Telecom Asia articles from December 2005

Telecom Asia archives from December 2005

HSPA: down on the uplink.(TANNER)(High Speed Packet Access )(Column)
December 1, 2005... HSDPA is dead. So is its cousin HSUPA. From now on, you may refer to either of them as HSPA. That is an order. It won't be easy, I know. Not that HSDPA wasn't a mouthful, but once you get used to any acronym, it's hard to stop using it,...

Wireless mesh still lives.(FIRST MILE)
December 1, 2005... Cisco Systems' launch last month of its first wireless mesh product --widely anticipated following its January 2005 acquisition of Airespace--has generated new interest in the technology, which already had the backing of big names like Motorola...

Voice and TV still rule in developing markets.(STAT SNAP)
December 1, 2005... Telcos with eyes on developing markets take note: while the industry pushes on with broadband video streams and 5G music downloads, users in developing markets overwhelmingly prefer basic voice telephony and regular broadcast media. An...

NTT East & West NGN rollout set for 2007.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
December 1, 2005... Japan's incumbent carrier NTT will begin offering full-scale NGN services in the second half of FY2007 according to its roadmap announced the day before the release last month of its first half results showing continued revenue declines for...

China VoIP market to explode by 2009.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
December 1, 2005... As specific regulations are established and more new players enter the market, China's VoIP market is seen developing rapidly in the next three to five years to reach 995 billion minutes by 2009. According to Analysys International, since the...

APAC carriers boost spending.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)(Asia-Pacific region )(Brief article)(Statistical data)
December 1, 2005... Telcos in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to hike their capital expenditures by 3% this year, with most of their investments to go into next-generation technologies. Infonetics projects a similar trend next year, with the exception of...

Triple play key to telco success.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
December 1, 2005... While telcos may be banking on IPTV to boost their businesses, competition from satellite broadcasters that will strive to always outbid them for premium content may hamper their success. But telcos can still take advantage of the pay-TV boom,...

Continue growth for IP telephony gear.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
December 1, 2005... With IP telephony gaining popularity in Asia Pacific, the region's IP telephony equipment market has grown 28% to $150 million in the second quarter, leading all other markets in terms of revenue growth. According to IDC, countries such as...

Telstra plans IP transformation.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
December 1, 2005... The long-awaited results of Telstra's strategic review call for a A$10 billion ($7.3 million) five-year investment to transform the company's business model from one dependent on fixed-line services to one driven by IP and broadband. The...

Nanotechnoloqy: let's get small.(RESEND: Flashbacks, updates and nostalgia: Telecom Asia, December 2002)
December 1, 2005... SYNOPSIS: Nanotechnology is almost a misnomer in the telecoms space, with most companies associated with telecoms-related "nanotech" actually focused on "microtech" MEMS technology, which is a thousand times bigger. But MEMS technology is...

The General Administration of Press and Publication launches a monitoring system to step up surveillance of illegal Web sites.(BEIJING)
December 1, 2005... The General Administration of Press and Publication launches a monitoring system to step up surveillance of illegal Web sites. The system is specifically aimed at detecting Web sites with sexual and violent content.

A Hong Kong court sentences a man to three months in prison for distributing illegally copied movies over a P2P network.(HONG KONG)
December 1, 2005... A Hong Kong court sentences a man to three months in prison for distributing illegally copied movies over a P2P network. Chan Nai-ming, 38, an unemployed man who called himself "Big Crook", was jailed for uploading three Hollywood movies.

The UAE's Etisalat delays payment of the remaining balance for the 26% share.(ABU DHABI)
December 1, 2005... The UAE's Etisalat delays payment of the remaining balance for the 26% share in Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited it was awarded in a June bidding,

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology plans.(BANGKOK)
December 1, 2005... The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology plans to amend the country's telecommunications law to allow foreign investors to hold a maximum 49% stake in local telecom companies.

Thai operators reject the idea of auctioning 3G licenses, saying it is not to the utmost benefit of consumers.(BANGKOK)
December 1, 2005... Thai operators reject the idea of auctioning 3G licenses, saying it is not to the utmost benefit of consumers. The operators also recommend that the National Telecommunications Commission lead of Europe in giving out licenses.

Fixed-line operator TT&T aims to diversify into 3G services.(BANGKOK)
December 1, 2005... Fixed-line operator TT&T aims to diversify into 3G services and is seeking a foreign partner for the venture.

Sri Lanka cuts off international direct dialing services as a measure against telephone and Internet scams.(COLOMBO)
December 1, 2005... Sri Lanka cuts off international direct dialing services as a measure against telephone and Internet scams. Sri Lanka Telecom is ordered to stop its long-distance services after numerous reports of "modem hijacking" and Internet pornography...

The Vietnamese government decides not to license any new projects.(HANOI)
December 1, 2005... The Vietnamese government decides not to license any new projects in order to secure the quality of approved mobile networks.

The Vietnamese Prime Minister approves a project to launch a $180m telecom satellite, VINASAT, in Q2 2008.(HANOI)
December 1, 2005... The Vietnamese Prime Minister approves a project to launch a $180m telecom satellite, VINASAT, in Q2 2008. The satellite will provide telecom, radio and TV broadcasting in rural areas.

Telkom registers a net profit of $578.2m in the third quarter, a 19.1% increase year-on-year.(JAKARTA)
December 1, 2005... Telkom registers a net profit of $578.2m in the third quarter, a 19.1% increase year-on-year. The company attributed the growth to an increase in earnings of all its major divisions.

PLDT reports a net profit of 25b pesos ($456.7m) for the first nine months and is now looking at a full-year.(MANILA)
December 1, 2005... PLDT reports a net profit of 25b pesos ($456.7m) for the first nine months and is now looking at a full-year net income of 32b pesos ($585m).

The Ministry of Information and Communication will allow mobile operators.(SEOUL)
December 1, 2005... The Ministry of Information and Communication will allow mobile operators to subsidize mobile phone prices for subscribers who have maintain a subscription with the same carrier for three years.

KT posts a slight increase in third quarter earnings due to decreased interest costs and improved performances by its subsidiaries.(SEOUL)
December 1, 2005... KT posts a slight increase in third quarter earnings due to decreased interest costs and improved performances by its subsidiaries. Net income rose 0.4% from a year ago to 305.4b won ($293.2m).

Asia Pacific Broadband, Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone and Taiwan Cellular sign up over one million 3G subscribers.(TAIPEI)
December 1, 2005... Asia Pacific Broadband, Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone and Taiwan Cellular sign up over one million 3G subscribers. Another carrier, Vibo Telecom, plans to start offering 3G services by the end of this year.

The Japanese government approves a plan to issue licenses to three carriers to offer cellular services.(TOKYO)
December 1, 2005... The Japanese government approves a plan to issue licenses to three carriers to offer cellular services. This is the first time in 12 years that the Japanese government opened up the country's mobile market to more players.

NTT reports a 4% drop in net profit for the April-September period as the popularity of VoIP and other cheaper services eroded earnings.(TOKYO)
December 1, 2005... NTT reports a 4% drop in net profit for the April-September period as the popularity of VoIP and other cheaper services eroded earnings. First half profit totaled 330.7b yen ($2.8b), down from 344.6b yen ($2.9b) ear ago.

Optus is looking for ways to cut costs, including reducing headcount, after intense competition caused a second consecutive quarterly decline in net profit.(SYDNEY)
December 1, 2005... Optus is looking for ways to cut costs, including reducing headcount, after intense competition caused a second consecutive quarterly decline in net profit. The company reports an 8.1% decline in Q2 net profit to A$150m ($110.37m), compared to...

Telecom NZ will consider an alternative service provider for its ailing Australian business AAPT.(WELLINGTON)
December 1, 2005... Telecom NZ will consider an alternative service provider for its ailing Australian business AAPT, after "difficult" negotiations with current provider Telstra.

SingTel's group net profit for the July-September quarter rises 5.7% year-on-year to S$809m ($475.4m), with growth from its regional mobile businesses blunted by declining profits in Australia.(SINGAPORE)
December 1, 2005... SingTel's group net profit for the July-September quarter rises 5.7% year-on-year to S$809m ($475.4m), with growth from its regional mobile businesses blunted by declining profits in Australia. Its aggregate mobile subscriber base in Asia...

Vodafone buys 10% stake in Bharti Televentures for $1.5b.(NEW DELHI)
December 1, 2005... Vodafone buys 10% stake in Bharti Televentures for $1.5b. This is the single largest foreign investment in India to date.

India reduces the licensing fees for companies offering national long-distance telephony to 25m rupees ($546,200) from 1b rupees and that for providing international calls to 25m rupees from 250m rupees.(NEW DELHI)
December 1, 2005... India reduces the licensing fees for companies offering national long-distance telephony to 25m rupees ($546,200) from 1b rupees and that for providing international calls to 25m rupees from 250m rupees. The share of revenue that telephone...

Qualcomm files a lawsuit in a US federal court against Nokia for patent infringement.(movements)
December 1, 2005... Qualcomm files a lawsuit in a US federal court against Nokia for patent infringement. The suit comes less than two weeks after Nokia and five other companies filed complaints to the EU, accusing Qualcomm of breaking antitrust law in its...

The US Justice Department proposes tougher sanctions against people who attempt to copy music or movies without permission.(movements)
December 1, 2005... The US Justice Department proposes tougher sanctions against people who attempt to copy music or movies without permission. The bill will widen intellectual-property protections to cover those who try but fail to make illicit copies of music,...

The US Attorney's office in Los Angeles readies charges against a 20-year-old man accused of "hijacking" thousands of computers to launch spam attacks.(movements)
December 1, 2005... The US Attorney's office in Los Angeles readies charges against a 20-year-old man accused of "hijacking" thousands of computers to launch spam attacks. The case is the first prosecution of its kind.

Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Communications and Newhouse Communications unveil a long-awaited deal to deliver their own mobile services through Sprint Nextel.(movements)
December 1, 2005... Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Communications and Newhouse Communications unveil a long-awaited deal to deliver their own mobile services through Sprint Nextel, creating a "quadruple play" of voice, video, Internet and wireless services.

Vodafone Group sells its Sweden unit to Norway's Telenor.(movements)
December 1, 2005... Vodafone Group sells its Sweden unit to Norway's Telenor for 1.035b euros ($1.2b).

The 3GPP approves China's TD-SCDMA as one of the world's 3G standards.(movements)
December 1, 2005... The 3GPP approves China's TD-SCDMA as one of the world's 3G standards. The standard will be formally known as TR 34.943.

Deutsche Telekom posts its fourth straight quarterly profit on rising sales in the US.(movements)
December 1, 2005... Deutsche Telekom posts its fourth straight quarterly profit on rising sales in the US, but warns that more job cuts were likely. Europe's biggest telco also lowers its outlook for next year.

Huawei secures the approval of India's Department of Telecom for the Chinese vendor's plans to set up a manufacturing plant in India.(movements)
December 1, 2005... Huawei secures the approval of India's Department of Telecom for the Chinese vendor's plans to set up a manufacturing plant in India. The Indian government's Home and External Affairs Ministries earlier rejected the proposal due to "security...

Motorola agrees to settle a lawsuit against former president Mike Zafirovski.(movements)
December 1, 2005... Motorola agrees to settle a lawsuit against former president Mike Zafirovski for $11.5m cash and other requirements.

Former Bell Labs president William O. Baker.(movements)
December 1, 2005... Former Bell Labs president William O. Baker, who advised US presidents on intelligence gathering and oversaw researchers who won back-to-back Nobel Prizes, including for work underpinning the "Big Bang" theory on the origin of the universe,...

Scalping Skype: how to beat the Internet's most popular telephony program at its own game: Skype's seemingly exponential growth has sent shockwaves through the industry as talk of free voice gains momentum and telcos question their very existence. But as service providers plan a counterattack they're finding Skype is far from ubiquitous, not always free and often not the cheapest.(Cover story)
December 1, 2005... Eugene Hsu loves Skype. For the Chinese-American working for Intel in Shanghai the popular VoIP service lets him keep in touch with his brother in California, his parents in New Jersey, friends in southern China, and ex-colleagues and...

Defeating the pirates: the impact of technology on pay-TV piracy: Pay-TV piracy is getting worse, according to the latest industry figures. The good news is that evolving IPTV technologies could make set-top boxes harder to crack. The bad news is that piracy is also going high-tech, and shifts in viewing habits are creating new potential vulnerabilities.(SATELLITE)
December 1, 2005... Sometimes, if you want to get something done, you have to do it yourself. Take CASBAA (the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia), which has taken steps in the last few years to tackle the growing problem of pay-TV piracy in all...

Building from the ashes.(ONE-TO-ONE)(Bill Marra -Tyco Telecommunications )(Interview)
December 1, 2005... In the wake of the bandwidth bubble bust, submarine cable supplier Tyco Telecommunications is out of the operator business. However, Tyco Telecom VP and GM Bill Marra tells global technology editor John C. Tanner the company is all the wiser...

Leakage woes increase: as revenue assurance continues to move up the corporate agenda, the risk from revenue leakage is growing with the launch of high-value and more complex emerging IP and 3G services.(SERVICE)
December 1, 2005... Driven by the increasing global focus on better corporate governance, revenue assurance (RA) continues to gain greater recognition by the majority of telcos, with a dedicated RA team now being the standard among most operators. According...

Preparing for HSDPA: with WiMAX and other wireless broadband technologies knocking on the door, 3G network operators are racing to get HSDPA capabilities moving through trails and into operation. Test equipment manufacturers are keeping pace with new equipment.(TEST & MEASUREMENT)
December 1, 2005... The availability of test equipment is key for bringing technologies out of the lab quickly. But it s an iterative process. As real network elements are integrated, problems in the specifications are discovered and resolved, which means...

Paving the way for video calls.(MARKET VIEW)
December 1, 2005... It may be surprising for many to know that the history of video calls goes back to 1964 when AT&T introduced its first video phone at the New York City World's Fair. Four decades and numerous aborted trials, tests and failed products later,...

WiMAX mobile standard products.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
December 1, 2005... ArrayComm and TeleCIS Wireless have entered into a joint development agreement to create products based on the upcoming WiMAX "802.16e" (mobile) standard. TeleCIS Wireless will support ArrayComm's smart antenna solutions in its...

Consumer WiMAX gear.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
December 1, 2005... Aperto Networks will launch in the first quarter of 2006 its indoor, self-install consumer WiMAX broadband wireless products. Its WiMAX customer premise equipment (CPE), which leverages "the latest advancements in chip, radio and antenna...

Video capabilities for residential gateways.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
December 1, 2005... Texas Instruments' AR7 ADSL solution and DM642 digital media processor are bringing video capabilities to DSL-based residential gateways through OEMs Complete Media Systems and Video Networks. The two firms have created DSL-based IP set-top...

Complete HSDPA solution.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
December 1, 2005... Qualcomm's mobile station modem MSM6280 chipset, the second complete HSDPA solution from the company, supports data speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps, enabling the deployment of advanced data and multimedia services among mobile subscribers worldwide....

Hassle-free IPTV services charging.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)(Intec Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... Intec IPTV, a pre-integrated IPTV solution, addresses key issues in managing and charging for interactive TV services over IP, enabling service providers to deliver such services virtually hassle-free. These issues include rating, charging...

Multi-protocol media converter.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)(Allied Telesyn Inc.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... Allied Telesyn's protocol-independent, managed media converter system, Converteon, facilitates the transport of telecom traffic such as E1/T1, serial RS232 communications, as well as traditional Ethernet, Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet from...

Intelligent mobile services and content delivery.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
December 1, 2005... Tatara Systems and Mobile Cohesion have come up with a solution that will bring intelligence to mobile services and content delivery. The joint solution provides the ability to optimize the mobile user experience based on the network...

Expanded VoIP functionality.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
December 1, 2005... Quintum Technologies' Tenor line of multi-path switches and gateways are now interoperable with BroadSoft's BroadWorks VoIP application platform, enabling Quintum to address the needs of next-generation service providers wanting to offer...

Zafirovski takes helm at Nortel.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Mike Zafirovski began his tenure as president and CEO of Nortel Networks on November 15, as originally planned and announced, weeks after the company reached an agreement with rival Motorola over the lawsuit against the former president and COO...

Steve Case quits Time Warner board.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Steve Case, a co-founder of AOL and one of the main architects of the AOL-Time Warner merger, has resigned from the board of Time Warner. Case, who stepped down as chairman in 2003, says he is leaving to devote more time to his new company,...

J:Com's service strategies director.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Jupiter Telecommunications has appointed Toru Kato as director and SVP to lead the company's newly created service strategies department, which encompass the former business development department. Separately, Hitoshi Yoshimura has resigned...

Subex HR VP.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Subex Systems has hired Sanjay Paul Antony as VP of human resources. Previously Antony served in HR management positions in companies including Novell and Goldman Sachs in India.

SIM Technology CEO.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... SIM Technology Group has promoted Raymond Tsang Hen Loon to CEO. In addition to this new role, Tsang will continue to serve as an executive director on the company's board.

New Mobile Cohesion executive.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Mobile Cohesion has added Paul Van Doorn to the company's board as a director. Most recently, he was executive director of the international business department at NTT DoCoMo and has held executive posts with Global One, KPN Telecom and...

Motorola names core networks head.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Motorola has named Margaret Rice-Jones as corporate VP and GM of core network business, responsible for P&L performance of the newly-aligned business unit. Rice-Jones will be located in the UK at Motorola's EMEA regional headquarters in...

Premiere hires APAC finance director.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Premiere Global Services, which provides communications technologies that simplify business process, has appointed Dean Foster as finance director for Asia Pacific, heading the company's finance and human resources teams across the region.

Operations VP for Aperto.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... WiMAX systems provider Aperto Networks has appointed Glenn Tamaru as VP of operations. Most recently Tamaru held the same position at GoDigital Networks. Prior to that, he worked with Ascend/Lucent, Bay Networks/Nortel and Solectron.

Pangean's SVP of sales.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Pangean Technologies has named Jack Galligan SVP of sales, with a focus on streamlining the sales process and increase direct sales of the company's SIP-based VoIP solutions to enterprise and government segments.

Tandberg taps EMEA president.(TELECOM CAREER)(Tandberg Television promotes Eric Baron )(Europe, Middle East and Africa)(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... Tandberg Television has promoted Eric Baron to the newly created position of president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Baron, who has been VP of sales for EMEA for the past two years, will be responsible for the sales, delivery and...

HP appoints MD for HK office.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... HP has appointed Sun Cheng-yaw as MD of Hong Kong to oversee the company's business operations in both the city and China. Sun will continue in his current roles as VP of HP and GM of the technology solutions group of HP China/Hong Kong.

Experian appoints executives.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... Global information solutions company Experian has named Richard Watkins as SVP for the Asia-Pacific region and John Harker as MD for business development. Both executives have relocated to the company's Asian headquarters in Hong Kong.

iBwave names president.(TELECOM CAREER)
December 1, 2005... iBwave has promoted its senior executive Mario Bouchard to president and CEO of the company. Bouchard has held key leadership roles for in-building initiatives at Bell Canada and Telus Mobility.

Networking opportunities across Asia.(EVENTS CALENDAR)(Table)(Calendar)
December 1, 2005... Networking opportunities across Asia Date Event Location Dec 05-Dec 06, 2005 Billing Asia 2005 Shanghai, China Dec 05-Dec 07, 2005 Satcom Australia 2005 Sydney,...

Asia telecom transactions index.(TELECOM CORPORATE)
December 1, 2005... Asia telecom transactions index Seller Buyer Marconi Ericsson China Resources/ China Mobile Michael Leung Ericsson Guangdong Mobile and...

Index continues slow slide.(TA30 TELECOM STOCK INDEX OCT 14-NOV 11, 05)
December 1, 2005... The TA Index ended eight points or 0.68% lower, extending its fall for a third consecutive month. Decliners outnumbered gainers 18 to 10, with two stocks unchanged. Leading the winners was Hong Kong-listed APT Satellite, which climbed...

M&A: the vendor shakeout.(INSIDE LINE)
December 1, 2005... The M&A groove is back. Merchant bankers are racking up the air miles while CEOs are either running the slide rule over competitors or digging their bunkers. Right now the action is all on the operator side. Telefonica's $32 billion...

Do you know where that SIM's been?(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(subscriber identity module )(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... Demand for mobile phones is high at Thailand's infamous Bang Kwang prison in Nonthaburi province, since many inmates are drug dealers who want to keep their business running. And, since cellphones are naturally banned from the prison, inmates...

Hack.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(international direct dialing )(Brief article)
December 1, 2005... HACK: Sri Lankans hoping to make IDD calls to select Pacific Islands are out of luck for the next few months. Last month, the government ordered Sri Lanka Telecom, the country's main international gateway operator, to cut off IDD services to 13...

VoIP.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)
December 1, 2005... VoIP: eBay chief executive Meg Whitman says that well before the end of the decade, the real money in VoIP won't be from per-minute charges but from transaction fees or advertising. "The percentage of users that you can actually charge for...

Filters.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)
December 1, 2005... FILTERS: The recent controversy over Yahoo! providing information to the Chinese government that led to the jailing of journalist Shi Tao brought to light (again) the public relations costs of doing business with governments with heavy...