Europe Intelligence Wire articles from October 2007

Europe Intelligence Wire archives from October 2007

Portugal - Portugal Telecom acquires 103 million of its own shares.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Portugal Telecom (PT) has acquired 103 million of its own shares listed on the Eurolist by Euronext Lisbon, equivalent to 9.13 percent of PT's share capital. PT acquired the shares under the terms of the share...

Spain - Vodafone offers SpinVox voicemail-to-text service in Spain.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Voice-to-screen messaging specialist SpinVox has signed a contract in Spain with Vodafone to provide voicemail-to-text service. The voicemail-to-text service automatically converts voicemail messages to text and...

Italy - Telecom Italia launches quad-play offer Unica.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Telecom Italia has introduced a quad-play offer on the Italian market, called Unica. The package includes its converged fixed-mobile phone, Unico, which runs over the mobile network as well as home Wi-Fi networks...

Netherlands - Visiware unveils TV games in Netherlands.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Interactive TV games provider Visiware has launched its games in the Netherlands on cable operator UPC, a subsidiary of Liberty Global. A series of eight interactive games that can be played on-screen using...

Spain - Wave7, Telindus, Cisco Spain team up to build FTTP network.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Servei de Telecommunications d'Andorra (STA) has selected Wave7 Optics, Telindus and Cisco Spain to construct a NGN FTTP network. The NGN network will use Wave7's Trident7 Universal Access Platform in the access...

Ireland - WeDo to acquire Cape Technologies.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) WeDo Consulting, a subsidiary of Portuguese operator Sonaecom, has signed an agreement for the acquisition of Ireland-based Cape Technologies. Cape Technologies has 120 employees that operate internationally in...

Europe - EC starts anti-trust investigation at Qualcomm.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) The European Commission has stepped up its anti-trust investigation into mobile phone chipmaker Qualcomm. The US-based company is suspected of abusing its dominant position by offering unfair and discriminatory...

Greece - ??? buys Cosmote shares for EUR 10 mln.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Greek operator OTE has bought more shares in its mobile subsidiary Cosmote on the open market. In a filing to the stock exchange, Cosmote said OTE bought 53,000 shares for EUR 1.27 million on 25 September and...

Spain - Spain's 3 Mbps ADSL grows fastest in Q2 - regulator.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Spanish internet subscribers rose to 7.43 million at the end of the second quarter, from 7.11 million three months earlier, according to telecommunication regulator CMT. The strongest increase was in 3 Mbps...

Spain - Spanish mobile rates rise in second quarter - regulator.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Mobile phone rates in Spain came down by the biggest recorded margin in the first quarter, but they rose by a record level in the second quarter, according to telecommunication regulator CMT. Mobile operators...

Switzerland - Mobile TV Schweiz criticises Bakom for mobile TV licence.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Mobile TV Schweiz is not happy with decision of the Swiss federal office for communications Bakom to offer the Swiss mobile TV licence to Swisscom Broadcast. Mobile TV Schweiz is of the opinion that its tender...

Netherlands - ABN Amro to appeal WOL fine.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) ABN Amro is taking the Dutch securities watchdog AFM to court to appeal a fine for the World Online IPO. The bank was fined EUR 18,500 for making misleading comments during the IPO in 2000 which suggested that...

Netherlands - Dutch cable operators distribute Tele2 football service.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) The Dutch cable operators have started offering the Tele2 football channels for first division matches. Tele2, which has the broadcast rights to the matches, has reached a sales agreement with UPC, Casema,...

Germany - MSP will launch public offer for freenet before 6 October.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) German mobile service provider Drillisch and German ISP United Internet plan to launch a public offer for German telecom services provider freenet before 6 October, reports the Financial Times Deutschland, citing...

Spain - Mobile messaging goes from strength to strength in Spain.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) There were 4.49 billion SMS sent in the first half in Spain, 10.39 percent more than in the year-earlier period, according to telecommunication regulator CMT and internet observatory Red.es. Operators generated a...

Ukraine - Alfa fails to attend Kyivstar shareholders meeting.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Alfa group subsidiary Storm did not attend a Kyivstar shareholders meeting scheduled to be held Monday 1 October at 10 am in Kyiv, Telenor said in a statement. Another shareholders meeting is scheduled for 2 pm...

Netherlands - T-Mobile sees no forced redundancies in Netherlands.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) T-Mobile does not expect any forced redundancies among staff as a result of its takeover of rival Orange in the Netherlands. The companies have set up a two-year integration process for the merger, in cooperation...

Spain - Vodafone first with Live Messenger for Mobiles in Spain.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Vodafone Spain's customers will be the first in the country to be able to use Windows Live Messenger for Mobiles. The application and browsing on Vodafone live! will be free for the first two months, then it will...

Germany - Ay Yildiz introduces prepaid top-up via SMS or hotline.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) E-Plus's mobile service for German Turks Ay Yildiz has introduced a new prepaid top-up service called SipSak. The service enables Ay Yildiz customers to easily top up their prepaid call credit for free and even...

Spain - Euskaltel sponsors, supplies Mundaka surf competition.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Spanish fixed and mobile service provider Euskaltel, which operates in the Basque Country, is the sponsor and official telecommunication company of the WCT world surfing circuit's Billabong Pro Mundaka...

Germany - Every fifth German mobile phone breaks down - survey.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Every fifth mobile phone in Germany breaks down with 42 percent caused by software problems, according to a survey by German telecom magazine connect. The second reason is problems with electronics (14%),...

Sweden - 3 Sweden deploys Cisco mobile core IP network.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) 3G mobile operator 3 Scandinavia is deploying a new mobile core network based on IP Next Generation Network (IP NGN) technology from Cisco in Sweden. The network is being implemented by Cisco Gold Certified...

France - SFR to put LeGuide.com on Vodafone live!
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French mobile operator SFR has signed a partnership agreement with comparative shopping portal LeGuide.com to develop a dedicated site on Vodafone live! France Mobiles writes that SFR will create a new Shopping...

France - Blanquefort picks Fon for free, universal Wi-Fi coverage.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) The town of Blanquefort, near Bordeaux, has invested EUR 15,000 in the purchase of 1,000 Fonera modem-routers from Spanish-based Wi-Fi community company Fon, writes Ariase. The equipment is offered free of charge...

France - Free to deploy FTTH in Valenciennes.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French triple-play operator Free will deploy an FTTH network in Valenciennes, with service to launch in the 2nd-half of next year. The company will offer 100 Mbps downloads, 50 Mbps uploads, unlimited calls to...

France - Dartybox reduces ADSL subscriber target.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French triple-play operator Dartybox has lowered its end of year ADSL subscriber target to 140,000 from 170,000. Ariase writes that the company added some 56,000 broadband customers between 31 January and 30...

Germany - Muenster joins mobile payment trial for public transport.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Beginning in October, residents of the North German city of Munster will be able to buy their bus and train tickets via mobile phone, which makes Munster the twelfth participant in the Germany-wide pilot project....

Netherlands - Almost one-third of Dutch TV connections are digital.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) The total number of Dutch TV connections stabilised at 7.027 million connections at the end of the second quarter of 2007, with the number of digital TV connections growing by 4.2 percent to 2.2 million,...

France - Bouygues Telecom extends, introduces promotions.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French mobile operator Bouygues Telecom has extended some of its promotions until 18 November. The company offers two months of free service for all new subscribers to an unblocked 2 hour/month call plan. New...

France - CS could cut 40% of staff if BT France buys unit - report.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French ICT service provider Communications & Sytemes (CS) could lay off 40 percent of its staff if a EUR 60 million acquisition by British Telecom for its mission critical infrastructures division goes ahead,...

France - Free adds community layer to file hosting service.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French triple-play operator Free has added a community layer to its large file hosting service. 01net writes that members of single community can now share any type of file (MP3, AVI JPEG, etc) up to 10 GB, all...

Germany - EDS Germany CEO to become T-Systems CEO on 1 December.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Deutsche Telekom's supervisory board appointed Reinhard Clemens a member of the group board of management effective 1 December of this year, in charge of business customers with responsibility for Deutsche...

France - ISP customer relations show some improvement - DGCCRF.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French ISPs have shown clear improvement in customer services, but their remain some problems among a handful of providers, according to consumer and anti-fraud department DGCCRF. ISPs committed to improving...

France - Orange supports Women's Forum.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Orange is continuing its support of the Women's Forum as a "strategic worldwide partner" and service supplier to the 2007 conference being held in Dauville, France, on 11-13 October. Orange will organise the...

Spain - Skylogic wins Zaragoza broadband satellite deal.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Eutelsat broadband affiliate Skylogic has won a contract from the provincial government of Zaragoza, Spain, to provide high speed internet amenities to 120 communities. Skylogic's D-Star service was chosen in a...

Spain - Tecnocom acquires Getronics Iberia for up to EUR 95 mln.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Spanish ICT provider Tecnocom has signed the purchase of Getronics's Iberian subsidiary for EUR 80 million to EUR 95 million. The higher buying price is subject to Getronics Iberia achieving a EUR 7.75 million...

Turkey - Turkcell, Aerotel to show wireless telemedicine systems.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Turkish mobile operator Turkcell has teamed with Aerotel Medical Systems, provider of advanced telemedicine and remote monitoring solutions for telemedicine and telecare, to demonstrate Aerotel systems at CeBIT...

Hungary - Pannon launches mobile photo print service.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Hungarian mobile operator Pannon has launched a new service for printing customers' favourite mobile phone photos in its showrooms. Customers simply send their selected images as an MMS file to a phone number...

Sweden - Sony Ericsson dominates Telia retail handset sales.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) USB modems were the top selling products in Telia retail stores in Sweden in September. Sony Ericsson accounted for 6 of the 9 mobile phones on the list of Top Ten selling products, of which two were new models...

Germany - T-Mobile Germany launches MyFaves service.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) T-Mobile Germany has launched the MyFaves community service, allowing customers to call five favourite numbers at a special rate of EUR 0.05 per minute. The personalised user interface displays the five favourite...

Austria - ONE launches '4 Ever Young' tariff at EUR 4 a month.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Austrian mobile network ONE will launch the '4 Immer Young' (4 Ever Young) tariff on 01 October, offering 1,000 free text messages for EUR 4 per month. The tariff is targeted at customers aged under 27 years and...

Ukraine - Life:) posts strong H1 sales, teams with Ukrtelecom.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Ukrainian mobile network life:) generated revenue of USD 97.5 million in first half 2007, 12 percent higher than full-year 2006 revenue of USD 87.9 million. Revenue growth was 178 percent between Q2 2007 and Q2...

Malta - Vodafone Malta launches internet, VoIP over BWA network.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Vodafone Malta has launched new internet and fixed telephony packages for home and business users called Vodafone @home. Internet packages start at MTL 5.95 per month which includes 10 Gigabytes of data traffic...

Hungary - Magyar Telekom registers T-Online, Emitel integration.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Hungary's Magyar Telekom has announced that the Court of Registry has registered the following: the merger of T-Online Hungary's internet access business with Magyar Telekom; the integration of Emitel with Magyar...

Sweden - Neonode announces USD 6.2 million private placement.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Swedish mobile device developer Neonode has announced a USD 6.2 million private placement, primarily to institutional investors. The private placement comprises USD 3.1 million of three-year promissory notes of...

Germany - Nokia Siemens transfers German R&D operations to IBM.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Nokia Siemens Networks has signed an agreement with IBM that includes transfer if R&D Centre operations in Munich and Berlin. The transfer includes specific R&D Centre operations for four Business Lines of the...

Norway - Trolltech's Haavard Nord assumes sole CEO position.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Software maker Trolltech has announced that Haavard Nord, one of Trolltech's two co-CEOs will assume the role of sole CEO effective 1 November. Co-CEO Eirik Chambe-Eng is resigning from his position as co-CEO of...

Italy - Telecom Italia deploys ECI's broadband access equipment.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Networking infrastructure equipment provider ECI Telecom's Broadband Access products have been deployed by Telecom Italia Group to expand its outside plant broadband network, to deliver DSL services. ECI's...

Ukraine - Syniverse wins roaming services deal from Peoplenet.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Syniverse Technologies has signed a contract with Ukraine's 3G mobile operator Peoplenet to supply a range of roaming and clearing services. The multiservices contract will enable Peoplenet to offer CDMA-to-GSM...

Spain - Philips names Duato to head Iberian operations.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Philips has named Antonio Duato as president of its subsidiary in Spain and Portugal starting in November. Cinco Dias writes that he will replace Javier Ramiro, who is retiring after serving nine years in the...

Spain - Sogecable launches iPlus satellite/DTT STB.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Spanish satellite TV group Sogecable has announced that its new-generation terminal, iPlus, which plays and records both Digital Plus and DTT programming is now available in stores. The device also features...

Spain - Telvent to acquire Matchmind.
October 1, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Abengoa's communications technology subsidiary, Telvent, has reached an agreement to buy 100 percent of Spanish technology consultant Matchmind for an undisclosed amount. Cinco Dias writes that Telvent is buying...

Spain - XL to launch MVNO service within months - report.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) XL Servicios de Operacion de Telecomunicaciones is a new MVNO joint venture between radio group Cadena Cope and travel agency chain Viajes Marsans. XL, which was formed at the end of August with slightly over EUR...

Spain - Yoigo signs distribution deal with Media Markt.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Spain's fourth mobile network operator, Yoigo, has expanded its distribution channel through an agreement with Media Markt. The deal will bring Yoigo to 41 outlets across the country on 6 October. Yoigo managing...

Netherlands - T-Mobile takes over Orange Netherlands management.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) T-Mobile has announced new management at Orange Netherlands, following its takeover of the group from 1 October. T-Mobile Netherlands head Niek Jan van Damme will also become general director at Orange...

Spain - Telefonica planning eight new ADSL offers - report.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Telefonica is preparing to launch eight new broadband offers in the next few months, including SDSL for businesses, new speeds and low-cost, low-speed ADSL for consumers. Cinco Dias writes that the incumbent...

Liechtenstein - Telecom FL selects BeeOne as telephone card supplier.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Liechtenstein telecommunications operator Telecom FL has selected Swiss telecom services provider BeeOne Communications as new partner for its prepaid telephone card service phoneCard, to replace Swisscom, who...

Portugal - Anacom says complaints up 28% in H1 2007.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Portuguese telecommunications regulator Anacom received 10,259 written and 363 requests for information from users of communications services and from the general public about their dealings with providers of...

Europe - Alden offers broadband satellite to campers.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) A French provider of satellite aerials, solar panels, TFT displays and other "indepensible" items when touring in a camper, Alden, has now become an ISP, writes industry website Ariase. The company is offering...

Netherlands - InterNLnet adds back-up, quarantine services.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Dutch ISP InterNLnet has started offering the online data back-up service Backup Zeker. Customers can back-up files online, which are then stored at the ISP's data centre. Six subscriptions are offered, ranging...

Germany - DeTe's IPTV introduction was too soon - T-Home CEO.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Deutsche Telekom has introduced its IPTV service too soon, but the interest of the German consumer in the service has increased since September 2006 and before the end of this year between 100,000 and 200,000...

Netherlands - KPN call centres plan 24-hour strike.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Unions at Dutch operator KPN's call centres are intensifying their industrial action with the first 24-hour strike. The strike is planned for a centre in Enschede starting at 12:00 on 2 October. The unions are...

Croatia - T-Mobile Croatia introduces My Faves.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) T-Mobile Croatia has started offering My Faves, where users gets reduced rates to selected numbers. In Croatia, users taking the My Fave 75 plan can choose five fixed or mobile numbers to call at HRK 0.25 per...

Europe - Iqua to release world's first sun-powered Bluetooth headset.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Finnish wireless mobile accessory company Iqua will release the world's first solar-powered Bluetooth headset in November at a suggested retail price of EUR 79. In France, they will be available in Avernir...

Europe - STBs, broadband modems use too much electricity - INC.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) STBs use too much electricity, according to a study undertaken by French consumer magazine 60 Millions de Consommateurs, published by national consumers institute INC. The body assessed boxes provided by the top...

Germany - 1&1 launches DSL/telephony package for EUR 19.95 a month.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) German ISP 1&1 Internet has launched a bundled DSL/telephony service for EUR 19.99 per month. 1&1 Surf & Phone 1.000 Komplett includes a 1 Mbps DSL connection, telephony line, DSL flatrate and telephony...

Europe - HTC unveils new mobile devices for European market.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Taiwanese smartphone and PDA maker HTC has announced three new devices from its Q4 2007 product range. The HTC Shift mobile computer offers Microsoft Windows Vista and push e-mail, combined with always-connected...

Switzerland - Mobile TV Schweiz demands access to Swisscom DVB-H network.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Mobile TV Schweiz has demanded that Swisscom Broadcast will give them the guarantee that it will open its future mobile TV network for its MoTV service, reports Netzwoche citing Mobile TV Schweiz CEO Bruno...

Belgium - Belgacom threatens legal action over MTR delay.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Belgian incumbent Belgacom has threatened legal action if the market regulator BIPT further delays the implementation of changes to mobile termination rates. In July the regulator already submitted to the...

Norway - Telenor reduces mobile prices by NOK 120 million.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Norway's Telenor will introduce new mobile products and prices on 01 October, resulting in savings of NOK 120 million for its mobile customers. The price reductions are the result of reduced call termination...

Ireland - ComReg caps Eircom line rental charges.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Irish regulator ComReg has issued its final decision on caps for incumbent Eircom's line rental charges. The price cap, imposed as a result of Eircom's dominant market position, will be in effect until September...

Germany - White launches as German mobile M2M service provider.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) T-Systems subsidiary Itenos has launched a mobile machine to machine (m2m) service provider called white in Germany. White offers businesses a M2M solution including SIM cards that enables them to optimise the...

Slovenia - Telekom Slovenije attracts 15 bidders.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Slovenia's ministry of economy has annoucned that the stae received 15 bidders for the acquisition of a 49.13 percent stake in Telekom Slovenije. The bidders included Sistema (Russia), Hrvatski Telekom (Croatia),...

France - French prison service uses GPS bracelets, SMS for tracking.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) France has started using mobile GPS-based bracelets to keep track of people on probation, writes 01net. A dozen ex-convicts have been trialling the technology since June and the 12 September Official Journal has...

Europe - AOL Europe to cut 300 jobs, half of workforce - report.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) AOL Europe plans to cut 300 jobs in France, Germany and the UK, writes ZDNet France, without explicitly citing its sources. The company presented to its works council a restructuring plan that will affect half of...

Germany - Callmobile launches MNP promotion.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) German mobile discount provider callmobile has launched a promotion offering its starter package for EUR 5 instead of EUR 16. The promotion is valid until 15 October and also offers EUR 15 call credit to...

Europe - Ofcom opposes France's choice of DMB for digital radio.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) The UK is opposed to France's exclusive choice of the DMB standard for digital radio broadcasting, writes Les Echos. The UK wants its fellow EU member state to be open to DAB and DAB+ as well, the technologies it...

France - French internet ad market to grow by 39 percent this year.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) France's internet advertising market, including search-based ads, is expected to grow by 39 percent this year, according to Havas subsidiary MPG. This compares to overall ad market growth of only 1.9 percent,...

Belgium - Belnet picks Juniper routers.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) The Belgian research network Belnet is deploying Juniper Networks routers for a network upgrade. ICT services provider Telindus will install and maintain for Belnet the Juniper T1600 core routers and M-series...

Netherlands - XS4ALL deploys Cloudmark Authority.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Dutch ISP XS4ALL has deployed Cloudmark Authority alongside Apache SpamAssassin to protect its subscribers from e-mail threats such as spam, phishing and viruses. According to a statement from Cloudmark, its...

France - Paris activates free hotspots.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Paris and the Ile-de-France region switched on 315 Wi-Fi hotspots on 30 September as part of the Paris digital city (PARVI) programme. The project was announced in January, with the aim of putting up 400 Wi-Fi...

Germany - Ecotel introduces mobile flatrate for businesses.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) From 1 October, German business telecom services provider ecotel has expanded its product range with a mobile service for business customers. The first ecotel mobile phone rate, 'FlexiFlat Mobile', is to be...

France - SFR introduces plan for professionals, small businesses.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) French mobile operator SFR is introducing a new plan aimed at professionals and businesses with fewer than ten employees on on 3 October. The "Adjustable" plan adapts itself depending on consumption. It includes...

Macedonia - Frog launches as prepaid MVNO in Macedonia.
October 2, 2007... (From Telecompaper Europe) Frog is a new mobile telephony brand on the Macedonian market, claiming to offer the lowest price per minute for calls (MKD 6.90) and text messages (MKD 3.90). A Frog SIM card, with the area codes 076 and 078,...