Telecompaper Africa/Asia articles from May 2007

Telecompaper Africa/Asia archives from May 2007

China - ZTE selects Comtech module for 3G TD-SCDMA phones.
May 30, 2007... ZTE has selected Comtech Group's customised module design solution for its new TD-SCDMA 3G phones. The new phones are dual-mode handsets to support new 3G TD-SCDMA and existing 2G networks in China. Comtech has provided vital enabling...

Asia - CITIC1616 awards SMS, MMS hubbing contracts to Openmind.
May 30, 2007... CITIC1616 Holdings have awarded Openmind Networks the contract to provide enhanced SMS & MMS hubbing services. CITIC1616 is a telecommunications carrier providing voice and messaging exchange to mobile operators across Asia. The CITIC 1616...

Australia - Fanoc lodges broadband access undertaking with ACCC.
May 30, 2007... Fanoc has lodged a special access undertaking (SAU) with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The special access relates to the terms and conditions of Fanoc's planned fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) broadband access service....

Taiwan - Gemtek uses Radvision Multimedia Terminal Framework.
May 30, 2007... Taiwan-based Gemtek has selected the Radvision Multimedia Terminal Framework to develop a new Integrated Access Device (IAD) and WiFi phone. The Radvision multimedia terminal framework delivers the support required for call control services,...

India - VSNL reports 85% more revenues to INR 88.6 billion.
May 30, 2007... India-based global data network operator VSNL saw its revenues grow by 85 percent to INR 88.6 billion at the end of the financial year 2007 on 31 March. The EBITDA grew by 49 percent from INR 8.71 billion in financial year 2006 to INR 12.9...

India - UTStarcom provides AKSH with IPTV equipment.
May 30, 2007... UTStarcom will integrate Optibase's H.264 Media Gateway 5100 IPTV encoding platforms in its RollingStream IPTV service in India. AKSH, a provider of IPTV services in India, will utilise Optibase's integrated carrier-grade TV streaming...

Asia - China Netcom teams up with PCCW to launch IEPL.
May 30, 2007... China Netcom Group and PCCW Global have signed a letter of intent on the 2008 Olympic Games to launch an IEPL connecting Hong Kong and Beijing. The IEPL (international ethernet private line) service is a managed bandwidth solution providing...

China - China Mobile set to invite TD-SCDMA phone bids - report.
May 30, 2007... China Mobile is slated to invite bides for TD-SCDMA phones in September, press agency Xinhua reports citing unnamed sources. The contracts are estimated to be worth CNY 4 to 6 bilion. The company is expected to buy some 2 million TD-SCDMA...

Philippines - Digitel to spend USD 250 mln on expansion plans.
May 30, 2007... Philippine operator Digitel plans to invest up to USD 250 million before the end of this year, AHN Media writes citing company officials. Most of the investments will be used to expand fixed voice and broadband networks as well as the...

Israel - Anti-trust director could rule that Bezeq abused monopoly.
May 30, 2007... The director of Israel's anti-trust authority, Ronit Kan, is considering ruling that operator Bezeq illegally abused its monopoly position by disconnecting the network of HOT Telecom from its own network in May 2006, reports Globes Online....

Japan - NTT offers fibre-optic services through DoCoMo shops.
May 30, 2007... NTT has begun offering fibre-optic subscriptions from NTT East at NTT DoCoMo shops, the Nikkei Business Daily reports. As NTT already has a dominant position on the Japanese market, this move is expected to meet opposition from rival...

New Zealand - Woosh replaces CFO, names sales, regulatory heads.
May 30, 2007... New Zealand's wireless broadband provider Woosh unveils key senior management announcements that reflect its plans to take advantage of emerging market opportunities. The changes at Woosh include the arrival of Kristin Dunne-Powell as the new...

Qatar - Qtel launches SMS-based breaking news video service.
May 30, 2007... Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has launched the Mozaic Video Breaking News service, allowing subscribers to receive videos in English and Arabic of breaking news in near real time. The SMS-based service carries, local, regional and world news clips to...

Malaysia - Celcom Malaysia deploys First Hop Wireless Broker.
May 30, 2007... Malaysian mobile operator Celcom has selected the Wireless Broker application from Finnish mobile services delivery company First Hop to enhance delivery of browsing and multimedia services for its customers. Celcom will deploy the First Hop...

Pakistan - Diallog has over 50,000 CDMA WLL customers.
May 30, 2007... Pakistani WLL operator Diallog, the brand sued by Great Bear International Services, has crossed the 50,000-subscriber milestone. The company is now operating at full swing in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Attock and Murree. Diallog uses CDMA...

South Africa - Clickatell launches premium rate SMS in S Africa.
May 30, 2007... US-based global mobile messaging company Clickatell has launched a mobile terminated premium rate SMS service in South Africa. Mobile terminated services charge according to messages received, allowing Clickatell's customers to offer...

Israel - Talks between Bezeq and Nehama hit problems - report.
May 30, 2007... Talks between Shlomo Nehama and the controlling shareholders of Israeli operator Bezeq have run into problems, reports Haaretz.com. The talks are focused on Nehama acquiring a stake in Bezeq and taking up the post of chairman. The main...

Morocco - Maroc Telecom blocks YouTube access.
May 30, 2007... Reporters Without Borders has voiced concern about the blocking of access to the video-sharing website YouTube by Maroc Telecom since 25 May. The ISP failed to respond to several calls made to it by the press freedom organisation, but a...

Israel - Bezeq launches BMusic internet radio player.
May 30, 2007... Israeli operator Bezeq has launched the BMusic high-speed internet product, combining an internet radio and audio streamer and wireless music player. This will allow users to listen to over 10,000 internet radio stations and music files on...

Asia - Maxis plans capex of MYR 15 billion to grow operations.
May 30, 2007... Malaysian operator Maxis plans a capex of MYR 15 billion over the next three years, the Business Times reports. The company will invest in growing its existing markets with the bulk going to operations in Indonesia and India. Maxis has...

Uganda - Uganda mobile base hits 2.7 mln, UTL promises new services.
May 30, 2007... Uganda had 2.7 million mobile phone subscribers at the end of last year, up from 2.24 million at the end of September, according to telecommunication regulator UCC. The number of fixed phone lines rose to 129,863 from 117,026 over the same...

Asia - Asia-Pacific IPTV revenues to reach USD 8 billion in 2012.
May 30, 2007... Competition between IPTV and cable/satellite TV is heating up in Asia, with IPTV poised to gain significant market share over the next several years according to an In-Stat study. There were 2.7 million IPTV subscribers in Asia in 2006, and...

Israel - Bezeq to cut phone rates on 01 June - report.
May 30, 2007... Israeli operator Bezeq will cut its phone rates by an average of 3.13 percent on 01 June, reports Haaretz.com. From June, calls to Bezeq lines will cost ILS 0.115 per minute during the day, down from ILS 0.119, and ILS 0.047 in the evenings,...

Japan - NEC employees faked orders worth JPY 2.2 billion.
May 30, 2007... During a tax assessment of NEC for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2006, it was discovered that fraudulent transactions have been carried out by ten NEC employees. The five transactions, which involved fictitious or enlarged orders for...

Malaysia - NasionCom sued by SiS distribution.
May 30, 2007... Malaysian communications provider NasionCom has been sued by SiS Distribution, according to documents filed with the Malaysian stock exchange. Sis alleges NasionCom has not delivered mobile phones under an agreement between the two companies....

Egypt - Vodafone Egypt revenues increase to EGP 7.67 bln.
May 30, 2007... Vodafone Egypt reports service revenues for the financial year ending 31 March of EGP 7.67 billion compared with EGP 5.49 billion in FY 2006. The total revenues grew from EGP 5.95 billion to EGP 8.13 billion and the gros profit reached EGP...

Malaysia - Time dotCom's net loss narrows in Q1.
May 30, 2007... Malaysian mobile operator Time dotCom narrowed its losses in the first quarter on lower revenues. Revenues totalled MYR 79.65 million during the quarter, down from MYR 86.97 million in the year-ago quarter due to lower voice and payphone...

China - Orsus Xelent wins USD 20 mln order from Unicom Huasheng.
May 30, 2007... Mobile phone designer Orsus Xelent Technologies has secured a 50,000+ unit order from China Unicom subsidiary Unicom Huasheng, which is valued at more than USD 20 million. The order is for Orsus Xelent's X180 CDMA 1X phones featuring...

Japan - Mobile users in Japan to hit 107 mln in 2010 - study.
May 30, 2007... The number of mobile users in Japan will increase to 107.3 million by the end of 2010 with a CAGR of 3.93 percent during 2003-2010, according to the latest research by ROA Group. The introduction of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) was the...

China - China.com signs ad deals with Google, China Mobile.
May 30, 2007... Chinese news website China.com signed advertising contracts with Google and China Mobile to further expand its strategic partnerships with the companies. China.com is a subsidiary of mobile applications and online game developer CDC...

Japan - Fixed-line users down, VoIP and mobile users up in Japan.
May 30, 2007... Japan has ended March 2007 with 55.155 million fixed-line users, 14.331 million IP phone users, and 116.98 million mobile and PHS users, according to figures from the ministry of internal affairs and communications. The number of fixed-line...

Thailand - True to issue debentures to repay existing debt.
May 30, 2007... Thai communications provider True will issue up to THB 4 billion of secured debentures to institutional and retail investors. Proceeds of the debentures will be used to repay existing debt ahead of the maturity date. This includes a THB 3.6...

Thailand - AIS wants fair treatment in contracts with state telcos.
May 30, 2007... Thai mobile network Advanced Info Service (AIS) is calling for fair and equal treatment in an overhaul of contracts between private operators and state-owned TOT and CAT Telecom, reports the Bangkok Post. The Communications ministry has...

Asia - Asians passionate about digital music technology - survey.
May 30, 2007... Asian consumers are just as passionate about the digital technology used to access and play music as they are about the music itself, according to a survey by Synovate. The survey questioned 3,857 15-34 year olds in China, Hong Kong, India,...

Hong Kong - PCCW's IPTV adds music channel Taiwan.
May 30, 2007... Hong Kong's telecommunications operator PCCW's IPTV platform now TV will screen the popular youth channel Channel Taiwan. The channel is the latest to be added to the Channel lineup which includes Channel India, Channel International and...

Bangladesh - Ranks Telecom wins IDCOL BDT 1.01 bln loan for fixed network.
May 30, 2007... IDCOL has signed Loan Agreements with Bangladesh telecom operator Ranks Telecom for expansion of the latters existing fixed line telephone network (PSTN project). The expansion is being financed by a syndicate of lenders. Total BDT 1.01...

China - Dragon New Media, Shanghai Unicom plan mobile TV service.
May 30, 2007... Chinese mobile operator Shanghai Unicom has joined forces with Dragon New Media to launch a mobile TV service, reports Interfax-China citing Dragon New Media CEO Wu Chunlei. Dragon is owned by Chinese broadcaster Shanghai Media Group. It will...

Viet Nam - VNPT launches GPhone fixed wireless service - report.
May 30, 2007... Vietnam Post Telecommunications Group (VNPT) will launch the new GPhone GSM-based fixed wireless phone service on 31 May, reports Thanh Nien News. The service will operate on the Vinaphone network and will be offered in all provinces and...

China - MoSell to expand mobile marketing network in China.
May 30, 2007... Chinese mobile marketing specialist MoSell plans to further expand its agent network in China. The plans were announced at the monthly Summit Forum organised by China Mobile. MoSell.net is the leading mobile marketing solution ASP in China.

Georgia - Metromedia unveils Magticom dividend, boosts Georgian assets.
May 30, 2007... Metromedia International Group, owner of telecommunications assets in Georgia, has announced that Georgian mobile operator Magticom had issued a dividend of USD 40 million net of taxes. Of this total, Metromedia received USD 20.04 million,...

Nepal - Nepal's limited mobility services to go mobile - report.
May 30, 2007... The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) is recommending that basic wireless communications networks with limited mobility are allowed to go completely mobile, reports Nepalese newspapers The Kantipur Report. The NTA made its...

Egypt - Vodafone Egypt's Voice SMS service is used by 15% of users.
May 30, 2007... Vodafone Egypt says its new voice SMS service Bubble Motion is being used by 15 percent of its subscribers and has upped ARPU. Those who use the service, which can also message other networks, spend 1.5 percent more on average, said Vodafone....

China - GSMA completes multi-vendor image share trials in China.
May 30, 2007... The GSMA and China Mobile have successfully completed the first multi-vendor trials of interoperable Image Share services. This service allows mobile customers to share images with the person they are talking to on a phone call and was tested...

Jordan - Fastlink and RIM launch BlackBerry Pearl in Jordan.
May 30, 2007... MTC subsidiary and Jordanian mobile operator Fastlink has teamed with Research In Motion to launch the BackBerry Pearl smartphone in Jordan. The phone combines BlackBerry wireless services with leisure add-ons like a digital camera, a media...

Hong Kong - Hutchison selects NEC's mobile internet platform.
May 30, 2007... NEC has received orders for its mobile internet platform (NEMIP) from Hutchison Telecommunications (Hong Kong) (HTHK). HTHK will commence i-mode services in Hong Kong on 30 May. NEC's NEMIP enables the provision of the i-mode service, a...

Hong Kong - Hong Kong implements new law to combat spammers.
May 30, 2007... Hong Kong plans to impose large fines and long jail terms on spammers with a new law to combat unsolicited e-mail, reports AFR quoting unnamed government officials. Spammers face fines of up to HKD 1 million and five years in prison for...

China - China Unicom to raise IP international call rates - report.
May 30, 2007... China Unicom will increase fees for international IP long-distance phone calls on 01 June, reports Xinhua News Agency. It will raise fees for calls between China and 23 regions and countries by over 200 percent, despite protests from...

Indonesia - CDMA2000 subscriber base in Indonesia breaks 10 million mark.
May 30, 2007... The CDMA Development Group (CDG) has announced that the total number of 3G CDMA2000 subscribers in Indonesia has surpassed the 10 million mark. With only 36 percent of the 66,778 villages in Indonesia using some form of telecommunications...

Sri Lanka - Dialog Telekom, Ceylinco offer insurance via mobiles.
May 30, 2007... Sri Lankan operator Dialog Telekom and Ceylinco Insurance have launched 'eZ Insurance' a personal accident insurance cover which is issued via mobile phones. Dialog prepaid customers can subscribe to the instant insurance policy, which is...

China - PacificNet opens games R&D centre in Zhuhai.
May 30, 2007... Chinese CRM, call centre and value-added service provider PacificNet has recently opened an office in Zhuhai, a city adjacent to Macau, as a product development and R&D centre to support its PacificNet Games (PactGames) Macau office.

Israel - MIRS launches TeleMessage Mail Plug-in product.
May 30, 2007... Messaging International subsidiary TeleMessage has launched its Mail Plug-in product with Israel's business mobile operator, MIRS Communications. The service enables users to download a simple plug-in to their Microsoft Outlook and send an...

Hong Kong - Hong Kong govt approves wireless internet plans.
May 30, 2007... The Hong Kong Legislative Council has approved a HKD 217.6 million programme to provide wireless internet services in government buildings, reports Xinhua News Agency. Stephen Mak, Hong Kong's deputy chief information officer, said the plan...

Georgia - MagtiCom opens 25th customer service office.
May 29, 2007... Georgian mobile operator MagtiCom opened a new customer service office in Tskaltubo on 29 May. This is the company's 25th regional customer service office.

Israel - Pele-Phone Q1 revenue jumps 22% to ILS 1.15 billion.
May 29, 2007... Israeli mobile operator Pele-Phone Communications has reported revenue of ILS 1.15 billion for Q1 2007, up 22 percent from Q1 2006. Net profit was up 22 percent year-on-year to ILS 154 million. Pele-Phone recorded a total of 2.48 million...

New Zealand - Orcon, Vodafone New Zealand in GSM wholesale agreement.
May 29, 2007... New Zealand ISP Orcon has signed its wholesale agreement with Vodafone which will allow it to launch New Zealand's second GSM mobile service in October. The agreement establishes Orcon as a true wholesale operator, with the company offering...

Bahrain - Mena Telecom in talks for WiMAX network roll-out.
May 29, 2007... Bahrain's Mena Telecom is close to completing negotiations with international vendors to deploy a nationwide WiMAX fixed wireless network in Bahrain. It will use the WiMAX network to provide a range of fixed and nomadic services, including...

Australia - Coonan welcomes appointment of new TIO in Australia.
May 29, 2007... Australia's Minister for Communications, IT & the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, has welcomed the appointment of Deirdre O'Donnell as the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) in Australia. O'Donnell starts in the role on 29 May, replacing...

South Africa - Yeigo enhances mobile VoIP service with free IM, SMS invites.
May 29, 2007... South African VoIP service provider Yeigo has launched an update version of its mobile VoIP version called, Yeigo Version 2.0. The 2.0 version includes enhanced presence functionalities, free IM between Yeigo users and improved IM integration...

India - Reliance Communications slashes Gulf calling rates by 36%.
May 29, 2007... Indian mobile operator Reliance Communications (RCOM) has slashed calling rates to the Gulf by 36 percent. This initiative enables RCOM customers to make calls to all countries in the Gulf region at INR 6.99 per minute with a Reliance Global...

New Zealand - Vodafone New Zealand sees 44,000 net customer adds in Q1.
May 29, 2007... Vodafone New Zealand had 44,000 net customer additions in Q1 2007, raising the total customer base to 2.24 million. Market share was 53.7 percent at end-Q1, up from 52.5 percent at end-Q1 2006. Customer additions over the 12 months were...

Sudan - Mobitel Sudan secures EUR 270 million loan.
May 29, 2007... Sudanese mobile operator Mobitel, a wholly-owned unit of MTC Group, has signed a EUR 270 million Murabaha Facility to finance its expansion projects. This will include licence fees, network capital expenditure and other business expansion...

Australia - BigPond to stream Missy Higgins concert online, via Next G.
May 29, 2007... BigPond will stream a live and exclusive Missy Higgins performance online and on Telstra Next G and 3G mobiles on 04 June. The concert is available to all broadband users at bigpond.com and via BigPond Music on Telstra Next G and 3G mobiles....

Australia - M2 Wholesale signs up more wholesale clients in Australia.
May 29, 2007... Diversified telecommunications services provider M2 Telecommunications Group has continued its strong growth in the wholesale mobile telecommunications market, having secured several more wholesale customers over recent weeks through its...

Australia - ACCC issues interim determinations in telecoms arbitrations.
May 29, 2007... The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published interim determinations, together with the statements of reasons, in two telecommunications arbitrations regarding the supply of the local carriage service (LCS) and...

China - Hurray! Holding's income up on slightly lower revenues.
May 29, 2007... Chinese mobile entertainment provider Hurray! Holding has seen its net income go up almost 4 percent in the first quarter, Interfax reports. Hurray! posted a net income of USD 1 million, up 3.8 percent year-on-year, on the back of USD 16.6...

Malaysia - TM ties up with Malaysian banks for distribution, services.
May 29, 2007... Telekom Malaysia (TM) has formed a strategic alliance with Amcorp Group, AmBank and MCM Wireless to widen its distribution network and enhance product development. The companies have signed a 10-year framework agreement. One of the first...

Australia - Coonan warns of scams over Do Not Call Register in Australia.
May 29, 2007... Australia's Minister for Communications, IT & the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, has warned consumers about potential unscrupulous door-knocking scams where people were asked for funds in return for being listed on the Do Not Call Register. It...

Thailand - Sanook!, eBay to launch co-branded site in Thailand.
May 29, 2007... Ebay and Thai online portal Sanook! will launch a co-branded, Thai language site in five to seven months. Under the revenue-sharing agreement, the co-branded site, Sanook! eBay, will be managed and operated under a newly formed Sanook!...

India - Vodafone to complete Bharti Airtel stake sale before 2009.
May 29, 2007... Vodafone will transfer its 5.6 percent stake in Bharti Airtel back to the Indian mobile operator by November 2008, according to the presentation of Vodafone Group's financial results. Following acquisition of control in Indian mobile operator...

Sudan - Areeba Sudan launches ring back tone service.
May 29, 2007... Areeba (MTN Sudan) has launched a ring back tone service called Mazazik. The service allows Areeba subscribers to replace the traditional ring tone heard by the caller with a personalised song, music and many other varieties that can be...

Ghana - Onetouch lowers SMS fees.
May 29, 2007... Ghanese mobile operator Onetouch has lowered the rates for sending SMSs to both local and international destinations. SMS to Onetouch numbers or other local networks now cost GHC 400 and GHC 800 to all international networks. Smart Club...

Africa - Vodacom Group sees customer base grow 28.2% to 30.2 mln.
May 29, 2007... South Africa-based African mobile operator Vodacom Group has increased its total customers by 28.2 percent to 30.2 million on 31 March. Because Vodacom's majority shareholder (50%) Vodafone reported its financial results, the mobile operator...

Gambia - Comium launches operations in Gambia.
May 29, 2007... African mobile operator Comium has launched operations in Gambia with the opening of its head quarters py the Gambian President Yaya Jammeh. Marketed under 'Nakam', Comium Gambia's mobile service is tailored specifically to meet the country's...

Nigeria - BT selects 21st Century Technologies for Nigerian 21 CN node.
May 29, 2007... BT has entered into a partnership deal with a Nigerian fixed network operator 21st Century Technologies. The partnership with 21st Century Technologies will enable customers with sites in Nigeria to access BT's global network via a new...

Africa - Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks support African CTO meeting.
May 29, 2007... Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks prepare for growth of telecommunications in Africa at CTO Roundtable. The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation's (CTO) European-African Telecommunications Roundtable in Helsinki and Bonn, will bring...

New Zealand - Cisco to target TNZ for New Zealand growth.
May 29, 2007... Network equipment supplier Cisco aims to target Telecom New Zealand (TNZ) as part of its aggressive growth plans, reports National Business Review. Of Cisco's business in New Zealand, 70 percent is providing the basic equipment that makes up...

China - Number of IPTV users in China rises to 612,000 at end-Q1.
May 29, 2007... The number of IPTV users in China was 612,000 at end-Q1 2007, up 36 percent vs end-Q4 2006, mainly due to greater adoption in Shanghai, Henan and Heilongjiang, according to a report from Analysys International. Shanghai represented 35.9...

Japan - NHK uses Ateme's MPEG-4 technology in Ultra HD test.
May 29, 2007... Ateme has seen its MPEG-4 technology used in a public Ultra HD demonstration with MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) by NHK in Tokyo. The company is cooperating closely with NHK Labs in the design and development of this standard. NHK expects the full...

China - Nokia, New Oriental Education in mobile learning project.
May 29, 2007... Nokia and Chinese private education group New Oriental Education and Technology Group have entered into an agreement to launch a mobile learning initiative that will give students access to select New Oriental course content via their mobile...

Japan - Softbank withdraws legal threat against CLSA.
May 29, 2007... Japanese telecommunications group Softbank has withdrawn its threat of legal action against investment group CLSA over a critical report written by one of CLSA's analysts about Softbank, the Financial Times reports. CLSA has issued a partial...

China - Nokia Siemens provides GSM gear to Heilongjiang MCC.
May 29, 2007... Nokia Siemens Networks will provide Heilongjiang Mobile Communications Company (Heilongjiang MCC) with GSM network expansion and professional services. As part of the contract Nokia Siemens Networks will provide GSM base stations and base...

Saudi Arabia - MTC-led consortium wins 3rd mobile licence in Saudi Arabia.
May 29, 2007... A consortium led by Kuwait-based mobile operator MTC Group has clinched the third mobile telecommunications licence in Saudi Arabia in a USD 6.109 billion bid. The company is expected to launch its services in early 2008, reports Saudi...

Asia - Nokia, Tsinghua University team up on research.
May 29, 2007... Nokia and the Tsinghua University in China, have established a research framework and a facility dedicated to long term joint research programmes. Tsinghua University will will collaborate with Nokia Research Center (NRC) researchers on a...

India - Softbank Telecom opens subsidiary in India.
May 29, 2007... Japanese telecommunications provider Softbank Telecom will set-up a subsidiary in India. The new subsidiary, tentatively called Japan Telecom India, will support local customers who are using the Ultina Global Services from Softbank Telecom,...