Africa & Midde East Telecom Markets

Best Branded Broadband (Mozambique)

2012-03-02T10:10:00.000Z

Vodacom has been voted the Best Brand Internet in Mozambique by MMM - Best Brands of Mozambique following interviews with 20,000 people conducted by GFK in all provincial capitals nationally. The research measured 11 indicators such as Reliability, Quality, Loyalty and Empathy, among others.

What is the message from Glo in Ghana?

2012-02-16T11:48:00.000Z

While the expansion of mobile markets in many countries across Africa is an undeniable opportunity, both private and public sectors are still looking for the magic formula to make it work for the benefit of all parties.

Ghana is a case in point. Although Glo Mobile (Globacom of Nigeria) is stating that its network is ready and has a number reservation campaign started since late January, this is not what was promised last year. So why is the reality not meeting expectations?

As has been seen elsewhere on the continent, progressive privatisation is not a simple process, especially when the present market has been effectively saturated with major incumbents. This was – and still is – an issue for Cell C in South Africa, going up against Vodacom and MTN. In Ghana, the major players are multiple, including MTN (Scancom), Millicom, Airtel and Vodafone.

Although Globacom seems like a good fit for the market in Ghana, being also Anglophone and from near-neighbour Nigeria, the launch of its services is not happening at quite the pace expected.

This is not because it lacks infrastructure. The company claims an investment of some USD 750 million in 1,600 base stations; has landed the Glo 1 cable that links to Europe and, by dedicated extension, to the US in Ghana; and potential capacity for 10 million lines.

Parallels with Globacom’s home territory in Nigeria abound. There are similar issues with logistics and geography and a similarity of focus between the two regulatory authorities, NCA of Ghana and the NCC of Nigeria.

So the cautious approach of Globacom in Ghana – whether made by choice or not – raises some questions as to why apparently expanding markets are not providing all the potential for new MNOs and increased competition.

To use South Africa as a comparison, it has to be pointed out that private and public sector interests are not as smoothly aligned as they might seem.

The step-by-step process of privatising telecoms in South Africa, often delayed and significantly behind its original schedule, was referred to as “managed privatisation”. It was also based on some assumptions regarding consumer choice and market growth that might now be seen as perhaps over-optimistic. This regulatory approach falls between two chairs: it may not allow the freedom that the private sector wants and it certainly will not happen at a pace driven by consumer demand. As it evolves with the goal of creating a market fair for all competitors it will, again, not move at a private-sector pace.

There is then a problem at both ends of the equation when calculating risks in new mobile projects. Despite the miracle of widespread adoption of mobile technology in Africa, the political realities run counter to the more fluid privatisation seen previously in the UK or Australia, to name two textbook examples. At the other end, the actual number of users is hard to establish and predictions based on any such assumptions can have major error margins.

In general, governments are not rapidly or heedlessly going to relinquish control of cash-cow telecoms. Hence, the concept of “managed privatisation” which, cynics might say, really isn’t a free-market process.

As for market size, potential growth and defining saturation in any one country, the real figures are opaque at best. For example, South Africa has a population of about 50 million – twice that of Ghana or one third that of Nigeria. Current, reasonable figures suggest that about 84 percent of South Africans have a mobile phone or access to one. Figures for South Africa based on different criteria indicate over 100 percent market penetration but let’s stay with the most conservative numbers. Ghana’s mobile penetration is estimated at some 81 percent while Nigeria’s is around 55 percent. Now look at per capita GDP. South Africa leads with over USD 10,000 per annum. Nigeria is at about USD 2,500 and Ghana about USD 3,300.

The one thing that drives consumer choices in mobile telecoms is novelty and the inevitable disaffection with existing operators. After that come the more mundane choices based on coverage, QoS, service offerings and, of course, price. It is certainly a risk, however calculated, for a new MNO to move into a nearly saturated market and hope to win over customers. Ghana is not as affluent as South Africa and Cell C has battled to gain market share even there. It is tempting to predict the same future for Globacom in Ghana.

No doubt, there is also an exit strategy. Assets can be sold off to other companies if the project fails. A quick look at a flurry of recent deals to unbundle and sell infrastructure in various parts of Africa shows that there is always such potential.

Despite the doubts, Globacom’s decision to launch in Ghana seems practical in terms of its regional presence, infrastructure and past experience. It was rated as the best network in Nigeria a few years ago, although recent figures would tell a different story.

However, a very simplistic calculation based on stated figures gives this result: USD 750 million invested for a maximum consumer base of 10 million translates to an ARPU of USD 75 to break even. That seems achievable, until you factor in the likely slow adoption curve, based on Globacom’s reliance on disaffected customers migrating from the dominant two operators. If only one million migrate, the break-even is USD 750 or a fifth of the annual per-capita GDP. That looks less achievable.

Realistically, if Globacom can win five million customers within five years, its Ghana operation starts to look doable.

Whether it can do that remains a question that only time can answer.

The other question that cannot be answered without the test of time is just how much impact data services will have.

The pattern elsewhere in Africa is still for voice and text to dominate. Mobile-targeted services like Twitter have lower usage than in other parts of the world. A current survey shows South Africa has the highest Twitter usage, followed by Kenya and Nigeria. Ghana ranked 20 out of the 20 countries in the study.

But one key point in that study is that young people (21 to 29) are driving mobile Twitter usage. Another is that, based on Opera usage, Nigeria is the fifth-largest mobile internet user in the world.

That bodes well for MNOs throughout Africa, as the market moves to data services. Whether that could save Globacom’s Ghana initiative remains to be seen.

This article has been contributed by Roy Johnson, a writer specialising in IT and business topics, who has regularly contributed to PC Magazine, as well as editing TechNet Magazine for Microsoft. Roy was formerly editor of CommsAfrica and contributing editor for Intelligence magazine.

Mobile wars in Africa: is Airtel winning?

2012-02-16T11:47:00.001Z

Competition in African markets is fierce. It really is a war zone. And, as with any conflict, the outcome hinges on decisions regarding strategy – and the available weaponry.

Bharti Airtel has a history of making first moves and emerging as the winner just because of that. This is what built the company’s success in India, where it remains the top MNO and second-largest fixed-line operator. In fact, thanks to the massive market it serves at home, at the time it acquired the Zain portfolio in March 2010 Airtel was reckoned to be the fifth largest mobile operator in the world on a proportional subscriber basis, putting it behind the likes of China Mobile, Vodafone Group, American Movil and Telefonica, but ahead of China Unicom.

As has been widely covered for over a year now, Airtel has been looking at Africa as a new growth market. While it has a deal with Vodafone for the Channel Islands, Africa is the only other territory outside the Indian subcontinent (including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka) that the company has entered.

The commonalities are compelling: similar markets, needs and infrastructure. The realities on the ground are somewhat more challenging: logistics, legislative compliance and serious local competition being foremost.

The logistics of infrastructure in Africa are an equal challenge for all MNOs. That is a given. Where Airtel might have been overly optimistic is in hoping its Africa model would run similarly to its success in India, based on a first-to-market approach and having some leverage to overcome legislative obstacles. Unfortunately, while Airtel has a 30-year history of being first in India (with pushbutton phones, cordless phones and then mobile), they were not first in Africa. There were major EU, Middle East and South African players there ahead of them.

In fact, Airtel’s African expansion is largely thanks to its takeover of Kuwait’s Zain mobile operations in 15 countries. This was a beachhead, not a conquest. Zain only held dominant market share in a few countries.

Going up against market leaders such as MTN of South Africa, Airtel applied a strategy of extensive cost cutting. This followed on what it achieved in India, cutting a deal with Ericsson for per-minute fees (rather than upfront payment) that enabled very low-cost call rates from the outset. Airtel has an all-Africa, five-year deal in place with Ericsson for network management that offers similar advantages. Elsewhere, Airtel is engaged with Nokia Siemens Networks and Huawei, not keeping all its eggs in one basket, of course.

As a Plan B, possibly following on the indecisive outcome of Airtel’s low-cost invasion, the company has previously been negotiating a takeover of or (maybe) a joint venture with MTN itself. How this putative deal is described depends on which company is talking. This has been going on for some four years without a definitive ending. Even if it never happens, it is a signpost of just what Airtel would consider to get its Africa operations truly established.

But let’s look at realities.

Taking Nigeria as a bellwether example, Airtel’s charges are low, around 20 kobo (about GBP 0.08) per minute, but three times that for the first minute. That is up against MTN charges of 50 kobo, although MTN offers a cheaper peak rate (15 kobo) and more expensive off-peak rate.

As always, comparisons are tricky, given the different pricing regimes on offer.

Also difficult is working out which company is really winning. Airtel claims either number-one or number-two positions in many of its Africa operations (11 out of 17 countries). Tellingly, no claims are made for Nigeria. Airtel is not just being coy. There is an ongoing dispute over branding in that country and the latest development is that Airtel has been court ordered to rebrand as Econet (EWN). Airtel will appeal that ruling, while complying in the interim. This dispute goes back as far as 2003 and is not yet over. It is, however, a good example of the challenges Airtel faces in African settings and, while it continues, the real winner is MTN, holding on to its own leading position in Nigeria as well as its brand.

To come back to what we said at the start of this article, winning wars is not just a matter of having the best weaponry, although that helps. Without a strategy, chaotic retreat is the order of the day.

Airtel’s strategy bears comparison with the different approaches of two European operators who have been busy in Africa, Vodafone and Orange. Vodafone’s approach has been targeted, achieving a small number of high-value operations. Orange went large, seizing opportunities wherever they appeared. The final result is that Vodafone has good revenue and lower costs, whereas Orange has higher costs and less revenue.

What Airtel needs to prove is that its broad approach with low fee rates can win against competitors who have a head start and better targeting. Current usage, market share and consumer approval figures – where independently available – do not support a claim that Airtel is winning, despite the impressive growth that was claimed after the launch in 2010.

This is, to a large extent, an inevitable result of the original acquisition by Airtel of Zain’s operations. Among the 15 countries involved, not every one was clearly a winning proposition.

Nevertheless, do not underestimate Bharti Airtel. The company has deep resources, including enough to offer anything between USD 13 and USD 45 billion (as reported) to buy out its main competitor, MTN. It is also licensed to roll out 3G in 12 countries, clearly focused on the expected maturity of African markets finally proceeding to data services instead of the fundamental voice and text services that fuelled the original mobile boom on the continent.

On a side issue that might well have bottom-line impact in the medium term, Airtel is pushing ahead with its Green Towers programme to upgrade 22,000 of its sites in India to solar power over three years. The company won the MWC Green Mobile Award for that in 2011. Apart from the marketing boost, there are practical and financial advantages to such technology, especially in Africa. Other MNOs are also exploring this option but Airtel is not just experimenting. It has about 6,000 towers already running solar.

While Nigeria is obviously the jewel in the crown, Airtel will continue to be an influence in other countries, driving down rates and forcing technology upgrades.

This has advantages for consumers but is a problem for operators as growth in Africa’s markets has currently reached a plateau. Big as Africa is, there might not be enough room for all the players who are there at present.

Basic challenges for infrastructure in Africa

2012-02-16T11:45:00.000Z

The obvious notes about remote locations, difficult transport routes and unreliable electricity are just the tip of the iceberg. MNOs in many parts of Africa face other problems.

Broadly speaking, the problems that operators face in Africa are well documented: large distances to be covered, unreliable road and rail transport, low per-capita policing ratios, occasionally extreme weather conditions and socio-economic factors that drive high crime rates.

Whereas this looks like a toxic cocktail for high-tech operations, it can be – and has been – dealt with in very practical ways by all MNOs across the region. Beyond that, however, it raises a question regarding what was previously called “appropriate technology” for Africa and the answer to that question might well be a signpost for the future.

Setting up a network of towers in remote areas of Africa is more daunting than in developed countries. Maintaining those towers then proves an even greater challenge. Even in urban areas, there are issues that are proportionally heavier overhead than elsewhere in the world: electricity, fuel, weather damage and theft.

On a simple business level, this means the costings and risk analysis for projects in Africa are more carefully considered. Startup costs remain higher, despite possibly lower costs for labour and basic materials.

Maintenance costs are the devil in the detail. MTN, the South African operator that holds significant slices of the market in many countries on the continent – 21 in all, including Middle East operations – reports that a generator is stolen every day, on average. That does not even include other damage such as cable theft or weather events. Nor does this cover the high costs of diesel fuel supplies and the negative environmental impact.

While the inflated maintenance costs can be dealt with on paper by adjusting the ratio of capex to opex, the fact remains that increased costs anywhere in the books run counter to providing low-cost, mass-market GSM access for Africa’s huge and often widely distributed population.

This has driven innovative approaches that are in the nice-to-have category in other parts of the world but practically a priority in Africa.

Taking MTN as one example, that company has been running pilot projects to power base stations in remote parts of South Africa using both solar and wind power. Building on that experience, MTN Cameroon has a project running to equip its towers with solar panels provided by ZTE. Typical of Chinese leadership in green technologies and a cautious approach, these installations are mounted with “theft-proof” screws on frames that are 3.5 metres high. It’s not just generators that get stolen. There is a market somewhere for practically anything.

Cynics will note that even such provisions might not be enough. But the present reports indicate that there have not been any problems thus far and MTN’s operating expenses are reduced.

By comparison, Airtel has also been active in exploring solar power, being currently engaged in a project to provide over 20,000 towers in India with panels. There is a reasonable expectation that this will be expanded to Airtel’s operations in other locations as it proves its value.

The advantages are not quite as prosaic as they might seem. There are few studies yet available for the solar initiatives in Africa but we can look at figures from India as a guideline. Greenpeace India reports that some 60 percent of power used by GSM towers in that country is actually provided by diesel generators. That is, as with Africa, thanks to remote locations and unreliable grid supply. Greenpeace claims a potential cost saving of 300 percent for operators over a 10-year time frame if they convert to solar.

Even without that saving being a proven figure, what we do know is that Indian MNOs are using something like three billion litres of diesel a year, producing some five million tons of carbon dioxide. And, of course, that is a huge fuel bill compared to grid power and “free” solar power, quite apart from the environmental impact.

While wind power might be an option in some specific locations, the advantage to solar is that Africa is generally well supplied with enough sunshine to avoid the power interruptions experienced with such installations in countries outside the tropics. The same applies to other less consistent renewables, such as wave or hydro-electric power sources. Solar still works better.

Looking ahead, it seems inevitable that MNOs across Africa will turn to solar. This is driven not just by green concerns and the need for being responsible corporate citizens but also by significant savings in running costs, including reduced risk of equipment theft.

A further predication that seems high-probability is that it will often be companies from Shenzen providing the necessary technology. China’s forward-looking approach on all things green and its own interests in Africa’s resources and developing markets practically guarantee that.

There is another aspect to operations in Africa worth noting. The same challenges that face operators also affect their customers. Obviously, if customers face problems with electricity, that is not good for business.

This issue is not yet being addressed with the same urgency as is seen with power supplies for base stations but there are signs that point to increased interest in this area.

There have been pilot projects across Africa for many years to provide rural communities with domestic solar power and ICT equipment and radios that work from manually wound generators. These have mainly been the province of charities and NGOs.

More recently, Nokia has gone ahead with its bicycle power charger. That product has been a success in developed countries where it has been adopted for reasons of convenience and green awareness. In Africa, it is even more useful, as so many people use bicycles but do not have access to grid power. It has been welcomed in the Great Lakes countries already, where it sells for more affordable prices than in the EU. Even for the lowest-income communities, the advantages are compelling. It provides power for handsets on the spot, eliminating the need to travel to find electricity.

Finally, while it would be no surprise that companies from India, China and South Africa are leading the charge, it is Africa that might well be the proof of concept for much wider adoption of renewable energy for mobile services at both a corporate and consumer level.

Legal tenders invited (Mauritius)

2012-02-16T11:34:00.003Z

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) has invited Expressions of Interest (EOI) from ‘well established’ and ‘suitably experienced’ law firms to act as Legal Advisor to ICTA. The winner will be required to provide advice to the ICTA legal assistants on a contract basis for a year, and may be extended with revised terms and conditions subject to satisfactory performance.

Interested parties may submit their EOI to the Chairman Tender Committee at the ICT Authority in Port Louis by 15.00 hrs, Monday 27 February 2012. Full details are at http://www.icta.mu/mediaoffice/2012/EOI_legalAdvisor.html

Newsy Nawras (Oman)

2012-02-16T11:34:00.000Z

Nawras has launched two new SMS services. Reuters Breaking News service will provide international news, whilst the Asia News will deliver news from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The services are being offered on a monthly subscription basis to both pre- and post-paid subscribers. Reuters News is available in either English or Arabic at a monthly fee of OMR 1.500 (USD 3.88). The Asian service is in English for any of the three countries featured for OMR 0.700 per month, per country. Nawras already offers feeds from CNN, BBC, Koora Mobile, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya.

MTN extends managed services partnership with Ericsson - Ericsson

2012-02-02T12:32:00.000Z

MTN extends managed services partnership with Ericsson - Ericsson:

MTN, a leading telecommunications company with a presence in 21 countries in Africa and the Middle East, today announced the extension of its managed services agreement with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) for its Ghana operations. With 49% market share, MTN is the premier operator in Ghana which is one of Africa's fastest growing markets. In 2011, it grew by around 18% in the country to serve over 10 million subscribers.

This announcement marks the extension of the first managed services contract between Ericsson and MTN, originally signed in 2009 in connection to the rollout of MTN's 3G network in Ghana. Under the extension, Ericsson is responsible for network operations, field maintenance and optimization.

Jon Hoffmann, Chief Technical officer, MTN Ghana said, "Our first two years together achieved the results we were hoping for: we could focus on subscriber growth, and Ericsson delivered network reliability and efficiencies."

MTN will retain full ownership of the network and responsibility for its strategic direction, while Ericsson will manage the network operations, optimization and field maintenance for MTN's 3G sites.

"MTN and Ericsson collaborate in many areas across this and other regions for several years now and in Ghana we are especially pleased to have been part of the journey towards 10 million subscribers," says Valter D`Avino, Head of Managed Services Ericsson. "With Ericsson continuing to run the operations of the network, MTN will be able to dedicate even more time and focus on delivering innovative products and services relevant to the needs of their customers."

Globally Ericsson has signed more than 300 managed services contracts in more than 100 countries. Ericsson manages networks on behalf of operators that serve over 900 million subscribers worldwide. By teaming up with Ericsson, operators can strengthen their competitive edge through improved network availability and capacity, while reducing their operating costs. This, in turn, increases market growth for mobile services, which helps improve the quality of services and the end-user experience.

ARPT succession (Algeria)

2012-01-23T09:36:00.000Z

Abdelhak M. Yacine has been appointed Director General of the Autorite de Regulation des Postes et Telecommunications (ARPT), replacing Fodil Benyelles, who has retired.

CFO for Vodacom (South Africa)

2012-01-18T21:38:00.000Z

Vodacom Group has announced that Ivan Dittrich has been appointed as its Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director, joining the Group on or about 1 July 2012. He joins from Datatec where he has been CFO since May 2008 and Executive Director since March 2008. Prior to joining Datatec, Drittrich worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in London and Deloitte in South Africa.

Huawei to Deploy Western Africa's First LTE TDD Commercial Network for ZODA FONES

2012-01-18T11:43:00.000Z

Huawei - Press Releases:

[Abuja, Nigeria, 17 January, 2012]: Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today announced it has been selected to deploy western Africa's first LTE TDD commercial network for ZODA FONES, Nigeria's leading telecoms operator. Adopting Huawei's end-to-end SingleRAN LTE TDD solution, this network will cover the capital of Nigeria and its surrounding areas to provide end-users with high-speed and abundant data services.

Based on a thorough analysis of the operator's requirements and the mobile market situation in western Africa, Huawei proposed that Nigeria employ its leading end-to-end SingleRAN LTE TDD solution, consisting of radio access network and core network solutions. The high spectrum efficiency and maximized spectrum asset value this solution is able to bring to ZODA FONES has provided Huawei with an ideal opportunity to deploy its first LTE TDD network.

Dr. A. Aliyu, President of ZODA FONES, said: "The deployment of Nigeria's first LTE TDD commercial network and western Africa's first LTE TDD commercial network is a milestone for mobile broadband development in western Africa. Huawei's leading solutions, rich experience, and fast delivery capabilities will allow ZODA FONES to achieve a strong market position and provide its subscribers with an excellent service experience."

Deng Taihua, President of WiMAX & TDS & LTE Networks, Huawei, said: "It is an honor for Huawei to deploy western Africa's first LTE TDD commercial network for ZODA FONES. Huawei's success in securing this contract demonstrates its extensive industry-leading capabilities in providing LTE TDD commercial network solutions. Huawei is proud of this important project for ZODA FONES, as it will greatly influence the development of LTE networks in Africa."

Domain Meeting (Burkina Faso)

2012-01-17T20:36:00.000Z

ARCEP hosted 40 participants from Francophone Africa 9-13 January 2012 to better manage domain names in Ouagadougou. Better control of the management of domain names as well as national frequencies and addresses with numbers was called for, as these resources are not inexhaustible.

Consumers championed (Bahrain)

2012-01-11T10:04:00.000Z

The TRA has issued what it describes as ‘the most developed Telecommunications Consumer Protection Guidelines in the region’, revealing TRA’s vision with regard to the protection of consumers’ interests in accordance with the Telecommunications Law.

New Interconnect rate (Tanzania)

2012-01-06T09:22:00.000Z

The Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has announced the new interconnect rate ceilling effective from 1 January 2012 as TZS 112.70 (USD 0.072).

2012 Roadmap (Comoros)

2012-01-03T16:37:00.000Z

Among the tasks mandated for 2012 by Comores Telecom's Director General is the completion of the intra-island backbones, with fibre optic rings on each island. <..read more..>

ICC presses for interconnect data (Liberia)

2012-01-02T11:40:00.000Z

Mobile operator Cellcom is reported to have said it will not provide UK-base consultancy firm InterConnect Communications (ICC) data following their appointment as auditors by the Board of Commissioners of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA). <..read more..>

Fourth franchise not finalised (Burkina Faso)

2011-12-31T10:08:00.001Z

In response to a query from the League of Consumers of Burkina (LCB) at the beginning of December 2011 regarding the fourth telecom operator in Burkina Faso, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP) said that the process was 'still ongoing’.

Personalized mobile services for Vodafone Egypt subscribers | Nokia Siemens Networks

2011-12-28T09:50:00.000Z

Personalized mobile services for Vodafone Egypt subscribers | Nokia Siemens Networks:

Operator upgrades its One-NDS platform provided by Nokia Siemens Networks to better manage subscriber data.

Subscribers of Vodafone Egypt, the country’s largest telecom operator, will soon enjoy a host of customized services. The operator is upgrading its subscriber data management system built on the One-NDS platform provided by Nokia Siemens Networks. This will enable Vodafone Egypt to speed up the process of launching new, targeted services.

“With a fast growing emerging market, characterized by increased uptake of smartphones and tablets, subscribers are looking for more, highly personalized services,” said Tony Dolton, chief technical officer, Vodafone Egypt. “Staying competitive demands introduction of new features and services at a faster pace. With its simplified architecture and high resilience, Nokia Siemens Networks’ One-NDS platform will enable us to do just that.”

“Vodafone Egypt understands the importance of investing in technology and solutions to improve network quality and enhance customer experience. This implementation will provide the base for a more efficient and flexible management of subscriber data,” added Sharaf El-Din Mohamed, head of the Vodafone Egypt customer team at Nokia Siemens Networks. “This project is a huge step forward for Vodafone Egypt to be able to analyze current market segments, while improving subscriber loyalty.”

Nokia Siemens Networks is upgrading its comprehensive subscriber data management solution, including the One-NDS platform, and providing its Home Location Register (HLR), and Mobile Number Portability (MNP). The One-NDS platform unifies fragmented data into a single repository and is more efficient than having multiple databases for different front-end applications such as HLR and MNP. The solution makes it easier to create and launch new services, and enhances Vodafone’s operations and processes, leading to a faster and higher return on investment.

Nokia Siemens Networks’ NetAct network management system will enable effective monitoring, management and optimization of Vodafone Egypt’s network. Under the contract, the company is providing consulting and care services that include hardware and software maintenance and competence development. Nokia Siemens Networks is also responsible for the entire project management.

LTE arising (Africa & Middle East)

2011-12-27T19:10:00.000Z

Global LTE subscriptions have already passed the 3.7 million mark in 3Q 2011, spread across 36 global networks. In Saudi Arabia there have already been commercial network launches from Zain Saudi, STC, Mobily, and in the UAE by Etisalat from September 2011, and over 26 LTE commitments. As a result the Middle East has initiated a major push towards commercial LTE adoption, besides pioneering in the commercial release of TD-LTE user devices. Read more

West Africa Mobile Network Operator Statistics: 2Q 2011

2011-12-14T17:46:00.000Z

West Africa Mobile Network Operator Statistics: 2Q 2011:

A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS: West Africa Mobile Network Operator Statistics: 2Q 2011

AFRICA: Samsung exclusive for Airtel

BAHRAIN: Cuts to promote competition TRA considers roaming tariff alerts

EGYPT: TE expects interconnect windfall

GHANA: MTN shows farmers the benefits of text alert service

Nokia counts cost of counterfeits

IRAN: Voluntary restraint by Huawei

ISRAEL: Golan formally named fifth MNO

JORDAN: Orange chases diminishing Internet returns

Third 3G network lines up for launch

KENYA: Safaricom seeks senior technician Second outage for Safaricom M-PESA

KUWAIT: Campaign management for Zain

VIVA shares for local bourse

MALAWI: TNM turns away from talks

MOROCCO: Mobile interconnect rate cuts stepped-up

NIGERIA: Ministry backs infrastructure protection campaign

NCC targets three GSM ops over poor QoS

Starcomms reduces debt and sees data revenues rising

SOUTH AFRICA: Adverse weather affects Telkom network

Spectrum briefing re-scheduled

SWAZILAND: MTN readies for 3G

TANZANIA: Global reach for M-PESA

Reassessment for PME

Second phase funding for Helios

Vodacom loses interconnect challenge

TUNISIA: TT told to speed up LLU

V3D for TT

UGANDA: MTN, AT form new joint venture

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Okandan takes senior role at Etisalat

Overseas experience enhanced for Etisalat staffers

ZIMBABWE: TelOne says end of month for ADSL upgrade

Renewable energy powered Vodacom mobile broadband at COP17

2011-12-13T14:55:00.000Z

Renewable energy powered Vodacom mobile broadband at COP17

Vodacom South Africa and Nokia Siemens Networks provided zero-carbon emission mobile broadband at COP17* climate change conference in Durban, November 28 to December 09. Nokia Siemens Networks installed its energy-efficient base station, powered by its complete green energy solution, to help Vodacom meet the surge in the traffic caused by conference visitors.

This base station was running purely on renewable energy without any connection to grid. This implementation was part of a global initiative from the Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre (SSIC)**, in which Nokia Siemens Networks is a key partner for mobile infrastructure site solutions.

The installation at COP17 was one of two provided by Nokia Siemens Networks as part of Vodafone’s SSIC. The other has been implemented in Canelands, South Africa.

At the COP17, Nokia Siemens Networks built a green mobile site by deploying its award-winning, energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio Base Station and complete energy solution on a trailer***. It used a combination of solar energy and wind power, supported by fuel cells and a deep cycle battery, to provide seamless broadband connectivity for the event.

At Canelands, Nokia Siemens Networks has reconfigured a legacy site that was previously running permanently on a diesel generator. After completion of the site implementation and change in the operational mode by end of this year, it will start drawing energy from solar foils mounted on the existing tower and from a vertical wind turbine at its top. In addition, an optimized cooling concept for a modernized single radio access network that supports various technologies is already in use. This site solution will ensure both minimum energy requirements and an enormous reduction in diesel consumption while increasing the use of renewable energy sources.

Nokia Siemens Networks’ Green Energy Controller manages all energy sources efficiently at base station sites, helping Vodacom reduce maintenance costs and carbon emissions. The controller is managed by Nokia Siemens Networks’ NetAct network management platform. This platform allows Vodacom to remotely maintain and install new software, removing the need for frequent site visits and therefore further reducing carbon emissions from vehicles.

“It is encouraging to see that our partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks, in line with our SSIC initiative, is helping us implement innovative base station site solutions. These solutions help us save operational costs and achieve our green target by reducing carbon emissions,” said Steve Pusey, Group CTO, Vodafone.

In 2008, the Vodafone Group set a target to cuts its carbon emissions in half by 2020 compared to its fiscal year 2006-07 baseline. In May this year, the group also set an additional target in emerging markets to reduce carbon emissions by 20% per network node by March 2015 compared to fiscal year 2010-11 baseline.

“We are committed to providing superior mobile broadband infrastructure that also improves energy efficiency and reduces carbon emissions,” said Bosco Novak, head of Global Services, Nokia Siemens Networks. “Our participation in Vodafone’s SSIC initiative is in line with our focus on innovation within our mobile broadband business. In addition, our cooperation with Vodafone SSIC provides us opportunities to understand the operator’s needs and further improve the quality of our site solutions.”

Nokia Siemens Networks and Vodafone are working on various projects to reduce diesel consumption and carbon emissions at hundreds of sites around the world by implementing green energy solutions.

Consumer champion (Qatar)

2011-12-13T14:38:00.000Z

ictQATAR has appointed Dr. Eiman Al Ansari as Consumer Affairs Manager, and is tasked with ensuring that operators protect consumer’s rights. The new Department will also carry out a range of consumer affairs initiatives to help consumers better understand their rights, and will develop telecoms consumer protection policies and programs where necessary. Dr. Al Ansari was previously Head of Corporate and Institutional Affairs at Vodafone-Qatar.

Roaming Milestone (Bahrain)

2011-12-13T11:01:00.000Z

Batelco has signed its thousandth international roaming deal: its deals cover all telecom services in 148 overseas locations. CEO Rashid Abulla said: "We try to provide more that one choice of provider in key locations as prices for the various roaming services can vary from operator to operator".

Spectrum successfully policed (South Africa)

2011-12-05T09:30:00.001Z

The ICASA's Pretoria office has seized kit belonging to ArcellorMittal in Pretoria West following what is described as 'illegal use' of the radio frequency spectrum. ICASA initiated an investigation three weeks ago, with an inspection on 24 November 2011, during which it failed to produce licences for the equipment currently being used. It was given 7-days written notice to pay an estimated ZAR 2 million (USD 247,083) in licence fees. Five repeaters and 6 mobile hand-held radios were taken. Other offices will be visited shortly.

CFO resigns (Turkey)

2011-12-05T09:17:00.001Z

Turkcell Chief Group Finance Officer Serkan Okandan is resigning with effect from 31 December 2011. He joined the operator in 2000, and has been CFO since 2006. The operator said that it is now started the process of candidate evaluation for his replacement.

Smarter phones (Namibia)

2011-12-05T09:17:00.000Z

MTC has announced that it is launching the iPhone4S in Namibia and to Southern Africa, so beating the 16 December 2011 launch date of its competitors. According to Apple, the iPhone 4S gives improved battery life, a better camera (8 megapixel with 1080p video recording), and 14.4Mbps. HSPA, and the Siri voice control system. MTC’s Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer, Tim Ekandjo said the demand and uptake of the iPhone 4S was ‘phenomenal’. A one-off connection fee of NAD 218 (USD 26), an extra payment of NAD 2999 (USD 362) and a monthly fee of NAD 399 (USD 399) per month for 24 months.

Cable consummated (Oman)

2011-11-15T21:12:00.000Z

Tata Communications and Nawras have announced the launch of the Oman to India TGN-Gulf cable, which will be used to route voice and data traffic from Oman to Mumbai (India) and onwards via the Tata Global Network (TGN). Using its own cable stations, each party will have access to a new high-speed global route. The landing parties are Nawras (Oman), Etisalat (UAE), Qatar Telecom (Qatar), Bahrain Internet Exchange (Bahrain), and Mobily (Saudi Arabia).
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Francophone fraternity (Guinea Republic)

2011-11-14T16:10:00.000Z

The 9th Annual Meeting of the Francophone Network of Telecommunications Regulation (FRATEL) was held on 10 - 11 November 2011, involving 80 delegates from 17 countries. FRATEL was founded in 2003 in Bamako. The meeting was opened by the Guinean Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and New Technologies of Information and Communication, Mr. M. Guilavogui Oye. The next annual meeting will be held in Lome, Togo in the last half of 2012.

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Focus on fraud (Southern Africa)

2011-11-11T15:30:00.000Z

Telecom Namibia is hosting the Southern Africa Telecommunications Association (SATA) 5th Regional Workshop on ICT Fraud, Revenue Assurance and Network/Cyber Security in Windhoek 14 - 16 November 2011. ICT Minister Joel Kaapanda will officiate, and Telecom Namibia’s Managing Director will address the opening session. SATA has 15 members, namely Telecom Namibia, Angola Telecom, Movicel Angola, Botswana Telecom Corporation, Telecom Lesotho, Econet Ezi-Cel (Lesotho), Malawi Telecommunications Limited, Mauritius Telecom, Telecomunicações de Moçambique, Telkom South Africa, Swaziland Posts & Telecommunications Corporation, Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited, Zambia Telecommunications, Tel.One Zimbabwe and TeleAccess (Zimbabwe).

Africa Top-up success

2011-11-11T11:48:00.000Z

Mobile solutions provider Comviva has said that it has 25 percent of the African electronic top-up market for its PreTUPSTM electronic recharge solution, which has been deployed by all major operator groups, and is in use in 22 African countries. It claims 54 deployments spanning 39 countries across leading GSM and CDMA operators with over 600 million subscribers using it globally, accounting for 15 billion recharge transactions annually.

MTN Rwanda subscribers get Opera on their phones

2011-11-10T09:42:00.000Z

MTN Rwanda subscribers get Opera on their phones:

Rwandan MTN subscribers will now have access to the Opera Mini browser, which gives them faster and cheaper access to the Web through their mobile devices, as well as quick access to their favorite sites and MTN portals.

MTN subscribers will have one-click access, through Opera Mini, to MTN CallerTunez, MTN Play, The NewTimes, Igihe, Facebook, Yahoo! and Mobile Store.

MTN Rwanda has close to three million subscribers, and its network coverage extends to over 98% of the population. Rwanda has embraced the Internet and is also a key partner in the One Laptop per Child project and has a major e-government program.

While mainstream Internet access is still a way off, 40% of Rwandans have mobile phones, as opposed to less than one percent with fixed-line Internet access. This means the bulk of the country goes online through a mobile device – usually a feature phone. Some of the most visited mobile sites in Rwanda include Facebook, Google, Yahoo!, Igihe, YouTube, Wikipedia, BBC, Inyarwanda, NewTimes and Umuseke.

Khaled Mikkawi, CEO MTN Rwanda described Opera Mini as “a great tool that will further emphasize the dedication of MTN to facilitate the ease and growth of data usage in Rwanda and a strong affirmation of MTN’s commitment to be at the heart of the ICT revolution in Rwanda”.

Opera Mini compresses the Web by up to 90%, providing faster delivery of webpages faster and at a lower cost, to more than 3000 different types of mobile devices on the market.

“We are excited to see MTN Rwanda customers join the Web using Opera Mini,” says Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “Clearly it is a nation that is committed to growing everyone’s access to the Web, and MTN is an integral part of that. Our global agreement with MTN is one that allows us to really deliver on our belief that the Internet is a basic human right.”

MTN Nigeria improves network security and efficency by 98% with AdaptiveMobile

2011-11-09T11:14:00.000Z

MTN Nigeria improves network security and efficency by 98% with AdaptiveMobile

Lagos, Nigeria 9th November 2011 - AdaptiveMobile, the world leader in mobile security has successfully completed a mobile content filtering, anti-spam and anti-virus protection project with MTN Nigeria, enabling the operator to protect its network and subscribers from undesired mobile content through mobile handsets and mobile data-enabled PCs. The AdaptiveMobile Network Protection Platform is reducing network load, protecting the operator’s IP reputation from the growing threat of spam-related IP blacklisting and is reducing customer complaints.

MTN is the largest mobile network in MEA, and with over 40 million subscribers has seen phenomenal growth in mobile Internet services. The collaboration with AdaptiveMobile is protecting subscribers across all its network services to counter current and emerging mobile network threats, as well as combat the small number of subscriber numbers that were being hijacked by criminal groups and used to send email spam over the mobile network. AdaptiveMobile’s Network Protection Platform provides network-based protection across a range of service bearers and is enabling MTN to:

Drastically cut spam

– AdaptiveMobile’s email and unique webmail filtering solution is identifying 96% of email coming through the network as spam and blocking/quarantining as appropriate

Remove MTN’s IP addresses from blacklists

– the reduction in spam levels means MTN is being removed from IP blacklists, enabling legitimate users access to services and improved network speeds

Reduce customer care costs

– the reduction in users unwittingly sending spam across the network and freed-up network capacity is leading to a reduction in call-centre complaints

Block access to illegal sites

– users are protected from unsuitable content whilst MTN is able to build its brand image and meet legislative requirements

Identify the source of viruses

– AdaptiveMobile’s anti-virus technology identifies infected handsets and PCs, enabling MTN to on-sell solutions to subscribers and make cost-savings on bandwidth

“The roll-out of AdaptiveMobile’s Network protection Platform is enabling us to improve customer experience and achieve significant operational cost savings through protecting our network and our subscribers,” says Obinna Nweje, General Manager, MTN Nigeria. “As with many operators globally, the shared nature of mobile IP addresses means that attacks from unscrupulous spammers can have a huge impact on IP address reputation and potentially result in innocent subscribers’ emails being unnecessarily blocked.”

“MTN is highlighting the value of addressing mobile Internet safety,” says Gareth Maclachlan, COO, AdaptiveMobile. “By using our solution, operators can differentiate their services for both consumers and enterprises whilst ensuring a secure environment for their subscribers. Network operators across the world are increasingly accepting a service responsibility to subscribers, whether to protect vulnerable users such as children, or to help corporates fulfil their duty-of-care to employees and it is organisations such as MTN that are forging the way in keeping one step ahead of the criminals.”

Unintended consequences (Iran)

2011-11-08T08:27:00.000Z

Once again the US Administration's Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) has caught another vendor; not in the USA but in Iran. Chinese-vendor Huawei Technologies said last week it had sold mobile network equipment to MTN Irancell; it issued a statement after the US-owned Bloomberg and WSJ news channels published references to the monitoring of dissidents by the Iranian government. Previously it was NSN that found itself in the dock, also because of deployments in Iran, and also thanks to the provisions of CALEA.

Taxing issue (AME)

2011-11-07T10:57:00.000Z

A GSMA study has found 21 states that levy airtime taxes in addition to general sales taxes, including 12 in sub-Saharan Africa, up from six in 2007. Consumers in Turkey continue to pay the most airtime tax at 43 percent, followed by the Gabon at 36 percent, Uganda at 30 percent and Tanzania and the DRC at 28 percent.

October MNP (Ghana)

2011-11-05T19:55:00.000Z

The National Communications Authority (NCA) said that at the end of October , four months since the start of Mobile Number Portability (MNP), a total of 138,458 mobile subscribers have used the facility. Some 32,780 porting requests were processed in October of which 5% were completed within 15 minutes, and 48% were completed between 15 minutes and an hour. Only 1% were completed in more than 24 hours.

Senior movement at Vodacom (South Africa)

2011-11-04T13:45:00.000Z

Vodacom's Tom Boardman has stepped down from the Board, along with Commercial Director Morten Lundal, who has been replaced by Vodafone's Karen Witts. In March 2012, Rob Shuter, CFO of Vodacom Group is to be seconded to Vodafone Netherlands.

Mobile satisfaction (Oman)

2011-11-04T11:31:00.000Z

A Nielsen Company survey of mobile users in Oman found that Nawras recorded customer satisfaction levels of 92 percent in September 2011, up from 87 percent in December 2010.

USF-funded Wi-Fi (Mauritius)

2011-11-04T11:03:00.001Z

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority is to fund from the Universal Service Fund (USF) the setting up of ten Wi-Fi zones in five municipal councils and four district councils in Mauritius and an administrative building in Rodrigues, to offer free public Internet Access. Bidders will be existing ISPs, and bids are required by the afternoon of 30 November 2011.

Telco audit (Mauritania)

2011-11-04T10:01:00.000Z

The Autorité de Régulation has called for expressions of interest for the financial auditing of the licensed mobile operators for the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, namely Mauritel; Mattel and Chinguitel. Bidders are required to provide a ‘reasoned opinion’ on the operator’s accounts for each year, and bids need to be submitted by noon 1 December 2011. Full details are available at http://www.are.mr/details-1-14-214.html.

mcel upgrades mobile broadband network with Ericsson

2011-10-26T09:28:00.000+01:00

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has been chosen as preferred supplier by leading Mozambican operator mcel to upgrade and expand its existing 3G radio network in Maputo, Mozambique's capital city, using the latest Ericsson technology. This includes the RBS 6000, which earlier this year was used in setting the record for the fastest internet in the world.

This contract builds on Ericsson's longstanding relationship with mcel and comes on the heels of a recently completed upgrade of mcel's 3G core network by Ericsson. The network upgrade will enable mcel to provide high-speed mobile broadband which can deliver video and web application services, thereby offering their subscribers a superior user experience.

Under the agreement, Ericsson will deploy its industry leading core network solutions as well as its multi-standard base station RBS 6000, supporting GSM/EDGE, 3G (WCDMA/HSPA) and 4G (LTE). The core network solutions include Ericsson's Mobile Softswitch Solution and Ericsson SmartEdge-based Mobile Packet Backbone Network (MPBN) solution which efficiently handle the take off of voice and data.

mcel, the premier operator in Mozambique, started operations in 1997 and now has more than 4.3 million customers and the most extensive network in the country - covering 65% of the geographical area, and 75% of the population.

Published reports show that mobile penetration in Mozambique is mostly in cities, and currently sits at around 35%, while internet penetration is less than 5% with 0.1% having access to broadband1. However there is growing demand for high-speed broadband beyond urban areas.

mcel recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Mozambique's Science and Technology Ministry, to roll out community multimedia centers in rural areas. Based on this understanding, mcel will provide internet access to six Mozambican districts.

mcel CEO Mamudo Ibraimo says: "As Mozambique's premier operator, we view our services as an enabler of socioeconomic development and long-term prosperity. We continue to drive the growth and evolution of mobile telephony here through continued expansion, value-oriented innovation and a focus on the delivery of an excellent customer experience.

"Our partnership with Ericsson positions us well to secure our premier position and continued growth in this market," he concluded.

Lars Lindén, Head of Ericsson Sub-Saharan Africa, says: "mcel's new network will cater to the exceptional traffic growth they expect in the near future. With improved network signalling and transmission capacity from Ericsson, we are committed to ensuring the quality of service mcel delivers to its subscribers."

Telecoms World Middle East Awards: Nokia Siemens Networks named “Best Vendor"

2011-10-24T10:00:00.000+01:00

Telecoms World Middle East Awards: Nokia Siemens Networks named “Best Vendor”

Nokia Siemens Networks was named “Best Vendor” at the Telecoms World Middle East Awards, on October 5, 2011 at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers in Dubai, UAE. The awards are designed to identify and reward companies that have positively contributed to the development of telecoms in the Middle East.

“We are honored to receive this award and pleased that our efforts have been appreciated by the industry,” said Igor Leprince, head of the Middle East region at Nokia Siemens Networks. “The award is testament to Nokia Siemens Networks’ commitment to the Middle East market, with an expanding network of customers across the region. We provide our customers with optimum network efficiency while helping them create individual user experiences that lead to stronger, longer lasting and more profitable customer relationships.”

Nokia Siemens Networks was named the winner by an independent jury, with the key criterion being that the recipient have “an outstanding portfolio of innovative products, which has positively impacted the telecoms market in the region.” Other considerations included the quality of service delivered, strong business acumen and future scope for development.

With more than 50 active customers in the region, Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading telecoms vendor across the Middle East with a particular strength in mobile broadband and LTE. Eight operators in the Middle East use Nokia Siemens Networks’ charging and prepaid solution based on charge@once, serving more than 50 million subscribers, and seventy-five per cent of all mobile operators in the region use the company’s NetAct OSS solutions to optimize their networks. Nokia Siemens Networks is also the first vendor to sign a commercial LTE deal in the Middle East region.

Smart co-operative (Bahrain)

2011-10-24T07:08:00.000+01:00

Batelco has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Korea Telecom to explore projects targeting Smart Cities services in Bahrain. Both will exploring services such as smart economy; smart mobility; smart environment; smart living; and smart governance utilising the latest set of Information and Telecommunications technologies. Batelco Chief Executive Bahrain Rashid Abdulla and Korea Telecom Executive Vice President & Head of Global Enterprise Sales Department Sang Wook Kim signed the deal.

Ixia Validates New State-of-the-Art Wi-Fi Network at Dubai World Trade Center

2011-10-19T12:33:00.001+01:00

CALABASAS, CA, (October 18, 2011)– Ixia (NASDAQ: XXIA), the leading global provider of converged IP and wireless network test solutions, today announced that it has completed a thorough evaluation of the new 802.11n Wi-Fi network for Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC), a facility that encompasses over 1 million square feet and services over 1.4 million people per year. This advanced network architecture, a testament to the growing importance of Wi-Fi as an access technology and for cellular traffic offload, will increase connectivity coverage and capacity for the hospitality, convention and real estate customers on the DWTC site. Ixia’s end-to-end test solution validates capacity and quality of service as well as network access, and was the only solution capable of providing a complete picture of the network for the facility.

MTN Nigeria rolls out Opera Mini

2011-10-19T11:18:00.000+01:00

With the signing of an agreement between MTN and Opera Software, over 40 million subscribers can now expect to see faster, easier and more cost-effective mobile web surfing on their handsets.

MTN customers will also enjoy a faster and more affordable web experience through one-click access to MTN’s Play entertainment portal, as well as easier access to any other website.

Already, more than 130 million people around the world have discovered how Opera Mini can help revolutionize their mobile web experience. Not only does Opera Mini deliver the Web faster to almost any phone, it also cuts data costs by compressing webpage data before pages are delivered, while retaining all the functionality of a normal webpage.

“MTN as a whole has seen the value of Opera Mini and we are introducing it in all the 21 countries we operate in,” said Bola Akingbade, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria. “We believe that communication and participation empowers people. By working with Opera, we deliver greater value to our customers, with a faster browsing experience, lowering the barriers to spending time online.”

Opera Mini works on more than 3,000 different mobile phone models, from basic feature phones to high-end smart phones.

It shares many features with Opera’s browsers for desktop, including tabbed browsing, password manager and speed dial.

“Our goal has always been to offer the full Web to our users — no matter the device. Over the past few years, we have observed the explosion of mobile web usage across Africa. MTN has been leading the way, with its strong customer focus and innovative solutions,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO of Opera Software. “The further growth of the mobile Web depends on our joint ability to understand and enhance the user experience. We look forward to working closely with MTN Nigeria to ensure a large and happy user base.”

Existing Opera Mini users on the MTN network in Nigeria will be automatically updated to the new version when next they run Opera Mini. New users can also download it from the customized MTN Opera Mini link, m.opera.com, using their default mobile browser.

Telecom Italia Sparkle Global IP Backbone “Seabone” climbs five positions to #8 worldwide in Renesys Global Customer Base Backbone ranking

2011-10-19T10:08:00.002+01:00

“Seabone”, TI Sparkle’s Tier 1 Global IP Transit Backbone, reached position #8 worldwide today in Renesys Global Customer Base Backbone ranking. Positioned #13 last January, Seabone has been steadily climbing the internet research firm’s table over the last months, bypassing operators historically recognized as global leaders in the IP Transit segment.

This success results from the customers’ consistent acknowledgment of TI Sparkle’s IP Transit Seabone service reliability and performance. The backbone has grown to become a global brand with very high recognition worldwide, contributing to position TI Sparkle as a reliable business partner as witnessed by the latest acquisition of key customers in Eastern Europe, especially in Russia where TI Sparkle now serves most of the major operators and ISPs. At the same time TI Sparkle has recently strengthened the IP Transit relationship with a leading global operator with strong presence in Asia Pacific.

“The investments we have carried out last year that aimed at consolidating the core backbone in Europe and the US and at providing a bullet-proof service, together with the footprint expansion in Africa and Asia, have paid off”, states Paolo Ferrari, TI Sparkle Chief Executive Officer. “We will continue along this path adding new IP points of presence in particular in the fast growing markets of Africa and South East Asia”, continues Ferrari.

Today, TI Sparkle 2-Terabyte Global IP Backbone Seabone is 100% Transit Free and fully IPv6 enabled; it ranks #3 in Europe and is the leading IP Service provider for Africa, with a consolidated customer base in the Middle East and in South America.

MTC Makes Changes to Its Aweh and Free Hour Services

2011-10-19T10:06:00.002+01:00

WINDHOEK, 19 OCTOBER 2011- Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), Namibia’s leading mobile operator announces changes to its AWEH and Free Hour (FH) Class of Services (COS) for pre-paid customers with immediate effect.

“The changes to both products have been introduced to allow for a period to address important aspects of the MTC network that will ultimately result in an improved service to all 081 customers” said Tim Ekandjo, Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer.

In May 2010 MTC introduced Aweh-Aweh, a product that addresses the communication needs of the 081 Nation. The uptake on Aweh Aweh has been tremendous by the public in both urban and rural areas and remains the most affordable way of mobile communication in the country.

Aweh-Aweh subsequently expanded its portfolio to include Aweh-Lite and with the introduction of the Blackberry services at MTC, the BB7 Aweh COS was added under the Aweh sub-brand.
Changes to the Aweh products will affect all three COS in that all three products will be limited to 50 minutes of free calls weekdays and on weekends.

Subscribers to the Free Hour (FH), Special Free Hour (SFH) or Free Hour Student (FHS) COS will now be limited to 30 minutes during the specific hour.

“Both the Aweh and FH services are here to stay. They have been some of the company’s best performing products and we do recognize the affordability these products provide for several communities countrywide. We want assure all our customers that changes to products or services at MTC are always aimed at meeting customer demands or improving our service delivery” concluded Ekandjo.

VIVA Selects AdaptiveMobile to Ensure User Base Receive the Very Latest Privacy Protection

2011-10-18T17:13:00.000+01:00

VIVA Selects AdaptiveMobile to Ensure User Base Receive the Very Latest Privacy Protection

Kuwait, 18th October, 2011

- AdaptiveMobile, the world leader in mobile security is today announcing that VIVA, Kuwait’s most advanced mobile operator has implemented AdaptiveMobile’s Network Protection Platform which includes a call screening solution across its network of subscribers. The technology protects subscribers’ privacy by screening and controlling voice and video calls, SMS and MMS messages according to user preferences.

VIVA is the newest, most advanced mobile telecommunications service provider in Kuwait. The operator is quickly becoming a key player in the market working with 420 operators in 176 countries. VIVA is the latest mobile operator to select AdaptiveMobile’s Network Protection Platform as its solution of choice.

VIVA is committed to enriching the lives of its subscriber base. To ensure customer satisfaction levels remained high, VIVA wanted to offer customers the very latest mobile security functionality. This includes protecting users from the increasing number and sophistication of threats that mobiles and handheld devices are exposed to.

By deploying AdaptiveMobile’s Network Protection Platform VIVA has been able to offer a high-level of protection quickly and efficiently. The Call Screening software, which sits directly on the network, uses advanced screening technology to block offensive words and images from incoming messages before they get to the user. The service also restricts and diverts calls in pre arranged restricted time periods such as business or school hours ensuring productivity levels remain high – at a critical time for the country.

“The safety of an individuals’ privacy has increasingly become a cause for concern for many of our subscribers, and we wanted to reassure them that we value their privacy and their protection across our network was a key priority. We feel that it is critical that our subscribers are able to make the most of the benefits that the future of communication holds, but allowing them to feel secure whilst doing so is key,” says Salman Al-Badran, CEO, VIVA.

“The Call Screening solution ensures the necessary measures are in place to allow us to block unwanted calls and messages to users’ handsets. We chose AdaptiveMobile’s solution as it had proven experience in protecting subscribers, and the software could be deployed quickly and effectively. We want our customer’s lives to be enriched through communication, entertainment and transfer of information and AdaptiveMobile is helping make this possible,” concluded Al-Badran.

VIVA is the first operator in Kuwait to implement such a solution to provide protection for the three bearers of communication (SMS, MMS and Voice) across one single platform.

“Personal privacy has become more of a concern for mobile users’ and it is important that subscribers feel that their mobile operator sees this as a critical factor. VIVA picked us due to our heritage and expertise in the Middle East market and our ability to provide operators with service that meet their local needs. We are delighted to be helping VIVA provide its customer base with the very latest mobile security protection,” says Brian Collins, CEO, AdaptiveMobile.

Vodafone Webbook launched in South Africa with Ubuntu software

2011-10-18T13:04:00.000+01:00

JOHANNESBURG, 18 0ctober 2011 - Vodacom today announced that it is the first Vodafone operating company to launch the Vodafone Webbook, which is expected to bring simplified, value-added internet access to thousands of South Africans, many of whom have until now had no access, or have depended on cellphones for internet connectivity.

The device is extremely compact and lightweight, weighing less than 1 kg. The Vodafone Webbook is presented with a 10" LCD screen, 512MB of memory and an additional 4GB of storage space.

"The Vodafone Webbook is going to offer the end user a compelling, mobile or at-home computing experience at an affordable price. We think this device is going to be particularly important and attractive for the emerging market," says Chris Ross, Managing Executive: Commercial Development at Vodacom.

With the Vodafone Webbook, Vodacom customers will be able to enjoy a portable internet experience with the Ubuntu operating system with various software applications, 24 months warranty and free software updates.

Ubuntu is a Linux-based operating system that is a free, fast, easy-to-use, and open source computer programme that was pioneered by Mark Shuttleworth.

Speaking about the Ubuntu software, Mark Shuttleworth said: "We are delighted to provide the operating system for the Vodafone Webbook. Ubuntu's founding principle is to remove the barriers of access to computing for everyone, and products like this give hope of connectivity to people all over the world."

MTC Holds Supplier Workshop In Windhoek

2011-10-18T09:03:00.000+01:00

WINDHOEK, 18 OCTOBER 2011 - Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), Namibia’s leading mobile operator is holding a Suppliers Workshop on Friday, 21 October at the Polytechnic Hotel School for current and prospective suppliers of goods and services that the company procures on an ongoing basis.

MTC Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer Tim Ekandjo said the workshop is an annual event which is aimed at educating MTC suppliers on the company’s procurement processes

“We have realized that a lot of suppliers would like to participate in our procurement process but have no clue where to start and those who are already involved in the process do not know how to satisfy MTC’s needs and requirements,” Ekandjo said. He added the one-day workshop will also help to clarify any misunderstandings and miscommunication issues that may exist between MTC and the suppliers, thus making the whole process more open and transparent.

According to Ekandjo, the expected outcomes are mainly about how the suppliers are expected to align to MTC’s procurement needs and requirements. “We also listen to our suppliers and make justifiable changes to the process if needed. The workshop also serves as a networking opportunity for the suppliers,” Ekandjo emphasized.

Ekandjo said MTC is committed to working with Namibian suppliers for all its operational business requirements. The company uses an open or invited tender process to contract both small and large suppliers for its vast operational necessities. “MTC is dedicated to supporting the local industry for all goods and services; however, our suppliers must conform to our internal quality standards and commercial requirements. We are sensitive to the local supply chain and we are committed to working closely with local suppliers,” Ekandjo said.

MTC has three supplier categories, namely general suppliers for products and services, unique sole suppliers and specialised suppliers. The general supply of products that are not industry specific, such as stationary, groceries and promotional items, are supplied to MTC by suppliers, of which 85% is fully Namibian.

Specialised suppliers of services related to more complex technical operations are required mostly in the Base Station Tower (BTS) area of Infrastructure and BTS Maintenance. Namibian suppliers to MTC in this category currently stands at 98%.

The specialised supplier of products for the industry, such as the supply of 3G devices and handset generators, is supplied by a total of 49% Namibian suppliers, while general supply of services that are not industry specific, such as cleaning services, security services and the supply of accommodation, stands at a 99.6% Namibian supplier status.

A unique sole supplier is defined as a supplier providing a unique solution, mainly technological and IT. Thirty-eight percent of unique sole suppliers to MTC are Namibian. These category suppliers are long-term contracts, which will only be changed should the supplier or MTC default on the contract.

MTC currently makes use of the NPPC accreditation certificate to determine the BEE status of Namibian companies.

Bharti Airtel Africa enhances mobile internet browsing experience and multi-media messaging services

2011-10-18T07:11:00.000+01:00

Bharti Airtel Africa enhances mobile internet browsing experience and multi-media messaging services

Customers of Bharti Airtel in Africa will soon enjoy seamless internet connectivity and simpler, more intuitive mobile data services. The operator has selected Nokia Siemens Networks’ Serve atOnce Device Management (SADM) software to be implemented across affiliates in 16 African countries. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks will consolidate the operator’s existing multimedia messaging service (MMS) platforms into one centrally managed virtual platform.

Manoj Kohli, CEO (International) and joint managing director, Bharti Airtel, said: “Nokia Siemens Networks’ robust mobile device management solution will allow our customers in Africa to enjoy the latest services by enabling seamless internet connectivity and excellent customer care support. The solution will benefit Airtel from reduced operational costs when introducing new devices or services.”

Rajeev Suri, chief executive officer of Nokia Siemens Networks, said: “The shift towards smart networks that understand user preferences and enable delivery of customized services is helping operators such as Bharti Airtel deliver a superior mobile broadband experience. Nokia Siemens Networks supports this transition by helping operators to manage user experience better and deliver improved services seamlessly.”

Nokia Siemens Networks’ SADM* will enable Bharti Airtel to remotely and automatically manage and configure user devices for new data services. The software will also enable the operator to gain valuable insights on device capabilities to make right business decisions when introducing new services.

In addition, under a three-year contract, Nokia Siemens Networks will provide its mobile internet browsing solution (MIBS) and multimedia messaging solution, hosted on a virtualized and centrally managed VaaS platform**. This will allow Bharti Airtel to provide these services faster and cost efficiently to all its customers across all affiliates in Africa.

The Qtel Group Builds Global Mobile Money Network

2011-10-17T16:48:00.000+01:00

The Qtel Group has made a number of important strides in its Mobile Money strategy in recent weeks, with the launch of the Qtel Mobile Money service, a safe, fast, and easy-to-use “mobile wallet” (mWallet) solution.

Following the launch, customers in Qatar can transfer money in Qatar and to overseas destinations through the mWallet, using the safe, convenient, fast and easy-to-use Qtel service.

The Qtel Mobile Money service opens up a huge range of possibilities for customers and is as easy to use as a mobile phone. Following the launch in Qatar, the Qtel Group will roll out integrated mobile money services across the other key markets it serves.

Dr. Nassar Marafih, CEO, The Qtel Group, commented: “The Qtel Group has made the launch of mobile money services across our operations a strategic priority, recognising the strong demand from our customers, and the important social benefits this service will provide. Mobile Money services provide access and security for a whole cross-section of the community that is under-served by traditional banking, and we aim to be a leader in the countries we serve.” With mWallet, the Qtel Group’s customers will be able to use their mobile phone accounts to save and send money, top up their credit, make payments and transfer airtime to friends, relatives, employees and partners.

The integrated solution provided by Sybase 365, EastNets and BICS will be easier, more cost-effective and more convenient than traditional remittance channels.

The Qtel Group’s operations cover regions with a high number of residents and foreign workers, who regularly transfer a proportion of their salaries overseas to their home countries. A large proportion of these workers do not have access to traditional banking facilities and are “under-banked,” relying on the services of money transfer kiosks to transport money home.

“As well as providing the Qtel Group with an important new revenue source, the provision of Mobile Money services will also have a demonstrable social impact. Customers will have greater security in sending money to friends and family overseas, as well as greater control over their spending at home,” concluded Dr. Nasser.

Vodafone Turkey today released a co-branded version of the Opera Mini mobile browser

2011-10-17T11:25:00.001+01:00

Vodafone Turkey today released a co-branded version of the Opera Mini mobile browser to add a little spice to the mobile web experience for its subscribers. This partnership has its roots in the midsummer of 2011 when Vodafone Group Services and Opera Software signed an extended global frame agreement.

More than 16.8 million Vodafone customers in Turkey will now get instant access to their favorite websites, as well as Vodafone’s popular services. Sport results, social networking, an information portal and a content store are now just one click away from the Speed Dial panel in Opera Mini. The browser is completely free and available for every Vodafone Turkey user at m.opera.com.

Opera Mini is the world’s most popular mobile browser, thanks to the unique technology that compresses web data by up to 90%. That’s why web surfing is so much faster with Opera Mini, especially on EDGE or 3G and even on crowded Wi-Fi, no matter which phone model is used. Opera Mini also helps to download more webpages per megabyte; this is extremely important when you are on pay-per-data service or when data roaming is active.

“Opera Mini has already won the hearts of almost 130 million users worldwide,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “We aim to make web surfing even easier for Vodafone’s subscribers in Turkey, enabling them to leap on their favorite web resources in a snap.”

According to Vodafone Turkey, the move formed part of the company’s unwavering focus on bringing the latest telecommunication technologies and most innovative services to customers: “We aim to ensure that everyone in Turkey can enjoy the mobile Internet as part of the Super Internet strategy that we launched at the beginning of 2011. We are delighted to offer this new version of Opera Mini to our customers, making it even easier and more enjoyable for them to surf the Mobile Internet”.

Party time (Burkina Faso)

2011-10-17T11:09:00.001+01:00

The Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Posts (ARCEP) is hosting the 26 - 28 October 2011 African Conference on the Economics of Regulation and Telecommunications (CARET). ARCEP is expecting two hundred participants, and aims to bring together all African and international stakeholders interested in regulation and development of electronic communication networks on the continent. The opening ceremony will be held on Wednesday 26 October 2011 under the chairmanship of Prime Minister.

More mobile fixed (Bahrain)

2011-10-17T10:55:00.000+01:00

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has announced the launch of Fixed Number Portability Service from 4 October 2011. Details of the service can be found on TRA’s website for number portability: www.ilovemynumber.bh. Mobile Number Portability (MNP) was launched on 17 July 2011, the TRA saying that the delay was in part attributed to the political unrest earlier in the year. It then planned to launch fixed portability in September.

Brightstar Continues Expansion into Africa through Multi-Service Agreement with MTN South Africa | Press Releases | News Room | Brightstar

2011-10-13T14:39:00.000+01:00

Brightstar Continues Expansion into Africa through Multi-Service Agreement with MTN South Africa

MIAMI and Johannesburg – October 13, 2011 – Brightstar Corp., a global leader in services and solutions for the wireless industry, today announced a multi-year service agreement with MTN South Africa (SA). The deal builds upon Brightstar’s recent expansion of operations and services in the region.

Brightstar will provide MTN SA with device portfolio management services, supply chain services and OEM engagement services that will encompass the operator’s full portfolio of handsets, data devices, laptops and tablets. These services will enable MTN to continue its focus on improving efficiencies in the supply chain, enhancing the OEM engagements and ultimately delivering a superior customer experience.

“We are delighted to offer MTN the world class innovative solutions needed to execute its business strategy in South Africa,” said Jeff Gower, head of supply chain services for Brightstar. “This agreement is evidence of our commitment to expanding our reach into this region and becoming a truly global services provider within the wireless industry.”

“Brightstar’s deep understanding of the industry and its global market intelligence complements that of MTN SA and enhances the company’s capacity to administer device management, allowing us to focus on better servicing our customers,” said Brian Gouldie, Sales and Distribution Executive at MTN SA. “Brightstar’s proven innovative suite of services will enable our customers to have the products they want, when they want them. It’s all about accessibility and convenience – a prerequisite for today’s customers.”

Brightstar offers an expansive portfolio of more than 100 services for wireless manufacturers, operators, retailers, government agencies, value added resellers (VARs) and consumers worldwide.

Zain Sudan Chooses Jinny Software for Next-Generation VAS Solutions

2011-10-12T10:11:00.000+01:00

Zain Sudan Chooses Jinny Software for Next-Generation VAS Solutions

DUBLIN, October 10, 2011- Jinny Software, a leading global supplier of messaging, call completion and mobile advertising solutions to wireless carriers, today announces a deal to supply Zain Sudan with an expanded suite of VAS solutions. The deal includes upgrades for Zain’s MMSC, ringback tone server, SMSC, message router, SMSC accelerator and WAP Gateway, along with solution management tools.

Zain Sudan (formerly Mobitel) is the pioneer of GSM services in Sudan, being the first to offer mobile operations back in February 1997. Today it serves the largest base of mobile customers in the country with more than 10 million active customers.

“Our relationship with Jinny is very positive. The Jinny solutions we use have delivered a strong return on investment, helped by the excellent support services they provide,” says Magdi Taha, IT Director of Zain Sudan.

The modular approach of Jinny Software solutions was a strong factor in Zain Sudan’s choice of provider. Because the software resides on a standard platform, increasing capacity and adding new applications is simple and fast. Also, Jinny Software is equipped to make the transition into IP networks, as Zain Sudan will be doing with its ringback tone service.

“We are pleased to support Zain Sudan as they build on their success in marketing innovative new services for their customers,” says Richard Choi, Jinny Chief Commercial Officer. “This deal underscores our commitment to mobile network operators in emerging markets.”

animal-2-machine deployment by MTC (Namibia)

2011-10-11T16:53:00.000+01:00

Biosphere Expeditions is working with MTC on a leopard research project near Windhoek, with the aim of gathering reliable scientific data on the ecology of cat predators living on private game farms in Namibia.

"This is because we want to gain a better understanding of how leopards, as predators, form an important part of a healthy ecosystem even, on a game farm", says Kristina Killian, the project’s biologist, adding that "in the end we also want to provide straight-forward information to farmers in Namibia and southern Africa to help alleviate predator/game conflicts".

Three leopards have been captured and fitted with a GSM collar with an MTC SIM card, the collar then using the mobile network to send data to a laptop whenever the leopard picks up a signal from a base station. The data is being described as ‘amazingly precise information’ about the leopards’ movements and what they are up to within their home ranges on game farms.

RIM Unveils BlackBerry Tag - Coming Soon to BlackBerry Smartphones

2011-10-10T12:45:00.000+01:00

Dubai, UAE – GITEX - During his keynote presentation at the GITEX conference in Dubai, Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) Co-CEO Jim Balsillie today unveiled a new way for BlackBerry® smartphone users to connect with one another and share multimedia content.

BlackBerry® Tag, which will be incorporated in the next BlackBerry® 7 OS update*, will allow users to share contact information, documents, URLs, photos and other multimedia content by simply tapping their BlackBerry smartphones together. BlackBerry Tag will also enable friends to instantly add one another as contacts on BBM™ (BlackBerry® Messenger).

"BlackBerry Tag is an exciting and innovative feature that makes sharing contact information and multimedia content effortless and seamless,” said Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion. “BlackBerry Tag opens a new dimension to the BlackBerry platform that is powerful, simple and intuitive and we think it will be welcomed by both users and developers.”

BlackBerry Tag takes advantage of Near Field Communications (NFC) technology included in the recently launched BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900/9930 and BlackBerry® Curve™ 9350/9360/9370 smartphones, and these are the first BlackBerry smartphones that will support BlackBerry Tag.

RIM also announced plans to expose BlackBerry Tag through APIs on the BlackBerry platform, allowing software developers to take advantage of "tap to share" functionality from within their own applications.

EION Wireless Launches 4G Mobility Platform at GITEX Technology Week in Dubai

2011-10-09T15:20:00.000+01:00

EION Wireless Launches 4G Mobility Platform at GITEX Technology Week in Dubai

DUBAI UAE – October 9, 2011 – EION Inc., a Canadian manufacturer of broadband wireless products today announced the launch of its Star4G Mobile Broadband Platform for 4G service providers. The Star4G platform includes base stations, a Wireless Services Gateway (WSG), and mobile end-user devices that create mobile 4G networks.

EION’s 4G solution, Star4G, is targeted to mobile operators in developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East that need to augment their mobile cellular services with fixed, nomadic and mobile broadband services.

A key demographic for the Star4G platform is large service providers that are starting to plan and build out networks targeting residential and business users with data, voice over IP and video-on-demand services. The introduction of the 4G mobile solution complements the company’s current product portfolio and provides the opportunity to address the needs carrier-class service providers and large enterprises.

“Unlike other LTE platforms on the market that are designed around a cellular voice-centric architecture, Star4G is designed with a data-centric focus for the delivery of voice video and data services,” said Dr. Anand Srinivasan, Vice President of Technology and Product Management. “This Star4G architecture delivers a high Quality of Experience (QoE) for high definition multimedia mobile services.”

“EION is involved in commercial launches, pilots and trials of its mobile 4G solution in diverse parts of the world,” said Guido Curridor, Senior Vice President of Technology and Business Operations “This large installed base of customers represents an opportunity for EION to upgrade these networks to its Star4G solution giving EION a leadership position in data-centric LTE networks.”

Clarity extends Mobinil Infrastructure Management Solution

2011-10-07T11:30:00.000+01:00

Sydney, Australia; 6 October 2011 – Clarity, the award winning provider of unified telecommunications solutions designed to simplify operations, today announced that Mobinil, Egypt’s leading mobile operator, is upgrading and extending its deployment of Clarity’s Infrastructure Management solution.

Mobinil currently uses Clarity’s solution to support its network site rollout processes across two departments. The upgrade will see the latest version of Clarity’s Infrastructure Management suite replace many disparate third-party systems and enable end-to-end tracking of infrastructure changes across all of Mobinil’s divisions.

The Clarity solution provides improved planning, purchasing and workforce deployment, providing Mobinil with greater control over resource allocation and analysis. Mobinil will be able to reduce both the costs and timescales for network rollouts, upgrades and decommissions across its network. Importantly, Clarity’s Infrastructure Management solution will increase return on asset investment by reducing the time between initial infrastructure investment and first revenue generation. The solution will integrate with other OSS components using standards-based interfaces – providing Mobinil with the necessary data and automated processes framework to efficiently manage all the activities associated with complex, multiple site construction.

Moustafa Hegazi (Director, network planning & rollout) Mobinil, commented “The Clarity solution will streamline network change programs, helping us meet timescales and budgets. It will ensure that we have consistent communication across our business. Rather than having to work with many different systems across multiple departments, all divisions will soon be able to hand over tasks seamlessly. The system ensures the correct data is captured, so employees always have the information readily available to accurately complete their tasks. The statistics and forecast information from the system also means that managers have business intelligence data available so they can continue to drive improved performance well into the future.”

“Effectively managing the substantial investment made in network upgrades and changes is a logistical challenge for most service providers,” added Tony Garcia at Clarity. “Investing in tools that guide and manage the deployment of these assets has a direct impact on the bottom line - the sooner an asset is operational, the sooner revenue is generated. Our comprehensive Infrastructure Management solution provides just that; ensuring consistency in the information and processes used throughout all divisions, suppliers and contractors so that assets are deployed faster.”

Vodacom Tanzania offers flexible bill payment options to its customers

2011-10-06T11:52:00.000+01:00

Vodacom Tanzania offers flexible bill payment options to its customers

Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania – October 06, 2011

Partners with Nokia Siemens Networks to introduce the first convergent charging and billing platform in Africa

Nokia Siemens Networks has migrated the existing charging and billing system of Vodacom Tanzania to its own charge@once unified* platform. As a result of a long-term, trusted partnership, Vodacom Tanzania has commissioned Nokia Siemens Networks for this project. With the charge@once unified platform, Vodacom Tanzania’s customers can now flexibly choose either prepaid, post paid or a combination of both payment options for their voice, data and SMS services. The platform also offers a wide set of pre-defined modules that can be used to create marketing campaigns with minimal efforts and more flexibility in a shorter turnaround time.

“We wanted our customers to be the first to enjoy flexibility in bill payments, and we have become the first one to implement this flexibility in Africa,” said Dietlof Mare, managing director of Vodacom Tanzania. “Nokia Siemens Networks’ exceptional delivery capabilities ensured fast rollout of flexible payment methods for all services used by our individual and enterprise customers. The new platform also significantly reduced the efforts required for the implementation of these flexible payment options.”

“With a customer base of over ten million subscribers, we are always committed to bringing world-class solutions to our customers in the Tanzanian market,” added Dietlof.

“Implementing Nokia Siemens Networks’ unified charging and billing platform is an example of Vodacom’s commitment to introduce the latest technology in the market, offering a wide range of services with flexible payment methods,” said Deon Geyser, customer team head at Nokia Siemens Networks. “The platform provides flexible bill payment options for both fixed and mobile network services for all customers.”

With migration to Nokia Siemens Networks’ charge@once unified platform, the customers of Vodacom Tanzania can now choose postpaid method for using services for business purposes, and prepaid option for private voice calls or SMS. In addition, the platform enables family contracts, where parents can opt for postpaid payment for their voice services and use their phones to recharge their children’s prepaid subscriptions.

Nokia Siemens Networks’ charging and billing platform has a variety of features including self administration, which allows customers to set bill limits and receive alerts on exceeding it. It also allows them various options for recharging their prepaid accounts. With this platform, the operator can also offer special SMS plans as well as customized tariff schemes to its subscribers for internet use.

Intel acquires Telmap

2011-09-30T12:56:00.000+01:00

Intel acquires Telmap: "As part of the keynote, we announced that we have signed an agreement to acquire Telmap, a leading company in navigation and location-based services, search and content. Telmap will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Intel. This move is a step towards expanding our mobile software services capabilities as Intel continues to grow in the area of software and services. We are all very excited to have such knowledgeable and respected experts join the company.
"

Safaricom and Opera Software announce extended Kenyan partnership

2011-09-30T11:59:00.000+01:00

Safaricom and Opera Software announce extended Kenyan partnership

Safaricom’s over 17 million customers to benefit from fast mobile browser, Johannesburg, South Africa — September 29, 2011

Kenya’s largest integrated telecoms operator Safaricom, today announced the extension of its existing partnership with Opera Software to deliver the Opera Mini browser solution to its more than 17 million subscribers. This includes the launch of a co-branded version of the Opera Mini mobile browser, which is now available for download across Safaricom’s network in Kenya. This is part of a global agreement between Vodafone and Opera Software.

The deal delivers faster access to websites and easy entry to Safaricom portals. Safaricom subscribers can reach the content they want, with less frustration and expense. With just one click, customers have music, news, games, and information on Safaricom’s products and services at their fingertips.

Kenya has 22 million mobile phone users, which is around 55% of the total population. Safaricom, which is 40% owned by Vodafone, is the only network in Kenya that provides broadband high-speed data to its customers through its 3G network, Wimax and fibre. Kenya is also the third largest market in Africa for Opera Mini.

According to Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore, the partnership with Opera Software would significantly improve the internet experience of the firm’s growing base of data customers.

“With the launch of the Opera Mini browser, we are leveraging a key partnership to bring our data customers to a new, higher level of experience. This is aligned with our strategy of not just making the internet a mass product in Kenya, but also making it more efficient,” said Collymore.

At least nine out of every ten of the 8 million Kenyans who use the internet regularly do so through the Safaricom network.

Already, 121 million people all over the world have discovered how Opera Mini can revolutionize their mobile web experience. Not only does Opera Mini deliver the Web faster to almost any phone, it also cuts data costs by shrinking the pages down before they are delivered, while retaining all the functionality of a normal webpage.

“Africa is a booming market for us, and this deal with Safaricom will bring the best Internet experience possible to millions of people eager for mobile web access,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “Opera believes that Internet access is a universal right, and being part of bringing that to Kenya is key for us. Opera Software has always striven to develop the fastest and technologically most advanced browsers. As a result, the Opera browser is the choice for the majority of mobile web users.”

Research shows that mobile data use in Kenya is predominantly used for social networking, news and job seeking. A key reason for the success of Opera in Africa is its speed: loading Facebook just once on a handheld device will use up more than 200 KB worth of data. With a browser like Opera Mini, which shrinks data down to a fraction of its original size, users can view Facebook 8.5 times using that same 200 KB. At the same time, when the powerful compression technology in the full browser is applied to the Opera Mini browser, the Web is accessible on even the simplest handsets, including those with small screens and limited memory.

Airtel signs agreement with Nokia Siemens Networks for 2G expansion, 3G deployment and managed services in Africa | Nokia Siemens Networks

2011-09-29T12:58:00.000+01:00

Airtel signs agreement with Nokia Siemens Networks for 2G expansion, 3G deployment and managed services in Africa

Bharti Airtel (‘Airtel’), a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa, announced today it has entered into an agreement with Nokia Siemens Networks to expand its 2G (GSM/EDGE) networks and deploy 3G networks in seven African countries. Under the agreement, Nokia Siemens Networks will manage end-to-end network operations, including planning, designing and implementing the 2G and 3G networks for Airtel. The vendor will provide its energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio Base Stations* to expand network coverage to under-served areas, including smaller towns and villages in the seven countries**.

Manoj Kohli, CEO, (International) and joint managing director, Bharti Airtel, said: “This agreement manifests our commitment to provide world-class, innovative and affordable mobile services to customers in Africa. We believe Nokia Siemens Networks’ global expertise in managed services and compact energy-efficient network equipment are a perfect fit to our long-term goal to be the leading telecommunications provider in the African continent. This partnership will further enable us to rapidly expand our network coverage and provide high-speed wireless internet connectivity to our customers.”

Rajeev Suri, chief executive officer of Nokia Siemens Networks, said: “Subscribers everywhere are increasingly demanding better network quality and superior services. We look forward to working closely with Airtel to expand its network rapidly, and deliver the right innovative products and services to help meet these demands.”

Nokia Siemens Networks will use its FlexiHybrid microwave radio to address growing data traffic and provide the platform for a cost-effective transition to 3G, and potentially 4G networks in the future. The company will also provide its NetAct network management system for effective network monitoring and management.

In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks’ end-to-end managed services will enable Airtel to focus on delivering better customer experience and offer more innovative products and services to customers across markets.

In partnership with Tecnotree, Mattel launches Ringback Tone service in Mauritania / Releases / Investors - Tecnotree

2011-09-28T11:46:00.001+01:00

In partnership with Tecnotree, Mattel launches Ringback Tone service in Mauritania

Mattel, a joint venture of Tunisie Telecom group and private Mauritanian investors, has successfully launched Ringback Tone service in Mauritania. Today’s announcement marks a first in Mauritania, allowing mobile subscribers in Mattel’s network to replace the ring tone played for the calling party with a latest music hit, sound clip or other personalised media.

The service is based on Tecnotree’s Ringback Tone product, which is part of the broader range of call completion solutions available in the Tecnotree AgilityTM product suite. These solutions are designed to boost customer lifetime value by maximising the business opportunity around voice with appealing, innovative and complementary messaging solutions.

Tecnotree’s Ringback Tone product can be personalised by the subscriber. For example, the tone can be set to be different for different callers, it may vary depending on the time of the day and it may be different for special occasions. Subscribers can easily manage the ring back tones themselves using simple text messages or an interactive voice response. With this newly launched mobile service Mattel can now offer its subscribers a fun and highly personalised voice experience.

“Mattel is facing an increasingly competitive environment in Mauritania. We are highly motivated to reduce our operational expenses as well as improve our ability to quickly develop and launch new services in response to dynamic market conditions. We achieve these goals by deploying new technologies from Tecnotree. The successful long term cooperation with Tecnotree and the importance of Value-Added Services to differentiate ourselves as well as to tap into new, long-lasting revenue sources, encouraged us to intensify our relationship with Tecnotree into a more solid partnership.” says Stephane Blanc, Chief Marketing Officer, Mattel.

Tecnotree Managing Director, Middle East and North Africa, Kaius Kotkas adds: “Launching ring back tones with Mattel is an example of latent voice revenue potential we help our service provider customers unlock. Our aim at Tecnotree is to help operators like Mattel to boost customer lifetime value and establish themselves as leaders in their respective markets.”

Altech announces Interim Results

2011-09-28T11:39:00.000+01:00

Altech announces Interim Results

JSE listed Allied Technologies Limited (Altech) today announced the Group’s interim results for the six months ended 31 August 2011.

“The first half of the financial year showed results below our expectations, particularly from our operations in East Africa. However, we are pleased to report that nearly all other operations within the Group performed to, or above, expectations and we remain optimistic that the second half of the financial year will show an improvement,” said Craig Venter, Altech CEO.

“Our strong presence across the Telecommunications, Multi-media and Information Technology sectors is unique to the South African environment. I know of no other corporate that has all three divisions within one group. This presence, together with our strong annuity income at 83% of total revenue, our stringent cost controls and capital management, and our positive cash position and Balance Sheet, effectively spreads risk and enables us to take advantage of opportunities as they arise,” continued Venter.

“During the reporting period we introduced a number of innovative new products and services into the market and made some strategic acquisitions, both locally and internationally, that will enable us to take advantage of new market trends as they arise. At the same time, I have a strong executive team in place that will focus on our East African footprint and enhance the profitability that emanates from these businesses,” said Venter.

Financial highlights for the year ended were as follows:

Revenue

R4.83 billion

EBITDA

R456 million

EBITDA margin

9.4%

Operating profit before capital items

R296 million

Operating profit margin

6.1%

Profit before tax (PBT)

R261 million

Adjusted HEPS

181 cents

Return on shareholders' equity

15.4%

Continued strong balance sheet

The Telecommunications and Wireless Communications Division, which consists of Altech Autopage Cellular, Altech Technology Concepts and Altech Netstar, performed as predicted. This division contributes 71% of group revenue and 76% of group profit.

During the period Altech Autopage Cellular increased its revenue and profits due to an increase in value-added services and pre-paid voucher sales.

“While the mobile market remains exceptionally competitive with aggressive price movements across all product segments, positive signs have appeared with an increase in consumer activity in the various channels,” said Venter.

“Results from Altech Technology Concepts were below expectation, although its Tier-1 network became available to the market in February 2011. While we received excellent customer feedback on this next generation network’s quality, resiliency and back-up capacity; significant costs were incurred and the focus now is to increase revenue by expanding the network’s distribution capacity, both directly and indirectly, over the next two years,” said Venter.

The Altech Netstar Group exceeded its profit expectations for the period, with a significant focus on developing value-added services around the division’s fleet management offering and the launch of the insurance telematics service in association with the world leader Octo.

“Offshore growth within the Netstar Group remains a key objective and we are currently considering various opportunities in Latin America. The opening of a new licensed operation in the Ivory Coast, as well as a joint venture in Mozambique, underscores our commitment to the development of a wider footprint in Africa,” said Venter.

The Converged Services Division, which consists of Altech Alcom Radio Distributors, Altech Fleetcall and Altech Stream East Africa, presented diverse results.

“Within the radio market, Altech Alcom Radio Distributors continued to perform, as we saw an increase in digital mobile radio sales and the division’s unit sales exceeded the same period last year, largely driven by improved pricing strategies and marketing initiatives. At the same time, Altech Fleetcall continued to increase its net billable connections by 8% year-on-year,” said Venter.

Altech East Africa experienced a tough trading period with financial performance below expectations and a concerted effort is being made to correct this under-performance. This has resulted in Altech changing the ongoing management team responsible for these particular activities.

“East Africa presented us with a number of challenges, not least of which was our exposure to foreign exchange currency fluctuations. While we have reduced our exposure to these fluctuations, we have also implemented a number of turnaround strategies to correct the underperformance of our operations in the region. New management has been appointed and while there will be a strong focus on resolving the existing operational and financial challenges, there will also be a number of actions to strategically strengthen the positioning of the businesses in the region. The opportunities for growth remain; execution is now the clear imperative,” said Venter.

The Multi-media and Electronics Division, which consists of Altech UEC and Arrow Altech Distribution, met all financial expectations for the period.

While the country awaits more movement on the part of Government with regard to digital migration, Altech UEC continues to export terrestrial set-top boxes (STBs) to African and Australian markets and is gearing up to meet local demand for STBs with the recent opening of its new hightechnology STB manufacturing facility. An African digital technology manufacturing first, the 13 500m2 state-of-the-art facility will enable Altech UEC to produce more than 300 000 STB units per month.

“The building of the factory was not only to gear up for the anticipated demand for locally produced STBs, but also as part of a wider strategy to enable Altech UEC to extend its manufacturing capabilities and remain a world class digital set-top box manufacturing and software solutions operation,” said Venter.

“Coupled with this, our recent 100% acquisition of SetOne GmbH, a German-based distribution, logistics, STB repair and servicing business, unlocks synergies with Altech Multimedia and enhances our ability to diversify Altech Multimedia’s income streams by growing its international business footprint and reducing its reliance on locally generated business. This is in line with the Altech Group’s strategy to increase non-SA revenue and profits,” said Venter.

The Information Technology Division, which consists of Altech ISIS, Altech West Africa, Altech Card Solutions and Altech NuPay, showed satisfactory results, with the South African businesses showing good results, while the West African business underperformed due to delayed deliveries and a temporarily overstocked position at a key customer.

“Our focus for West Africa remains on driving cost efficiencies. In addition, we are expanding the division’s product lines to include the supply of initialised and personalised chip-card products to the Nigerian telecommunications network operators and financial service providers. We expect to see an improved performance as we assist in the Nigerian government’s drive to transition the banking and retailing market segments from a cash-based transacting model to a card-based model,” said Venter.

Commenting on the way forward, Venter said that the second six months’ performance would be an improvement on the first half, as certain adverse factors which were specific to the period will not recur and due to the fact that a number of interventions had been put into place to ensure profitability from all operations.

“As a whole, the majority of our operations in South Africa are performing well ahead of our profit expectations, despite the continuing adverse economic conditions. Of concern are our operations in East Africa where we have not performed to the standards that were originally set by ourselves. We have subsequently implemented a number of strategic initiatives, as well as management changes, at both Group and divisional level to address these issues and we expect to see their positive impact in the months to come,” he said.

“Our objectives remain the same – we will continue to defend our revenues and margins in all our existing businesses; we will continue to transform our business model to capture growth opportunities; we will continue to improve our customer orientation and commercial focus; and we will ensure strong top management involvement in all our operations,” concluded Venter.

Jinny Software Enables Mobile Advertising at Zain Sudan

2011-09-26T10:40:00.001+01:00

Jinny Software Enables Mobile Advertising at Zain Sudan

DUBLIN, September 26 , 2011- Jinny Software, a leading global supplier of messaging, call completion and mobile advertising solutions to wireless carriers, has won a highly competitive pitch to supply Zain Sudan with an innovative mobile advertising platform. The Jinny Mobile Advertising Platform (JMAP) is a powerful system on which operators can implement mobile marketing and advertising campaigns. It includes a wide array of advertising channels, simple campaign design and deployment, profiled opt-in and opt-out for subscribers and integrated reporting.

“We chose Jinny for our mobile advertising solution because of their experience, both globally and regionally with our sister company Zain Jordan. We are also very excited about the huge potential for mobile advertising in our market,” says Magdi Taha, IT Director of Zain Sudan. “A further compelling reason was the fact that our core VAS platform is from Jinny, which means seamless integration and a rapid turnaround time for market launch.”

Mobile marketing and advertising has been experiencing extensive growth in recent years and offers lucrative revenue potential for mobile operators. According to Analysts Gartner, worldwide mobile advertising revenue is forecast to rapidly grow from USD$3.3 billion in 2011 to $20.6 billion by 2015. According to independent mobile ad network InMobi’s Mobile Insights Report, mobile advertising in the Africa region has already grown by 21% this year.

“With this launch Zain Sudan are reaffirming their credentials as market innovators, supporting and empowering local businesses to promote and grow their business,” says Richard Choi, Jinny Chief Commercial Officer. “Mobile advertising is taking off in Africa, and we aim to support Zain Sudan in driving that trend.”

Essar Telecom Kenya (yuMobile) selects Tata Communications as its sole provider of international voice termination

2011-09-23T09:40:00.000+01:00

Mumbai (BSE) & New York (NYSE) - 22 September, 2011 - Tata Communications, a global communications service provider, and Essar Telecom Kenya (yuMobile), a unit of Essar Group, today announce the signing of a mutually beneficial strategic sourcing agreement. Under the landmark deal, yuMobile will, exclusively, route all its international voice traffic through Tata Communications' network. yuMobile continues to be one of the company's key suppliers of telecommunication services throughout Kenya.

The partnership will allow yuMobile to tap into Tata Communications' extensive and robust voice infrastructure, enabling it to deliver higher quality international calls at competitive rates to customers in Kenya. Through yuMobile, Tata Communications will benefit from the increasing demand for high quality voice services in Africa generated by a rapid rise in the number of mobile subscribers on the continent.

Catherine Halsam, a wholesale telecoms analyst at Ovum commented, "Ovum’s research shows that there were about 550 million mobile connections in Africa at the end of 2010 and we expect this number to almost double to just shy of 1 billion by 2016. Africa’s rapid telecoms awakening is all about rising demand driven by the falling costs of mobile connectivity and improved coverage."

Madhur Taneja, Country Manager, yuMobile says: "We understand the importance of tying up with partners who can deliver the best in their field of expertise". Working with Tata Communications ensures that we're able to deliver the highest call service quality to our customers today, and in the future, as our subscriber base grows. Having access to Tata Communications' extensive global network and advanced voice traffic management tools allow us to focus on our core business and the latest mobile technology advancements, giving us the competitive edge in the booming African mobile market."

Michel Guyot, President of Global Voice Solutions, Tata Communications, says: "Becoming yuMobile's sole provider for international voice termination is a unique deal for us in Africa. Africa represents one of the strongest growth opportunities in the voice sector and our experience in the region means that we are ideally placed to help yuMobile build its business in Kenya. The solutions that we offer enable our customers to become more competitive in their regions by reducing costs, streamlining operations and improving service quality, while allowing them to focus on core services."

Tata Communications' strategic voice traffic outsourcing and advanced voice traffic management tools will allow yuMobile to minimise the administrative burden and operational costs associated with managing an international voice interconnect organisation. It will also enable the company to focus on its core business and capitalise on the key growth areas in the African market.

yuMobile will benefit from Tata Communications' scale and routing expertise as well competitive costs for international call termination. This stable cost structure will allow the company to roll out promotions to its customers without compromising on quality. Working with Tata Communications also eliminates the financial risks that could occur due to misroutes and the improper code and cost management associated with managing international voice.

Tata Communications was awarded the Best Global Wholesale Services Provider by Capacity Magazine for its network reach, its strategic partnership approach and its commitment to improving capacity to the fastest growing emerging markets.

Ericsson Selects Callidus for Egyptian Telecommunications Leader

2011-09-22T16:06:00.000+01:00

Ericsson Selects Callidus for Egyptian Telecommunications Leader

PLEASANTON, Calif., September 21, 2011 — Callidus Software Inc. (NASDAQ: CALD), the leader in Sales Performance Management (SPM), announced today that Ericsson, the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators, has selected Callidus' Enterprise SPM suite to drive the internal sales force and channel partner performance of a leading Egyptian telecommunications company. The agreement was signed in the third quarter of 2011.

Ericsson will implement the following Callidus SPM modules: TrueComp® Manager, Reporting & Analytics, and Channel Management.

Tier-1 Middle East mobile operator selects Actix to streamline optimization

2011-09-22T11:45:00.000+01:00

September 20, 2011

Actix’s solution will enable the operator to improve customer experience whilst increasing operational efficiency

Actix, a leader in mobile network analytics and optimization solutions, announced that a tier-1 Middle East operator is deploying Actix’s Network Optimization solution.

The Actix solution will automatically combine multi-vendor, multi-technology network data with geo-located customer experience data. It will replace fragmented tools and scripts to provide a single unified view of the network. This will make establishing both network and customer experience KPIs a straightforward process, allowing the operator to focus activities on areas that will have the greatest impact on both the network and customer.

In addition using powerful inbuilt analytics the system will identify issues, recommend solutions and automate optimization activities currently performed manually by engineers so saving them time. This is expected to deliver increased operational efficiency, effectively doubling the work capacity of the RAN engineering teams.

A further benefit is that the single view of the network can be shared by both the operator and managed service providers, leading to an improved joint understanding of network performance and customer experience.

“By incorporating customer experience data into our optimization solutions we’re enabling operators to look beyond the network and deliver improvements to their customers where it matters the most.” said Bill McHale, Actix CEO

Flash Networks First to Accelerate 4G Networks

2011-09-21T17:28:00.000+01:00

September 21, 2011

Harmony Web & Media Optimization deployed on 4G network accelerated mobile data traffic by over 50%

Herzlia, Israel, September 21, 2011 – Flash Networks, a leading global provider of intelligent mobile Internet solutions, announced today test results from its deployment on a live 4G wireless network, in which Flash Networks’ Harmony Web & Media Optimization enabled subscribers to download and view video, web pages, and files faster with fewer service interruptions.

The test results proved that while 4G networks provide additional bandwidth, these networks can also benefit from network optimization to reduce traffic congestion. At this deployment, the time to load web pages on mobile devices was cut in half, and download speeds of files and videos to mobile devices was boosted by 40-60%. In addition, Harmony optimization reduced the data load on the network from video and web traffic by 40% and reduced stalls while viewing video by 80%.

Although 4G networks can provide a fatter pipe for smoother and faster downloading, actual speeds of 4G networks are typically 60% that of advertised speeds, as reported by The Denver Post last month, and in some cases even much less than this. The causes of this gap are network congestion, subscriber location, and other factors.

In many cases, the demand for content is growing faster than the additional capacity 4G networks can offer. The growing demand is fueled by more smartphone users and richer content, including the proliferation of high definition video. The same video content on YouTube today consumes three times the megabytes compared with just a year ago.

Mobile networks are close to reaching 80 percent capacity, based on research released by investment bank Credit Suisse. With capacity near its threshold, an increasing number of cells are congested during busy hours, resulting in mobile network performance being even farther from its advertised speed.

Flash Networks’ Web & Media Optimization addresses this problem, helping 4G networks, as well as traditional 3G networks, meet their potential by optimizing backhaul and transit capacity using dynamic, policy-based rules. In addition, Flash Networks’ Cell-Based Optimization applies the most relevant optimization technique to each cell based on local traffic patterns, ensuring the best possible user experience for all subscribers.

“Upgrading to 4G networks significantly improves bandwidth, but is not enough. 4G networks are still complex, and suffer from congestions and added latencies,” said Merav Bahat Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at Flash Networks. “By applying our unique optimization solutions, our customers can offer users better download speeds than their competitors, on all networks, including 4G LTE.”

Cell C Chooses Comverse ONE for Converged Rating, Billing & CRM in South Africa

2011-09-21T16:07:00.002+01:00

Comverse ONE’s Rich MVNO Capabilities to Support Cell C for Strong Growth as a Wholesale MVNE

Comverse, a global leader in BSS, Mobile Internet, and Value-Added Services, today announced that Cell C, a major South African mobile service provider with more than 8 million retail subscribers, selected Comverse ONE® Billing & Active Customer Management™ to support its strategic wholesale business, with an immediate focus on supporting its Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE) wholesale service branch.

“Cell C has ambitious plans in the wholesale arena within South Africa,” said Catherine Bieri, Executive of Wholesale at Cell C. “Comverse ONE will empower Cell C to provide our MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) base with innovative service offerings tailored to their customers’ needs and brand customization, with a consistent customer experience across all touchpoints. We look forward to servicing businesses of various shapes and sizes — from niche brands to large organizations, to many new MVNOs. This is an exciting time for Cell C.”

The Comverse ONE solution is distinguished by its extensive range of advanced MVNE capabilities that span CRM, self service, order management, rating, charging, revenue settlements and billing to support wholesale retailers and MVNO/MVNE models. Specific capabilities include data segmentation to drive branding and MVNO-specific campaigns, flexible billing models such as direct billing or billing on behalf, and configurable retailer/MVNO/MVNE specific end-to-end business processes. The robust solution helps open doors to a rich variety of business opportunities and partners for differentiation, cash flow and growth.

"Cell C is way ahead of the curve, creating an ideal environment enabling MVNOs to effectively and creatively address their distinctive markets,” said Franck Darmon, Comverse VP & GM of Western Europe & Africa. “Comverse ONE positions Cell C for greater wholesale business.”

Nex-Tech Wireless Optimizes Data QoE with RADCOM’s System

2011-09-20T15:09:00.000+01:00

Nex-Tech Wireless Optimizes Data QoE with RADCOM’s System

TEL AVIV, Israel – September 20, 2011 − RADCOM Ltd. (NASDAQ: RDCM) a leading service assurance provider, today announced that Nex-Tech Wireless, a North American CDMA operator, has purchased RADCOM’s Service Assurance system to monitor and troubleshoot their CDMA2000 1X\EVDO network.

Nex-Tech Wireless is a Wireless Provider in Midwestern USA, providing wireless data and mobile services. The increase in the use of data on their wireless network brought new issues that they had to troubleshoot. They plan to use RADCOM’s system to help several groups in the company such as marketing, operations, handsets, engineering and roaming.

“RADCOM’s system will help us resolve issues that arise from the intensive use of data on today’s wireless networks” said Jeff Kisner, Director of Network Operations and Engineering, of Nex-Tech Wireless. “The unique design of RADCOM’s solution means that each group in the company can easily access the information relevant to them.”

“RADCOM provides an ideal solution for these CDMA operators.” Said Noam Weisman, VP Sales, RADCOM Equipment Inc. “The fact that once such operators deploy LTE, they will be able to use the same platform for LTE Service Assurance, is an added advantage of RADCOM’s solution.”

ZTE Signs IT Infrastructure Agreement with Burundi BBS

2011-09-20T13:03:00.000+01:00

ZTE Signs IT Infrastructure Agreement with Burundi BBS

20 September 2011, Shenzhen, China – ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, today announced it has signed an agreement with Burundi Backbone Systems Company (Burundi BBS) to build Burundi’s first national backbone network. The signing is in response to rapid growth in mobile and data service needs in the country.

The ZTE network will cover 17 provinces and cities in Burundi, dramatically reducing broadband costs and laying the foundation for further improvements in informatization there. It also will link Burundi with eastern and central African countries such as Tanzania, Rwanda, and Congo, connecting it to The Eastern Africa Submarine Cable System.

Burundi BBS is a joint venture between five local telecommunications operators and is partially funded by the World Bank.

"This year, ZTE established the strategic objective of changing bearer network patterns,” said ZTE Bearer Network Product Line General Manager Fan Xiaobing. “The development of the backbone network in cooperation with Burundi BBS will help achieve that objective, while also assisting to improve the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure.”

As part of the project, ZTE will provide ZXR10 M6000 super-high-performance multi-service routers and multi-service access products such as the S385 and S325 to Burundi BBS. The ZXR10 M6000 slot supports 40G switching capability and provides upgrade capability to 100G. The S385 supports multi-service access and provides an upgrade from 2.5G to 10G, greatly reducing initial network construction costs. ZTE had shipped several thousand T8000/M6000 units based on the T8000 platform across China, Asia-Pacific, Southeast Asia and MEA in first half 2011. The units are in use by operators in China, such as China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom, and by other operators across those regions.

Mobitel Nigeria Deploys FTS express to Provide Flexible and Scalable Billing

2011-09-20T11:35:00.000+01:00

Mobitel Nigeria Deploys FTS express to Provide Flexible and Scalable Billing

Management World Africa | Johannesburg, South Africa | September 20, 2011: FTS, a global provider of billing, customer care and policy control solutions for communications and content service providers, today announced that Mobitel Nigeria has deployed its FTS express™ solution to provide a telecom billing platform that can support Mobitel as it grows its customer base.

Mobitel is a wireless and wireline communication services provider, which has the goal of becoming Africa’s most successful 4G network. The company offers a comprehensive range of services by using cutting-edge technologies and providing the platform of choice for seamlessly integrating the tools for a modern lifestyle. FTS express enables Mobitel to quickly introduce new services to its customer base.

The implementation process was managed by a global provider of turnkey next-generation networks solutions which acted as the systems integrator for the project. The FTS team worked in conjunction with Mobitel and the systems integrator to ensure that the deployment of the solution was quick, simple and efficient.

FTS express is a highly affordable, easy-to-deploy billing product that has been specifically designed for entry-level ISPs, VoIP, MVNO, LTE, WiMAX, Wi-Fi, and IPTV operations who want a flexible solution that provides the foundation for future growth and expansion. The all-in-one product offers online charging, billing, AAA, balance management, customer care, interconnect, policy control and more.

Mobitel has deployed FTS express to charge and bill for its range of broadband, VoIP and WiMAX services, as well as to enable the new services to be easily launched. In addition, using FTS express’ business rules engine and policy control functionality, Mobitel is able to dynamically change the subscriber’s bandwidth, based on his quota and financial status.

“We will be experiencing fast growth over the next few years as we increase the range of services we offer to our customers,” said Mr. Johnson Salako, CEO at Mobitel. “The FTS express solution fits in perfectly with our requirements as it can both grow with us and enable us to launch those new services quickly.”

The flexibility and breadth of functionality that FTS express offers enable customers to start with core modules and add further components as their business grows, including expanding it to become a fully-fledged, customized billing and customer care solution, with no changes to procedures and interfaces.

“The cost-effective nature of the solution, coupled with the ability to quickly and easily add extra components, makes FTS express the perfect solution for carriers such as Mobitel Nigeria,” said Amos Sivan, CEO, FTS. “Africa is a hotbed of service innovation and the choice of billing system will either support or restrict that. FTS express has been created to support and enable this innovation.”

Paperless in Qatar

2011-09-20T09:46:00.000+01:00

Qtel reports that more than 25,000 customers have signed up for its e-Bill service, with some 40,000 accounts belonging to 25,000 customers now linked to e-Bill. The service sends a secure PDF to a customers’ e-mail addresses. Users who sign for e-Bill before 1 October are entered into a prize draw. Paper bills will still be available after 1 October, but customers will be charged a fee of QAR 5 per bill.

NICE to Acquire Fizzback

2011-09-19T15:18:00.000+01:00

NICE to Acquire Fizzback

Ra’anana, Israel, September 19, 2011 – NICE Systems Ltd (NASDAQ: NICE) today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Fizzback, introducing the most complete Customer Experience Management (CEM) with the integration of revolutionary, real-time Voice of the Customer (VoC) solution.

The Fizzback SaaS offering is a real-time operational VoC solution. It sends consumers requests for feedback relating to a specific interaction or transaction via mobile, web or social media. The consumer is engaged at the point of experience, for example in the contact center, branch, point of sale (POS), mobile application, or web. The feedback is analyzed by the system to determine a relevant response, and automatically conduct a dialog with the consumer in natural language rather than in survey format.

Fizzback’s unique approach generates game-changing response rates of up to 50%, significantly higher than industry norms at under 10%, as it motivates consumers to provide relevant feedback, at the moment of interaction. Additionally, consumers provide feedback about their experience rather than only about what was asked in a survey. With more than 150 million feedbacks collected annually, Fizzback enables organizations to better understand their customers’ perceptions, and be agile across the organization, while improving customer experience at the various enterprise touch points.

The combination of Fizzback and NICE will both improve CEM as well as operationalize VoC both for the contact center and across the enterprise. Correlating customer feedback to specific interactions or transactions helps improve performance enterprise-wide with statistically validated responses, as well as enhance quality management and processes. Key efficiency metrics that can be significantly improved include First Contact Resolution (FCR) and Average Handle Time (AHT) in the contact center and employee performance in direct customer facing roles.

Capturing, analyzing and acting on the Voice of the Customer (VoC) is critical to the success of any Customer Experience initiative. NICE’s cross-channel analytics solutions support VoC programs by: (1) analyzing customer interaction content (indirect feedback), whether the customer is interacting with the organization or talking about the organization through the contact center, social media, or other channels, and by extracting insights from these interactions; and (2) by analyzing customer behavior (inferred feedback), such as transaction and web browsing patterns or their journey along different touch points. By adding direct customer feedback with the Fizzback solution, NICE now provides a complete CEM solution that delivers a holistic understanding of the customer by combining on one platform the VoC from each of the three feedback dimensions: direct, indirect and inferred.

Zeevi Bregman, President and CEO of NICE said, " The adoption of and demand for CEM solutions, at all levels of the organization, including Marketing, Finance and Operations, is on the rise. With the addition of Fizzback, NICE is expanding the scope of its capabilities of Impacting Every Customer Interaction by introducing a Customer Experience Management solution with the most complete Voice of the Customer offering. This enables our customers to more effectively capture, understand and leverage VoC as the foundation to a cross-enterprise CEM strategy.”

Rob Keve, CEO of Fizzback said, “Our unique solution has been enabling our customers to achieve exceptionally high response rates from their customers, and to receive feedback in real-time. This combination allows them to take immediate action for increasing customer loyalty and driving efficiency across the enterprise. This has resulted in extremely high usage rates for our customers, making Fizzback a strategic part of how our customers make decisions and run the business. Thus, we are proud to have experienced rapid growth and high rates of product adoption. We are looking forward to combining these capabilities with NICE’s real-time, cross-channel analytics to provide both NICE and Fizzback customers greater access to even broader capabilities with a more complete VoC solution.”

Under the terms of the agreement, NICE will acquire Fizzback for a total cash consideration of approximately $80 million. Subject to certain conditions and satisfaction of terms, the transaction is scheduled to close in the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2011 with 2 to 3 cents dilution of fully diluted Non-GAAP EPS for that quarter. In 2012, the acquisition is expected to add approximately $20 million to NICE’s non-GAAP revenues, to be slightly dilutive, and to become accretive to fully diluted Non-GAAP EPS within four quarters post closing.

Top of the ops (Cape Verde)

2011-09-19T13:24:00.000+01:00

CV Telecom is a finalist in the ‘Best Operator in a Developing Market’ category in the World Communication Awards, being listed amongst the top 4 operators in developing markets. It is competing against Axis (Indonesia); Viettel (Vietnam) and Orange Business Services. The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony in London on 7 November 2011.

Africa’s Fixed Line Still Presents Huge Revenue Opportunities

2011-09-14T11:36:00.000+01:00

Africa’s Fixed Line Still Presents Huge Revenue Opportunities

Herzliya, Israel | 14th September, 2011: Billing and policy control provider FTS advises, that far from being written off because of the growth in mobile, Africa’s fixed line operators have a golden opportunity to capitalise on the fibre revolution taking place on the continent.

For many years it was widely believed that it would be mobile that would ‘open up’ Africa. However, the fixed line operators, with their existing networks and infrastructure in place, are now perfectly placed to capitalise on the influx of fibre and transform their networks and offerings. New services and experiences will be made available to consumers and new revenue opportunities will be created for the operators.

At the TMF’s forthcoming Management World Africa 2011 in Johannesburg next week, FTS will present, jointly with Cameroon’s national operator Camtel, on the huge revenue opportunities that exist for Africa’s fixed lines operators.

Through the use of fibre optic transmission-based networks, African wireline operators have endless opportunities for the utilization of telecommunications technologies, and the ability to ensure high quality service. A fibre optic transmission-based network has the potential to reach out into some areas for the first time, or at least the first time in an affordable and far-reaching way.

For carriers the continued investment in the existing infrastructure, combined with the roll-out of fibre, will create a high return on investment by providing economical transportation of existing services such as telephony, mobile, broadband Internet, IPTV and other data services. For consumers it will open up access to services that have either been unavailable or very expensive.

David O’Reilly, Sales Director at FTS, explains, “The arrival of fibre in Africa is an exciting and significant development for the African population, many of whom will find telephony and internet charges more affordable. Operators will be able to increase their revenues by offering new services to the market. They will also be able to reduce costs by consolidating and collapsing their existing legacy networks onto a new IP/MPLS core network.”

Potential new revenue opportunities from installing a fibre optic network include offering transmission services to cellular operators and ISPs; providing legacy and NGN services to government authorities and public bodies; as well as businesses at local, regional and international levels and private consumers. The new networks will also support a range of advanced, revenue-generating services including high speed Internet (especially to rural areas), IPTV, VoIP, cellular backhauling, being a carrier of carriers, and a range of online services, including e-government, e-banking, e-commerce, e-learning and e-healthcare.

However, these benefits and revenue opportunities will not appear automatically and operators need to make sure that they are fully equipped to take advantage of them. One area that can help true convergence for incumbent operators providing many lines of businesses (such as fixed, mobile, VSAT, fibre, interconnections, leased lines, content, IPTV, governmental services and so on) is the billing system. Smart telecom billing systems provide the ability for cross-sell and up-sell offerings – ensuring that convergence goes beyond just one bill for all services.

“African operators, especially those owning fibre networks, have a multitude of opportunities, but they need to ensure that they are ready,” explains O’Reilly. “The right billing system will mean that they’ll be able to generate revenue from existing networks with new personalised applications, content and services.”

FTS has worked with a number of African operators and is experienced in providing billing solutions designed to handle the advanced services that fibre brings. It has a number of long-standing relationships with many of Africa’s leading operators, including Camtel, TelOne and Mobitel amongst others, providing the company with a great depth-of-understanding of the issues and challenges facing the continent’s operators.

FTS will be at Management World Africa 2011 (20-21 September 2011). FTS’ David O’Reilly will be joined by Mr. Lucien Mbock, Camtel’s Cameroon Senior IT Director. Camtel and FTS’ joint presentation entitled ‘Examining how Camtel has overcome billing and CRM challenges to deliver new services to customers, improve subscriber-facing activities and increase ROI’ takes place at 11am on Tuesday 20th September, during the conference’s session focusing on how African operators can deliver agility in IT and operations. Later on, FTS will participate in an audience-interactive panel session discussing the challenges operators face when adopting new business models.

ZTE, Telkom Kenya-Orange Announce Nation’s Fastest Commercial HSPA+ Network - ZTE Corporation

2011-09-08T13:07:00.000+01:00

ZTE, Telkom Kenya-Orange Announce Nation’s Fastest Commercial HSPA+ Networ

8th September 2011, Shenzhen, China – ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, announced it has partnered with Telkom Kenya-Orange to officially introduce commercial use of the country’s fastest Uni-RAN-based HSPA+ network in Nairobi. The network allows Kenyans access to high-speed wireless with a download rate up to 21Mbps.

The announcement celebration was attended by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and more than 200 guests.

The newly developed network greatly improves user experience, dramatically reduces operating expenses and can efficiently evolve to LTE. The joint project is a combination of flexible and efficient networking. As part of the agreement, ZTE provided Telkom Kenya-Orange with Uni-RAN-based all IP solutions. The platform was then used to build a unified 2G/3G mobile network for the operator.

In December 2007, France Telecom, the world’s fourth largest telecoms company, acquired a 51 per cent stake in Telkom Kenya, with the Kenyan government retaining the remaining stake. France Telecom was granted a license to operate 3G in Kenya in 2010.

At the press conference announcing the implementation of the network, Telkom Kenya-Orange CEO Mickael Ghossein said: "We are committed to creating a fresh wireless lifestyle for Kenyans. The advanced HSPA+ network built in partnership with China’s leading communications firm, ZTE, will provide access service of the highest quality to users and will increase productivity."

"To help Telkom Kenya-Orange fulfill its goal of addressing growing market demand for reliable and mobile application services, we provided them with world-class telecom technologies and effective solutions with the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry,” said Xu Chengrong, CEO of ZTE Kenya. “We are committed to the industry and provide our clients with robust telecom solutions and reliable technologies that can seamlessly upgrade their networks. This enables them to develop value-added services for their customers. We intend to further strengthen our R&D efforts and develop more customized solutions to boost network service quality."

ZTE produces leading Uni-RAN technology, and has realized breakthroughs in high-end markets including Europe. The company has deployed several LTE/HSPA networks in Germany and Belgium through cooperation with KPN; in Hungary and Montenegro through joint efforts with Telenor; in Portugal through cooperation with Optimus; and in Sweden through cooperation with H3G. ZTE’s Uni-RAN technology is becoming a core solution in the mobile broadband era and a key driver of profit for operators.

Syniverse Announces New Leadership for MEA and Europe, Establishes MEA Regional Headquarters

2011-09-01T16:12:00.001+01:00

TAMPA, Fla. – Sept. 1, 2011 – Furthering its commitment to provide superior local customer focus across the globe, Syniverse today announced it has organized sales and operations for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and Europe into two distinct operating regions. Leading the regions are Nabil Baccouche, who has joined Syniverse as Vice President and Managing Director of MEA, and Giorgio Miano, who was named Vice President and Managing Director of Europe.

“With increasing demand for mobile reach and capabilities in the Middle East and Africa growing alongside the rapid evolution of the European mobile market, we can best address both regions’ unique needs via the leaders and structure we have put in place,” said Alfred de Cárdenas, President, Global Sales and Customer Support, Syniverse. “Both Giorgio and Nabil are highly experienced and can offer unmatched Syniverse expertise to deliver the best possible localized service.”

With more than a decade of experience in the mobile industry, Nabil Baccouche joins Syniverse from Emirates International Telecommunications (EIT), where he held the position of Vice President of International Voice, Data and Roaming for Tunisie Telecom, partially owned by EIT. Prior to EIT, Baccouche held the role of Managing Director at Belgacom ICS (BICS), during which time he established the company’s Dubai regional office.

Baccouche will lead his regional team from the new Syniverse MEA headquarters in Dubai. With offices in Dubai since 2007, Syniverse serves more than 85 customers in the region, including Vodacom South Africa, Saudi Telecom Company and Safaricom in Kenya.

“Syniverse has the capability to support the enormous scope for mobile development across the Middle East, North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa with tailored solutions to address each market’s specific needs,” Baccouche said. “From our Dubai headquarters, we are ideally positioned to support our customers in this part of the world as they continue to advance their networks and seek a full solutions partner that can ensure the highest quality mobile experience.”

Syniverse’s European headquarters will remain in London, under the leadership of Giorgio Miano. Through more than seven years at Syniverse where he served in various leadership roles in both Latin America and Europe, and during which time he was named as a prestigious Global Telecoms Business “40 under 40” telecoms leader for two consecutive years, Miano has a proven industry track record that will guide strategy and direction to Syniverse’s European customers.

“I’m very pleased to undertake this exciting new challenge,” Miano said. “I look forward to leading the Syniverse team in Europe as we grow our business here while continuing to serve our more than 190 European customers with innovative roaming, messaging and network solutions.”

Merger timetable (Israel)

2011-08-31T07:58:00.000+01:00

Cellcom Israel said on Monday that following previous reports regarding the proposed merger between it and Netvision, all the required approvals for the merger have now been obtained, with the exception of the Companies Registrar Merger Certificate. The two intend to complete the merger transaction on 31 August 2011, subject to the receipt of the Merger Certificate.

INT deadline extended (Tunisia)

2011-08-26T16:30:00.000+01:00

Tunisia: Extension - The National Telecommunications Institute (INT) has said that it is extending the deadline for a tender for the Evaluation of the Quality of Service for 2G/3G Internet. The new deadline is Friday 2 September 2011 by 16:00 hrs. The bids will now be opened on Thursday 8 September 2011 at 10:00 hrs in the 4th floor meeting room at INT's Headquarters.

Starcomms recognised (Nigeria)

2011-08-24T06:45:00.000+01:00

CDMA operator Starcomms has been awarded the CDMA network of the year in the seventh edition of the Nigerian Telecom Awards, which took place in Lagos at the weekend. In addition, Chief Maan Lababidi, OON, the founder of Starcomms, was presented with a Gold Award in the personality category.

Extra digit inserted (Togo)

2011-08-23T14:08:00.000+01:00

The Regulatory Authority of Posts and Telecommunications Togo (ARTP) has announced the addition of an extra digit to phone numbers, making 8 digits the norm, with effect from Sunday 7 August 2011. Togo Telecom fixed lines now have a ‘2’ inserted in front of the old number; whilst Togo Cellulaire numbers starting with ‘9’ should now start with ‘90’; those starting with either ‘0’ or ‘8’ now change to 91; and those starting with ‘7’ should be changed to ‘92’. For Atlantic Telecom Togo (Moov), for numbers starting with’0’, ‘6’ or ‘8’, the first digit is replaced by ‘98’; and for those starting ‘5’, ‘7’ or ‘9’, the first digit should be changed to ‘99’. All numbers must be prefixed in Togo by 00 228.

Safaricom sets date for AGM (Kenya)

2011-08-16T14:11:00.000+01:00

Safaricom has said that its 2011 Annual General Meeting will be held at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi on Thursday, 8 September 2011 at 11.00 a.m. The meeting will be asked to adopt the Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2011 together with the Chairman’s, Directors’ and Auditors’ reports.

ICT initiative for mCel (Mozambique)

2011-07-26T07:53:00.000+01:00

mCel and the Ministry of Science and Technology have agreed to implement of six media centres to provide information and communication technologies in three years. Two are to be provided in 2011. mCel is investing up to MZN 7.2 million (USD 259,000), and it joins the World Bank and Finland in supporting mass communication technologies in Mozambique, with the aim of providing 45 centres by 2014, compared to the current 36.

Virgin SIM swap (Qatar)

2011-07-25T15:26:00.001+01:00

Qtel is reminding former subscribers of Qtel’s Virgin Mobile Service (QVMS) that they need to switch their old SIM card for a Qtel Hala SIM before 31 July 2011, or they will lose their credit balance and current number. The Virgin Mobile-branded service is being closed so as to fully comply with the ictQATAR’s directive.

Improved QoS monitoring for 2012 (Mauritania)

2011-07-25T14:03:00.000+01:00

The Autorité de Régulation is setting up a new system to monitor the Quality of Service provided by networks, to be implemented next year. PMIConseil has been engaged to assist and advise. Financial penalties are to be introduced, and consumers will be informed ‘objectively and effectively’ of recognised levels of quality, with comparisons between operators to be provided.

30th Anniversary marked (Bahrain)

2011-07-19T11:24:00.001+01:00

As part of its 30th anniversary celebration Batelco has announced a deal for its mobile users with unlimited calling time for on-net national calls to mobiles and fixed lines for only BHD 4 (USD ) per month . For post-paid users the service will automatically be renewed monthly, while for pre-paid the service will be available for 30 days from the subscription date. Batelco FreeTime 20 and Super Zero packages are excluded; although users can switch to a different package to benefit from the service.

MTC schemes out rural expansion (Namibia)

2011-07-19T11:11:00.000+01:00

MTC says it is planning to extend its network in some of the most rural areas after concluding a series of consultations with regional Governors initiated in 2010. MTC’s Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer, Tim Ekandjo said the consultations were ‘fruitful and insightful’. A schedule for the roll-out is being prepared. In 2010 MTC upgraded its coverage of the main road network, and equipped 46 sites for 3G and also expanding 2G capacity at 123 sites. MTC plans to invest NAD 800 million (USD 113.2 million) over the next two years on infrastructure.

Better Blackberry offerings (Oman)

2011-07-19T08:07:00.000+01:00

Oman Mobile is offering discounts for BlackBerrys. It has cut the cost of the BlackBerry (Torch) 9800; BlackBerry (Bold) 9780; BlackBerry (Curve) 9300 and the (Pearl) 9105. It has already launched tariffs for Hayyak pre-paid with extended usage from 10 MB to 30 MB and the BlackBerry light service for Mada post-paid with increased usage capacity from 50 MB to 100 MB.

STC expands Broadband TV offering (Saudi Arabia)

2011-07-19T07:49:00.000+01:00

STC has increased the number of channels for its interactive television service (Invision) to 150 with 3 months free subscription. This features Video on Demand. The basic package now includes 50 channels up from 19. STC is offering a 3-month free promotional offer. Invision was launched by STC in July 2010 allowing access to users with home broadband packages.

Mobile Number Portability launched (Bahrain)

2011-07-17T22:42:00.000+01:00

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s (TRA) Number Portability (NP) started on Sunday 17 July for mobile telephony (fixed telephony from 4 October 2011). TRA Chairman Dr. Mohammed Al Amer said NP was a “shift towards a consumer-centric telecom industry in Bahrain…”. The TRA expects up to 20 percent of mobile subscribers to use NP.

TRA to quiz the people (UAE)

2011-07-16T20:55:00.000+01:00

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has launched a series of short consumer opinion online surveys. Commenting on the surveys, H.E. Muhammad Nasser Al Ghanim, TRA Director General said: “There is no doubt that feedback and receiving users opinions is the best way to judge the quality of services”.

The surveys are in both Arabic and English. Services being surveyed are Mobile Number Portability (MNP); Carrier Pre-Selection (CPS) and Fixed Broadband Internet Services. The surveys are at http://www.tra.gov.ae/consumer_survey.php.

See TelecomsMarketResearch.com for an overviw.

Loyalty rewarded (Kenya)

2011-07-11T09:11:00.000+01:00

Orange’s Telkom Kenya has announced the Ziada loyalty scheme, which will be awarded on the user's cumulative percentage of airtime. Mickael Ghossein, Orange’s CEO said those who have been users up to six months will get a 10 percent bonus when they top up, whilst users of 18 months or more will attract a bonus of 30 percent. The bonus will be redeemable at the start of every month.

TT readies staff for 3G (Tunisia)

2011-07-09T20:30:00.000+01:00

Last week Tunisie Telecom (TT) held a national workshop in Sousse. Ghodhbane Ali, CEO said that TT is determined to bounce back stronger and start a new stage. The meeting reviewed the final arrangements for the commercial launch of 3G, and the supporting promotional campaign.

AREGNET baton handed to Lebanon (Lebanon)

2011-07-08T20:39:00.000+01:00

The presidency of Arab Regulators Network of Telecommunications and Information Technologies (AREGNET) is to pass to the TRA of Lebanon. The TRA organised the plenary meeting on 6 July, followed by a workshop on 7 July 2011 at Le Bristol Hotel, Beirut. Sudan previously held the presidency.

Yellow Page revival (UAE)

2011-07-05T20:37:00.000+01:00

Etisalat is working with Express Print Services (EPS) to launch a Yellow Pages smart phone application. UAE-based EPS has won the rights back until 2014 and will handle the Etisalat Yellow Pages in print, online and mobile forms.

The three apps will be listed on I-Store for free download. Google Maps will be used to locate places, and will integrate features such as interactive guides, product finder, location finder, etc.

Infiniti says the market for location-based services is expected to grow to USD 12.9 billion in 2014.

New entrants to take share (Cameroon)

2011-07-05T07:40:00.000+01:00

A new study from Pyramid expects the new entrants in Cameroon to capture a mobile share of 12.78 percent by 2015, impacting MTN and Orange and reducing their shares to 50.7 percent and 36.5 percent respectively.

In June 2011 the government announced that they will be offering two mobile licenses at auction by the end of the year. "The details of the process are yet to be declared and may depend on the 2011 Cameroonian presidential election taking place without significant disruptions to government operations, " says Ronda Zelezny-Green, Associate Research Analyst at Pyramid. Both MTN and Orange will be affected by these new entries and are looking to expand into rural areas to maintain their market share.

3G application goes to court (Mauritius)

2011-07-04T17:19:00.000+01:00

Outremer Telecom may scrap its plan to invest some USD 56 million, the l’Express newspaper has reported. Michel Rigot, Outremer’s local GM, said the operator had had its 3G-licence application turned down, and had referred the matter to the courts. It is now awaiting a decision.