Cellular-News for Monday 5th December 2005

Cellular-News -

[[3G News]]

Ukraine's Ukrtelecom gets 3G license without tender

Ukraine's fixed-line telecommunication provider Ukrtelecom received Thursday a license for operation in UMTS/WCDMA third generation (3G) standard without a tender, Ukraine's National Commission for Communications Regulation (NKRS) said in a stateme...

Morgan Stanley: America Movil Plans 3G Technology In 07

America Movil, Latin America's largest wireless telephony concern, plans to launch third-generation technology in 2007 when it expects handset prices to be lower, investment bank Morgan Stanley said Friday. ...

Industry Sees Brazil's Telecom Watchdog Rushing Into 3G

PREMIUM - Third generation wireless technology is proving to be a big deal in Brazil - but not because everyone wants video on their mobile phones. ...

EDGE Launched by South African Operator

South Africa's third mobile operator, Cell C has launched an EDGE upgrade to its GSM network. Cell C 's network provide s EDGE coverage to 90% of metropolitan areas. Said Talaat Laham, Cell C Chairman and CEO: "We are delighted to be launching our mo...

[[Financial News]]

Nokia Says Co Holds 20% Cost Advantage Over Rivals

Nokia Corp. holds a cost advantage of more than 20% over its closest competitor, said Chief Financial Officer Rick Simonson. ...

Hong Kong New World Extends Exclusive Merger Talks With Telstra

New World Development Co. said Friday it has agreed to extend for two weeks exclusive talks with Australia's Telstra Crop. to finalize a deal to merge their Hong Kong-based mobile phone service providers. ...

Swiss Government:Swisscom Board To Hold Off Buying Any Incumbent

The Swiss government Friday said Swisscom AG has agreed to hold off any decisions about buying any foreign company that's legally obliged to provide its country with telecommunication services until the government has revamped Swisscom's strategic go...

NTL, Virgin Mobile In Merger Talks - Sources

U.K. entrepreneur Richard Branson will this week launch an attempt to merge his Virgin Mobile Holdings (U.K.) PLC telecommunications unit with NTL Inc to create a GBP4.5 billion communications business, people familiar with the matter said Sunday. ...

[[Handsets News]]

TELECOM REPORT: Wireless Phones As Status Symbols

It's not enough any more to make wireless phones that are easy to use, work well and have great features. Now more than ever, customers also want "cool" phones that cater to their self-image. ...

Emblaze Gains African Handset Distribution Partner

Emblaze Mobile says that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Blue Tech Africa, a subsidiary of the Managed Enterprises Incorporated group, which will see its handsets introduced to key African markets during 2006. BlueTech will pro...

[[Legal News]]

EU, Austria Settle Dispute Over Mobile Antenna Tax

Austria and the European Commission Friday settled a dispute over a proposed tax on antennas used to relay signals for mobile networks. ...

PRESS: Russia telecommunication ministry eyed in German probe

A money-laundering scandal that started in Germany has spread to other countries and now implicates a top Russian official who is a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, say law-enforcement officials with knowledge of the situation, The Wall Street...

Alamosa Discloses Derivative Suit Tied To Sprint Nextel Merger

Alamosa Holdings Inc. disclosed Friday that a purported shareholder derivative class action was filed in the District Court of Lubbock County, Texas, related to the company's impending merger with Sprint Nextel Corp. ...

Qualcomm Refutes Korean License Report

Qualcomm has stated that the claims in a Korea Times article from last Thursday indicating that certain Korean manufacturers' obligations to pay royalties to Qualcomm under their respective license agreements will expire in 2006 for sales in Korea an...

[[Mobile Content News]]

Retro Children's Cartoons Appear on Mobiles

Celador International has secured the mobile rights to design a range of mobile content based around the childrens television cartoon series, Roobarb & Custard. The company has tapped edpic to develop the mobile content on their behalf. London-based ...

[[Network Operators News]]

Alltel Sells Assets and Cellular One Brand Name

Dobson Communications has agreed to purchase the Cellular One brand from Alltel. Dobson is a provider of wireless phone services to rural markets in 16 states and has been a primary licensee of the Cellular One brand, which was owned by Western Wirel...

Telering shops to be renamed as Sonera Piste shops

TeliaSonera has announced that the name and visual identity of the Finnish Telering chain is to be changed to Sonera Piste. By the end of the year, 56 shops will be under the new name and the chain will grow in size at the beginning of the year 2006....

Bulgarian Operator Upgrades Completed

The Bulgarian GSM operator, Mobitel says that it has completed several upgrades to its network and can now support up to 5 million subscribers. The company currently has 3.5 million customers. Beside that every year M-Tel puts on air hundreds of new ...

UAE Operator Expands into Sudan

The UAE based telecoms operator, Etisalat has helped a Sudan based landline operator set up facilities and commence operations in the country. The company has a 40% holding in the country's second landline operator, Canar Telecommunications which was...

[[Personnel News]]

Nortel Ex-CEO Entitled To Get $2 Million Lump-Sum Severance

Nortel Networks Corp. said Friday that former Vice Chairman and Chief Executive William A. Owens is entitled to a $2 million lump-sum payment equivalent to two years of salary. ...

[[Statistics News]]

Belarus MDC subscriber base up to 1.760 million as of Dec 1

The subscriber base of Belarus mobile phone operator Mobile Digital Communications, or MDC, rose 3.2% in November to 1.760 million people as of December 1, a spokesperson with the company told Prime-Tass Thursday. ...

Top ten in mobile phone sales in Telia stores in November

In November, the Samsung SGH-X640 mobile phone bubbled up Telia's top ten list by leaping all the way to second place. The list was again topped by the Nokia 5140i, while the Nokia 3120 slipped down to fourth place and is no longer one of the three b...

[[Technology News]]

Ericsson Introduces Software For Mobile TV

Swedish telecommunication equipment maker Telefon AB LM Ericsson Friday said it is introducing a client software that enables easy channel surfing for mobile television. ...

Cingular To Launch Push-To-Talk Phone Service

Cingular Wireless plans to launch a push-to-talk phone service which integrates walkie-talkie and cellular technology across its network. ...