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du inks deal with iBwave
Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) has signed an agreement with iBwave Solutions to plan high-tech indoor wireless networks on high-rise buildings in the UAE. 'iBwave's RF-vu software and solutions will enable us optimize network efficiency to deliver reliable and innovative services that fulfill our promise to enable better user experience of various services for our customers,' du's Senior Vice President - Network Development, Hatem Bamatraf said.
UAE mobile providers to offer 'number portability'
Mobile subscribers in the UAE will soon be able to retain their same phone number when switching between service providers du and etisalat. The number portability will also help them to retain the respective codes. Arabic daily Al Ittihad reported that the facility has been approved by the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority and will be on offer early 2010.
Etisalat tops telco asset figures
According to a report on the Gulfs telecom sector, Etisalat has the largest headroom for corporate action in the region, with $16.4bn (Dhs60bn) in the bank, followed by STC with $8.8bn and Qtel with $1.1bn, MAC Capital has reported. Etisalat reported a positive net cash position of Dhs10.6bn at the end of H1 2009, the group said.
Mobinil may bid for licences in compounds
Egyptian Co. for Mobile Services (MobiNil) has said it may bid for a license to provide telecommunications services in closed residential compounds, Bloomberg has reported. The serviced compounds have as many as 5,000 housing units. The closing date for companies to bid is January 12 and the government will choose the winners after three months.
Orascom won't bid for French licence
Egypt-based Orascom Telecom has said it would not bid for France's fourth 3G mobile licence, Reuters has reported. The decision is a turnaround from July when owner Naguib Sawiris told French newspaper 'le Figaro' he was interested in entering the French mobile market.
Zain says it sees no risk from lawsuit
Saad al-Barrak, CEO of Kuwait-based telecom firm Zain, has said the company is not concerned over a lawsuit by South Africa-based Econet Wireless disputing the ownership of Zain Nigeria, Reuters has reported. Last week, Econet had said it disputed the purchase in 2006 by Celtel, now called Zain, of a majority stake in a group called Vee Networks Limited, now Zain Nigeria. Econet has said it was pursuing arbitration proceedings because it believed it had been denied its right of first refusal over the stake.
Orascom to bid for triple play licence
Khaled Bichara, chief operating officer of Egypt's Orascom Telecom has said that the company will likely bid for one of two 'triple play' licences on offer even if it completes the sale of its LINKdotNET internet unit, Reuters has reported. 'We believe we are really well-positioned. They [the government] want the local players and international experience, and we believe we won't need to go out of the group to make the bid,' he said,
Mobily to refinance SR1.5bn loan
Saudi mobile operator Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has announced it would refinance a SR1.5bn Shariah-compliant loan over a four-year period. The short-term loan, taken out in 2008 to finance Mobily's acquisition of Bayanat al-Oula, would be transferred to a medium-term loan, the company said.
Securities Group eyes Zain stake
Ali al-Mousa, Chairman and Managing Director of Kuwait-based Securities Group's has said that the firm is studying a bid to buy a stake of up to 24.6% stake in telecom firm Zain held by the Kuwait Investment Authority, Reuters has reported. 'This is a response to the announcement of KIA saying they are considering selling a stake ... all we are saying is that we are interested,' he said.
Probe launched into Iran telco deal
Iran's General Inspections Organisation (GIO) will launch a probe into a $7.9bn privatisation of a state-owned telecoms company after allegations one of the buyers was linked to the elite Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran's Press TV has reported. Last month, Etemad Mobin Development, a consortium of three Iranian firms, purchased 50% plus one share in Telecommunication Company of Iran in the country's biggest privatization deal. 'We have done some studies on... problematic areas in the deal and we will inform about them to the privatisation and bourse organisations,' Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, head of GIO said.
Batelco offers VoIP calls to GCC countries
Calls to GCC countries through an international VoIP service is now available in Batelco. Business customers can make calls from business lines to all countries at one rate throughout the day to GCC countries at standard IDD quality, the company has said. Mr. Al Janahi added, "Batelco is the only telecommunications provider in Bahrain that allows customers to make direct international calls using VoIP service."
Etisalat to offer self-branded phone
UAE-based Etisalat plans to launch its own mass-market branded mobile phone next week, Emirates Business has reported. The company's vice-president of product marketing did not reveal the name of the manufacturer, but he did say the Etisalat phone will cost Dhs300 and feature mobile broadband applications, services from its interactive portal, Weyak, and several user interface customisations.
Samsung unveils 'over the air' configuration service
Samsung Gulf Electronics Company has announced the launch of an 'Over the Air' service for its mobile users across the Middle East and Africa region. The service provides Samsung users with a quick and simple means of configuring their phones and accessing the latest mobile data services. OTA is a method of remotely provisioning handsets with the necessary service settings and updates to access features such as Internet, WAP, MMS and e-mail.
Nokia Siemens inks Zain Bahrain deal
Zain Bahrain has awarded Nokia Siemens Networks a contract to modernize its radio and core network as well as the prepaid charging system, Kuna has reported. Nokia Siemens Networks will replace the existing legacy core network with the latest Mobile Softswitching (MSS) solution. In addition, charging system will be upgraded to the Nokia Siemens Networks prepaid solution, based on charge@once select. With this upgrade, Nokia Siemens Networks will also commence Zain Bahrain's transition to an all-IP flat network architecture.
Zain stops Africa asset talks
Saad al-Barrak, CEO of Kuwait's Zain, the Gulf's third-largest telecoms firm by market value, has said the company has halted talks to sell its African assets to appease potential buyers of a stake in Zain Group, Reuters has reported. 'Zain's Africa talks are halted for this reason,' he told reporters when asked if talks had been frozen at the request of the potential consortium looking to buy a 46% stake in the whole company.
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