Telecompaper Africa/Asia articles from November 2010

Telecompaper Africa/Asia archives from November 2010

India - Qualcomm, Ericsson demonstrate LTE TDD mobility in India.
November 30, 2010... Wireless Broadband Business Services, one of Qualcomm's India LTE Venture entities, and Ericsson have demonstrated LTE TDD mobility at 2.3 GHz in an outdoor environment in India. This demonstration is part of Qualcomm's previously stated plan...

Uganda - MTN Uganda customers can call friends for UGX 2 per second.
November 30, 2010... MTN Uganda has reduced on-net calls for PayAsYouGo customers calling their favourite five friends, to UGX 2 per second. CEO Themba Khumalo claimed that the new MTN Friends is the lowest tariff on the Ugandan market. He said the development is...

South Africa - iPass integrates Skyrove's Wi-Fi hotspot into mobile network.
November 30, 2010... Global enterprise mobility services provider iPass has integrated South Africa's independent Wi-Fi hotspot network provider Skyrove into the iPass mobile network. With over 650 Wi-Fi hotspots, mobile employees can get connected in Cape Town,...

Middle East - Arab states convene to unify telecoms policy.
November 30, 2010... Delegates from 14 Arab states gathered in Lebanon to unify radiocommunication policy, a move that Telecommunications Minister Charbel Nahhas said will bolster the interests and the security of the Arab nations, Lebanon's Daily Star reported. The...

Israel - Israel approves inland roaming.
November 30, 2010... The Israeli government has approved nationwide inland roaming as part of its telecommunications market reform, Globes reported. The cost of roaming will be base of the price of reciprocal mobile connectivity, ILS 0.07 per minute, while data...

Taiwan - Movial sees increased SI, design demand on Android.
November 30, 2010... Internet software company Movial is seeing increased interest in its Systems Integration (SI) and User Experience Design services as global operators and device and consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers look to launch services and devices on...

Congo - Warid Congo launches messenger service.
November 30, 2010... Telecommunications operator Warid Congo has launched Warid messenger service. Warid Congo customers can send and receive mobile e-mail and online chat messages on SMS-enabled handset, bypassing the need for internet access, subscriptions,...

Kazakhstan - Kcell launches 3G services in Astana, Almaty.
November 30, 2010... Kcell has officially launched a 3G network in the cities of Astana and Almaty. The company will offer mobile internet services with data ranging from KZT 2.3 to KZT 11.8 per 1 MB depending on the package. Subscribers will also be able to use...

Nepal - Nepal to consider voice over broadband.
November 30, 2010... Nepal's regulator has recommended that the ICT ministry opens Voice over Broadband services for private companies. Voice over broadband is part of an IT project supported by the Asian Development Bank which encourages the government to gradually...

China - China Unicom tightens iPhone rules.
November 30, 2010... China Unicom plans to tighten iPhone rules to stop scalpers from buying the phones and re-selling the phone and Sim card separately. The new restrictions will take effect from 1 December and will not affect existing customers, The China Daily...

Philippines - NTC official: Mobile growth to slow in Philippines.
November 30, 2010... As mobile subscriber growth is slowing in the Philippines, telecommunications companies are expected to see their sales fall, the National Telecommunications Commission's head Edgardo Cabarios said. Due to market saturation, mobile subscriber...

Azerbaijan - AzQtel introduces Sazz brand.
November 30, 2010... Azerbaijani Wimax services provider AzQtel has introduced its new 4G brand, Sazz, at the BakuTel 2010 Exhibition. The improved mobile Wimax service now also allows customers to connect through USB and desktop modems, APA reports. The Standard...

China - SinoHub secures further orders from HT Mobile.
November 30, 2010... Chinese electronics company SinoHub has received orders for 2.75G mobile phones from Indonesian mobile handset distributor HT Mobile. SinoHub received initial orders for two new 2.75G phone models, with shipments to commence in December. HT...

Thailand - Samsung seeks bigger slice of market in Thailand.
November 30, 2010... Samsung Thailand is targeting a 32 percent share of the mobile market in Thailand in 2011 by focusing on smartphones using Android, Bada, and Windows platforms. Samsung aims to boost its market share by offering a range of products for all...

New Zealand - New Zealand begins digital switchover campaign.
November 30, 2010... New Zealand's broadcasting minister Jonathan Coleman has launched a national campaign to promote the switch to digital television. The New Zealand government announced in September that New Zealand will make the switch, region by region, to...

New Zealand - Orcon adds India to unlimited fixed-line calling offer.
November 30, 2010... New Zealand ISP and communications provider Orcon has extended its unlimited fixed-line calling offer, adding India to its list of international locations. From 30 November onwards, Orcon customers who add India as an international calling...

Philippines - HTC launches Desire HD, Desire Z in Philippines.
November 30, 2010... HTC has introduced the HTC Desire HD and HTC Desire Z handsets in the Philippines. The Android phones feature the company's new HTC Sense user interface. The HTC Desire HD features a 4.3-inch LCD screen, Dolby Mobile and SRS surround sound and...

Nepal - Nepal's telephony base nears 10 mln.
November 30, 2010... Nepal had 9.92 million telephony users at 14 October, up from 9.34 million telephony users at 14 September, according to figures from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA). The mobile operators ended the period with 8.58 million, up from...

Malaysia - Maxis launches iPad plans.
November 30, 2010... Malaysian mobile operator Maxis has introduced dedicated data plans for iPads but the company does not sell the device. The iPad data plans start at MYR 70 per month for 3.5 GB, and rang to MYR 90 per month for 6 GB and MYR 200 per month for 15...

Sri Lanka - Lanka Bell offered for sale.
November 30, 2010... Sri Lankan fixed-wireless access operator Lanka Bell has been offered for sale. Parent Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka is offering 99.99 percent of shares of Lanka Bell, which uses CDMA technology as well as Wimax and is also connected to the...

Taiwan - Linkmedia gives up MediaFlo business in Taiwan.
November 30, 2010... A Taiwan-based MediFlo mobile TV company, Linkmedia, has decided to give up the project due to 'unfavourable external factors'. Sources said that the unfavourable external factors include the fact that Qualcomm, the developer of the MediaFlo...

Australia - Telstra launches virtual red ribbon campaign.
November 30, 2010... Telstra is supporting the AIDS Trust of Australia by making virtual Red Ribbons available for purchase on mobile phones to mark World AIDS Day on 1 December and throughout 2011. The technology is generously made available pro bono to support the...

Australia - Broadband subsidy report questions NBN investment.
November 30, 2010... Telecommunications consultant and economist Robert Kenny and brother Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the US centre for global development, have criticised the Australian government's plan to roll out the National Broadband Network. Their...

Hong Kong - Ofta consults on spectrum utilisation fee.
November 30, 2010... Hong Kong's regulator Ofta is seeking views on the proposed implementation of a charging scheme for a spectrum utilisation fee (SUF). Radio spectrum is a scarce public resource, the regulator said. The proposed SUF charging scheme would serve as...

Australia - Vividwireless to begin TD-LTE trial.
November 30, 2010... Australian wireless broadband operator Vividwireless has begun a TD-LTE trial which delivers peak speeds of over 100 Mbps. The trial is conducted with technology partner Huawei Australia and will cover the market readiness of TD-LTE, including...

New Zealand - TelstraClear launches Doro PhoneEasy handset.
November 30, 2010... New Zealand communications firm TelstraClear has launched the Doro PhoneEasy 410gsm handset which is specifically designed for those with reduced hearing or sight or those with limited fine motor skills. The phone was designed by Swedish company...

Australia - Vocus issues EBITDA guidance.
November 30, 2010... Australian wholesale IP transit and voice supplier Vocus Communications expects EBITDA for the half year ended 31 December 2010 to be between AUD 6 and 6.3 million. This compares to AUD 8.1 million for the full year 2010. The guidance includes...

Australia - Hostech changes name to Anittel Group.
November 30, 2010... Australian business ICT company Hostech has changed its name to Anittel Group. Shareholders approved the name change at the annual general meeting. The ASX code will change to AYG.

Kazakhstan - Kazkhtelecom launches corporate intranet portal.
November 30, 2010... Kazakhstan national operator Kazakhtelecom has launched a corporate intranet portal as part of its HRM strategy. The interactive portal allows the operator to communicate with staff and thus improve the management of the company.

Timor-Leste - Timor Telecom wants to push mobile penetration to 60%.
November 30, 2010... Portugal Telecom unit Timor Telecom is aiming next year for a 60 percent penetration rate for its mobile network, and a 15 percent internet market share. Portugal Telecom CEO Zeinal Bava said the operator was not afraid of competition.

Kyrgyzstan - Megacom to put USD 30 mln in network next yr.
November 30, 2010... Kyrgyzstani mobile operator Megacom plans to invest around USD 30 million in its network next year. The operator wants to deploy 172 base stations across the country and expand its 3G network. Megacom is aiming to launch LTE services in 2012.

South Africa - SA regulator investigates Broadlink wireless connections.
November 30, 2010... The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is investigating complaints filed against Broadlink relating to 5.9 GHz wireless connections, reports MyBroadband News. Speculation about irregular wireless connections have been...

Jordan - Mada wins strategic internet access deal with NITC.
November 30, 2010... Jordanian ISP Mada Communications has signed contract with the National Information and Technology Centre (NITC) to provide enhanced high speed internet access over optical fibre and via Mada's own international gateway. The ISP said this marks...

Saudi Arabia - STC reduces call rates for UAE national day.
November 30, 2010... Saudi Telecom will offer a 50 per cent reduction on all outgoing voice and video calls, SMS and MMS to Emirates, in a move to mark UAE's national day. The reduction covers all Aljawal, Sawa and Lana customers on 02 December and will be valid for...

South Africa - MTN South Africa launches free minutes promotion.
November 30, 2010... MTN South Africa has launched a promotion that lets users talk for 60 extra minutes, for free. As from 28 November, any MTN Pay As You Go customer on the Call per Second plan, who buys a single recharge voucher worth ZAR 30 or more, will benefit...

India - BRPSE calls meet for revival of BSNL.
November 30, 2010... After A Raja's exit as India's communications minister, efforts have started to revive state-run telecommunication company BSNL, which has been losing its position over the years, reports Business Standard. The Board for Reconstruction of Public...

India - India to review appointments of chairman, MD of BSNL, MTNL.
November 30, 2010... India's new telecommunication minister Kapil Sibal is set to review the appointments to the posts of the chairman and managing directors of both the state-owned telecommunication companies BSNL and MTNL, reports The Economic Times citing...

Nigeria - Etisalat Nigeria introduces dual Sim handset package.
November 30, 2010... Etisalat Nigeria has introduced a dual SIM phone that offers its customers the opportunity to use their Etisalat line in addition to any other GSM line of their choice for NGN 4,999. Subscribers who purchase the bundle package get a free...

Jordan - Damamax Jordan wins co-location services contract.
November 30, 2010... Middle East IT solutions provider STS has signed an agreement with Damamax Jordan for co-location services for STS's regional electronic payment service Paynet. Under the agreement, Damamax Jordan will provide reliable, integrated infrastructure...

Azerbaijan - Azerbaijani cable operators set up industry group - report.
November 30, 2010... Azerbaijani cable operator AG Telekom, working under the Katv1 brand, and cable operator SN Telekom, working under the SNTV brand, have established the Azerbaijani Association of Cable Operators AKOA, reports Trend. The AKOA will coordinate...

China - Tencent to offer links to other websites, apps.
November 30, 2010... Chinese internet and mobile VAS provider is to begin offering users links to third-party websites and access to externally developed applications, mirroring some features of Facebook, president Martin Lau told the Financial Times. Lay said the...

Kuwait - Viva subscriber base hits 700,000 in Kuwait.
November 30, 2010... The subscriber base of Kuwaiti mobile phone operator Viva has exceeded forecasts to reach 700,000, Al Jarida daily reports citing a company executive. The operator has grabbed a substantial share of the local telecom market from rivals within...

Kazakhstan - Alem launches Wimax in Astana.
November 30, 2010... Kazakhstan telecommunications holding Alem Communications has launched its Wimax network in Astana. More than a half of the city has been covered with the network, reports Trend. The company has previously launched Wimax networks in Almaty and...

India - Trai to launch service to bar unwanted commercial calls.
November 30, 2010... The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) will introduce a mechanism to bar unwanted commercial calls from 1 January 2011, reports The Financial Express. Under the system, to be called Customer Call Preference Registration (CCPR), if a...

India - India's DoT to penalise companies on network rollout delays.
November 30, 2010... India's telcommunication ministry is likely to issue showcause notices to new operators for delay in network roll-outs, reports PTI. Sources in-the-know said the Department of Telecom (DoT) may decide on a report by the Telecom Regulatory...

India - India's I-T department signs deal for 1,000 BlackBerrys.
November 30, 2010... India's Income Tax Department has signed an estimated INR 500 million deal with state-owned company BSNL to provide 51,000 mobile connections and 1,000 Blackberry phones for communication among its officers and staff, reports PTI. This provides...

Singapore - M1's director of human resource Peck Yeow resigns.
November 30, 2010... Singaporean operator M1 announced that director of human resource, Gan Peck Yeow, and general manager of corporate communications, Chua Swee Kiat will be leaving the company at the end of the year to pursue personal interests. Peck Yeow has been...

India - MTS India offers Opera Mini download to customers.
November 30, 2010... Opera Software and MTS India have signed an agreement that would enable MTS customers to download Opera Mini on a range of mobile phone models from handset manufacturers such as Samsung, ZTE, Haier, Huawei, Micromax and Hisense. MTS users can...

Djibouti - Djibouti Telecom picks Basset's roaming billing services.
November 30, 2010... OSS/BSS services provider Basset has signed a contract with Djibouti Telecom to supply roaming billing and revenue assurance services that includes Watchdog Fraud, Watchdog Revenue Assurance and RevUp Roaming. Djibouti Telecom is currently...

India - Tata Docomo offers VAS app to learn English through IVR.
November 30, 2010... Indian GSM operator Tata Docomo has launched a VAS application called English Seekho, which is accessible through an Interactive Voice Portal. This service aims at teaching situational spoken English. Users can learn conversational English...

India - Tata Docomo launches 3G enabled 'Dive-In Store' in Bangalore.
November 30, 2010... Indian operator Tata Docomo has launched 3G enabled 'Dive-In Store' at Koramangala in Bangalore. The visitors to the store can experience the newly launched 3G services and can get 3G experience through the latest Live Demo handsets. Tata...

Egypt - Samsung opens flagship Egyptian store opens in City Stars.
November 30, 2010... Samsung Electronics has opened its flagship Egyptian store in City Stars. The store displays and sells all of its product lines under the same roof. The location boasts 220 square meters of the latest in Samsung technology, including items from...

Middle East - BSkyB plans Arabic Sky News channel in Middle East.
November 29, 2010... British Sky Broadcasting has announced the formation of a 50/50 JV with Abu Dhabi Media Investment (Admic) to bring a new, free-to-air Arabic-language news channel to viewers across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region from 2012. Based...

Singapore - DBS, StarHub to trial mobile payment service in Singapore.
November 29, 2010... Asian financial services group DBS' some 1,000 customers with Singaporean communications provider StarHub's mobile plans will be the first in Singapore to use the NFC Mobile Payment Solution trial service for everyday mobile payments. The trial...

India - Bitstream offers Indic language support for Bolt browser.
November 29, 2010... Software technologies and applications developer Bitstream's Bolt mobile browser now supports nine Indic languages. These nine languages are spoken by an estimated 1.3 billion people living in India and the surrounding regions. This browser for...

Kenya - Airtel Kenya launches low cost mobile handset package.
November 29, 2010... Airtel Kenya has launched a new ultra low cost handset package which effectively provides a mobile phone free of charge to all new subscribers. The package will cost KES 1850 and includes a new Nokia 1280 mobile phone, free SIM card and the...

Kenya - Airtel Kenya introduces new number prefixes.
November 29, 2010... Airtel Kenya has introduced an extra 2.5 million lines covering five number prefixes It has unveiled new mobile number prefixes in the range of 0739, 0786, 0787, 0788 and 0789. MD Rene Meza confirmed that increased demand for Airtel Kenya lines...

India - BPO firm picks Datacraft for datacentre consolidation.
November 29, 2010... A global Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firm has selected Asian ICT services provider Datacraft to consolidate its datacentre in India and deploy a scalable network and security infrastructure. To consolidate the organisation's multiple...

Australia - Internode, PCRange launch Fritz!Box in Australia.
November 29, 2010... Australian ISP Internode and PCRange has launched Germany-based broadband modem manufacturer AVM's Fritz!Box, a home and Soho ADSL2+ router. The Fritz!Box supports both ADSL2+ and Ethernet WAN upstream connections, allowing migration to NBN or...

Taiwan - Chunghwa to reinvest in non-core businesses for profits.
November 29, 2010... Taiwanese carrier Chunghwa Telecom will put money into more promising non-core businesses in 2011 for more profits, reports Cens.com. The company and its investment arm, Chunghwa Investment will extensively explore investment opportunities in...

Japan - Japan to allocate mobile bandwith through auction next year.
November 29, 2010... Japan's Communications Ministry will allocate mobile bandwidth through competitive bidding beginning next year, opening up prime spectrum to accommodate the demand of smartphones, The Nikkei reports. The auctions will cover spectrum in 700MHz...

Indonesia - Yahoo! Indonesia unveils campaign for new internet users.
November 29, 2010... Yahoo! is gearing up to increase its presence in Indonesia after acquiring local location-based service provider Koprol, reports the Jakarta Globe. It is also launching a campaign to attract first-time internet users. Koprol has already garnered...

China - Baidu to introduce charges for on-line literature.
November 29, 2010... Chinese search services provider Baidu pledges signals crackdown on copyright thieves, Xinhua reports. Chinese netizens accessing free online reading might soon be paying for literary works. On-line publisher Shanda Literature (SDL) is hoping...

Asia - APAC countries to set up framework for broadband access.
November 29, 2010... Asia-Pacific countries have agreed at a United Nations-backed meeting to set up a framework for regional connectivity, in an effort to harness developments in mobile telecommunications services to enhance broadband access. UN Economic and Social...

Japan - Sony to launch e-readers with e-books in Japan.
November 29, 2010... Sony will launch its new e-readers in Japan on 10 December, The Nikkei reports. Sony will also start selling e-books to be read on its Readers under a digital media strategy intended to generate revenue from both hardware and digital content....

Qatar - Qatar Central Bank supports mobile payments, transfers.
November 29, 2010... Qatar Central Bank (QCB) is allowing telecoms operators in Qatar to transfer, receive and make payments through mobile phones in collaboration with banks and licensed money exchanges. The Governor of Qatar Central Bank Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud...

Kenya - MultiChoice Kenya welcomes pay-TV competition.
November 29, 2010... MultiChoice Kenya has welcomed the entry of Swedish firm Next Generation Broadcasting (NGB) into the Kenyan pay TV market saying it will boost competition. MultiChoice Kenya GM Stephen Isaboke said in spite of the expected competition, they will...

Qatar - Auction of Vodafone Qatar numbers for charity.
November 29, 2010... Vodafone Qatar is collaborating with Qatar Charity (QC) in organising an auction on 30 November of easy-to-remember (ETR) telephone numbers. The proceeds from the auction will go to QC projects in the state, a charity spokesman said. QC GM for...

Nigeria - Airtel Nigeria, Nokia team for mobile data promotion.
November 29, 2010... Airtel Nigeria has concluded plans with Nokia to introduce an exclusive data bundle package to StepUP Platinum customers on the new smartphone, the Nokia N8. With this partnership, people who own a Nokia N8 and subscribe to Airtel's StepUP...

Australia - Telstra launches Motorola Defy.
November 29, 2010... Telstra has introduced the Motorola Defy which will be available from 30 November. The Android smartphone features a 3.7-inch touchscreen and is water and dust resistant. The Defy is the first Android smartphone that has received the Telstra...

Japan - KDDI receives 270,000 pre-orders for IS03.
November 29, 2010... Japanese mobile operator KDDI has received 270,000 pre-orders for its new Android smartphone. KDDI is hoping the IS03 smartphone will recoup some of the ground it lost to rivals NTT Docomo and Softbank in the smartphone business, The Nikkei...

Australia - NBN Co CEO defends NBN cost.
November 29, 2010... The CEO of Australia's NBN Co, Mike Quigley, has defended the cost of the upcoming National Broadband Network, following the release of a summary of the company's business case, The Australian reports. The business case shows that the weighted...

Thailand - Seven firms seek MVNO licence in Thailand.
November 29, 2010... Seven companies have applied for MVNO licences on TOT's 3G network in Thailand. Despite the uncertainty in MVNO licences created by the upcoming frequency allocation law, interest in operating an MVNO on TOT's 3G network is huge, The Nation...

South Korea - KT develops special IPTV remote control.
November 29, 2010... Korean communications firm KT has developed technology to make it easier for handicapped people to control a TV. KT, together with the Seoul National University, has developed technology for existing IPTV set-top boxes that allows handicapped...

India - Idea launches gift card in Haryana.
November 29, 2010... Indian mobile operator Idea Cellular has launched a gift card called 'My Card' in Haryana which subscribers can pick up from Idea retail outlets. The card provides free talktime, free minutes, and free SMS messages.

Maldives - Maldives ends October with 48,112 fixed lines.
November 29, 2010... The total number of telephone lines in the Maldives (including payphones) slipped to 48,100 at the end of October, compared with 48,112 at the end of August. The majority of lines (35,105) were in Male, Villingili, Aarah, Hulhule and Hulhumale...

China - China Mobile's 3G network to cover all counties by year-end.
November 29, 2010... China Mobile's TD-SCDMA network is expected to count 220,000 base stations by the end of the year and the network will cover all counties in China, Xinhua reports. By end-September China's operators had rolled out a total of 545,000 3G base...

Malaysia - Malaysian PM to defuse spectrum licence row.
November 29, 2010... The Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has called an emergency meeting with key executives of telecommunications operators in a move to defuse a spat over the award of a 700 MHz licence to YTL Communications. YTL Group's new unit YTL...

Malaysia - Telekom Malaysia's Q3 profit rises 145%.
November 29, 2010... Telekom Malaysia (TM) saw its third quarter revenues go up 4.5 percent year-on-year to MYR 2.19 billion compared with MYR 2.10 billion a year earlier. The rise is mainly due to higher revenue from data and other telecommunications related...

Taiwan - Asustek set to launch Eee Note devices in Taiwan.
November 29, 2010... Asustek Computer is expected to launch its first model of the Eee Note series in Taiwan on 29 November. The Eee Note series of devices will fall between tablet PCs and e-book readers and the first model is the 8-inch EA800 which is expected to...

Taiwan - Chunghwa Telecom to adopt Microsoft's Lync.
November 29, 2010... Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom will adopt Microsoft's Lync server to integrate with its cloud computing services to launch united communication as a service (UCaaS) to business users in Taiwan. Chunghwa also plans to offer versions supporting...

Australia - Exetel to expand to New Zealand, beefs up network.
November 29, 2010... Australian ISP and communications provider Exetel signed the first contracts to duplicate its current network paths and add new PoPs in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne and to establish a PoP in Auckland. The contracts are with three different...

Australia - Australian Senate passes Telstra split bill.
November 29, 2010... The Australian Parliament has passed legislation that provides for the split of Telstra into a wholesale and retail company and for reforms ahead of the roll out of the National Broadband Network. The senate passed the Telecommunications...

Malaysia - U Mobile launches broadband promotion.
November 29, 2010... Malaysian mobile services provider U Mobile has launched a U Broadband promotion. Customers that sign up before 31 December for a UB40 or UB68 plan, charged at MYR 40 and 68 per month respectively, will pay only MYR 20 per month for the first...