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Kuwait to license international call centres
Kuwait's ministry of communications has announced it will soon license international phone call centres and internet cafes where VoIP (voice over internet protocol) will be sanctioned, the Kuwait Times has reported. The ministry is waiting for a number of internet service providers who have not yet renewed their contracts with the ministry, which is currently working on introducing new guidelines to regulate the plan.
DubaiSat-1 launch postponed
The clustered launch of a satellite group, which include DubaiSat-1 has been postponed, according to a statement by Emirates Institution for Advanced Science & Technology. The launch which was scheduled for today, July 25 has been postponed by the launching company - International Space Company to July 29, 2009 as it will undertake more safety and security tests.
Etisalat inks partnership with Reliance
Etisalat has announced its joint venture company with Dynamix Balwas Group, DB Telecom Pvt. Ltd., has signed a partnership agreement with Reliance Communications for a long term passive infrastructure sharing agreement. Etisalat DB and its subsidiary would outsource their telecom infrastructure requirements for the 15 telecom circles, encompassing end-to-end tower and transmission infrastructure to Reliance Infratel Limited and Reliance Communications Limited, respectively.
Batelco posts H1 profit
Bahrain-based Batelco has said that its gross revenue in the first half of 2009 grew to BD170.6m ($452.5m), up 6% on the same period last year. The telecom group has posted a net profit of BD54.2m ($143.8m), up 7% when compared to the same period last year. This profit had included an impairment of BD2.6m for existing investments in non-core operations. Batelco's board of directors have also approved an interim cash dividend of 20 fils per share.
Etisalat's blackberry update was 'spyware', says RIM
The company that produces the BlackBerry mobile e-mail device has distanced itself from a recent software patch sent to its UAE customers by Etisalat, and called into question statements made by the operator, reported The National. Research In Motion said the Etisalat software — labelled as 'spyware' by a prominent mobile security company — is 'not a patch and it is not a RIM authorised upgrade'. The company said 'independent sources have concluded that the Etisalat update is not designed to improve performance of your BlackBerry hand-held, but rather to send received messages back to a central server'.
Zain H1 net profit climbs 4.4%
Kuwait's Zain has said its first-half profit rose 4.4% from a year earlier as it added customers at international units, Bloomberg has reported. The company's net income climbed to KD155 million ($540m), or $0.14 a share, while sales rose 24% to 1.16 billion dinars. Zain, which has units in 24 countries, had seen customers increase by 37% year-on-year.
Etisalat would invest $500m in Libya network
Jamal al-Jarwan, chief executive of Etisalat's international unit, has said the company, which has bid for a fixed and mobile licence in Libya, would invest at least $500m in the network if it won the competition, Reuters has reported. 'We would need a new network and it will not be less than $500 million. That's the minimum to get started,' he told the news service.
Egypt mobile subscribers rise
The government-run Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre has said that the number of mobile subscribers in Egypt rose by more than a million to 46.659 million at the end of May compared with 45.587 million at end-April, Reuters has reported. Mobile subscribers in Egypt have been rising by roughly a million a month since February 2008.
Agencies reaffirm Etisalat ratings
Moody's, Fitch and Standard & Poor's have reaffirmed their credit ratings on UAE telco Etisalat at the same level as in 2008, Wam has reported. The ratings demonstrate confidence in the group's profitability, cash flow, financial policies, and a portfolio of overseas assets, the value of which has increased significantly, Etisalat has said. Moody's Investors Service has awarded the telco 'Aa2', while Fitch rated it at 'AA' and Standard and Poor's gave it an 'A+'.
Vivendi halts talks to buy Zain's African assets
Vivendi, owner of phone companies SFR and Maroc Telecom, has interrupted talks with Zain about the possibility of acquiring a majority stake in the Kuwaiti company's African telecommunications assets, Bloomberg has reported. On July 9, Vivendi said it was in talks with Zain as it sought growth in emerging markets. Zain said yesterday that UBS AG is advising it on the possible sale of the African unit.
Zain to give up Tanzania telco share
Tanzanian minister of technology has said that Zain Tanzania, part of Kuwait's Zain, plans to give up its 35% stake in state-run Tanzania Telecommunication Co, Reuters has reported. 'In principle, they have agreed to end the partnership and Celtel exits. Celtel's 35% shareholding will revert to the government. We will continue talks on how to offload those shares,' he said.
Mobily profits up 49%
Saudi Arabia's mobile phone network operator Mobily has said its H1 net profit jumped 49% to SR1.155bn ($308.7m) compared to a year earlier, according to a statement distributed by state news agency SPA. In the second quarter alone, net profit soared 50% to SR675m compared with the year-earlier quarter.
Egypt to monitor Mobinil price offer
The Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority will reject France Telecom's offers for outstanding shares in mobile operator Mobinil if the price is not equivalent to that set in an earlier arbitration ruling, Reuters has reported, citing the daily al Mal newspaper. The regulator had rejected on Thursday a third FT offer for the outstanding shares in Mobinil, saying the offer violated the principle of giving equal opportunity to all shareholders. A France Telecom offer would need to be backed by all holders of Mobinil's free-floating shares, the regulator has said.
Etisalat profits up by 11% in H1
Etisalat has reported Dhs4.59bn in net profit during the first half of 2009, an increase of 11% compared to the previous year. The increase excludes the net profit made in from the sale of shares in Mobily of Dhs892m. Net revenues reached Dhs14.74bn for the first half of 2009, 10% higher compared to Dhs13.40bn reported in the first half of 2008.
Vodafone Qatar to list July 22
Vodafone Qatar has announced it will be listed on the Qatar Exchange on July 22 with foreigners allowed to trade in its shares. Once listed, 100% of the company's authorized share capital will be open to foreign investment, with no limits on foreign ownership, the company has said. The founders' shares, representing 60% of the authorised share capital, are blocked from trading for two years. As per rules, on the first day of listing Vodafone shares will be allowed to freely fluctuate, but from the next trading day the usual 10% cap will apply.
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