly/QcDO1y

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 a ... http://bit.ly/OGbmST

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 grow ... http://bit.ly/Pb44Yb

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, w ... http://bit.ly/Pi7maz

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 ... http://bit.ly/SDPu0o

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 ... http://bit.ly/QIMe2t

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 elimi ... http://bit.ly/Pb45eG

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 ... http://bit.ly/SDPsG0

CTU confirms four bidders in 4G mobile frequency auction

National telecoms regulator the Czech Telecommunication Office (CTU) has received four bids for its upcoming auctio ... http://bit.ly/Pb436p

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

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 ... http://bit.ly/P7IPGK

FNP on the horizon

The Peruvian parliament has passed a law establishing the right to fixed number portability (FNP) reports TeleSeman ... http://bit.ly/TNctnw

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 i ... http://bit.ly/OnkArp

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 ... http://bit.ly/TNctE0

IDC plans FTTB expansion

InterDnestrCom (IDC), the main internet service provider (ISP) in the breakaway republic of Trans-Dniester, has ann ... http://bit.ly/P7IK5Y

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 busine ... http://bit.ly/NXrRhC

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 confirme ... http://bit.ly/P7INys

Firms begin commercial pilot tests of ‘new wireless connectivity’ in Singapore

In a joint press release, Microsoft Singapore, local operator StarHub and the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) ... http://bit.ly/OnkwIi

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 telc ... http://bit.ly/P7IJyP

Eircom units receive slapped wrists for data protection breaches

Meteor Mobile and eMobile, both units of Ireland’s former monopoly operator Eircom, have been ordered to pay a to ... http://bit.ly/TNcqZ0

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 pr ... http://bit.ly/NXrSlR

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 lau ... http://bit.ly/TNcsA7

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 ... http://bit.ly/P7IHaf

PLDT targets overseas workers with MVNO expansion

Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) says its international sales and marketing division Philippine Gl ... http://bit.ly/OnkwrN

DoT u-turn on Chinese security issues

The International Relations (IR) cell of India’s Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has highlighted 15 nations ... http://bit.ly/P7IHXH

SabaFon recovery underway

Reuters reports that Yemeni cellco SabaFon has begun to recover after suffering damage to its infrastructure during ... http://bit.ly/P7IGDg

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, ac ... http://bit.ly/P7IHXM

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 ... http://bit.ly/Onkwbc

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 N ... http://bit.ly/OnkvnI

Monday, September 10, 2012

Softbank reaches 30 million subscriber milestone

The Japanese cellular operator Softbank Mobile passed the 30 million subscriber milestone during August, ending the ... http://bit.ly/Olah7g

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), ... http://bit.ly/PaAJeW

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 h ... http://bit.ly/OlahnG

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 ... http://bit.ly/PaAK2q

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 ... http://bit.ly/PaAK2i

NT thwarted again: Ericsson joins Huawei in turning down massive GSM line project

Just days after Nepal Telecom (NT) was forced to cancel its contract with ZTE of China for the deployment of some 5 ... http://bit.ly/Q8WK1g

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 broadcas ... http://bit.ly/PW5kgO

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 devel ... http://bit.ly/PW5k0s

TRAI orders greater transparency from ISPs

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has directed internet service providers (ISPs) to improve transpar ... http://bit.ly/OlagAd

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 ... http://bit.ly/Q8WLT1

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 lic ... http://bit.ly/PaAKzy

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 ... http://bit.ly/PaALn0

Tunisia lays ‘Ammar 404’ to rest

Tunisia’s ICT Minister Mongi Marzoug has announced that the government is no longer involved in any internet cens ... http://bit.ly/PaAMY7

Consultancy appointed for 4G auction

Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has appointed a consultancy, Frontier Economics, to design ... http://bit.ly/PaAKzB

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) ... http://bit.ly/PaAL6y

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 ... http://bit.ly/PaAKiO

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 ... http://bit.ly/PaAIHY

Friday, September 7, 2012

Decision on Essar’s future set to be revealed within six months

Essar Telecom Kenya, which operates under the ‘yu’ brand name, has revealed that it will make a decision on new ... http://bit.ly/NfTwsG

VoIP termination licence application deadline extended to 4 October

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has extended the deadline for applications for new li ... http://bit.ly/POkZPo

SkyNet to deliver broadband to the Colombian Amazon

Internet service provider (ISP) SkyNet Colombia has signed a ‘multi-year, multi-million dollar’ agreement with ... http://bit.ly/NfTvoB

Another one bites the dust! New rural WiMAX firm closes down

According to an article by Fierce Broadband Wireless, the latest in a long line of rural WiMAX operators in the US ... http://bit.ly/POkYLl

Alaska comes in from the cold as AT confirms LTE switch-on

US mobile giant ATT Mobility has announced that it has turned on its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in Anchorage ... http://bit.ly/NfTwJ0

Malta teaser: will GO go Forth and multiply shares?

Following Greek telco ForthNet’s recent announcement that its EUR30 million (USD37.5 million) rights issue receiv ... http://bit.ly/NfTvFa

BVI broadband users receive boost after territory receives DNS server

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) has announced that broadband users in the Virgin Islands (UK) wi ... http://bit.ly/POl0CR

Vivacom sale approved

Reuters reports that Bulgarian telco Vivacom has been given a green light by the High Court in London to carry out ... http://bit.ly/NfTvVy

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 ... http://bit.ly/NfTuRw

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 (Mo ... http://bit.ly/POkYLc

Questions raised over TMN’s nationwide LTE claims

Portugal’s Instituto Civil da Autodisciplina da Publicidade (ICAP) has been forced to intervene in a dispute betw ... http://bit.ly/NfTvor

Nucleo eyes additional spectrum

Telecom Personal Paraguay, which provides mobile services under the brand Nucleo, has submitted a request to teleco ... http://bit.ly/POkZ1O

Emaxx deploys EION Wireless 4G solution

EION Wireless, a Canadian manufacturer of broadband wireless products, has announced the signing of an agreement wi ... http://bit.ly/POkYLn

CMRI adds another LTE partner

China Mobile, the world’s largest cellco by subscribers, has continued to drum up vendor support for China’s ho ... http://bit.ly/NfTwJ6

Ukrtelecom could assume network of Crimean local operator Krymtel as debt payment

Ukrainian incumbent national PSTN operator Ukrtelecom has agreed to consider a proposal to take over the network as ... http://bit.ly/POl05Y

NCC seeks to criminalise vandalism of telecoms infrastructure

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is looking to make the vandalism of telecoms infrastructure a criminal ... http://bit.ly/POkXa0

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 (L ... http://bit.ly/POkYuP

AT confirms five in frame for Dutch mobile spectrum auction

The Netherlands’ spectrum regulator Agentschap Telecom (AT) has announced that the multi-band auction of mobile s ... http://bit.ly/POkWDg

Thursday, September 6, 2012

TDF funds rural rollout

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Communication IT (MCIT) has signed agreements with three of the nation’s cellcos to ... http://bit.ly/OWFVTm

TU SR coordinating future 900MHz licensing with 4G auction

The Telecommunications Office of the Slovak Republic (TU SR) announced on its website yesterday that it intends to ... http://bit.ly/P2ZmgT

AT also targeting Comcast, Horizon WCS frequencies?

The technical details concerning ATT Mobility's pending deals for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) and 2.3GHz Wirel ... http://bit.ly/RONmfM

Are SPIN doctors attempting to patch up old cable plans?

According to the New Zealand Business Review, the recently announced Haiwaki Cable project, which seeks to deploy a ... http://bit.ly/RONoUP

Orange gets EU backing to roll out 1,800km of fibre

Polish incumbent Telekomunikacja Polska (TP), which was brought under the Orange Poland banner of its majority owne ... http://bit.ly/P2Zk8V

DTAC pays unprecedented USD320,000 fine for service failure

Thailand’s second largest mobile operator by subscribers DTAC has agreed to pay a THB10 million (USD320,000) fine ... http://bit.ly/P2ZjSa

PTK sale runs into further opposition

Having received the go-ahead from the Procurement Review Body (OSHP) earlier this week, the Kosovo government has e ... http://bit.ly/P2Zkpo

Nothing but BlueSky from now on …

Adolfo Montenegro, the chief executive officer of Blue Sky Communications which acquired a controlling stake in Sam ... http://bit.ly/NOaMql

BES confirms that it is now largest PT shareholder

Portuguese financial group Banco Espirito Santo (BES) now holds 10.42% of the share capital – and associated voti ... http://bit.ly/NOaLCU

Polkomtel/Aero2 ink expansion deal with NSN

Polish cellco Polkomtel, which operates under the ‘Plus’ brand, and its partner through a full infrastructure s ... http://bit.ly/RONonP

Telenor increases pressure on Unitech

Norwegian telco Telenor has approached the Delhi High Court seeking that its joint venture partner real estate comp ... http://bit.ly/RONoEd

Telebras, IslaLink sign MoU for South America-Europe submarine cable

Brazilian state-controlled telecoms group Telecomunicacoes Brasileiras (Telebras) and Spanish company IslaLink have ... http://bit.ly/P2Zltn

Croatian IPTV users pass 350,000 at end-June, broadband lines 1.2m

Croatia’s telecoms regulator HAKOM has reported that the country’s total number of IPTV subscribers reached 352 ... http://bit.ly/P2Zk8Q

Confusion over Orange Dominicana’s 4G claims

The Dominican Republic’s telecoms regulator Indotel has ordered local cellco Orange Dominicana to halt advertisin ... http://bit.ly/P2ZjBK

Scailex argues that Hutchison Whampoa must proceed with Partner stake acquisition

Just a few weeks after Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL) revealed that two of its subsidiaries would ... http://bit.ly/NOaMqh

Telenet loses appeal against requirement to offer wholesale access

Mechelen-based cableco Telenet has lost an appeal against a ruling which orders it to allow wholesale access to its ... http://bit.ly/P2Zih8

Global internet capacity reaches 77Tbps despite slowdown

New data from TeleGeography’s Global Internet Geography research reveal that international Internet capacity grow ... http://bit.ly/RONiwr

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Zain vows to fight CMC SIM card fine as watchdog ups the ante

Kuwaiti telecoms giant Zain Group has insisted that it will continue its fight against a USD262 million fine impose ... http://bit.ly/Q4ICUk

Russian LTE round-up: Rostelecom postpones MVNO launch, MTS goes live in Moscow, Kazan boasts 4G triple-threat

Russian national operator Rostelecom has abruptly changed its plans to offer Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology a ... http://bit.ly/RKBs6u

Brazil government plans new rules to put mobile consumers ahead of operators’ profit

Brazil’s Minister of Communications Paulo Bernardo has hinted at fresh regulatory changes in the country, saying ... http://bit.ly/RKBpHW

Wireless Nation puts the Chat amongst the pigeons with Waitangi deployment

Auckland-based internet service provider (ISP) Wireless Nation has announced that it has responded to New Zealand t ... http://bit.ly/RKBqvu

RCOM to address debt problems next year

Indian telco Reliance Communications (RCOM) will renew efforts to ease its debt burden next year with a second atte ... http://bit.ly/RKBnQj

Teletalk’s 3G going commercial at end of the month

State-owned Bangladeshi cellco Teletalk has updated its schedule for launching commercial 3G W-CDMA/HSPA services. ... http://bit.ly/OYo02l

CANTV doubles minimum DSL speeds, sees end in sight for fibre backbone rollout

Venezuelan national telco CANTV has doubled the minimum download speeds for consumer on its ‘ABA’ ADSL internet ... http://bit.ly/RKBoUl

ANACOM specifies 480 municipalities lacking 3G connectivity

Portuguese telecoms regulator Autoridade Nacional de Comunicacoes (ANACOM) has stepped up its project to expand 3G ... http://bit.ly/NLXpXI

MPT enhances DWDM infrastructure in Myanmar

Myanmar Post and Telegraph (MPT), the country’s state-owned national telecoms provider, has awarded a contract to ... http://bit.ly/RKBlYI

Long ARM of the law: regulator fines quintet XOF3.6bn

Niger’s telecoms regulator, Autorite de Regulation Multisectorielle (ARM), has fined five of the country’s tele ... http://bit.ly/NLXnz4

CRTC releases market growth data

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has released its annual report on the commun ... http://bit.ly/RKBqeY

Hats off to it! Telstra reaches halfway point in ‘Top Hat’ broadband upgrade project

Australian fixed line incumbent Telstra has reportedly reached the halfway mark in an exchange upgrade project. Acc ... http://bit.ly/RKBnjk

Etisalat Misr sets aside USD500 million for network upgrade

Egypt’s smallest cellco by subscribers, Etisalat Misr, has revealed that it expects to spend approximately USD500 ... http://bit.ly/RKBn2S

IG Telecom awards USD15m contract to Hughes

Internet Gabon Telecom (IG Telecom) has this week signed a USD15 million contract with US-based satellite technolog ... http://bit.ly/NLXsmk

PTK sale rumbles on despite buyer complaints and political opposition

The Procurement Review Body (OSHP) has dismissed a complaint from Monaco Telecom regarding the sale of a 75% stake ... http://bit.ly/NLXmvd

Bouygues in tower sale talks

The French operator Bouygues Telecom is rumoured to be in talks regarding the sale of up to 2,300 of its mobile net ... http://bit.ly/OYnYrd

SmarTone’s full-year profits jump 36% to USD131m

Hong Kong cellco SmarTone has reported that its net income climbed by 36% year-on-year to HKD1.02 billion (USD131 m ... http://bit.ly/Q4IFzn

PT Indosat secures 900MHz 3G licence

Indonesia’s second largest telecom service provider by value PT Indosat has been issued with a third-generation ( ... http://bit.ly/Q4IFiZ

Telefonica adds banks for German IPO

Spanish telecoms group Telefonica has reportedly added a further four banks to prepare an initial public offering ( ... http://bit.ly/Q4ICU4

TIME dotCom launches 100Mbps consumer fibre service

Malaysian alternative broadband operator TIME dotCom (TdC) has inaugurated what it claims is the country’s fastes ... http://bit.ly/NLXo69

Dutch fixed line connections pass six million in Q2 as users get the VoIP habit

The total number of fixed telephony connections in the Netherlands climbed by a net 47,000 lines in the second quar ... http://bit.ly/NLXnz1

DE-CIX, XConnect unveil next gen communications exchange

Frankfurt-based internet exchange DE-CIX and partner XConnect have announced the launch of DE-CIX NGN, a next gener ... http://bit.ly/NLXnza

Globe targets 1Q13 completion date for USD700m network upgrade

The Philippine Star quotes Globe Telecom CEO Ernest Cu as saying that his firm intends to complete its USD700 milli ... http://bit.ly/Q4ICDM

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Govt seeks LTE consultant, must have GSOH …

According to the Daily Nation, the Kenyan government is seeking applications for a financial consultant to help wit ... http://bit.ly/R1Oa5T

Vodafone Group and Zain confirm multi-country Partner Market agreement

Following on from reports at the end of last month that UK mobile giant Vodafone Group was close to signing a roami ... http://bit.ly/R1O4v3

Pakistan resurrects great (fire)wall to block ‘obnoxious’ content

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology (MoIT) has instructed sector watchdog the Pakistan Telecommunicatio ... http://bit.ly/OjfuYM

MegaFon seeks clearance to list 20% of shares abroad

Russian mobile giant MegaFon has filed an application with the Federal Service for Financial Markets, with a view t ... http://bit.ly/R1O7af

Rollout of Iran’s national intranet to begin this month

The government of Iran has announced that it will begin deployment of the first phase of its closed national intern ... http://bit.ly/OjfwzK

Arsat initiates ‘Argentina Conectada’ fibre rollout tender

Argentine state-owned satellite company Arsat has called a public tender for the rollout of the federal fibre-optic ... http://bit.ly/OjfvMs

NTC begins examination of CURE’s accounts prior to auction

Filipino telecoms watchdog the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has begun examining the financial accou ... http://bit.ly/Ojfs35

LycaMobile reveals US expansion plans

LycaMobile, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that specialises in low-cost international calls, is set to co ... http://bit.ly/R1Oa5I

Leo not carrying out bankruptcy 'threat'?

The holding company of Namibia’s second largest cellco Powercom (Leo), which warned that it will liquidate the co ... http://bit.ly/R1O3r1

Bakrie Telecom shares suspended amid debt concerns

Reuters reports that the Indonesian Stock Exchange has suspended trading in shares and rupiah denominated bonds of ... http://bit.ly/Ojfubo

Award of new VSAT concessions prompts confusion among rivals

According to Congolese website Radio Okapi, three internet service providers (ISPs) in the Democratic Republic of C ... http://bit.ly/OjfvvZ

Telekom Slovenije keeps CAPEX at around USD170m, excluding 4G

Slovenian and southeastern European telecoms group Telekom Slovenije plans to maintain its level of annual capital ... http://bit.ly/R1O7H2

Oi, NSN report 88Mbps throughput in latest LTE trials

Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) and Brazilian telco Oi SA, formed through the restructuring of Telemar Participacoes ... http://bit.ly/Ojfs31

China Mobile to encourage rivals to use TD-LTE

China Mobile is hoping that at least one of its two domestic rivals will take up its 4G standard, Time Division Lon ... http://bit.ly/OjftnA

Supreme Court suspends Mendoza’s jurisdiction of Cablevision case

Argentina’s Supreme Court has ordered Walter Bento, the federal judge of the court in Mendoza province, to suspen ... http://bit.ly/OjfrMF

PLDT expects broadband to generate PHP25bn in revenue this year

The BusinessMirror newspaper quotes Dan Ibarra, the head of Home Companies marketing for Philippine Long Distance T ... http://bit.ly/R1O66a

More details of Myanmar liberalisation

Further details have emerged from Myanmar regarding the government’s plan to open up the country’s telecoms sec ... http://bit.ly/Ojftny