Telecom Asia articles from August 2008

Telecom Asia archives from August 2008

The customer experience: make it easy.(TANNER)
August 1, 2008... At last month's Broadband World Forum Asia event, I kept hearing a term that I don't hear nearly enough at conferences: the customer experience. Which is the same as "user experience", though the latter gets used more to describe mobile content...

ADSL tweaks for efficient video transmission.(FIRST MILE)
August 1, 2008... For all the hype over fiber being the preferred last-mile technology for delivering tripleplay IPTV, the vast majority of the world's 15.4 million IPTV subscribers--just over 12 million, in fact--are connected via DSL, according to Point Topic....

Apac goes internet crazy.(STAT SNAP)
August 1, 2008... The Asia-Pacific internet audience--those aged 15 and older and accessing the internet at home and work--reached 319 million visitors in April, 14% higher than the 280 million registered in the same period last year. This growth, driven...

Oracle: enabling all aspects of transformation.
August 1, 2008... It is critical that service providers recognize and value the primary aspects of the Communications industry's transformation. Oracle believes that this transformation is focused on three core aspects of any service provider--customers, systems...

NSN dumps GPON, punts on next-gen optical.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
August 1, 2008... Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) posted a surprise financial result for Q2, with an 18% boost in revenue over last year to finish with a small loss. That wasn't the only surprise. The vendor also unexpectedly announced its withdrawal from the...

Consumers embrace mobile financial services.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
August 1, 2008... Wireless subscribers are now more open to using their handsets for mobile financial transactions, according to Juniper Research. By 2011, 612 million mobile phone users are seen generating more than $587 billion worth of financial transactions....

Sluggish economy won't slow mobile capex.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Capex on mobile communications will continue to rise despite the uncertain economic outlook, as operators place greater emphasis on new data services, work to handle increased traffic and prepare for 4G deployments. ABI Research says global...

Digital TV invades China.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
August 1, 2008... The number of digital TV subscribers in China has reached 50.04 million in the first quarter, 22% more than in the quarter before that. According to Analysys International, local producers of CA intelligence cards are making a killing,...

Telcos go the outsourcing route.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
August 1, 2008... Global service providers and even regional telcos are taking advantage of the outsourcing boom by increasingly delving into managed and hosted services. Frost & Sullivan says the managed and hosted services market in Asia Pacific excluding...

Leverage the user's data.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
August 1, 2008... With the traditional TV advertising model becoming increasingly unsustainable, advertisers are turning to the internet and mobile phone as delivery channels for their marketing and advertising campaigns. IPTV, in particular, offers an...

Huawei Technologies posts revenues of $12.56b in fiscal 2007, up 48% from the previous year.(BEIJING)(Financial report)
August 1, 2008... Huawei Technologies posts revenues of $12.56b in fiscal 2007, up 48% from the previous year. The firm says the revenue is actual sales, not signed contracts.

Shares in ZTE rose 9% as speculation grew that the country will soon allow carriers to begin building high-speed 3G networks.(BEIJING)
August 1, 2008... Shares in ZTE rose 9% as speculation grew that the country will soon allow carriers to begin building high-speed 3G networks. Beijing in May unveiled a master-plan to remould its telecoms industry into three giant players and enable the...

China Mobile restarts negotiation with Apple on introducing the iPhone into the Chinese mainland.(BEIJING)
August 1, 2008... China Mobile restarts negotiation with Apple on introducing the iPhone into the Chinese mainland. Apple had contacted Chinese carriers including China Mobile on releasing the 2G iPhone at the end of 2007

Hutchison Whampoa denies an Italian newspaper report that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris had offered to buy its struggling 3 Italia telecoms unit.(HONG KONG)
August 1, 2008... Hutchison Whampoa denies an Italian newspaper report that Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris had offered to buy its struggling 3 Italia telecoms unit for close to 4b euros ($6.3b).

Hutchison Telecommunications announces price plans for iPhone 3G customers.(HONG KONG)
August 1, 2008... Hutchison Telecommunications announces price plans for iPhone 3G customers, with handsets offered for free after rebate with a 24-month contract for the top-tier HK$498 ($64) per month plan.

TOT plans to invest 30b baht ($891m) in 3G mobile phone services to be ready for commercial launch within one year.(BANGKOK)
August 1, 2008... TOT plans to invest 30b baht ($891m) in 3G mobile phone services to be ready for commercial launch within one year. TOT would rent out the network, it said.

CAT Telecom awards a 2.15b baht ($64.2m) fiber-optic network project to Marubeni.(BANGKOK)
August 1, 2008... CAT Telecom awards a 2.15b baht ($64.2m) fiber-optic network project to Marubeni (Thailand) despite questions raised by Thailand's Office of the Auditor-General over the project's transparency.

FPT earns 631b dong ($37.5m) in first-half gross profit, up 24.6% from a year earlier.(HANOI)(Financial report)
August 1, 2008... FPT earns 631b dong ($37.5m) in first-half gross profit, up 24.6% from a year earlier. FPT also posted second-quarter gross earnings of 328b dong ($19.5m), up from 303b dong ($18m) in the first quarter.

Maxis Communications dismisses reports it plans to sell its 74% stake in India's Aircel.(KUALA LUMPUR)
August 1, 2008... Maxis Communications dismisses reports it plans to sell its 74% stake in India's Aircel. The firm reiterated its commitment to build Aircel's mobile business in India, the world's fastest-growing cellular market

A unit of the Philippine dominant carrier PLDT has obtained a license from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).(MANILA)
August 1, 2008... A unit of the Philippine dominant carrier PLDT has obtained a license from the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to operate direct-to-home (DTH) satellite television service nationwide.

TRAI recommends a separate licensing framework for local cable operators and multisystem operators in its draft recommendations to restructure cable television services.(NEW DELHI)
August 1, 2008... TRAI recommends a separate licensing framework for local cable operators and multisystem operators in its draft recommendations to restructure cable television services. The recommendations include an entry fee for different areas of...

The Telecom Ministry does not see any security threat from BlackBerry email services and has no plans to shut the services in the country.(NEW DELHI)
August 1, 2008... The Telecom Ministry does not see any security threat from BlackBerry email services and has no plans to shut the services in the country. Operators did not need the ministry's approval to offer such services.

KT cuts its 2008 earnings targets on its shrinking fixed-line business and said it would take action to counter competition.(SEOUL)
August 1, 2008... KT cuts its 2008 earnings targets on its shrinking fixed-line business and said it would take action to counter competition. It also lowered its operating profit target by 20% to 1.2t won ($1.2b) from a previously stated goal of 1.5t won...

SK Telecom is not planning to buy a controlling stake in any major US mobile carrier.(SEOUL)
August 1, 2008... SK Telecom is not planning to buy a controlling stake in any major US mobile carrier, brushing off earlier reports that it was eyeing Sprint Nextel and the companies were in preliminary talks.

LG Electronics says its second-quarter net profit surged 84% from the same period last year amid record mobile phone sales.(SEOUL)(Financial report)
August 1, 2008... LG Electronics says its second-quarter net profit surged 84% from the same period last year amid record mobile phone sales. LG earned 706.9b won ($694.4m). The net profit and sales figures were both records in a quarter.

High Tech Computer (HTC) signs a deal with SK Telecom for its "Touch Dual" phone.(SEOUL)
August 1, 2008... High Tech Computer (HTC) signs a deal with SK Telecom for its "Touch Dual" phone, marking its first entry into the highly competitive market.

Nokia Siemens Networks wins a $113m (72m euros).(TAIPEI)
August 1, 2008... Nokia Siemens Networks wins a $113m (72m euros) order to upgrade the mobile network of Chunghwa Telecom.

Yahoo is consider selling its stake in Yahoo Japan.(TOKYO)
August 1, 2008... Yahoo is consider selling its stake in Yahoo Japan as a way to maximize value for shareholders.

DoCoMo plans to launch BlackBerry service this month, targeting individuals, as well as small to midsize businesses.(TOKYO)
August 1, 2008... DoCoMo plans to launch BlackBerry service this month, targeting individuals, as well as small to midsize businesses. DoCoMo will maintain its Foma services.

KDDI's net profit drops 12.2% to 72.46b yen ($681m) for the three months to June.(TOKYO)
August 1, 2008... KDDI's net profit drops 12.2% to 72.46b yen ($681m) for the three months to June as it struggled to win new customers and its fixed-line business continued to lose money.

Telstra acquires 55% of two Chinese internet businesses Norstar Media and Autohome/PCPop, for an undisclosed amount.(SYDNEY)
August 1, 2008... Telstra acquires 55% of two Chinese internet businesses Norstar Media and Autohome/PCPop, for an undisclosed amount. The two firms have positions in the fast-growing online auto and digital device advertising sectors.

Telecom New Zealand is selling NZ$100m ($77m) of bonds, called TeleBonds, to retail investors.(WELLINGTON)
August 1, 2008... Telecom New Zealand is selling NZ$100m ($77m) of bonds, called TeleBonds, to retail investors. The offer has the option of an additional NZ$200m ($154m) in oversubscriptions.

QTel's plans to buy the remaining shares in Indonesia's second-large mobile phone operator PT Indosat.(JAKARTA)
August 1, 2008... QTel's plans to buy the remaining shares in Indonesia's second-large mobile phone operator PT Indosat will be blocked by a regulation limiting foreign ownership to 49%.

Nokia's profit fell 61% to 1.1b [euro] ($1.75b) in the second quarter from the same period a year ago due to a large gain last year from its network joint venture with Siemens.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Nokia's profit fell 61% to 1.1b [euro] ($1.75b) in the second quarter from the same period a year ago due to a large gain last year from its network joint venture with Siemens. Excluding special items, Nokia's profit rose 8% to 1.37b [euro]...

Vodafone could be forced to pay more than $4b if it loses its court case relating to tax claims by the Indian government over its Hutchison Essar acquisition.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Vodafone could be forced to pay more than $4b if it loses its court case relating to tax claims by the Indian government over its Hutchison Essar acquisition. India is trying to levy $2b of capital gains tax on Vodafone's 2007 $11b acquisition...

Sony Ericsson posts a 97% drop in second-quarter earnings and says it will slash 2,000 jobs worldwide.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Sony Ericsson posts a 97% drop in second-quarter earnings and says it will slash 2,000 jobs worldwide. The company blamed the earnings decline on tougher market conditions, higher development costs and negative effects from exchange rate...

US private equity firms Silver Lake and Providence Equity Partners are teaming up to bid for a stake in a unit of China's Huawei Technologies.(movements)
August 1, 2008... US private equity firms Silver Lake and Providence Equity Partners are teaming up to bid for a stake in a unit of China's Huawei Technologies. The deal could fetch more than $2b, sources said.

Texas Instruments' second-quarter profit fell 4%, missing Wall Street estimates and sending the stock to a multiyear low in after-hours trading.(movements)(Financial report)
August 1, 2008... Texas Instruments' second-quarter profit fell 4%, missing Wall Street estimates and sending the stock to a multiyear low in after-hours trading. The chip maker reported net income of $588m, down from $614m in the same period a year ago.

Yahoo averts a showdown with rabble-rousing investor Carl Icahn.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Yahoo averts a showdown with rabble-rousing investor Carl Icahn by giving him three seats on its board of directors in a truce that still leaves the door open for a possible sale to Microsoft.

eBay's second-quarter profit jumps 22%, as the online auction company enjoyed strong growth in its e-commerce sites and its PayPal payments service.(movements)(Financial report)
August 1, 2008... eBay's second-quarter profit jumps 22%, as the online auction company enjoyed strong growth in its e-commerce sites and its PayPal payments service. But eBay's outlook for the current quarter was softer than analysts had been forecasting.

Marc Andreessen, an entrepreneur and software engineer behind the web's earliest browsers.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Marc Andreessen, an entrepreneur and software engineer behind the web's earliest browsers, joins the board of the online hangout Facebook.

Nine more firms, including telecom operators "3" and TIM, have lined up to support the Symbian Foundation, according to Nokia.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Nine more firms, including telecom operators "3" and TIM, have lined up to support the Symbian Foundation, according to Nokia. Nokia is set buy out other shareholders of UK-based smartphone software maker Symbian for $410m.

Apple says it sold one million iPhones in the first three days its newest model was on the market.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Apple says it sold one million iPhones in the first three days its newest model was on the market. But the company did not address widespread software problems that plagued the launch.

Vodafone Group pays $900m for a 7% stake in Ghana Telecom, the African country's third largest mobile phone operator.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Vodafone Group pays $900m for a 7% stake in Ghana Telecom, the African country's third largest mobile phone operator. The deal still requires approval of the country's parliament.

Eight out of 10 websites selling mobile phone ringtones and graphics are tricking people with hidden fees or false advertising.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Eight out of 10 websites selling mobile phone ringtones and graphics are tricking people with hidden fees or false advertising, the EU's consumer affairs commissioner warns.

Palm, which has been struggling to maintain its position in the hot market for smartphones, introduces a new Treo model with Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities.(movements)
August 1, 2008... Palm, which has been struggling to maintain its position in the hot market for smartphones, introduces a new Treo model with Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities. As with the Centro, Sprint Nextel is the first carrier to sell the Treo 800w.

IPTV's fuzzy signal.
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the novel 1984, Room 101 is everyone s worst nightmare. When the near-hero Winston Smith is banished there, he's tormented by his deepest, most secret fear--rats. We don't need Big Brother to know what most...

The problem with PCCW.
August 1, 2008... NO matter how you look at IPTV, it inevitably comes back to PCCW. The Hong Kong carrier was the first to deploy. It has successfully stemmed the loss of voice customers. It has the biggest numbers proportional to its broadband subscribers....

IPTV vs internet TV--the fight for viewers: not long ago startups Skype and VoiceBuster forced operators to cannibalize their traditional voice revenues with VoIP services. Now telcos face a new threat in the form of internet TV. Will new players again traumatize the industry by undermining the telcos' nascent IPTV services?(BUSINESS)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Telecom companies are investing in digital content in the hope of offsetting the fall in fixed-voice revenues. They focus primarily on offering television and video services, in particular IPTV--a necessary defensive...

Narrow M&A window for China's telcos.(TELECOM M&A)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Back in January 2007, after China Mobile posted a net profit of $2 billion, analysts predicted the world's largest mobile operator by subscribers would take off on an acquisition march. But 18 months after its parent...

Banking on the 'unbanked': peer-to-peer mobile remittance is taking root in emerging markets, with the ubiquity, convenience and cost-efficiency of mobile phones making it an easy add-on service.(MOBILE APPLICATIONS)
August 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Although near fear communication-based contactless mobile payments are gaining traction in more developed markets, peer-to-peer m-payments such as mobile money transfer are an established and fast-growing fact of...

Telcos tread lightly into mobile advertising: while mobile advertising could be the "next big thing," operators should ensure that subscriber agree or that they receive relevant, targeted ads.(VIEWPOINT)
August 1, 2008... With subscribers paying less for telecom services every year across the globe, mobile consumer applications like music, games and video are presenting telcos opportunities for new revenue streams. As these applications gain popularity,...

It pays to go green.(FORUM)
August 1, 2008... As environmental issues weigh on the public conscience and pocketbooks, telcos and their suppliers are debating their proper role. For telco CFOs, going green must serve the overriding goal of making money for their shareholders. With that in...

GSMA names CMO.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Michael O'Hara, former GM for marketing and industry management for the communications sector at Microsoft, has joined the GSMA as CMO. O'Hara will be responsible for the industry body's global marketing and communications strategy,...

Qualcomm hires SEA president.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Qualcomm has appointed John Stefanac as VP and president of Qualcomm Southeast Asia Pacific. With more than 20 years of experience in the telecoms and IT industries, he will be responsible for overseeing the execution of Qualcomm's market...

Ishii to head Pacnet Japan.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Pacnet has selected Hideo-Ishii as CEO for Japan. Ishii joined Asia Global Crossing in 2000 as IP engineering director and has been leading the development and deployment of the company's IP and MPLS networks with continued enhancements as the...

Intec taps global sales president.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Intec Telecom Systems has named Andy Thorburn president of global sales. He joins Intec from Chronicle Solutions, where he was CEO. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] He has also spent seven years in Benchmark Capital Portfolio, holding senior...

Exec appointments at Nortel.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Nortel has hired Francois Lancon to head the company's operations in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes Southeast Asia, Australia New Zealand, India, Pakistan and Japan. Also, Jackson Wu has been named leader for Greater China. ...

Vodafone exec joins Wavesat.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Broadband wireless semiconductor solutions provider Wavesat has appointed Michael Walker to the company's board of directors. Walker is the group research and development director for the Vodafone Group.

MACH names CCO.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... MACH has appointed Morten Broegger as chief commercial officer to take charge of its global account management. He replaces Terence Ledger, who will now manage roaming hubbing initiatives. Broegger was previously COO, a position he has held...

New execs at ST-NXP Wireless.(TELECOM CAREER)(Main Dutheil, Marc Cetto and Tommi Uhari appointed)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... NXP and STMicroelectronics have tapped Main Dutheil as CEO to lead their new joint venture, ST-NXP Wireless. Dutheil is currently COO of STMicroelectronics. He will lead the executive team of the new venture, which includes Abhijit...

Emerson selects Apac president.(TELECOM CAREER)(Sara Yang Bosco)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Emerson has named Sara Yang Bosco president of Emerson Asia Pacific, succeeding Peter Yam, who retired in March from his role as president of Emerson Greater China. Bosco, who joined Emerson in 2005 as general counsel for Asia Pacific,...

Convergys hires new director.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Willard Brittain has been elected to the Convergys board of directors, with his term taking effect June 24. Since March 2003, Brittain has served as chairman and CEO of Professional Resources on Demand, an executive search, interim placement...

VeriSign appoints president and CEO.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... VeriSign has tapped Jim Bidzos as executive chairman, president and CEO on an interim basis. Bidzos replaces William Roper, who resigned from the company and board of directors in June.

Sybase taps HK head.(TELECOM CAREER)
August 1, 2008... Sybase has promoted Larry Leong to GM of its Hong Kong operations. Leong, who started working for Sybase in 1997 as a practice manager for the professional services sector, will report directly to Horace Chow, VP of Asia Pacific and GM of...

Networking opportunities across Asia.(EVENTS CALENDAR)(Calendar)
August 1, 2008... Networking opportunities across Asia Date Event Aug 18-20, 2008 Submarine Network World 2008 Aug 18-20, 2008 In-Building Solutions Asia-Pacific Summit 2008 Aug 22, 2008 Wimax India 2008 Aug 26-27, 2008...

A tele-recession or not?(INSIDE LINE)
August 1, 2008... The mobile business is so young it has never experienced a major recession. In the last global downturn in 1991-92 it was still a fledgling industry. Now it's the biggest and most profitable part of the telecom business, it's worth asking...

Lost in translation.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Linguistic experts in Europe are calling the new language associated with SMS texting in Spain "the biggest revolution in the language ever" and French President Nicolas Sarkozy has lamented on what texting is doing to the French language. ...

Lost and found.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... How many people steal a cellphone and then use it to call police? The Grand Forks Herald reports that a Duluth, Minnesota man snatched a cellphone, then, when he wanted a ride home, called police on said phone claiming he had been assaulted....

Wedding ring.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... The entire village of Murshidabad, India, turned out for the wedding of Irin Biswas to Safikul Islam. "They said gubul [I do] thrice and the marriage was complete," said Maulana Alamgir, the Muslim cleric who married the couple. In this...

Self rescue.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(Brief article)
August 1, 2008... Julika Kennaway had to wade through deadly stonefish infested waters and climb a three story bamboo tower to get cell reception to get rescue efforts underway after her diving induced decompression sickness. According to Cape Argus in South...