Telecompaper Africa/Asia articles from June 2010, page 5

Telecompaper Africa/Asia archives from June 2010

South Africa - Internet Solutions wins airports tender.
June 22, 2010... South African ISP Internet Solutions has won the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) tender to provide exclusive broadband and telephony for eight airports. The deal includes Wi-Fi, fixed-line internet access, VoIP, telephony and internet cafe...

China - Balda concentrates Chinese operations in Beijing.
June 22, 2010... German mobile phone accessories manufacturer Balda continues to restructure its operations in Asia and concentrates mass production of plastic assemblies for the mobile phone industry in China at the Beijing production site. The company will...

India - Vodafone ex-CEO Sarin may head BSNL - report.
June 22, 2010... The Indian government is looking at the possibility of roping in former CEO of Vodafone Arun Sarin to head state-owned Indian operator BSNL in a bid to turn around the company, reports The Hindu Business Line. The move is in line with the...

Senegal - Expresso Senegal launches 3G+ with presidential endorsement.
June 22, 2010... Senegal's president, Abdoulaye Wade, has launched the country's first 3G+ service, offered by Sudatel subsidiary Expresso Senegal. The president showed a lack of impartiality in associating himself so boldly with the operator's new 'e-liberte'...

Japan - Access deploys NetFront on docomo Prime N-04B.
June 22, 2010... Software provider Access has deployed NetFront Living Connect on the docomo Prime series N-04B mobile phones, launched by NTT Docomo. NetFront Living Connect supports DLNA guidelines, which formulate specifications for interconnections among...

Armenia - Orange Armenia upgrades 3G+ HSUPA network.
June 22, 2010... Orange has upgraded its 3G+ network in Armenia. The operator has also implemented HSUPA technologies. Via the new 'High Upload' option, Orange mobile broadband subscribers can access maximum upload speeds of 2 Mbps in ideal radio and network...

China - Telestone opens 4 branch offices, ups sales forecast.
June 22, 2010... Chinese provider of telecommunications local access network solutions Telestone Technologies has opened four new branch offices. The new offices are located in the Zhejiang, Ningxia, Qinghai and Anhui provinces. Furthermore, as a result of...

Bangladesh - Citycell, AB Bank sign remittance agreement.
June 22, 2010... Pacific Bangladesh Telecom, which uses the Citycell brand, has signed a remittance agreement with AB Bank in Bangladesh. Under the agreement, Citycell's customer service points will serve as distribution centres for incoming remittances via AB...

Bangladesh - Banglalion, Citycell share Wimax infrastructure.
June 22, 2010... Bangleshi communications firms Banglalion Communications and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom (Citycell) have signed a deal to share Banglalion Wimax infrastructure. By sharing infrastructure, the companies hope to reduce costs, the Daily Star reports...

Australia - TPG sees no demand for NBN's high-speed services.
June 22, 2010... Australian ISP TPG Telecom doubts there is consumer demand for the high-speed broadband services the National Broadband Network will offer. TPG's executive chairman David Teoh says he is not convinced that demand for the NBN's services has...

Thailand - Thai finance ministry to propose concession conversion plan.
June 22, 2010... The Thai telecommunications minister, Korn Chatikavanij, will propose a telecommunications concession conversion plan for cabinet consideration in July. The finance minister has already floated the idea of converting concessions into licences to...

Armenia - VivaCell launches loyalty programme.
June 22, 2010... Armenian mobile operator VivaCell-MTS has introduced a prepaid bonus campaign. When customers register for the bonus service at AMD 10, they will start to accumulate points for every AMD 100 spent on VivaCell services. Points can be redeemed for...

Kazakhstan - Nursat offers Private Office service.
June 22, 2010... Kazakh operator Nursat has introduced a Private Office service for subscribers of Infonet Wimax Internet 4G in Atyrau. Subscribers can use the service to manage their balance online. Nursat is also offeirng USB modems at the discounted rate of...

Armenia - Artmentel fosters national internet content.
June 22, 2010... Armenian operator Armentel, working under the Beeline brand, has invited companies to partner on creating national internet content and services. The operator is offered expanded ADSL channels for owners of web resources for advertising their...

Zimbabwe - Telecel submits indigenisation proposals.
June 22, 2010... Telecel International has submitted to the Zimbabwe government its proposals for reducing its shareholding in Telecel Zimbabwe to 49 percent and ensuring broad-based indigenisation of the company, in compliance with the country's laws and...

Thailand - CAT Telecom interested in acquiring Thaicom.
June 22, 2010... Thai state-owned telecommunications firm CAT Telecom is interested in the Ipstar satellite of Thaicom to broaden its mobile phone and internet broadband business, reports the Bangkok Post. CAT president Jirayuth Roongsrithong said that the state...

Saudi Arabia - Mobily inks partnership deal with Philippines' Globe.
June 22, 2010... Saudi mobile operator Mobily announced a partnership with Globe Telecom of the Philippines to provide the Filipino community in Saudi Arabia with better prices, services and products to keep them in touch with their families and friends in the...

Thailand - AIS introduces data backup system.
June 22, 2010... Thai mobile operator AIS has introduced "Smart Secure," a personal data backup system, an extension from the original Sim Bank service, for data backup and restoration in case of mobile phone loss. Customers can back up data and put command to...

South Africa - Telkom files tariff adjustment with Icasa.
June 22, 2010... South African operator Telkom said it filed its latest tariff adjustments with regulator Icasa, with ADSL prices unchanged and line rental rates up. Telkom's monthly DSL and Do Broadband subscriptions, monthly internet subscription charges,...

Jordan - Friendi Mobile launches in Jordan.
June 22, 2010... UAE MVNO and MVNE Friendi Group has launched commercial services in Jordan and expects to further expands its operations across the region. The launch in Jordan follows the company's debut in Q2 2009 in Oman, where it achieved a 4 percent market...

Viet Nam - EVN agrees to cut pole use fees for VNPT.
June 22, 2010... Electricity of Vietnam has agreed to reduce the fee it charges to lease use of electric poles to Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group by 30-50 percent, reports VietNamNet Bridge. In return, VNPT has agreed that EVN's own telecommunications...

Japan - Itochu to launch cloud computing business app web shop.
June 22, 2010... Japanese IT services provider Itochu plans to launch a one-stop cloud computing service site in July. The website will enable companies to shop for a variety of cloud computing-based business apps, including software to manage customer...

Qatar - Vodafone Qatar taps two HR partners.
June 22, 2010... Vodafone Qatar has tapped People Dynamics and Reed Qatar as strategic resourcing partners to help the company in its recruitment initiatives for Qatar. People Dynamics and Reed Qatar have been closely associated with Vodafone's recruitment...

China - China Mobile adds 4.77 mln subscribers in May.
June 22, 2010... China Mobile has added 4.77 million new mobile customers during May to bring its total to 548.9 million subscribers. The number of subscribers who used 3G network services in May was 9.32 million. The cumulative net additions were 26.7 million.

Oman - Nawras launches SMS service for World Cup.
June 22, 2010... Oman operator Nawras launched a subscription SMS service giving customers the chance to get closer to all the news, information, scores and team players at the World Cup using the Koora mobile package. Customers will receive all the latest match...

Africa - Gateway picks ECI Telecom for network upgrades in Africa.
June 22, 2010... Gateway Business, a subsidiary of Vodacom, has selected ECI Telecom, for an upgrade of its national and pan-African networks across East and West Africa. ECI's XDM multi-service provisioning platform will enable Gateway Business to deliver...

South Africa - Cell C outsources customer contact centre to Merchants.
June 22, 2010... South African mobile operator Cell C announced a partnership agreement with Merchants, a Dimension Data company, that will see the mobile operator's customer contact centre managed and operated by Merchants from 1 August. Cell C said in May that...

Botswana - Botswana to privatize BTC.
June 22, 2010... The Botswana government announced plans to privatize the Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC), despite concerns from some civil society organisations and politicians. Presidential Affairs minister Lesego Motsumi told parliament that the...

Asia - Asocs secures new round of funding.
June 22, 2010... Developer of wireless MultiComms processors and system products Asocs has concluded a new round of equity financing lead by Forum International Equity Fund. Existing investors also participated in this round. The Forum Group will boost Asocs...

India - Vodafone Essar launches local calls vouchers in Punjab.
June 22, 2010... Indian mobile services provider Vodafone Essar has launched two new Bonus Cards for prepaid customers in Punjab. The bonus cards, available at INR 18 or INR 39, offer local calls at INR 0.10 per minute. The INR 39 voucher also includes 100 SMS...

Australia - Nokia goes after counterfeit accessory sellers in Australia.
June 22, 2010... Nokia has won a suit against a mobile phone accessory supplier in Australia for trademark infringement. Nokia alleged that Fone King imported and sold batteries which were deceptively similar to Nokia's registered trademarks, without Nokia's...

Australia - ANZ bank offers free Wi-Fi in 100 cafes.
June 22, 2010... The ANZ bank in Australia is again offering free Wi-Fi services across various hotspots in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, including the Manly ferry service. Until the end of September, ANZ will offer Wi-Fi in around 100 cafes in the three...

Uzbekistan - Ucell promotes international roaming.
June 22, 2010... Uzbek mobile service provider Ucell has temporarily lowered the threshold for international roaming to promote the service. Customers with a balance of USD 100 and over can use the roaming service until 31 August. The service is available to...

Saudi Arabia - Mobily launches iPhone subscriber app.
June 22, 2010... Saudi operator, Mobily has launched a namesake app for iPhone users. With the Mobily App, users can review their bills (postpaid) and credits (prepaid), transfer credits to other users, and navigate to the nearest Mobily outlet in the Kingdom,...

Kuwait - Wataniya sponsors World Cup matches at GUST.
June 22, 2010... Wataniya Telecom announced its exclusive sponsorship of Sports and Talents Clubs at the Gulf University of Science and Technology's (GUST), where they will be broadcasting all 2010 World Cup matches. Prompted by its spirit to accompany the youth...

Kenya - Kenya issues ICT investor disclosure rules.
June 22, 2010... The Kenyan government has moved to tighten its grip on telecommunication deals with the roll-out of new regulations requiring owners of ICT firms to get the regulator's approval for any planned share sale. According to Business Daily, investors...

UAE - Thousands using 'illegal' Skype on mobile in UAE.
June 22, 2010... Thousands of Apple iPhone users in the UAE are flouting the country's law by using Skype, The National reported. The daily says many iPhone users are breaking the law as the country's telecoms regulator has banned Skype for Apple's hand-held...

Africa - Telkom to complete Africa Online, MWeb integration by Sept.
June 22, 2010... African operator Telkom said it expects to complete by September the integration of Africa Online and MWeb Africa, acquired a year ago. The ISP units will be rebranded iWay Africa. At the end of the company's financial year on 31 March, the new...

Nigeria - Multi-Links FY EBITDA loss nearly triples.
June 22, 2010... Nigerian CDMA operator Multi-Links, a subsidiary of South Africa-based Telkom, saw its active voice subscriber base increase by 18.7 percent in the year to 31 March, to 2.21 million. Voice ARPU fell to USD 6 from USD 12 a year earlier....

Africa - Bharti Airtel downplays staff layoffs.
June 22, 2010... Bharti Airtel has played down media reports that it plans massive staff replacements at Zain Africa following its USD 10.7 billion acquisition of the mobile operator. The Business Daily quoted sources that claimed new managers, mainly Indian...

Saudi Arabia - Saudi phone companies fined SAR 66 mln for spam SMSs.
June 22, 2010... Saudi regulator CITC) has fined telephone companies SAR 66 million for sending unsolicited bulk text messages spam to mobile telephones, the Saudi Gazette reported. Service providers are not permitted to send out promotional messages to users...

Africa - Former Essar CEO to head Bharti's African operations.
June 22, 2010... Former Essar Telecom CEO Jayant Khosla has accepted an offer from Bharti Airtel to head up its operations in seven African countries, The Times of India reported. Bharti Airtel recently completed the purchase of the African operations and said...

Africa - Perception wins Wimax VoIP telephones contract in Africa.
June 22, 2010... Investment holding company Perception Digital Holdings has expanded into Africa with the launch of its wireless communications products and services, reports the South China Morning Post. The firm has secured its first orders for Wimax VoIP...

Nigeria - MTN Nigeria launches Hynet Internet service in Illorin.
June 22, 2010... MTN Nigeria has launched its Hynet internet service in Ilorin, aimed especially at SMEs and Small Offices/Home Offices, The Vanguard reported. Chief Enterprise Officer Derek Appiah said the prepaid high speed internet service will transform this...

South Korea - KT introduces app for interconnecting iPhone with TV.
June 22, 2010... Korea Telecom has introduced an application interconnecting the iPhone with its web-enabled TV services, commercially called Qook, the Korea Times reports. A KT official said that using the touch-sensitive screens of the iPhone, people can...

South Korea - KEB distributes smartphones to 6,000 employees.
June 22, 2010... The Korea Exchange Bank is distributing smartphones to 6,000 employees as part of an initiative by its CEO Larry Klane to strengthen internal communication, reports The Korea Times. KEB has regularly discussed the issue at its "Smartphone...

Pakistan - Pakistan seeks emergency USD 500 mln from Etisalat.
June 22, 2010... The Pakistan government is seeking emergency funds of at least USD 500 million from UAE operator Etisalat, which holds a large stake in Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL),Gulf News reported, citing an unnamed senior official at...

India - Vodafone launches full talktime plans for Orissa customers.
June 21, 2010... Indian mobile operator Vodafone Essar has launched four full talk-time recharge value plans for its prepaid customers in Orissa. Vodafone prepaid customers can recharge with INR 17 and INR 50 for a full talk-time of the same amount, while with a...

Middle East - Mobily, Batelco become Samena members.
June 21, 2010... The Samena Telecommunications Council, the tri-regional consortium of telecommunication operators, announced Saudi mobile operator Mobily and Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) as its latest members. Bocar A. Ba, President of Samena...

China - China Unicom adds 1.023 mln 3G subscribers in May.
June 21, 2010... Chinese mobile operator China Unicom ended May with 148.759 million GSM subscribers, up by 0.763 million. The company's 3G service added 1.023 million subscribers including 0.0278 million data card subscribers, bringing the total to 6.528...

Qatar - Qtel, Reliance Globalcom develop Ethernet project in Qatar.
June 21, 2010... The Qatar Foundation (QF) for Education, Science and Community Development unveiled an advanced Ethernet project that will connect Qatar to a world of new educational opportunities. Developed by Qatar Telecom (Qtel) and Reliance Globalcom, the...

Jordan - Zain Jordan and I (TS) 2 team up for security services.
June 21, 2010... Zain Jordan and I (TS) 2 have created a strategic alliance to deliver managed security services to Zain's enterprise customers. Under the agreement, Zain will co-brand I (TS) 2's MSS and will leverage I (TS) 2's Security Operation Centre in...

Maldives - Dhiraagu 3G Plus Network extends to two islands in Maldives.
June 21, 2010... Maldives communications firm Dhiraagu added Alifu Dhaalu Mahibadhoo and Dhaalu Kudahuvadhoo islands to its 3G Plus network. Residents of Mahibadhoo and Kudahuvadhoo will be able to use Dhiraagu 3G Plus services, which include 3G Plus mobile...

Singapore - StarHub to offer live coverage of Youth Olympic Games.
June 21, 2010... Singaporean operator StarHub will offer the 'live' coverage of the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) free on its TV, mobile and broadband platforms. This includes a 24-hour Youth Olympic News Channel via StarHub's Preview Channel, accessible by all...

India - Alcatel-Lucent eyes USD 500 mln global services hub in India.
June 21, 2010... Alcatel-Lucent will decide within the coming 'weeks and months' about investing USD 500 million over three years to establish a software and services centre in India catering to global clients, group CEO Ben Verwaayent told journalists at a news...

India - Tata Tele, Future Group launch T24 mobile service.
June 21, 2010... Indian operator Tata Teleservices and Indian retailer Future Group have launched mobile services under the brand name T24 on the GSM platform. The companies had unveiled Brand T24 after signing an alliance in February this year. T24, which...

Nepal - Nepal Telecom to set up optical fibre link with China.
June 21, 2010... State-owned telecommunications company Nepal Telecom plans to establish optical fibre connection with China by the end of fiscal year 2010/2011, reports Xinhua. NT deputy managing director-planning division Anoopranjan Bhattarai said that NT has...

Asia - Acision names Rees as VP of sales in Asia.
June 21, 2010... Messaging systems supplier Acision has appointed Fred Rees as vice president of sales, where he will lead market and business development initiatives for North Asia and South East Asia. Rees has more than twenty years of telecommunications...

South Africa - Telkom posts drop in underlying profit, revenues up 0.7%.
June 21, 2010... South African fixed-line operator Telkom posted a decline in underlying profit for the year ended 31 March, affected by higher operational costs at home and tough competition at its Nigerian unit. Adjusted EPS from continuing operations was down...

Jordan - Jordan Telecom guards 3G licence exclusivity.
June 21, 2010... The Jordan Telecom Group (JTG) has warned the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) against granting mobile operators licences to provide 3G services.The JTG says by granting licences to other operators to provide 3G services in the...

China - Digital China unveils BlackBerry Curve 8910.
June 21, 2010... Digital China and Research In Motion have introduced the BlackBerry Curve 8910 smartphone in China. The Qwerty BlackBerry smartphone weighs approximately 110 grams and 109 x 60 x 13.5 mm and features 2.4 inch HVGA+ display, 3.2 megapixel camera,...

Asia - Enterprises in APEJ less skeptical about using cloud.
June 21, 2010... Although enterprises in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan) or APEJ are becoming more open to the idea of utilising cloud services and computing, some concerns about the public cloud remain, according to a survey by IDC. This may potentially slow the...

Zambia - Zambia lowers international gateway license fee.
June 21, 2010... The Zambian government is reducing its international gateway license fee to USD 350,000 from USD 12 million in a bid to attract international investment to the country's telecom sector and reduce the high cost of communications, the Lusaka Times...

UAE - Gulf states approve roaming cap.
June 21, 2010... The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Telecommunications Ministers Committee has approved a maximum cap on mobile roaming tariffs within GCC countries. Regulator TRA Bahrain said it was currently working on implementing the roaming recommendation...

Japan - Toshiba launches dual-touch-screen mini-notebook PC in Japan.
June 21, 2010... Toshiba launched the Libretto W100, a dual touch-screen Windows mini-notebook PC, and three other products available in seven different models in Japan, to celebrate 25 years in the portable PC business. The Libretto W100 is a 699 grams...

South Africa - Telkom wins appeal against DS relief.
June 21, 2010... South African operator Telkom has successfully appealed a decision by the Competition Tribunal, which earlier granted interim relief to Directory Solutions (DS), mybroadband.co.za reported. Telkom unit Trudon, which publishes the official...

India - Volantis Systems opens office in Pune.
June 21, 2010... Mobile content delivery services provider Volantis Systems has opened its new office in Pune, India. Already operational in the region for over four years, Volantis' expansion into India and new office is driven by the increase of mobile...

Nigeria - NCC bans telecom lotteries in Nigeria.
June 21, 2010... The Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC) has ordered operators to stop conducting lotteries in the country, stressing that all promotions must be in accordance with the Guidelines on Advertisements and Promotions published by the...

Sierra Leone - Sierra Leone to open up international gateway.
June 21, 2010... The government of Sierra Leone said it will liberalise its international gateway, which so far has been used to strengthen national carrier Sierratel, Computerworld reported. Minister of Information and Communication Ibrahim Kargbo said the...

Egypt - WiBro could help broaden internet coverage in Egypt.
June 21, 2010... Korean portable internet standard WiBro has been faltering at home, but officials want to prove that it can carve a niche in developing nations with weak telecommunications infrastructures, reports the Korea Times. Korea Communications...

Japan - Softbank stops taking iPhone 4 pre-orders.
June 21, 2010... Japanese mobile operator Softbank Mobile said it will stop taking advance orders for Apple's iPhone 4 on 18 June, the Nikkei reports. The mobile carrier started accepting pre-orders on 16 June. However, it decided to stop doing so because it has...

Japan - KDDI shareholders question Jcom investment.
June 21, 2010... Japanese operator KDDI shareholders criticised the firm over its investment in cable television operator Jupiter Telecommunications at a general meeting in Tokyo, complaining that the market reacted badly to the move, hurting KDDI's share price,...

Cambodia - Wing launches bill payments service.
June 21, 2010... ANZ's subsidiary Wing Cambodia said that customers in Phnom Penh and Kandal provinces can now pay Electricite du Cambodge bills using their mobile phones, reports the Phnom Penh Post. Costs are the same as sending standard Wing transactions, a...

South Africa - Net Insight wins order from South African broadcaster.
June 21, 2010... Net Insight has received an order from a South African production and broadcast service company. The South African customer has selected Net Insight's Nimbra platform for a new fibre-based contribution network. The network is expected to deliver...

China - STMicroelectronics, Tsinghua University sign research deal.
June 21, 2010... Semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics and Tsinghua University, Shenzhen Graduate School, have reached a long-term research contract. This agreement is the second phase of a collaboration that began in 2002 with the setup of a joint...

Bangladesh - Citycell offers water, sewerage bill payment facility.
June 21, 2010... Bangladeshi operator Citycell and Dhaka Wasa have signed an agreement to offer mobile-based water and sewerage bill payment facility. Citycell customers will be able to pay their Dhaka Wasa bill through his/her own Citycell mobile connection. In...

Fiji - Vodafone Fiji commercially launches money transfer service.
June 21, 2010... Vodafone Fiji has commercially launched its mobile money transfer service M-Paisa. The service allows registered users to send and receive money through their mobile phones. Vodafone has already appointed and trained a number of third party...

Australia - Telstra, NBN Co reach financial heads of agreement.
June 21, 2010... Australia's NBN Co has reached an agreement with Telstra on the roll out of the National Broadband Network (NBN). The parties reached a financial heads of agreement that would provide NBN Co access to Telstra facilities and the progressive...

India - RCom may sell tower, fibre-optic businesses to RIL - report.
June 21, 2010... Indian operator Reliance Communications is in advanced talks with Reliance Industries to sell its fibre-optic cables and telecommunication tower businesses, reports the Economic Times citing people close to the deal. RCom is also set to provide...

India - RCom may hive off DTH, IPTV into separate entity - report.
June 21, 2010... Indian operator Reliance Communications is planning to hive off its DTH and IPTV businesses into a separate company titled Reliance Digital Works, reports the Economic Times. Sources said that RCom plans to bring multi-system operators and...

Australia - Matrix wins IT outsourcing contract from Macquarie Telecom.
June 21, 2010... Australian business telecommunications provider Macquarie Telecom has signed a three-year outsourcing deal with Australian construction and project management group Matrix. The agreement will see Macquarie Telecom manage and host the company's...

India - Samsung launches OS Bada in India, to cut smartphone price.
June 21, 2010... Samsung has launched its mobile OS Bada in India along with two new products and said it plans to bring down price of smartphones to INR 10,000 by the year-end, reports The Times of India. The company has launched Samsung Wave based on Bada...

India - Indian govt likely to postpone launch of MNP.
June 21, 2010... The Indian government is likely to postpone the launch of the mobile number portability scheme to early 2011, reports the Business Standard. The present deadline for implementation of the scheme was June-end. This is the third time that the...

India - Tata Tele launches Live Asia Cup streaming.
June 21, 2010... Indian operator Tata Teleservices has introduced its football and cricket match service for Tata Indicom and Docomo subscribers respectively. Tata Docomo offers its subscribers score updates for both soccer and cricket along with live streaming...