Telecom Asia articles from June 2005

Telecom Asia archives from June 2005

Simplicity: it's hard.(TANNER)(user friendly technology)
June 1, 2005... Thirty years in the making, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is coming to a theatre near you (or may in fact have come and gone by the time this comes out). I haven't seen it yet, but no matter--I've read all the books (several times...

Watching the stratellites.(FIRST MILE)(GlobeTel Communications Corp.'s stratellites)
June 1, 2005... Technological innovations with the potential to turn industries on their heads often face huge challenges in gaining commercial acceptance. The latest example comes from Sanswire, a subsidiary of IP telephony provider GlobeTel Communications....

Putting the 'value' in 'broadband VAS'.(STAT SNAP)
June 1, 2005... Good news for broadband operators trying to avoid being relegated to bit pipe provider status: value-added service plays seem to be paying off. Revenue earned by consumer broadband VAS more than doubled during 2004, according to data...

Bangladesh expects boom in PSTN.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
June 1, 2005... Bangladesh, which has witnessed a surge in its mobile sector, is now expecting a boom in fixed-line telephony after a court asked the state-run fixed-line operator, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), to end WorldTel Bangladesh's...

WiMAX subscribers to hit 10.9 million by 2009.(IN SIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
June 1, 2005... The number of WiMAX subscribers is forecast to reach 10.9 million by 2009, with the majority on 802.16d networks. Fixed carriers and ISPs, and not mobile operators, are likely to lead WiMAX rollouts, a Pyramid Research report shows. These fixed...

Competition policies to fuel China telecom growth.(IN SIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
June 1, 2005... opening its telecom market to foreign players instead of protecting "domestic companies and antiquated technology" will boost the growth of China's high-potential telecom industry. A Progress & Freedom Foundation study said the Chinese...

Mobile data services to grow even without 'killer app'.(IN SIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)
June 1, 2005... Asian wireless operators can still expect stable data revenue growth despite the absence of a true "killer app" that will become their main data revenue driver. A Merrill Lynch report showed China registering 185% growth in revenues from mobile...

Fixed mobile substitution over estimated.(IN SIGHT: ONE MONTH'S TELECOM RESEARCH)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... Lower voice rates and Internet access will keep Australians hooked on their fixed lines despite the popularity of mobile phones in the country. Research from AMR Interactive shows that 71% of the 1,915 Australians surveyed feel that relying...

Wireless broadband spectrum goes under the IDA hammer.(NEWS ANALYSIS)
June 1, 2005... Singapore's broadband market is bracing for elevated competition as the regulator prepares to issue new spectrum licenses for wireless broadband access. In a move to bring in new competition and encourage greater broadband offerings and...

The Joy of [IPv]6.(RESEND: Flashbacks, updates and nostalgia: Telecom Asia, June 2001)
June 1, 2005... SYNOPSIS: IPv6 is coming. In fact, there's little choice on the matter thanks to the coming trend of IP-enabled always-on devices, which will require millions of dedicated IP addresses that IPv4 can't supply. Some carriers are already deploying...

China and ASEAN countries reach an agreement to enhance cooperation on information and communication technology.(BEIJING)
June 1, 2005... China and ASEAN countries reach an agreement to enhance cooperation on information and communication technology. The Beijing Declaration came out last month during China-ASEAN ICT week.

The China Satellite Communications Corporation signs a 100m euro ($130m) deal with Alcatel Space for satellite services.(BEIJING)
June 1, 2005... The China Satellite Communications Corporation signs a 100m euro ($130m) deal with Alcatel Space for satellite services to be used for live radio and TV broadcasts.

The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television gives China's first IPTV license.(SHANGHAI)
June 1, 2005... The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television gives China's first IPTV license to Shanghai Television Station.

Hong Kong Broadband Network officially launches its FTTH/FTTB 1Gbps symmetric service for the residential market.(HONG KONG)
June 1, 2005... Hong Kong Broadband Network officially launches its FTTH/FTTB 1Gbps symmetric service for the residential market. The company claims that approximately 800,000 households, out of 2.2m households in Hong Kong, can enjoy the service, which is...

Hutchison International plans to buy out the remainder of shares owned by Hutchison Global Communications.(HONG KONG)
June 1, 2005... Hutchison International plans to buy out the remainder of shares owned by Hutchison Global Communications, offering minority shareholders considerably less than the $0.90 per share investors paid in a placement in January last year.

TOT posts revenue of 15.828b baht ($400m) and net profit of 2.693b baht ($65.8m) in the first quarter.(BANGKOK)
June 1, 2005... TOT posts revenue of 15.828b baht ($400m) and net profit of 2.693b baht ($65.8m) in the first quarter. Revenue was up by 159m baht ($4m) from the same period last year.

Reuters Thailand deploys the largest IP telephony site.(BANGKOK)
June 1, 2005... Reuters Thailand deploys the largest IP telephony site in Thailand using various IP products from Cisco Systems.

Telkom awards a consortium of NEC-Siemens a Rp550b ($57.8m) contract to build an optic-fiber network.(JAKARTA)
June 1, 2005... Telkom awards a consortium of NEC-Siemens a Rp550b ($57.8m) contract to build an optic-fiber network to link Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Telekom Malaysia is shortlisted in the bid.(KUALA LUMPUR)
June 1, 2005... Telekom Malaysia is shortlisted in the bid for a 26% stake in Pakistan's PTCL.

PLDT records a net profit of 9.36b pesos ($171.7m) for the first quarter.(MANILA)
June 1, 2005... PLDT records a net profit of 9.36b pesos ($171.7m) for the first quarter, up 64% from 5.69b pesos ($105m) a year earlier.

The National Economic and Development Authority urges telcos to stop resisting the full deregulation.(MANILA)
June 1, 2005... The National Economic and Development Authority urges telcos to stop resisting the full deregulation of VoIP services.

Government-owned Telecommunications Office (Telof) is moving on with its plan to provide VoIP service to unserved areas in the countryside, and taps Singapore-based ETN as its partner.(MANILA)
June 1, 2005... Government-owned Telecommunications Office (Telof) is moving on with its plan to provide VoIP service to unserved areas in the countryside, and taps Singapore-based ETN as its partner. ETN pledges to invest between $25m and $30m on the...

Hanarotelecom decides to give up its hard-earned license for developing the WiBro wireless broadband service.(SEOUL)
June 1, 2005... Hanarotelecom decides to give up its hard-earned license for developing the WiBro wireless broadband service, and focus instead on its broadband Internet business.

KT's operating profit for the first quarter falls 18.9% due to greater expenditure on marketing.(SEOUL)
June 1, 2005... KT's operating profit for the first quarter falls 18.9% due to greater expenditure on marketing and heated competition.

Taiwan's top three telecom carriers plan to invest NT$37.1b ($1.2b) to boost coverage and upgrade their networks this year.(TAIPEI)
June 1, 2005... Taiwan's top three telecom carriers plan to invest NT$37.1b ($1.2b) to boost coverage and upgrade their networks this year. Spending from Chunghwa Telecom, Far EasTone Telecom and Taiwan Cellular will mostly focus on 3G and broadband.

Cable operators in Taiwan are pushing ahead with VoIP.(TAIPEI)
June 1, 2005... Cable operators in Taiwan are pushing ahead with VoIP despite government restrictions that prevent them from offering the service to customers.

Q1 losses at Softbank reach $256m.(TOKYO)
June 1, 2005... Q1 losses at Softbank reach $256m, as advertising and other promotional costs battered earnings.

Tokyo Electric Power and Kansai Electric Power plan to invest 100b yen ($931m) to double the number of subscribers.(TOKYO)
June 1, 2005... Tokyo Electric Power and Kansai Electric Power plan to invest 100b yen ($931m) to double the number of subscribers to their home-use fiber-optic communications networks.

Treasurer Peter Costello says the government should earmark the billions it will collect from selling Telstra into a fund covering superannuation liabilities.(SYDNEY)
June 1, 2005... Treasurer Peter Costello says the government should earmark the billions it will collect from selling Telstra into a fund covering superannuation liabilities, not infrastructure in the bush.

SingTel and Emirates Telecommunications sign an agreement.(SINGAPORE)
June 1, 2005... SingTel and Emirates Telecommunications sign an agreement to provide a leased-line link to the two carriers' customers in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

StarHub posts its first ever profit of S$30.4m ($18.3m) for the first quarter.(SINGAPORE)
June 1, 2005... StarHub posts its first ever profit of S$30.4m ($18.3m) for the first quarter, partly due to a change in depreciation rate during the quarter that trimmed depreciation by S$29.1m.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India proposes the opening up the 450-band MHz radio frequency band for the first time.(NEW DELHI)
June 1, 2005... The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India proposes the opening up the 450-band MHz radio frequency band for the first time. The frequency is earmarked for CDMA operators, although these firms want the 1900-MHz band.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India directs VSNL to release international bandwidth to all ISPs without discrimination.(NEW DELHI)
June 1, 2005... The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India directs VSNL to release international bandwidth to all ISPs without discrimination, including those that have not co-located their routers within VSNL's premises.

BT releases a final list of eight preferred suppliers for its 21st Century Network, which is to transform the company's PTSN into a complete IP network.(movements)
June 1, 2005... BT releases a final list of eight preferred suppliers for its 21st Century Network, which is to transform the company's PTSN into a complete IP network. Fujitsu and Huawei Technologies are chosen for the access domain; Alcatel, Cisco Systems...

VSNL receives all regulatory approvals in the US.(movements)
June 1, 2005... VSNL receives all regulatory approvals in the US, including that of the FCC, for its proposed acquisition of Tyco Global Network.

UTStarcom plans to cut 1,400 jobs, or 17% of its global workforce, due in part to a larger-than-expected downturn in its once-dominant Chinese business.(movements)
June 1, 2005... UTStarcom plans to cut 1,400 jobs, or 17% of its global workforce, due in part to a larger-than-expected downturn in its once-dominant Chinese business. Insiders say it is the first big job cut since the firm's establishment.

Deutsche Telekom posts a gain of 60% in its first-quarter profit, driven by growth in the US and demand for its wireless and broadband products.(movements)
June 1, 2005... Deutsche Telekom posts a gain of 60% in its first-quarter profit, driven by growth in the US and demand for its wireless and broadband products. Profit reached 1.01b euro ($1.29b) in the January-March period, compared with 632m euro in the same...

Sprint will cut 550 more jobs.(movements)
June 1, 2005... Sprint will cut 550 more jobs, the final cuts in an already-announced plan to eliminate a total of 5,850 positions.

Marconi is axing 800 jobs.(movements)
June 1, 2005... Marconi is axing 800 jobs following the firm's failure to win a key contract to supply parts for BT's multibillion-dollar network modernization project.

The European Telecom Standards Institute ratifies the next-generation standard for satellite distribution, DVB-S2. The announcement followed a European Space Agency (ESA) decision to create a research consortium to develop a DVB-S2.(movements)
June 1, 2005... The European Telecom Standards Institute ratifies the next-generation standard for satellite distribution, DVB-S2. The announcement followed a European Space Agency (ESA) decision to create a research consortium to develop a DVB-S2 modem for...

The European Commission hopes to use electric power supply lines to offer low-cost, high-speed Internet access.(movements)
June 1, 2005... The European Commission hopes to use electric power supply lines to offer low-cost, high-speed Internet access. The announcement comes after a recommendation it issued in April, which aims to clarify rules on using electric power cables to...

Going for the treble: it smites cable, it fights churn, it puts a smile on the CFO's dial. But why is triple play still so hard?(Cover story)
June 1, 2005... The first thing to say about triple play is that it hardly exists. Sure, dozens of telcos are offering video as well as voice and data to their end-users, but few are packaging all three together on a single IP platform. You won't find...

Standards sell ... but who's buying? The satellite broadband sector is still dominated by proprietary technologies, despite the emergence of several open standards in the past couple of years. And with price differentials almost non-existent, satellite broadband may stay proprietary for some time, depending on the application and relevant government regulations.(SATELLITE)
June 1, 2005... One of the chief components of the telecom transition from analog to digital and from circuit switches to packet-based platforms has been the growing emphasis on open standards as a driver for adoption and growth. The satellite VSAT sector is...

Mobile services become more unified: carriers face greater data management challenge.(TECHNOLOGY)
June 1, 2005... Lucent's announcement that it had upgraded its "Super Distributed Home Location Register" wireless customer data management system is serious evidence that wireless roaming is entering a new era--and so must methods of handling the information...

Wireless VoIP takes root in enterprise: service providers prepare for next voice wave with Wi-Fi and WiMAX-based portable phones starting to supplement traditional wired and cellular technology as businesses opt for portability and, ultimately, true mobility.(SERVICES)
June 1, 2005... Now that VoIP technology has gained mainstream mind and market acceptance among many residential and business voice users, service providers and vendors are looking straight on to the next challenge: wireless VoIP. Combining the attractive...

Managing growth.
June 1, 2005... Faced with 200 million daily database transactions, Smart Communications needed to revamp its information management strategy to cope with the surge. With a subscriber list topping 19 million, Smart--the largest mobile operator in the...

Connecting the rural masses: India's Center for Development of Telematics is working to provide an integrated rural wireless mobility and broadband solution (RURA-WiMoBB). C-DOT executive director Vijay Madan outlines the center's strategies for the future and plans for wireless rural networks.(ONE-TO-ONE)(Interview)
June 1, 2005... Telecom Asia: What are C-DOT's goals this year? Vijay Madan: C-DOT completed an in-depth analysis to consider ways of remaining in line with the pace and equations of the open and global market. To address such challenges and revamp itself...

Decision time for VoIP providers.(TELECOM FORUM)
June 1, 2005... This could be the year that determines the shape of the carrier IP telephony market for a decade to come. A couple of recent research reports make clear that the industry has started to spend significant sums on carrier IP voice equipment. ...

RF chipsets for wireless broadband apps.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... Texas Instruments now has a full range of radio-frequency chipsets that are designed to support various wireless broadband infrastructure, including the up-and-coming WiMAX and WiBro applications based on the IEEE 802.16 standard. The...

TV on the go.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... Thales' end-to-end mobile TV solution boasts compatibility with most mobile TV standards, receiving terminals and frequency bands. The company's entry into a co-development program with Qualcomm enables it to support Qualcomm's FLO...

No-hassle roaming call-back service.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)(GlobalRoam)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... GlobalRoam's new Smart Call-Back service allows users to make low-cost roaming mobile calls without having to drastically alter their normal calling behavior. While traditional call-back services require users to memorize telephone numbers...

Cost-effective prepaid service solution.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)(Veraz Networks)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... Veraz Networks' new Prepaid Services Application solution gives service providers interoperability for various prepaid service platforms, multi-national signaling support, seamless any-to-any protocol interworking and maximum bandwidth...

Versatile yet portable testing equipment.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)(Acterna L.L.C.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... Acterna's ONT-506, a portable multi-port, multi-technology and multi-channel solution, allows carriers to conduct handling reliability and efficiency tests on voice, video and data traffic over Sonet/SDH networks. The network load simulations...

Lightweight Ethernet device.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... RAD Data Communications' palm-sized TinyBridge-100 provides 10/100 Base-T Ethernet connectivity, making it an ideal solution for bridging applications over asynchronous WAN networks. Measuring 69 x 53 x 18 mm and weighing only 30 grams, the...

Self-service VoIP quality testing.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... TelcoSI's proxyVP solution gives prospective VoIP customers a chance to test whether or not their existing broadband connection and equipment can support a given quality and quantity of IP-based voice calls. The "red-light/green-light"...

Enhanced QoS Ethernet testing.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... EXFO Electro-Optical Engineering's new software suite for its FTB-8510/IQS-8510 Packet Blazer 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet test modules enhances remote testing and commissioning capabilities for Ethernet services through the in-band remote control...

Security platforms against sophisticated attacks.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... Juniper Networks' ISG 2000 and ISG 1000 firewall/VPN platforms provide protection for enterprise, carrier and data center environments against worms, Trojans, spyware and other emerging threats without compromising network performance. The ISG...

Hosted service for revenue assurance.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... Azure Solutions' new Azure RA Bureau, a fully integrated revenue assurance platform, will incorporate the firm's existing fraud, interconnect and enterprise date integrity offerings as a Web-based managed service. The company said this new...

Greater control over mobile subs.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... SmartTrust's new Device Management v1.2 allows GSM operators to exert greater control over subscribers and their handsets by ensuring that devices are correctly configured to access revenue-generating services such as MMS and are ready to...

Enhanced Ethernet transport capabilities.(PREMIERE: Latest products and services)
June 1, 2005... Stratex Networks has enhanced its Eclipse Nodal Wireless System, enabling it to provide transport for gigabit Ethernet data, with dedicated throughput options of 155, 311 and 622 Mbps, full duplex. It now has a new interface card, the DAC GE, a...

New appointments at Vodafone Australia.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Vodafone Australia has appointed John Casey as its new chief marketing officer, replacing Ian Scherger, who has moved into a new post with Vodafone New Zealand. Casey was previously chief marketing officer of Vodafone's global consulting group....

NTT DoCoMo executive announcements.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... NTT DoCoMo has announced changes to its executive team. Toru Kobayashi, Takeshi Natsuno and Yoshiharu Yamazaki have been named SVPs. Kenji Ota has been appointed SVP and MD of general affairs department. Noriaki Ito is now SVP and MD of...

TM announces key appointments.(TELECOM CAREER)(Telekom Malaysia - Christian de Faria , Bazlan Osman , Jaffa Sany)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... After its division restructuring last month, Telekom Malaysia has announced four key appointments. Bazlan Osman has taken over as CFO of TM group, and Jaffa Sany has assumed the same position at TM's Indonesian mobile arm Excelcomindo. ...

New chairman for IA450.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... The International 450 Association (IA450), formerly known as the NMT Association, has appointed Vadim Beliavski as chairman to lead the organization in promoting the use of CDMA450 technology worldwide.

Linktone appoints new CFO.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Colin Sung was named Linktone's new CFO, replacing Mark Begert, who has been nominated to serve on the company's board of directors. Before his new post, Sung was corporate controller of UTi US, a subsidiary of global integrated logistics...

Alvarion names new Asia MD.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Alvarion has named telecom industry veteran Patrick Duncan as managing director of its Asian operations. His experience includes 16 years with Lucent Technologies. Most recently, he set up the sales operations of a Singapore-based...

Azure hires fraud head.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Azure Solutions has hired Pete Watts to head the company's fraud operations. Before this job, Watts was head of fraud operations and services at BT Wholesale.

New sales director for Pace.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Digital television technology developer Pace Micro Technology has appointed Louis Leung as director of sales for Greater China. Before joining Pace, Leung was with Motorola as regional director and general manager for the Greater China...

Symbol's new RFID director.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Symbol Technologies has appointed John Cunningham as director of RFID solutions for the Asia-Pacific region, based in Singapore. Cunningham used to head Getronics Solutions' Singapore-based Asia-Pacific sales organization.

Mobile 365 hires CFO.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Mobile 365 has appointed John Kuhn as its new CFO. Before joining the company, he was vice president and CFO OPNET Technologies, which provides management software for communication networks and applications.

New Asia-Pacific MD for IDC.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... IDC Asia-Pacific has hired Eva Au as managing director. Out of Singapore, she will manage IDC's regional operations across the entire region excluding Japan.

Veraz Networks' new CFO.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Next-generation network solutions provider Veraz Networks has appointed Al Wood as CFO. Before this appointment, Wood held the same post at PalmSource where he was responsible for global finance functions, including financial reporting and...

Stratex Networks taps sales VP.(TELECOM CAREER)
June 1, 2005... Stratex Networks has hired Larry Brittain to head the company's global sales and service operations as its newest vice president. Brittain was previously VP of Ericsson's CDMA systems.

Asia telecom transactions index.(TELECOM CORPORATE)
June 1, 2005... Asia telecom transactions index Seller Buyer Huawei Technologies Nigeria's Ministry of Communications Chi Mei Commu- Fixconn International Holdings nications Systems NEC-Siemens Telkom Indonesia...

TA index declines by another 0.7%.(TA 30 TELECOM STOCK INDEX 14 APR-16 MAY 05, 05)
June 1, 2005... The TA index ended 0.7% down at 1,136 points, as Asian markets closed broadly lower amid declines on Wall Street. Decliners led winners 19 to 11. Both the Korean and Malaysian markets closed higher. Markets in New Zealand, Singapore,...

Networking opportunities across Asia.(EVENTS CALENDAR)(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... Networking opportunities across Asia Date Event Location Jun 14-Jun 17, 2005 CommumcAsia2005 Singapore Jun 21-Jun 22, 2005 China Push To-Talk Beijing, China ...

The fourth screen.(FUTURE WIRELESS)
June 1, 2005... Could there a better marketing match anywhere than TV and the mobile? They are the two most popular consumer products in the world. The TV set, invented 78 years ago, has some two billion units in operation. The mobile phone, invented 31 years...

Is there a light at the end of the fiber duct?(INSIDE LINE)
June 1, 2005... It's time for Inside Line's annual inspection of the long-haul bandwidth sector. Since its spectacular implosion four years back, it's been a segment that's pretty much kept to itself, notwithstanding the odd newsbreak from the US criminal...

Tenders: shock for some, low margins for others.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)
June 1, 2005... BT's 21st Century Network is under construction, the vendors have been named, and it's hard to say which news caused the most buzz: the fact that Huawei Technologies was among the winners, or the fact that home player Marconi wasn't. Ovum...

Security.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(Hossein Eslambolchi-AT&T Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... SECURITY: Hossein Eslambolchi, AT&T's CTO and president of AT&T Research Labs, is a big believer in packet networks, but warns that network security these days is so pitiful that "a hacker today could bring down the entire Internet with 100...

Competition.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)(Conference news)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... COMPETITION: Despite having liberalized its telecom market in 1997, Australia is still not competitive enough, and could fall behind the rest of the world in terms of technology unless it changes its ways. That's the view of Ewan...

Usability.(BACKPAGE BRIEFING)( usability of Wi-Fi public hotspots)(Brief article)
June 1, 2005... USABILITY: WiMAX proponents tend to see it as the solution to the problem of Wi-Fi public hotspots, whose coverage is way too limited. Chris Clark, CEO of BT Openzone, sees it differently. The problem with Wi-Fi hotspots today isn't technology...