Telecom Asia articles from January 2008

Telecom Asia archives from January 2008

ChinaWire launches.(TELECOMASIA.NET HIGHLIGHTS)(The ChinaWire)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The best China coverage on the net is now hosted on Telecomasia.net. Editor Robert Clark lifts the lid on the opaque mainland market by drawing on the best of the mainland media as well as bringing original reporting and analysis. This...

Telco monopolies get Second Life.(TANNER)
January 1, 2008... One of the interesting things about Second Life is this: for a virtual world whose population includes flying bat-winged people who pay extra for genitalia, which is then invariably used to perform unnatural acts with pandas to the point where...

STBs put the 'play' in 'triple-play'.(FIRST MILE)
January 1, 2008... As promised this time last year, Microsoft has officially transformed its Xbox 360 game console into an IPTV set-top box. Powered by Microsoft's Mediaroom software, the IPTV-enabled Xbox was launched at CES2008 in Las Vegas in January, and...

Voice growth loses steam.(STAT SNAP)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... After decades of rapid growth, international voice traffic growth is now showing signs of slowing, according to TeleGeography. From only 18 billion minutes in 1986, international voice traffic surged to almost 500 billion minutes in...

Reform is in the air in Beijing.(NEWS ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... After years of stasis, the Ministry of Information Industry and the National Development and Reform Commission looks set to embark on a sweeping reform of China's carrier sector. In the opaque manner of Chinese officialdom, no formal...

Telco capex spending on the upswing.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
January 1, 2008... Telecom equipment spending in Asia, excluding Japan, rose 19.5% to $51.8 billion in the first three quarters of 2007. Data from Ovum RHK show that growth for the region, including Japan, was just 6%, with capex totaling $47.1 billion. Wireless...

Mobile Wimax upsurge by 2010.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
January 1, 2008... The number of subscribers to mobile Wimax 802.16e will breach the 80-million mark by 2015, with the uptick to start by 2010. According to Juniper Research, more than 50 mobile Wimax 802.16e trials and network contracts were announced in 2007...

Backhaul technology plays crucial role.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
January 1, 2008... As operators strive to more effectively meet their performance requirements, backhaul technology is becoming more and more critical. ABI Research says operators should design their networks to meet peak traffic demand and not just average usage...

Cellcos risk losing corporate clients.(INSIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
January 1, 2008... If mobile service providers do not update their sales strategies, they may eventually lose their high-value corporate customers and turn into chiefly consumer players. According to Gartner, mobile operators' business salesforces are more...

Moto gets Soundbuzz.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
January 1, 2008... In the latest episode of handset makers getting into the mobile content business, Motorola has grand plans to expand its hit MotoMusic service out of China and into the rest of Asia via its 100% acquisition of Singapore-based music service...

China may relax internet rules on video-sharing to keep foreign investment flowing.(BEIJING)
January 1, 2008... China may relax internet rules on video-sharing to keep foreign investment flowing. New regulations require that the state has a controlling interest in any video entertainment website. Analysts, however, suggest Beijing won't shutter private...

China Telecom estimates that its main business turnover will hit 177.1b yuan ($24.5b) in 2007, up by 2.4% year on year.(BEIJING)
January 1, 2008... China Telecom estimates that its main business turnover will hit 177.1b yuan ($24.5b) in 2007, up by 2.4% year on year. Net profit is expected to reach 26.6b yuan ($3.6b), up 1.9% year on year.

Beijing Guge Sci-Tech takes Google's China.(BEIJING)
January 1, 2008... Beijing Guge Sci-Tech takes Google's China operations to court over what it says is an infringement of the Chinese translation of its name, "Guge."

Hutchison Whampoa pushes back the breakeven targets for its 3G business to next year.(HONG KONG)(Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Hutchison Whampoa pushes back the breakeven targets for its 3G business to next year. The ports-to-telecom group had previously anticipated that it would achieve fully positive cash flow and positive earnings before interest and taxes on a...

Facebook raises $60m from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, adding to the list of financial heavyweights backing the online hangout's rapid growth.(HONG KONG)
January 1, 2008... Facebook raises $60m from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing, adding to the list of financial heavyweights backing the online hangout's rapid growth. Li will receive a 0.4% stake in Palo Alto-based Facebook in return for his investment

PacNet, the merged entity of Asia Netcom and Pacific Internet, is planning an IPO in the US to raise up to $800m by the end of next year.(HONG KONG)
January 1, 2008... PacNet, the merged entity of Asia Netcom and Pacific Internet, is planning an IPO in the US to raise up to $800m by the end of next year. The company aims to use the fired to expand its network, and is also considering acquisitions in Japan and...

CAT and AIS urge the new coalition government to continue backing reform regulations initiated by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's government to ensure industry confidence.(BANGKOK)
January 1, 2008... CAT and AIS urge the new coalition government to continue backing reform regulations initiated by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's government to ensure industry confidence. They also call on the government to push forward and clarify policies...

Samart predicts that its 2008 revenues will be more than the 20b baht ($659m) forecast earlier, helped by expansions overseas.(BANGKOK)
January 1, 2008... Samart predicts that its 2008 revenues will be more than the 20b baht ($659m) forecast earlier, helped by expansions overseas. The company, however, says the firm's 2007 revenues would miss the 25b baht ($824m) to 26b baht ($856m) target.

Vietnam plans to open IP phone-to-phone services in the areas bordering China in 2008.(HANOI)
January 1, 2008... Vietnam plans to open IP phone-to-phone services in the areas bordering China in 2008. The service will encourage residents in remote areas to access phone services at lower costs.

Singapore state investment arm Temasek Holdings files an appeal against an order to divest its stake in one of Indonesia's two largest mobile operators.(JAKARTA)
January 1, 2008... Singapore state investment arm Temasek Holdings files an appeal against an order to divest its stake in one of Indonesia's two largest mobile operators. Watchdog KPPU ruled last month that Temasek had violated the country's anti-monopoly laws.

PT Telekomunikasi Selular expects revenue growth of over 15%.(JAKARTA)
January 1, 2008... PT Telekomunikasi Selular expects revenue growth of over 15% and capital expenditure of $1.5b in 2008.

Emirates Telecommunications (Etisalat) agrees to buy a 16% stake in PT Excelcomindo.(JAKARTA)
January 1, 2008... Emirates Telecommunications (Etisalat) agrees to buy a 16% stake in PT Excelcomindo from diversified Indonesian group Rajawali for $438m.

AT&T reportedly wants to buy an unspecified stake in the mobile arm of state-controlled Telekom Malaysia.(KUALA LUMPUR)
January 1, 2008... AT&T reportedly wants to buy an unspecified stake in the mobile arm of state-controlled Telekom Malaysia. Telekom Malaysia is spinning off its mobile business into a separately listed firm, TM International, which will include its domestic...

PLDT is among the 14 members of the Pacific Partners, an alliance of major carriers in the region, that have signed an agreement to ensure quick restoration of services in their networks.(MANILA)
January 1, 2008... PLDT is among the 14 members of the Pacific Partners, an alliance of major carriers in the region, that have signed an agreement to ensure quick restoration of services in their networks during major cable system failures.

KT is considering merging with its mobile phone subsidiary KTF.(SEOUL)
January 1, 2008... KT is considering merging with its mobile phone subsidiary KTF. The company is weighing various options for restructuring, including a holding company scheme and a merger with the second largest mobile operator.

The SK Group, parent of oil refiner SK and top mobile operator SK Telecom, plans to invest a record 8 trillion won ($8.6b) in 2008, up from 7 trillion won ($7.6b) in 2007.(SEOUL)
January 1, 2008... The SK Group, parent of oil refiner SK and top mobile operator SK Telecom, plans to invest a record 8 trillion won ($8.6b) in 2008, up from 7 trillion won ($7.6b) in 2007. Of the total investment, 6.9 trillion won will be allocated to capital...

Chunghwa Telecom plans to boost its capital expenditure by 20% this year to NT$30b ($929m) to NT$32b ($987m).(TAIPEI)
January 1, 2008... Chunghwa Telecom plans to boost its capital expenditure by 20% this year to NT$30b ($929m) to NT$32b ($987m). About NT$18b ($555m) of the total will be used for buying handsets.

The communications ministry gives out wireless broadband licenses to handy-phone operator Willcom and a group led by mobile operator KDDI, which expected to start commercial services by the end of 2009.(TOKYO)
January 1, 2008... The communications ministry gives out wireless broadband licenses to handy-phone operator Willcom and a group led by mobile operator KDDI, which expected to start commercial services by the end of 2009. KDDI is expected to adopt Wimax...

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission rejects a SingTelled plan to build a multibillion-dollar high-speed broadband network in the country, but added it would welcome a revised proposal from the group.(SYDNEY)
January 1, 2008... The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission rejects a SingTelled plan to build a multibillion-dollar high-speed broadband network in the country, but added it would welcome a revised proposal from the group. The competition watchdog said...

The Singaporean government calls on bids to build the country's next-generation broadband network.(SINGAPORE)
January 1, 2008... The Singaporean government calls on bids to build the country's next-generation broadband network, saying the winning bidder would have to be structurally separate from the city-state's telecom and internet operators.

SingTel records an exceptional gain of around S$118m ($82m) and post a S$96m ($67m) loss.(SINGAPORE)
January 1, 2008... SingTel records an exceptional gain of around S$118m ($82m) and post a S$96m ($67m) loss from the disposal of a stake in a Taiwan company.

Regulator TRAI proposes allowing players to offer mobile TV services using any technology of their choice and issuing licenses through a closed tender system on the basis of a one-time entry fee quoted by the bidders.(NEW DELHI)
January 1, 2008... Regulator TRAI proposes allowing players to offer mobile TV services any technology of their choice issuing licenses through a closed tender system on the basis of a onetime entry fee quoted by the bidders. The regulator also recommends that...

State-controlled BSNL plans to float a new tender for 13m GSM lines by the end of January.(NEW DELHI)
January 1, 2008... State-controlled BSNL plans to float a new tender for 13m GSM lines by the end of January after Nokia and Ericsson declined to accept the order.

VSNL sells 10% of its Sri Lankan subsidiary, VSNL Lanka, to Sri Lankan conglomerate Sunshine Holdings.(NEW DELHI)
January 1, 2008... VSNL sells 10% of its Sri Lankan subsidiary, VSNL Lanka, to Sri Lankan conglomerate Sunshine Holdings for 75m Sri Lankan rupees ($690,000).

A federal judge in California orders Qualcomm to stop selling 3G W-CDMA cellular chips that infringe on patents belonging to its smaller rival Broadcom.(movements)
January 1, 2008... A federal judge in California orders Qualcomm to stop selling 3G W-CDMA cellular chips that infringe on patents belonging to its smaller rival Broadcom. The judge, however, rules that Qualcomm can keep selling some chips using the patents...

The European Commission will make proposals by mid-2008 aimed at creating a single European market in the burgeoning sector of online music, films and games.(movements)
January 1, 2008... The European Commission will make proposals by mid-2008 aimed at creating a single European market in the burgeoning sector of online music, films and games. A major objective will be to tackle illegal downloads, which the European Commission...

Netscape Navigator, the world's first commercial web browser and the launch pad of the internet boom.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Netscape Navigator, the world's first commercial web browser and the launch pad of the internet boom, will be pulled off life support February 1 after a 13-year run, as Time Warner's AOL decides to kill further development.

Vonage Holdings and Nortel Networks settle their patent litigation, allowing for cross-licensing of the telecom companies' technology.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Vonage Holdings and Nortel Networks settle their patent litigation, allowing for cross-licensing of the telecom companies' technology. The agreement does not call for any payments by either company.

Alcatel-Lucent signs an optical-fiber construction agreement worth $82m.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Alcatel-Lucent signs an optical-fiber construction agreement worth $82m to lay the first telecoms cable connecting east Africa's coast with the rest of the world.

Sony Computer Entertainment and Skype Technologies plan to launch an internet phone service this month.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Sony Computer Entertainment and Skype Technologies plan to launch an internet phone service this month on the PSP's latest model released in September.

Google and Matsushita's Panasonic unit are developing televisions that display internet content such as photos and videos together.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Google and Matsushita's Panasonic unit are developing televisions that display internet content such as photos and videos together. The TVs, to be launched this spring, will allow users to directly browse and access videos from YouTube and view...

Nokia Siemens Networks agrees to buy Britain's Apertio, a provider of real-time subscriber data applications for telecom operators with 237 staff.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Nokia Siemens Networks agrees to buy Britain's Apertio, a provider of real-time subscriber data applications for telecom operators with 237 staff, for about 140m euros ($206m) and expects to close the deal in the first quarter of 2008.

Swedish telecoms operator Tele2's jointly owned network company Mobile Norway.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Swedish telecoms operator Tele2's jointly owned network company Mobile Norway has been allocated a 3G license in Norway.

Air France becomes the first airline to offer international passengers email and text-messaging service based on standard cellphone technology.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Air France becomes the first airline to offer international passengers email and text-messaging service based on standard cellphone technology. The catch: it's only available on a single Airbus A318 aircraft.

Microsoft agrees to buy Norwegian search company Fast for $1.2b.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Microsoft agrees to buy Norwegian search company Fast for $1.2b, aiming to shore up its search technology for businesses against competition from Orade and IBM.

Nokia expects the global market for mobile devices to grow 10% this year.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Nokia expects the global market for mobile devices to grow 10% this year and predicts that worldwide market for internet services would reach $145b by 2010.

Google confirms its plans to bid for a prized piece of the airwaves in an upcoming government auction.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Google confirms its plans to bid for a prized piece of the airwaves in an upcoming government auction, further underscoring the internet search leader's determination to shake up the wireless market and plumb more profits from mobile phones.

Sony Ericsson wins European backing to sell a 50% stake of software developer UI Holdings BV to its rival, Motorola.(movements)
January 1, 2008... Sony Ericsson wins European backing to sell a 50% stake of software developer UI Holdings BV to its rival, Motorola. The European Commission clears the deal after identifying no antitrust problems and receiving no complaints from rivals.

The big trends for '08.(Cover story)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Last year was full of the usual change and disruption for the telecom industry--almost a typical year, except that players outside the traditional telecom sector created some of the most serious threats. Of course...

Moving up the value chain: Nortel president and CEO Mike Zafirovski, who met with group editor Joseph Waring during a recent visit to Hong Kong, says operators understand the future will be very different than the past and that they have to be marketing machines to drive the experience and deliver value.(ONE-TO- ONE)(Interview)(Company overview)
January 1, 2008... Telecom Asia: What brings you to Asia? Mike Zafirovski: Customers, suppliers, employees and the media. I try to spend a lot of time in the field--at least half is outside North America with customers. I think this is my eighth trip to...

Businesses refocus on core goals: lowering costs and access to skills drive the surge in managed services as carriers bulk up offerings across the board.(BUSINESS)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wholesale outsourcing as a business strategy seems to be fading from the spotlight as companies feel less inclined to hand over staff and assets en masse to third-party providers. In its place: managed services,...

Mobile goes green: reducing power consumption is just the first step. Telecom vendors are exploring alternative energy such as bio fuels and solar energy.(TECHNOLOGY)
January 1, 2008... The mobile industry is going green. Already vendors have begun a series of initiatives from "green phones" that mitigate radiation to mobile phone chargers that use less standby power to address environment issues. As the need to reduce cost...

Market inertia stunts Wimax potential.(FORUM)
January 1, 2008... The Wimax industry continues to gather momentum in Asia as it draws attention as a hotbed of opportunities and deployment. This is despite recent setbacks and negative press, clouded investor confidence especially in the US, continued delays in...

Firms harness Web 2.0 to improve productivity.(INDUSTRY VIEW)
January 1, 2008... Deployment of consumer technologies and applications into the work environment is surfacing in the business community. We are seeing this as more IT executives begin to realize the importance of creating a user-driven IT model that encourages...

End-to-end VoWimax solution.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
January 1, 2008... Telrad Networks has released the Commatch 1000 series of VoIP customer premises equipment as part of its offering for voice over WiMAX. Commatch 1000 is a generic voice and data CPE, with full interoperability with the Commatch 6004 for...

Electrical-tilt Wimax antenna series.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) has expanded its series of Wimax-ready tower-top solutions with the launch of an electrical-tilt Wimax antenna series. RFS says its new Optimizer APXVx56516 antenna series is part of...

ZigBee wall router.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
January 1, 2008... Digi International has released the XBee wall router, a ZigBee router used to expand a ZigBee network's range. By plugging into standard power sockets, XBee wall routers are easy-to-install building blocks for self-healing ZigBee networks and...

Enhanced network monitoring.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
January 1, 2008... Astellia's Cigale Core CS application brings additional information related to the core network for quicker and more efficient troubleshooting of all the standard Astellia GSM, GPRS and UMTS solutions. When monitoring the access network,...

Three-in-one handheld ODTR.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)(optical time domain reflectometer)(Fujikura Europe Ltd.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Fujikura Europe has launched a new low-cost handheld optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR)that is designed to enable cost-effective testing and monitoring of FTTH networks. The OFL 250 OTDR combines an optical power meter, laser source...

Platform for specialized apps.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
January 1, 2008... Guniper Networks has announced a new platform that enables customers and partners to develop specialized applications on best-in-class JUNOS software. With the Partner Solution Development Platform (PSDP), Juniper says customers and...

Modular switching.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)(Cisco-Aironet.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Cisco has introduced the Catalyst 6500 series virtual switching system (VSS) 1440 enabled by the virtual switching supervisor engine 720 with 10 Gigabit Ethernet and the Catalyst 4500 E-series with CenterFlex technology. The Catalyst 6500...

'Smallest' Wi-Fi storage device.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
January 1, 2008... Suzuki Technology has unveiled the SUMO-DRIVE, what it claims as the personal Wi-Fi storage device. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At just 4.37 inches in height, 3.07 inches in width and 0.90 inches in depth and weighing only 230 grams with...

NICTIA names new head.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... The National ICT Industry Alliance (NICTIA)--an organization composed of representatives from various Australian ICT industry, professional, user and technology development groups--has elected Communications Alliance CEO Anne Hurley as...

Ericsson appoints global services chief.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... Ericsson has promoted Jan Frykhammar to the position of SVP and head of the company's global services unit, effectively making him a part of the group management team. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Frykhammar was most recently VP and head of...

Exec appointments at BT.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... BT has appointed Sudhir Narang as MD for the company's Indian operations and Hong-Jin Kim as MD for the company's Korean operations. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company has also assigned Richard Wright as head of public relations and...

NCS hires CEO.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... Lim Eng has taken over the helm at SingTel subsidiary NCS, replacing Dr Chong Yoke Sin, who left the company after serving NCS for 11 years. Lim was previously SingTel's group director of human resource, responsible for strategic HR issues...

AT&T assigns India president.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... AT&T has named Mark Shine president for AT&T Communication Services India, bringing with him more than 25 years of experience in the telecom industry. He was most recently VP of AT&T Global Sales Operations.

Acme Mobile adds two execs.(TELECOM CAREER)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Southeast Asian mobile content distribution company Acme Mobile has hired Kristan Rivers as COO, and Bryan Head as country manager to lead the company's new Manila-based operations. Rivers was most recently GM of Asia Pacific for mobile...

T-Systems names VP.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... T-Systems has appointed Christopher Lim as VP to head the company's IT operations in South Asia. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lim, who has more than 14 years of experience in the ICT arena, joined T-Systems in 2004.

Miyowa hires marketing VP.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... Scott Stonham has joined mobile IM services specialist Miyowa as VP of product marketing. A seasoned technology marketing professional, Stonham has held various positions at major industry leading companies, including Vodafone and Qualcomm...

Hollywood veteran joins Music intelligence Solutions.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... Music Intelligence Solutions has appointed Stratton Leopold to its advisory board. Leopold has worked in the media business for more than three decades, with more than 50 film credits to his name for a variety of roles, including executive...

Purple Labs recruits execs.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... Purple Labs, a supplier of embedded Linux solutions for mobile phones, has hired Olivier Bartholot as VP of product management and Steve Langkamp as chief marketing officer. Prior to joining Purple Labs, Bartholot was VP of worldwide field...

SIA announces new officers.(TELECOM CAREER)(Satellite Industry Association )(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The Satellite Industry Association has appointed Patricia Cooper as president of the US-based trade association, replacing the former executive director, David Cavossa, who recently departed SIA for private industry. Cooper joins SIA from the...

RSCC appoints investment head.(TELECOM CAREER)
January 1, 2008... Russian Satellite Communications Company has appointed Evgeny Buidinov as head of the company's investment projects.

Networking opportunities across Asia.(EVENTS CALENDAR)(Brief article)(Calendar)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Networking opportunities across Asia Date Event Location Feb 12, 2008 Global Mobile Awards 2008 Barcelona, Spain Feb 12-15, 2008 Mobile World Congress 2008 ...

Jumping the divide with OLPC.(INSIDE LINE)
January 1, 2008... Intel's departure from Nicholas Negroponte's low-cost laptop program was inevitable as the workings of Moore s Law--but not necessarily a bad thing. Getting the world's biggest chipmaker onboard was an important step for OLPC because of...

SatLav or SatNav.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)
January 1, 2008... A sometimes desperately needed service from the Westminster, England City Council allows cellphone users to find the nearest public restroom. The Westminster area of London is an area that includes crowded public areas and popular sights such...

Shinning light.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... When Rima Pivovarova tells her son about his birth she can give credit to mobile phones for helping doctors with the delivery. Backup generators during a power failure did not provide lights to the maternity ward, but quick thinking nurses...

Ring rage.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)
January 1, 2008... A judge in Niagara Falls, New York jailed 46 people after no one admitted to having his cellphone ring disrupt court proceedings. The Associated Press reported that Judge Robert Restaino was so upset at a ringing cellphone that he demanded the...

Off the hook.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)
January 1, 2008... A bill in Washington would end the $100 to $200 fees that some US operators charge to end a cellphone contract. The bill would require that early termination fees be pro-rated. Another provision in the proposed legislation would require...