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Telecom Egypt names new CEO
Telecom Egypt's Board of Directors has appointed Tarek Tantawy as the new Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. Tantawy has held the role of Vice President & Chief Financial Officer since 2007 and was appointed to the Board of Directors effective 12 August 2009. He has been with Telecom Egypt since 2002. Eng. Akil Beshir will step down as CEO, but retain a Board position as the company's Non-Executive Chairman.
Microsoft and Nokia sign Office deal
Microsoft and Nokia have signed a deal that will see the software developer's Office products on Nokia smartphones. It covers Office Mobile and Microsoft business communications, collaboration and device management software, for use on rival mobile operating system Symbian, which runs on Nokia devices. Initially, it will run on Nokia E Series phones. It means Microsoft's products will be available to a wider market than handsets running its Windows Mobile operating system. Next year, Nokia plans to ship Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile on its smartphones, with more Office applications following later.
Egypt mobile users numbers up
Egypt's Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre has said that the number of mobile subscribers in Egypt rose by more than 1.5 million to 48.311 million at the end of June compared with 46.659 million at the end of May, Reuters has reported. The country had 41.272 million subscribers at the start of the year, the centre has said.
Qtel buys Liberty stake
Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has said it has acquired 32% of Philippines-based Liberty Telecommunications for $29m, Reuters has reported. The acquisition was made in partnership with Philippine diversifying food and beverage giant San Miguel. The deal is in line with the partnership agreement signed between San Miguel and Qtel in December 2008, which aims to look into opportunities in the wireless broadband and mobile businesses in the Philippines. Ramon Ang, chairman of Liberty and president of San Miguel, had said that Qatar Telecom was the buyer of two blocks of Liberty shares worth $29m in the stock market on August 10.
Zain KSA holds Murabaha closing
Zain Saudi Arabia, has said that it has held the closing for a $2.5bn Murabaha financing facility, which will be used to repay its existing Murabaha, facilitating the mobile telecom operation's ongoing network expansion and future growth. The term of the facility is two years with options of extending for a further twelve months.
Zain Bahrain plans network upgrade
Zain Bahrain has said that its network is to be completely upgraded and modernised by Nokia Siemens Networks. The Long Term Evolution (LTE) project will provide customers with faster data downloads and an overall enhanced mobile experience and make the company 'future proof', the firm has said.
Report: MegaFon wins Iranian mobile licence
Russian telco MegaFon is believed to have been awarded a mobile licence to operate in Iran. According to a report in Tehran Times, it has been given the green light to build a GSM network in the country. Iran currently has two mobile phone networks, Iran Telecommunication, which is state-controlled, and MTN Group.
Mobinil upgraded to 'buy'
HC Brokerage has upgraded Egypt's mobile operator Mobinil to 'buy' from 'sell,' Reuters has reported. The brokerage firm has said the firm's new on-net offer would further stimulate usage and improve margins, driving its market penetration rate to higher-than-expected levels. The brokerage has also raised its price target on the stock 33.3% to EGP263.37, citing lower weighted average cost of capital following rate cuts by the Monetary Policy Committee.
Inmarsat posts 9.2% H1 growth
Mobile satellite communication service provider Inmarsat has reported a 9.2% growth in managed security service for the half year ended June 30, 2009, Emirates Business has reported. The land mobile sector saw broadband global area network, which offers a global mobile phone calls and broadband data connection, revenue increase 32% in the first half and a growth of 4,261 additional subscribers.
Batelco warns on transfer scam
Bahrain Telecommunications Co. (Batelco) has advised its customers in the kingdom to ignore requests from an international phone number to transfer money to a specific overseas location, the Gulf Daily News has reported. A number of Batelco's customers had reported calls by the unidentified number informing them that they had won a significant amount of money. 'Such phone calls are not legitimate and under no circumstance should customers be tricked into parting with any money,' Batelco has said.
Mobily extends 3G coverage
Saudi Arabia's Etihad Etisalat Co. (Mobily) has said it has added a number of the kingdom's Northern Province's cities and villages to its advanced 3G network (3.5G and 3.75G) coverage. This latest addition brings to 326 the total number of cities and villages which come under Mobily's 3.5G and 3.75G coverage.
Du launches SME business plans
Du has announced the launch of its 'Business Super Plan', a new mobile plan for small and medium enterprises (SME), which slashes all international call charges by 50% to Dhs1 per minute, as part of an included international minutes bundle. The new plan also feature a one-rate on all incoming calls while roaming; a 50% discount on calls within a business; Blackberry offers; and Pay by the Second billing on all outgoing calls from the UAE. Du offers two Business Super Plan options; Business Super 150 at a monthly rate of Dhs150 for Dhs150 in international minutes and Dhs150 in local minutes; and the Business Super 300 at a monthly rate of Dhs300 for Dhs300 in international minutes and Dhs300 in local minutes.
Oman Mobile offers new broadband packages
Oman Mobile has announced five mobile broadband Internet packages to post-paid Mada customers. The packages include two hourly-based packages; an unlimited download, 10-hour packaged costing RO5 and a 30-hour, unlimited package costing RO10. The company also offers three data packages, 1GB for RO19, 15GB for RO34 and 30GB for RO59 - all with unlimited usage.
Qtel completes FTTH trial phase
Qatar Telecoms announced today it has completed its trial phase of its Fiber to the Home (FTTH) service. Qtel is working with several developers in Qatar to provide the service in Mesaieed and West Lagoon areas. The company has said it plans to make the service available by end of the year. FTTH uses optical fibres to deliver internet, phone and digital TV directly to homes.
Iraq most competive Middle East mobile market
Iraq has become the Arab world's most competitive mobile market, replacing Jordan. A study by the Arab Advisors Group has devised its Cellular Competition Intensity Index in order to rate and properly assess the level of competition in Middle East markets, and found that Iraq's came out top, with a score of 91%. It has five working operators, three of which run a national mobile licence, while the remaining two are regional operators in the Kurdistan region. "While Iraq's largest operator (Zain) has a substantial market share of more than 50%, Iraq's score benefited from the availability of corporate offers, operational ILD competition and 3G services,' the report said.
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