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UAE TRA grants mobile TV licences
The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has agreed to grant a broadcast mobile TV service licence to the Emirates Mobile Television Corporation consortium, to provide mobile TV broadcasting services for 10 years with an acquisition fee of Dh17m, according to WAM. The consortium, which will have exclusivity to provide the service for five years, will provide services to Etisalat and du, whose customers will be offered a variety of mobile TV packages.
Motorola supplies Du with IPTV set-top boxes
Motorola, Inc. has supplied UAE telecommunications provider, Du, with its VIP series IPTV set-top boxes, the company has said. The VIP12xx series set-tops has support for both high-definition (HD) and standard-definition (SD) digital video services. Other interactive features include intuitive channel search and display, advanced browsing, instant channel changes, whole home DVR with client scheduling, media sharing for pictures, and music on their TV.
Qtel Q3 profit up 9%
Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has said its third-quarter profit rose 9% to QR711m ($195m) from QR655m a year earlier, Bloomberg has reported. The group's consolidated customer base had reached 53.4 million at the end of September, the company said. 'Indonesia, Algeria and Iraq are the fastest growing markets under Qtel's operations,' according to Chandresh Bhatt, assistant vice president of the research group for Kuwait-based Global Investment House.
Telecom Egypt keen to up Vodafone stake
The Middle East's largest fixed- line operator, Telecom Egypt is interested in boosting its stake in Vodafone Egypt, and is 'keeping its eyes open' for acquisitions, Bloomberg has reported. The Cairo-based company currently has a 45% stake in Vodafone Egypt and would be 'definitely interested' if Vodafone Group Plc offered a larger stake in the unit, the firm's CEO, Tarek Tantawy said.
UAE to allow migration between mobile plans
The UAE's telecom regulator plans to launch mobile phone portability next month, which will allow customers to migrate between Etisalat and Du networks using their existing number, Emirates Business has reported. Mohammed Gheyath, executive director, Technology Development Affairs at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, said the move will help boost competition between Etisalat and Du and bring price and service benefits to consumers.
Saudi Telecom Q3 profit drops 20%
Saudi Telecom has missed analysts' forecasts by posting a 20% drop in third-quarter net profit, partly due to investments in overseas affiliates, Reuters has reported. STC has made SR2.4bn in the three months to September 30, down from SR3.01bn a year earlier, the company said. Nine-months earnings fell to SR7.88bn, down 20% from a year ago, it said.
Egyptian mobile subscribers exceed 51 million
The Egyptian Cabinet Information and Decision Support Centre has said that Egyptian mobile phone subscriber growth had continued in August, with 1.4 million new accounts added, bringing the total number to 51.477 million, Reuters has reported. More than a million accounts have been created every month since late last year, the centre said.
Etisalat launches self-branded mobile device
Etisalat today unveiled its first self-branded mobile device. The company is aiming the Etisalat 211 FM at its price-conscious customers, who can purchase the device bundled for as low as Dhs265. Etisalat has also bundled the device with a Wasel SIM card along with Dhs165 of free airtime credit for international calls, over a period of 3 months.
Libya license sought by Etisalat
Jamal Al Jarwan, CEO of Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) has said the firm has submitted an offer for one billion Libyan dinars ($825m) for the right to operate Libya's third mobile-telephone license, Bloomberg has reported. 'We have a technical, financial and commercial offer and the investment could reach near 1 billion dinars,' he told the news service.
Etisalat buys stake in SoftAtHome
Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) has announced it has acquired a 16.6% stake in SoftAtHome, a software provider of home operating platforms that helps service providers deliver convergent applications for the digital home. The acquisition will enable Etisalat to develop and provide holistic digital home solutions to its customers.
Etisalat to invest in Millicom growth
Etisalat, which fully acquired Millicom's Sri Lankan mobile operations, has said that it plans to invest in the firm in an effort to dominate the Asian country's market, Reuters has reported. 'Plans to invest in this company to ensure that it has the dynamism to take the leading position in the market in the next few years,' Chairman Mohammed Hassan Omran said.
Etisalat buys Millicom's mobile unit in Sri Lanka
UAE's Etisalat has agreed to buy from Luxembourg-based Millicom its Sri Lankan mobile operations, AFP has reported. The sale to Etisalat is expected to be completed by October 20. In a separate statement, Etisalat has announced Etisalat its 100% stake acquisition of 'Tigo Sri Lanka' has enterprise value of $207m. The company has a market share of 21%, the second-largest mobile phone operator in Sri Lanka, with 2.25 million subscribers.
Du, Apple ink deal to offer new iPhone
Du has said in a statement, it reached an agreement with Apple to offer iPhone to the UAE by end of October. Its latest iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS, will be available to qualifying customers where customers can pre-book their iPhone online starting Oct. 17. or in any Du or Axiom shop or at any authorized retail outlet across the UAE.
Qatar invites VSAT pre-qualification bids
Qatar's Supreme Council for Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) has issued an invitation to all interested parties to participate in the pre-qualification stage of the licensing process for three additional VSAT licenses in the Qatari market. The licenses will authorize the operation of a VSAT network and the provision of VSAT services to Closed User Groups. The VSAT operators would not be able to provide public telecommunications services to businesses or consumers.
Telecom Egypt launches triple play fibres
Telecom Egypt (TE) has announced the launch of its first fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) implementation in Egypt, in the Cairo suburb of Qatamiya. The operator has started implementing FTTx access networks in the new suburbs around Cairo and Alexandria, and the Qatamiya area is now the first to receive triple-play services over the new network, Telecompaper has reported. TE has said it will target high-end and business customers with the new fibre services.
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