Europe Intelligence Wire articles from March 2009, page 6

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from March 2009

Germany - Germans download 6 mln songs to mobiles in 2008.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) German consumers downloaded 6 million full-track songs to their mobile phones last year, generating revenues of EUR 9 million, according to a survey by GfK for ICT association Bitkom. The number of songs...

Germany - Fonic offers 150 free minutes with Sim pack.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) German mobile discounter Fonic is offering Sim cards on its website with 150 free minutes. Customers receive 75 minutes when activating the card and 75 minutes on 21 April, after the promotion expires. The Sim...

Germany - O2, Alice get top consumer recommendations in Germany.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) German consumers would most likely recommend O2 as mobile service provider and Alice as ISP, according to a survey by Marketing Partner and Smaboo. Over 36 percent said they would advertise O2, followed by...

Italy - Telespazio to deploy Net Insight's Nimbra platform.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Telespazio has selected Net Insight for a multiservice video contribution network in Italy. Telespazio, member of the Space Alliance between Finmeccanica and Thales, operates a network of four space centres and...

Romania - Romanian Commercial Bank launches m-banking service.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) The Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR) has partnered with Good.bee, member of Erste Group, to launch mobile banking services on the local market. The partners expect to operate around 700 retail units and win...

Germany - NetCologne picks Cedar Point's Safari C3 for XDSL.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Cedar Point Communications, a provider of integrated VoIP switching technologies for service providers, is helping German telecommunications operator NetCologne offer enhanced XDSL services to subscribers using...

Italy - Italian DTT penetration reaches 8 mln homes.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) The number of Italian households equipped with at least one DTT receiver at their main home reached 8.013 million at the end of January, up by around 250,000 from December 2008. In January, the total number of...

Switzerland - Orange Switzerland introduces Office Number service.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Orange Switzerland is introducing a new fixed-mobile converged service for small and mid-size companies. The Office Number service allows clients to call with their fixed-line number when on the road, and to be...

Austria - UPC Austria introduces small business internet plan.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Cable operator UPC Austria has introduced a new internet and telephony offer for business customers. The Web&Phone Office Best Effort plan offers fixed-line telephony and unlimited internet during a promotional...

Europe - EC consults on ICT policy for energy efficiency.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) The European Commission has launched online public consultations in all 27 member states on a new policy instrument the commission could adopt to boost the use of ICT for enhancing energy efficiency. These...

Germany - Congstar launches flat-rate plans.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Deutsche Telekom's discount brand Congstar has launched a number of new tariff plans. The Congstar 9 cents plan offers calls and SMS to fixed and mobile networks at EUR 0.09 per minute, plus billing by...

Switzerland - IWB outlines fibre plans for Basel.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Swiss utilities group IWB has outlined plans for its FTTH network in Basel. The company held its first meeting with partners Sunrise and Swisscom and local authorities and agreed a number of terms for the...

Macedonia - Telekom Slovenije acquires Cosmofon, Germanos Macedonia.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Telekom Slovenije has won the bidding to acquire Greek operator OTE's Macedonian subsidiary Cosmofon and retail chain Germanos Telecom Skopje for EUR 190 million. Cosmofon has an almost 30 percent share of...

France - SFR Business Team launches hosted messaging service.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) SFR Business Team is launching the SFR Business Sfere fixed and mobile convergent messaging service, based on Microsoft Outlook and Exhange Server, on 1 April. Aimed at small and very small businesses, the...

France - EP internet rights report contradicts French antipiracy bill.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) The European Parliament approved a report prepared by Greek Socialist MEP Stavros Lambrindis that opposes France's controversial internet bill. By a vote of 481 to 25, with 21 abstentions, the EP's report on...

Portugal - E-schools provides EUR 100 mln in revenues - Vodafone CEO.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) The e-School programme could represent EUR 100 million in revenues for Portuguese telecommunications operators during 2009, according to the CEO of Vodafone Portugal, Antonio Carrapatoso. In an interview for...

Montenegro - Montenegro targets 50,000 broadband connections in 2009.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) Montenegro targets over 50,000 broadband internet connections by the end of this year, according to the deputy prime minister, Vujica Lazovic. He said that broadband penetration increased to 6.1 percent in...

France - Phones to fall to 28% of contact centre interaction - study.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper Europe) The shares of contact centre interaction by E-mail and websites are expected to rise to 24 percent each by 2010, while the share of phone interaction will fall from 36 percent to 28 percent, according to a...

UK - KCom sees FY results in line with expectations.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) UK operator KCom expects to report results for the fiscal year to March in line with market expectations. In a trading update, the company said results have been consistent with management expectations and the...

UK - Truphone introduces flat monthly rate calling plans.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) Truphone has announced TruUnlimited, a flat-rate calling plan. TruUnlimited for Landlines offers unlimited calls to landlines in 38 countries for GBP 10 per month. The plan also permits calls to mobile phones in...

UK - Structural Group deploys Megapath WAN management.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) Structural Group has deployed MegaPath's fully-managed broadband, MPLS VPN and security services for all of its 24 locations in the US and the UK. Structural is a USD 420 million Baltimore-based...

UK - UK online publishers see 16% growth in digital revenues.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) The UK Association of Online Publishers (AOP) forecast a 16 percent growth in their digital revenues in 2009. The AOP's 2009 census showed 63 percent of publishers expect to increase their digital investment in...

UK - North East UK in danger of falling behind the digital divide.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) UK technology company Onyx Group has warned that the North East region is in danger of falling on the wrong side of a digital divide after being overlooked by BT's latest roll-out of super-fast broadband services....

UK - Ericsson UK launches new blog Pin Point.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) Ericsson UK said it has launched Pin Point, a new blog focused on the UK communications market, to discuss digital media issues. Ericsson also released the results of its 'IPTV and the Connected Home' study, which...

UK - BT says I-Plate gadget ups broadband speed.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) BT has developed a new gadget which it claims will vastly improve broadband speeds in the home and help realise the UK government's goal of providing a high-speed internet service to all UK households, the...

UK - ADC calls for mobile services on London Underground.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecompaper UK) US wireless infrastructure provider ADC has questioned the decision by Transport for London (TFL) to postpone the provision of mobile phone services on the London Underground, Mobile News reported. TFL said the...

Gaza offensive: Israeli military says no war crimes committed.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The Israeli military has concluded that no war crimes were committed during its recent offensive in the Gaza Strip, dismissing as "hearsay" the testimonies of soldiers who allegedly admitted intentionally...

G20 protesters to hold Bank of England tea party.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) G20 protesters will hold a tea party outside the Bank of England today, kicking off demonstrations against the summit of world and financial leaders a day earlier than planned. The group behind tomorrow's...

Korean neighbours ready for World Cup showdown.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Recently in Shanghai, Liam Gallagher told local reporters that he didn't have much to do with Noel these days. The siblings have what could be called an up and down relationship but will take the stage in Seoul...

Sow or buy? The tomato grower's dilemma.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Are your windowsills covered in seedlings? Photograph: jspatchwork /Flickr/ Some rights reserved I have finally got round to sowing my tomato, aubergine and pepper seeds. It's not that late, really, I...

Green Day announce American Idiot musical.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) It "doesn't make a lot of sense," Billie Joe Armstrong confessed, but Green Day are making a musical. Yes, California's cheeky punk-pop princes, whose major-label debut took its name from a slang term for...

Remember motorists - take a break this Easter!
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] DRIVING STANDARDS AGENCY DSA 17/09 31 March 2009 Remember motorists - take a break this Easter! Planning on taking a trip this Easter holiday? If you will be driving to reach your destination,...

The Great British Menu reflects our Great British heritage.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) "OK," shouts Phil Smith."Let's do it again. And you can take the cloches off this time. And judges, start commenting. And remember -- ENERGY, ENERGY, ENERGY."Energy? Energy?! It's the sixth course since we...

It's time for the ECB to say sorry to Kevin Pietersen.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) "It's not worth dwelling on his comments too much and now we move to St Lucia." Andrew Strauss's reaction to the interview Kevin Pietersen gave to the Daily Mail last week managed to be both superficially...

Voting rights: Q-Cells SE: Publication pursuant to 26 sect.1 WpHG (the German Securities Trading Act) with the aim of pan-European distribution.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Q-Cells SE / Voting rights: Q-Cells SE: Release of a voting rights announcement pursuant to section 21 para.1 WpHG (Securities Trading Act) Publication pursuant to 26 sect.1 WpHG (the German Securities Trading Act) processed...

Estimated Net Asset Value as at 30 March 2009.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) MW TOPS LIMITED (the "Company") ESTIMATED NET ASSET VALUE OF SHARES The estimated net asset value per share ("NAV") of each of the undermentioned three classes of shares of no par value in the Company as at the close of...

M&S upbeat as sales exceed City expectations.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The trend of recession-hit Brits spurning restaurants for a good meal at home has helped M&S to avoid another disastrous sales performance. A smaller than expected fall in fourth-quarter sales raised hopes...

Japanese unemployment hits three-year high.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Unemployment in Japan rose to its highest level in three years last month as firms reduced recruitment and laid off tens of thousands of temporary workers. The jobless rate rose by 0.3% to 4.4% in February,...

Robert Crumb set to publish 'scandalous satire' of the Book of Genesis.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The famously subversive US cartoonist Robert Crumb has announced the completion of his long-awaited take on the Book of Genesis. The acclaimed satirist revealed on his personal website that he had finished...

Law firms to allow non-lawyer partners.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] MINISTRY OF JUSTICE 045/09 31 March 2009 Law firms to allow non-lawyer partners Measures to improve the service that legal firms can give to consumers come into effect today. Different types of...

CC welcomes new members.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] COMPETITION COMMISSION 14/09 31 March 2009 CC welcomes new members Peter Freeman, Chairman of the Competition Commission (CC), has welcomed the appointment of 11 new members to the CC. The new...

Latest Whitehall reviews show further improvement.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] CABINET OFFICE CAB 022/09 31 March 2009 Latest Whitehall reviews show further improvement Government departments are continuing to improve as they prepare for the challenges of the next 10 years,...

Ericsson pushes HSPA world record to 56Mbps.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) continues to increase HSPA speeds for an even better user experience and sustainable development of mobile broadband. Higher data rates give users an instantaneous connection. A click on a web link...

Councils to offer free swimming to 20m people.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) More than 1,000 pools in England are to offer free swimming to 20 million people in England from tomorrow. Under the GBP140m scheme, over-60s and under-16s will be able to swim for free at pools run by...

Hannah Montana: The Movie: Inglourious Basterds by another name.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) "The world knows her as a superstar ' but no one knows where she came from. Until now." So begins the trailer for the inevitable Hannah Montana film that you may not have realised was coming out. Unless you are...

Police break up fight in House of Commons.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The police had to use CS spray to break up a fight in the House of Commons last night following a reception for journalists hosted by the Conservative party. An argument that appears to have started at a...

Oil sullies producing nations.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Dear G20 leaders One hundred years from now, there is only one question historians will ask about the way you handled the current global recession: did you have the vision to leverage the crisis to bring...

MPA committee meeting: Strategic and Operational Policing Committee.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] METROPOLITAN POLICE AUTHORITY 21/09 31 March 2009 MPA committee meeting: Strategic and Operational Policing Committee A meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority Strategic and Operational Policing...

Motorola awarded contract by Mobily for network expansion in Saudi Arabia.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecom World Wire) Mobile and broadband communications company Motorola Inc (NYSE: MOT) announced on Monday (30 March) that it has been awarded a contract worth USD116m by Etihad Etisalat (Mobily), a mobile service provider in...

Verizon expands wireless network in Delaware.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecom World Wire) Verizon Wireless, a provider of a wireless voice and data network and a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE:VOD) (LSE: VOD), announced on Monday (30 March) that it has activated...

Anders Electronics seeking retail channels for low power PC.
March 31, 2009... (From Telecom World Wire) Anders Electronics, a distributor of the fit-PC line, announced on 30 March the availability of the Fit-PC 2.0 NetTop computer in the UK. The Fit-PC 2.0, a small form factor computer intended for desktop...

Appointment of new members to Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] MINISTRY OF JUSTICE 31 March 2009 Appointment of new members to Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information Michael Wills MP, Minister of State for Justice, today announced the appointment of four new...

Advance Notice: Q4 2008 Results Announcement and Conference Call Invitation.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) EASTPHARMA LTD. London, 31 March 2009 - EastPharma (EAST LI), a company active in the manufacturing and marketing of branded generic and in-licensed pharmaceutical products in Turkey and other regional markets, informs that...

Does it matter which Oxford you go to?
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) MPs yesterday accused the head of Oxford University of giving them an answer that "would not pass a GCSE essay" in a row over the worth of an Oxford degree. The same accusation was made to the head of Oxford...

Khmer Rouge's chief torturer says sorry for deaths in court.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The first Khmer Rouge leader to be tried for genocide apologised in court today for the deaths of more than 14,000 people who were murdered at the Cambodian prison camp he ran under the brutal ultra-Maoist...

A sign of barbarism, not of civilisation.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The question: Should we give up our nukes? Once, a journalist asked Mahatma Gandhi, "Mr Gandhi, What do you think of western civilisation?" Gandhi smiled and then replied, "I think it would be a good idea!"...

England face striker shortage after Darren Bent hobbles off.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Fabio Capello has been left with just two fit strikers after Darren Bent limped out of training this morning. The Tottenham striker hobbled off with a leg injury and remains a doubt for the World Cup qualifier...

GBP560m contract signed for Naval Base support.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] MINISTRY OF DEFENCE 068/2009 31 March 2009 GBP560m contract signed for Naval Base support The MoD has signed a contract to provide vital services that enable Devonport Naval Base to support the Royal...

Agreement between Orkla and Alcoa implemented.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) In reference to Orkla's stock exchange notice as of 23 December 2008 regarding the swap of assets between Alcoa and Orkla where Orkla receives Alcoa's ownership interest in Sapa Profiler, and Alcoa receives Orkla's...

Why prisoners need the vote.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) There are few or no votes in prison reform and little interest in the rights and responsibilities of those behind bars. One of the reasons is that prisoners themselves can't vote. Five years ago today the...

England face striker shortage after Darren Bent hobbles off.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Fabio Capello has been left with just two fit strikers after Darren Bent limped out of training this morning. The Tottenham striker hobbled off with a leg injury and remains a doubt for the World Cup qualifier...

British Press Awards 2009: Here tonight from around 8pm.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) 11.28am: The nominations are in , the tuxedos and ball gowns have been brushed off ready for the great and good of Fleet Street to squeeze into tonight when they gather at the Grosvenor House hotel in London for...

The Met, BMEs and golden circles.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) I left yesterday's four hours of oral submissions to the race and faith inquiry with a humdinger Standard-style news stand message in my head: "Cop Chiefs Split Over Met Jobs For Boys". It wasn't like that, but...

Reading and Leeds festival 2009 headline acts announced.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Radiohead, Kings of Leon and Arctic Monkeys will headline this year's Leeds and Reading festival, it was announced last night. The twin festivals will be held over August's bank holiday weekend. Other...

What is a botnet?
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) The motive behind the Conficker worm may not be known, but it may be aimed at creating one of the largest existing examples of a so-called "botnet" -- a huge network of compromised computers that can be...

PM confers with employment minister.
March 31, 2009... (From Athens News Agency) Prime miinister Costas Karamanlis met on Tuesday with employment minister Fani Pallli-Petralia, who briefed the premier on the actions and measures taken by her ministry. Speaking to reporters after the...

Government support for Black voluntary and community organisations.
March 31, 2009... (From Government News Network) ] COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT 070 31 March 2009 Government support for Black voluntary and community organisations A host of regional events aimed specifically at helping Black-led voluntary and...

Issue of Equity.
March 31, 2009... (From Hugin) Octopus Titan VCT 3 plc 31 March 2009 Issue of Equity The Directors of Octopus Titan VCT 3 plc are pleased to announce a further allotment on 30 March 2009 of 3,601,842 ordinary shares of 10p each ("Ordinary Shares") at a...

Greek retail sales volume index down 10.8 pct in Jan.
March 31, 2009... (From Athens News Agency) Greek retail sales volume (turnover in fixed prices), including fuel and auto lubricants dropped 10.8 pct in January, compared with the same month last year, the National Statistical Service said on Tuesday. ...

Import-export prices in agricultural sector down in January.
March 31, 2009... (From Athens News Agency) Import prices in the agricultural sector (farm and livestock) fell 2.8 pct in January 2009, compared with the same month in 2008, the National Statistical Service said on Tuesday. The statistics service said...

Ellaktor reports spectacular 2008 results.
March 31, 2009... (From Athens News Agency) Ellaktor SA on Tuesday reported a spectacular 109.1 pct jump in consolidated turnover to 1.913 billion euros in 2008, from 914.7 million euros in the previous year an said its consolidated pre-tax and interest...

Isn't it time we dropped the term 'documentary' for good?
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) 'Cinema is truth 24 frames per second' - Jean-Luc Godard Some years ago I was on a jury at a documentary film festival. After we had awarded the prize to a film about a Dutch family who collected foetuses in...

Musical comedy hits the right note.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Musical comedy, to put it mildly, isn't the most popular of genres. I know comedy lovers whose teeth fur over when a stand-up reaches for a guitar. And there will be plenty of sceptics arguing that, when the...

FSA proposes short-term increase in savings protection level.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Consumers who hold a large sum of money in a savings account while they decide where to invest it or wait for a house purchase to complete could get temporary protection from the Financial Services Compensation...

Hands or no hands? Hands off should be the absolute law.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Hands or no hands? It is one of the questions of our rugby times as we approach zero hour. The G20 and the ELVs : recession in the economy and depression on the field. Board up your banks and your rugby clubs....

G20 summit: Nicolas Sarkozy threatens to walk out if call for more regulation is ignored.
March 31, 2009... (From Guardian Unlimited) Nicolas Sarkozy has cranked up the pressure before the G20 summit, suggesting he could walk out if his calls for tighter global financial regulation are not met. The French president will hold a series of...

Website conmen cash in on missing chef Claudia.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: Mark Foster POLICE hunting for missing chef Claudia Lawrence have launched a second inquiry after conmen set up a fake appeal in her name. Fraudsters created a website that asked for donations to...

Pupils get cheek to chick with newborns.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) YOUNGSTERS have been learning the natural world's secrets after newborn chicks hatched at a Darlington primary school at the weekend. Children at Alderman Leach School, in West Park, have had the opportunity...

Rival councillors in row over procedure.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: Neil McFarlane RIVAL councillors have fallen out after one was dismissed from a parish council for missing meetings. Leaders of Whessoe Parish Council have paid tribute to Labour's Mark Burton,...

Studio on song for stars of the future.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: Gavin Havery A RECORDING studio for music stars of the future has opened in north Durham. The Red Town Recording Studio is a professional facility for musicians based in the main building of...

Woman lashed out with broken bottle.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: Neil Hunter A MAN who asked a group of rowdy drunks to move away from his friend's home was slashed across the neck with a broken bottle, a court heard. Michael Elliott was a guest at the...

Work continues to create nature walk.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: Lauren Pyrah A FORMER anti-social behaviour hot-spot is on schedule for its transformation into a nature reserve. Villagers have pulled together over the past six weeks to start the revamp of...

Off-duty medic on hand after accident.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) Byline: Catherine Priestley A CASUALTY consultant was called into action on his day off-when his brother-inlaw was hurt in a farming accident yesterday. Andrew Atkinson was working on his mother Mary's...

Last-minute boost beats charity record.
March 31, 2009... (From The Northern Echo) CITIZENS of a borough council which dissolves this week have helped raise the largest ever amount for its final mayor's charity appeal. Sedgefield Borough Council yesterday celebrated 35 years as a council...