Telecompaper Africa/Asia articles from October 2008, page 10

Telecompaper Africa/Asia archives from October 2008

Australia - ACCC lauches legal action against 28 companies.
October 2, 2008... The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has begun legal proceedings against a number of telecommunications companies over bundled services deals that targeted small businesses. The Commission instituted proceedings in the Federal...

Thailand - True Touch targets revenues of THB 350 mln.
October 2, 2008... Thai call centre outsourcing company True Touch is targeting THB 350 million in revenues for 2008, up 15 percent year-on-year. The company, a subsidiary of telecommunications group True, further expects to maintain its market share of about...

New Zealand - Kordia posts disappointing FY08 results.
October 2, 2008... New Zealand-based provider of telecommunications networks Kordia has seen its financial year 2008 results drop year-on-year. Kordia attributes this to the fact that FY07 was an exceptional year as a result of a NZD 50 million mobile network...

China - Unicom, Telecom finalise CDMA business sale.
October 2, 2008... China Unicom and China Telecom have announced that all the conditions for the CDMA business sale have been satisfied. Under a major reform in the Chinese telecommunications industry, China Unicom has sold its CDMA mobile business to China...

Japan - Human Bond offers translation app to Softbank, KDDI users.
October 2, 2008... Japanese software developer Human Bond has made its mobile translation application available to KDDI and Softbank Mobile users. The company already offered the application, which translates e-mails between Chinese and Japanese, to NTT Docomo...

Malaysia - Celcom offers unlimited data roaming in Singapore.
October 2, 2008... Malaysia's Celcom offers postpaid customers unlimited data roaming in Singapore, the Edge Daily reports. The deal is part of a joint initiative with MobileOne (M1) under Telekom Malaysia International (TMI) alliances and is valid until 15...

Australia - Fujitsu opens data centre in Australia.
October 2, 2008... Fujitsu has opened a new data centre at Sydney's Homebush Bay. The three-storey structure has undergone significant enhancements over the past eight months to deliver measurable savings on both greenhouse gas emissions and financial metrics....

Viet Nam - Vietnam ends September with 70.4 million telephony users.
October 2, 2008... The number of telephony users in Vietnam has reached 70.4 million with a teledensity of 82 phones per 100 residents, VietNamNet Bridge reports. The number of mobile subscribers accounted for 81 percent or 57 million subscribers. The Ministry...

Cote d'Ivoire - MTN acquires Arobase Telecom, Afnet in Cote d'Ivoire.
October 2, 2008... Mobile operator MTN has acquired Arobase Telecom and Afnet, both service providers in Cote d'Ivoire. The company said in a statement that the acquisitions are in line with MTN's stated strategy to provide integrated communications solutions...

Bahrain - Bahrain international calls market boosted by expats.
October 2, 2008... Expatriates in Bahrain are phoning home more often than ever, thanks to cheaper international call rates. The country's telecom companies are also cashing in, raking in nearly BHD 300 million between them last year. TRA chairman Mohammed Al...

India - India's BSNL picks Sterlite to supply fibre optic cables.
October 2, 2008... Global provider of wire and cable systems Sterlite Technologies has won a contract from Indian state-owned operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) to supply fibre optic cables with the highest density. The contract is worth INR 240 million and...

India - Five directors resign from Spice Mobiles board.
October 2, 2008... Indian mobile services provider Spice Mobiles has appointed Hanif Mohamed Dahya and Kunal Ahooja as directors with effect from 30 September. Kunal Ahooja has also been appointed as whole time director from 1 October for a period of three...

South Africa - iBurst's commercial WiMAX network goes live.
October 2, 2008... South African wireless broadband operator iBurst has switched on its commercial WiMAX network following extensive trials. The 120 base stations are already live in the major metropolitan areas (Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town), with plans...

South Africa - South Africa extends universal service consultation.
October 2, 2008... The Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA) has extended the deadline for comments on proposed access definitions. The agency compiled definitions for universal service and access, under-serviced areas and needy persons,...

New Zealand - TNZI completes GSMA IPX trial.
October 2, 2008... Telecom New Zealand International has successfully completed the GSM Association Phase 2 IPX trials for telephony services interworking and IP performance testing within a global multi-operator test community. The services interworking...

Ghana - Onetouch promotion targets inactive customers.
October 2, 2008... Ghana mobile operator Onetouch has started a promotion aimed at customers with inactive accounts. Customers who re-activate an old Onetouch card or active a new account will receive GHS 1 in free calling credit, as well as 30 free SMS to...

South Africa - Telkom starts testing wireless services.
October 2, 2008... South African fixed-line operator Telkom has started testing a W-CDMA network. The company is testing voice services over the network in Gauteng with selected customers and plans to introduce fixed voice and fixed data services in October....

Japan - IIJ introduces contents delivery service.
October 2, 2008... Internet Initiative Japan has launched the IIJ Contents Delivery Service, that enables the use of gigabit-class distribution systems. The Contents Delivery Service uses a high-volume distribution platform connected directly to IIJ's...

Australia - 3 launches Shared Mobile Broadband plans for business users.
October 2, 2008... Mobile operator 3 has launched a range of Shared Mobile Broadband plans that let businesses pool and share the monthly data allowance across a number of users. The Shared Mobile Broadband plans are designed for 3's small and medium business...

Australia - 3 offers more value, choice with new prepaid scheme.
October 2, 2008... Australian mobile services provider 3 has introduced its Prepaid Caps scheme, which offers more value for customers who prefer to pay upfront. 3's Prepaid Caps is available from 28 September and puts the customer in control of how to use...

Iran - Foreign firms eye Iran operator.
October 2, 2008... Several top foreign companies are showing interest in buying a major stake in Iran's state-owned telecommunications firm that will be offered for sale in the next six months. Ali Rahmani, MD of the Tehran Stock Exchange said the size of the...

Australia - HTC launches HTC Touch Pro business phone in Australia.
October 2, 2008... HTC has launched the HTC Touch Pro business phone in Australia. The HTC Touch Pro introduces a variety of business-focused enhancements to the consumer model of the smartphone. The Windows Mobile 6.1 handset features a 2.8-inch VGA touch...

Rwanda - MTN to introduce new public phone in Rwanda.
October 2, 2008... Mobile service provider MTN Rwanda plans to introduce an improved version of Tuvugane and Tel'imbere public access phones. The company said the new handset will allow vendors to sell voice calls, SMS and airtime. The development comes after...

Africa - Dimension Data expands into Angola.
October 2, 2008... South Africa-based ICT services provider Dimension Data has acquired a 51 percent stake in Sistemas Redes e Communicacoes (SRC), an Angolan IT company. The acquisition marks the launch of Dimension Data Angola with offices based in Luanda....

South Africa - Nashua Mobile names new MD.
October 2, 2008... South African services provider Nashua Mobile's MD Mark Taylor is moving to Vodacom. Chris Scoble, previously MD of Nashua Office Automation, will takes his place as head of Nashua Mobile. Graham Rhodes, currently financial director of...

Japan - Yahoo! Sites, Google Sites gain top ranks in Japan in Aug.
October 2, 2008... Yahoo! Sites maintained its strong number one position in Japan, with more than 48 million visitors in August, an increase of 3 percent from July, according to ComScore's World Metrix audience measurement service. Google Sites was ranked in...

Sri Lanka - University of Colombo launches mLearning with Mobitel.
October 2, 2008... The University of Colombo has joined hands with Sri Lankan mobile operator Mobitel to introduce the mLearning concept, which provides a gateway to higher education. MLearning also known as Mobile Learning is the teaching and learning process...

India - Easynet Global Services launches office in India.
October 1, 2008... International managed networks, hosting and telepresence company Easynet Global Services has launched its office in Mumbai in India. Easynet's Mumbai office is designed to provide on-the-ground local support for the business' global managed...

Pakistan - Motorola signs WiMAX contract with Wi-tribe Pakistan.
October 1, 2008... Motorola has signed a multi-year WiMAX contract with wireless ISP Wi-tribe Pakistan. Under the contract, Motorola will supply infrastructure and a comprehensive services package to provide wireless broadband services for Wi-tribe's customers....

Cameroon - Airtel selects SR Tele system for WiMAX rollout in Cameroon.
October 1, 2008... SR Telecom will provide Canada-based Airtel Telecom Group with symmetryMX systems to support the demand for wireless services in Central and Western Africa. This contract will support the deployment of 100 base stations in Cameroon and allow...

Indonesia - SR Tele supplies broadband wireless access system to Leenar.
October 1, 2008... Indonesian company Leenar Capital Indonesia has selected SR Telecom's symmetryMX product to provide broadband wireless access service in Indonesia. LCI has been working with SR Telecom for some months on selected product trials and after...

Taiwan - Compal Communications sees sales fall in H1.
October 1, 2008... Taiwanese handset maker Compal Communications saw its sales in the first half ended 30 June fall by 33 percent. Sales totalled TWD 17.63 billion, down from TWD 26.49 billion in the year-ago quarter. Net income stood at TWD 705.49 million,...

Philippines - PLDT unveils free information inquiry service.
October 1, 2008... Philippine operator PLDT has unveiled an inquiry service, giving fixed-line subscribers access to information for free. The new service, called AskPLDT 101-811, enhances the landline by giving more than just directory numbers. By dialing...

Middle East - Motorola RFID technology tracks post in Middle East.
October 1, 2008... Qatar Post has completed a successful trial of Motorola RFID technology in the Arab region during which it deployed and tested both the passive and semi-active RFID systems. The project was designed to evaluate various RFID technologies as a...

Japan - NTT makes fibre products available to OCN business customers.
October 1, 2008... NTT East and West will make their fibre products available to corporate customers of NTT Com's OCN Internet services from 2 October. The new offering, named 'OCN Hikari Access Flet's Hikari Next Plan Business Type', offers 1 Gbps fibre-optic...

Africa - A-Link expands handset assembly in Rwanda.
October 1, 2008... The Chinese firm A-Link Technologies has set up a phone assembling plant in Rwanda, producing 200 mobile phones a day. The company's president, Edward Yin said his firm has a capacity to assemble about 600 mobile phones a day. Yin said the...

Solomon Islands - Solomon Telekom extends network, signs roaming agreements.
October 1, 2008... Solomon Telekom (also know as Our Telekom) plans to roll out its GSM mobile services to Seghe in the Western province, Afio in Malaita province and Kia in Isabel province. Works on rolling out to the new regions will begin this month and...

Africa - Harris Stratex launches WiMAX network service.
October 1, 2008... Harris Stratex Networks has introduced its WiMAX network service featuring a complete WiMAX ecosystem. The Harris Stratex network service incorporates a set of services and integrated network management services designed to give service...

Fiji - Digicel launches operations in Fiji.
October 1, 2008... Mobile operator group Digicel has launched operations in Fiji, its fifth market in the Pacific region and 28th market launch worldwide. Digicel invested USD 70 million in a network on Fiji which covers 95 percent of the island. Digicel...

Japan - Softbank renews credit line facility.
October 1, 2008... Japan's Softbank has concluded a credit line facility with 37 domestic and international financial institutions. The credit facility totals JPY 201 billion, this renews and increases the existing credit line facility from JPY 200 billion.

Japan - KDDI, Rostelecom launch Russia-Japan cable network.
October 1, 2008... Japanese operator KDDI and Russian telecommunications operator Rostelecom have launched the Russia - Japan Cable Network (RJCN). RJCN is a 640 Gbps optical submarine cable network linking Japan and Russia. KDDI plans to provide the shortest...

Armenia - VivaCell spends AMD 30 mln on drinking water infrastructure.
October 1, 2008... Armenian mobile operator VivaCell-MTS has supported the construction of drinking water pipelines in two rural villages under its corporate social responsibility agenda. VivaCell spent AMD 20 million for the construction works in the village...

Singapore - SingTel subsidiary's general offer declared unconditional.
October 1, 2008... SingTel subsidiary Computer Systems Holdings (CSH) has seen its offer for the shares of Singapore Computer Systems (SCS) declared unconditional. CSH is offering SGD 1.50 a share to buy the remaining shares of SCS after acquiring approximately...

Hong Kong - Hong Kong ends July with 3.74 mln fixed-line users.
October 1, 2008... Hong Kong ended July with 3.74 million fixed-line users, up from 3.72 million at the end of last year, according to figures from regulator Ofta. The total comprises 1.76 million business users and 1.99 million residential users. The number of...

Malaysia - Green Packet to invest in Packet One.
October 1, 2008... Malaysian wireless and broadband equipment developer Green Packet plans to subscribe for 1.05 million Islamic redeemable convertible preference shares in subsidiary Packet One Networks. The total subscription price would be MYR 200 million....

Asia - Pacnet accelerates network upgrades with Infinera.
October 1, 2008... Asian telecommunication service provider Pacnet has selected Infinera as one of its key suppliers to enable rapid network capacity upgrades across strategic parts of its networks in Asia and US. Pacnet has deployed Infinera's digital optical...

Africa - Nepad's e-schools project kicks off in Africa.
October 1, 2008... The e-schools satellite learning program, run by the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), has linked less than 100 schools in Africa to the internet. The program, first announced in 2003, aimed to connect more than 600,000...

Tunisia - Divona deploys Juniper's Ethernet services routers.
October 1, 2008... Tunisian satellite and WiMAX operator Divona Telecom has deployed network equipment manufacturer Juniper Networks' MX-series Ethernet services routers to create a high-speed service-enabling backhaul network to support wireless broadband...

Iran - MTN Irancell offers ATM top-ups.
October 1, 2008... Subscribers to MTN Irancell can now top up their prepaid accounts from bank ATMs. Customers with a debit card can choose from top-ups of IRR 20, 50, 100 or 200. The ATM issues a PIN to activate the top-up from the phone. The service is...

Japan - J:Com eyes satellite-based TV service launch.
October 1, 2008... Japanese cable operator Jupiter Telecommunications (J:Com) plans to launch a satellite-based TV service, Japan Corporate News reports, citing company president Tomoyuki Moriizumi. J:Com plans to acquire one of the new satellite broadcast...

Thailand - Siam City Bank picks Alcatel's IP telephony system.
October 1, 2008... Alcatel-Lucent's OmniPCX Enterprise communications server has been selected by Siam City Bank. The contract includes the deployment of IP telephony media gateways to replace traditional key telephone systems across SCIB's 387 nationwide...

South Africa - Huge predicts 25% growth in underlying earnings.
October 1, 2008... South African telecommunications firm,Huge Group expects to post a positive set of results for the interim period ended August, signalling significantly increased profits. The company said it expects a net increase in earnings per share of...

Africa - Microsoft sponsors NGOConnect platform.
October 1, 2008... Non-governmental organizations across sub-Saharan Africa are set to benefit from the launch of a new set of online tools designed specifically to help them use technology more efficiently and to coordinate their resources in finding solutions...

Mauritius - Mauritius to issue broadband wireless spectrum.
October 1, 2008... The new Minister of Information and Communication Technology in Mauritius, Asraf Dulull, has opened two public consultations, on extending the numbering system and issuing broadband wireless licences. The first aims to introduce an...

Thailand - DTAC postpones 3G launch.
October 1, 2008... Thai mobile operator DTAC is postponing its launch of 3G services in order to wait for stronger demand for data services. The decision to wait until beyond the second quarter of next year for a launch was made by new chief executive Tore...

Viet Nam - Vietnam govt earmarks VND 1.2 trillion for telecom services.
October 1, 2008... Vietnam's ministry of information and communications will earmark VND 1.2 trillion for four companies to develop basic telecommunication services for public interest, reports the Vietnam News Agency. The Vietnam Post and Telecommunications...

Japan - Yahoo Japan, So-net form alliance for internet services.
October 1, 2008... Yahoo Japan and So-net Entertainment have formed an alliance in the field of internet services, reports The Nikkei daily. So-net will use Yahoo as the search service for its portal web site replacing NTT Resonant's goo. Yahoo will display...

Hong Kong - VDC upgrades global internet bandwidth to 11.4 Gbps.
October 1, 2008... Vietnam Datacommunication has connected four 155 Mbps lines from Ho Chi Minh city to Hongkong on 18 September, to increase international internet bandwidth from 9 Gbps to 11.4 Gbps. VDC will upgrade internet bandwidth to 36.4 Gbps to win...

South Africa - Altech revenues up 13 percent to ZAR 4.5 bln in H1.
October 1, 2008... South Africa's Allied Technologies (Altech) has posted strong growth in its interim results, for the six months ended 31 August. The company posted an operating profit increase of 34 percent, to ZAR 409 million, and strong revenue growth of...

India - Shyam Telelink launches CDMA network in Rajasthan.
October 1, 2008... The Shyam-Sistema joint venture in India, Shyam Telelink, has launched its CDMA 800 MHz mobile network under the brand name 'Rainbow' in the state of Rajasthan. The company plans to provide its services to over 35 million subscribers by 2012,...

India - Idea launches GSM service in Bihar and Jharkhand.
October 1, 2008... Indian mobile operator Idea Cellular has formally launched its GSM service in Bihar and Jharkhand, reports the Economic Times. The service will be available from 1 October. Idea will set up a network of customer touch points besides customer...

Bangladesh - Bangladeshi operators buy additional mobile spectrum.
October 1, 2008... The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission has sold a tranch of additional radio spectrum for BDT 14 billion. Three incumbent operators brought the spectrum which the regulator said was necessary to cope with their increasing...

Africa - Sun partners with NIIT to boost training in Africa.
October 1, 2008... Sun Microsystems has announced a partnership with Asian technology training provider NIIT that will support the development of talent in Africa. This initiative is part of Sun's commitment to improving and expanding grass-roots skills in IT...

Sierra Leone - Sierratel to launch CDMA service in November.
October 1, 2008... State-owned mobile service provide Sierra Leone Telecommunications (Sierratel) expects installation of its new CDMA network to be completed in Freetown this week and in the provinces by 19 October. Service is set for a November launch in...

Japan - NEC delivers directors' meeting system to Daikin Industries.
October 1, 2008... Enterprise business communications specialist NEC has delivered its Univerge Directors' Meeting Solution to Daikin Industries for improved security and efficiency of corporate management proceedings. The Univerge Directors' Meeting Solution...

Nigeria - Zinox leads Computerize Nigeria Project.
October 1, 2008... The Computerize Nigeria Project has started, with backing from Microsoft, Intel, Cifex and local ICT distributor Zinox Technologies. The project is part of Zinox's programme Digital Knowledge Democracy, which works to bring computers and ICT...

Nigeria - SkyVision launches satellite internet services.
October 1, 2008... SkyVision has launched broadband internet services over satellite in Nigeria. The company's first 10 customers are now completing the installation of their SkyVision Combi platform, scheduled to deliver service before the end of the year. The...

Kenya - OneCom partners with Airspan on WiMAX roll-out.
October 1, 2008... Kenya's One Communication has contracted Airspan as its preferred technology partner for rolling out a nationwide WiMAX network. OneCom CEO Geoffrey Shimanyula said Airspan was chosen for its comprehensive WiMAX product portfolio and its...

Israel - Bezeq picks Comverse's Netcentrex.
October 1, 2008... Israeli telecommunications service provider Bezeq has selected Comverse's Netcentrex IP-based voice services to serve its residential and corporate subscribers. The deployment of Comverse's Netcentrex MyCall broadband IP telephony, IPCentrex...

India - RFMD opens customer support centre in Bangalore.
October 1, 2008... Radio systems maker RF Micro Devices has opened a customer support centre in Bangalore in India. RFMD's Bangalore customer support centre houses applications engineering, customer service, sales management and technical sales. The Bangalore...

Japan - NTT to set up JV with Avex Entertainment for mobile video.
October 1, 2008... NTT DoCoMo will form a joint venture company, Avex Broadcasting & Communications, with Avex Entertainment, for the production and distribution of video content packaged for the mobile phone environment. The company is scheduled to begin...

Middle East - Green Packet Networks starts WiMAX consulting in Middle East.
October 1, 2008... Green Packet Networks has launched WiMAX consultancy services in Middle East. The consultancy firm set up by Green Packet Networks in collaboration with a global division of its sister company Packet One Networks of Malaysia (P1) will lend...