For African telecoms news, AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST TELECOM WEEK is your weekly news service in this fast-moving telecoms market! Never before has Africa and the Middle
East offered such a remarkable business opportunity for telecom manufacturers, operators and suppliers.
February 2008 Country Report - South Africa Subscribers can access the report in the Subscriber's Archive Area.
Check the December 2007 headlines for more key stories and market data and statistics.
Or check out the current headlines.
Headlines from issue 305 dated 31 January 2008:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
African Markets by Mobile Penetration 3Q 2007
AFRICA:
VSNL acquires stake in EASSy Project
ALGERIA:
Algerie Telecom plans nationwide FTTH roll out in 2008
BAHRAIN:
Batelco plans network upgrade
EGYPT:
Orascom seeks USD 2.5 billion loan
IRAN:
MTN selects Intense Technologies for telecom software contract
ISRAEL:
Internet Gold OKs buyback of USD 30 million convertible bonds
KENYA:
Government declares 50 percent regional investors’ ownership in TEAMS
Telkom lays off another 4,000 employees
Telkom plans to offer GSM services
KUWAIT:
Zain files for USD 1.2 billion syndicated loan
Zain registers improved annual 2007 results
MOZAMBIQUE:
Alcatel-Lucent to deploy 3G network for mCel
NIGERIA:
MTN continues upgrade exercise
Subscribers file collective suit against Nigerian telecom players
Union seeks reversal of NITEL/Mtel privatisation
OMAN:
Omantel registers improved results in 4Q 2007
Omantel selects Huawei for 3G deployment
SAUDI ARABIA:
Mobily collaborates with Etisalat UAE and Egypt to expand fibre network
SOUTH AFRICA:
Vodacom launches 3.6 Mbps HSDPA service
Vodafone revives hope to gain control of Vodacom
UGANDA:
Celcom extends its reach in Uganda by acquiring stake in MTN’s dealership
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Etisalat posts annual and 4Q 2007 results
Etisalat ready for VoIP offering
Need this issue? - issue 305 is available here.
Headlines from issue 304 dated 24 January 2008:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
Middle East Top 40 Mobile Operators by Subscribers 3Q 2007
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST:
Zain signs agreement with DNV for ISO certification
BAHRAIN:
Batelco pioneers video mail service
Umniah to employ Subex’s fraud management and revenue assurance solutions
BURUNDI:
HITS Telecom gets operations licence
EGYPT:
OT denies plans of divestment of Mobinil stake
IRAN:
Turkcell opens arbitration over Iran deal
ISRAEL:
Bezeq uses Personeta’s platform for NGN services
KENYA:
Celtel CEO resigns
Econet need to launch by June
KUWAIT:
Vodafone not in talks to buy Zain Stake
LEBANON:
February telecom auction on hold for now
MOROCCO:
Maroc Telecom rolls out 3G services
NIGERIA:
Celtel extends coverage in the south east region
Etisalat mulling MVNO operations
OMAN:
Omantel launches promotional offers
SAUDI ARABIA:
Mobily registers improved 4Q and annual 2007 results
Saudi Telecom announces 4Q and annual 2007 result
STC acquires 35 percent stake in Oger Telecom
SOUTH AFRICA:
Oger Telecom interested in Telkom stake
Telkom Group executive for corporate communications resigns
Vodacom inks deal with Irish firm to enhance Vodafone Live!
Vodacom to launch WiFi services soon
SYRIA:
Zain refutes plans of Syriatel acquisition
TURKEY:
Number portability to be launched by end-2008
UGANDA:
MTN, Celtel and UTL fund UCC for rural service expansion
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Etisalat completes first phase of FTTH roll out
Thuraya finally launches Thuraya 3!
Need this issue? - issue 304 is available here.
Headlines from issue 303 dated 17 January 2008:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
African Top 50 Mobile Operators by Subscribers 3Q 2007
CONGO BRAZZAVILLE:
Warid Telecom commences services in Congo
EGYPT:
MTN in talks with OTH to acquire stake in Mobinil
GHANA:
Celtel to commence operations soon
Vodacom denies making fresh offer for GT stake
ISRAEL:
012 Smile.Communications, Intel and Alvarion to jointly work on WiMAX project
Alvarion, Bridgewater Systems offer WiMAX solutions to MSTelcom
JORDAN:
ACT Limited contracts Airspan for nationwide WiMAX deployment
KENYA:
Celtel reduces call and SMS tariffs
Essar buys 49 percent stake in Econet Wireless
Safaricom IPO still on the cards
KUWAIT:
Zain introduces new Internet router
MAURITIUS:
Emtel worried about lack of new mobile phone numbers
NIGERIA:
MTN promises improved services in 2008
Ovia-owned Visafone acquires Bourdex Telecom
Transcorp to revive M-Tel services within six months
QATAR:
Qtel unveils BlackBerry service
SAUDI ARABIA:
Saudi Telecom eyes stake in Oger Telecom
SOUTH AFRICA:
Vodacom reduces rates for 3 GB packages
Vodacom to launch WiMAX soon
UGANDA:
Warid makes its debut
ZIMBABWE:
Econet awaits POTRAZ approval for 3G launch
Econet to invest in export companies
Need this issue? - issue 303 is available here.
Headlines from issue 302 dated 10 January 2008:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
Central Africa Mobile Network Subscriber Statistics: 3Q 2007
AFGHANISTAN:
Etisalat reduces call and SMS tariffs
BAHRAIN:
Batelco introduces new mobile broadband service
TRA to consider third player entry into Bahrain telecom market
EGYPT:
Arab Bank provides USD 845 million loan to Etisalat
Orange Group establishes new lab in Cairo
Orascom completes sale of stake in HTIL
GHANA:
PT out of race for stake in Ghana Telecom
IRAN:
Telecom sector invites foreign investors
IRAQ:
Two Iraqi carriers re-branded as Zain
ISRAEL:
Ericsson to offer end-to-end mobile TV and video solution in collaboration with Cellcom Israel
KENYA:
Safaricom set to enhance M-Pesa service
KUWAIT:
Wataniya reduces tariffs following MOC directive
NIGERIA:
NCC defends its services
Transcorp warned by NCC for poor GSM service
QATAR:
Vodafone consortium to launch services in ’08
SAUDI ARABIA:
Motorola wins network expansion contract from Mobily
Saudi Telecom obtains USD 450 million loan from Al Rajhi Bank
Saudi Zain to increase stake to be sold in IPO
Zain inks USD 935 million contract with Nokia Siemens Network
SOUTH AFRICA:
Cell C upgrades to Informatica PowerCenter 64-bit platform
ICASA to promote competition in South Africa Telecom Market
Telkom introduces new ADSL top-up service
SUDAN:
Etisalat increases stake in Sudan's Canar Telecom
TURKEY:
Turkcell considers stake in Syriatel Mobile Telecom
UGANDA:
Celtel Uganda completes USD 80 million network upgrade
MTN Uganda completes USD 60 million upgrade plan
Uganda to witness reduction in airtime costs
Need this issue? - issue 302 is available here.
Headlines from issue 301 dated 3 January 2008:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
Western Sahara Mobile Network Operator Statistics: 3Q 2007
AFGHANISTAN:
Gul Ahmad Khan appointed as new Afghan Telecom CEO
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST:
MENA telecom operators forecast to adopt infrastructure sharing
ALGERIA:
New numbering plan to be operational from 22 February ’08
BAHRAIN:
MPs discourage Batelco’s retirement plan
BOTSWANA:
BTC on course for privatisation
EGYPT:
Raya seeks second Egyptian fixed-line licence
IRAN:
MTS to set up fourth mobile network
ISRAEL:
Bezeq ends contract with Nortel
Sheba Medical Center selects 012 Smile.Communications for WiFi deployment
KENYA:
Morgan Stanley values Safaricom at USD 3.45 billion
KUWAIT:
MOC to reduce international call tariffs by 20 percent
OMAN:
Wittkemper added to Omantel’s board
QATAR:
Qtel considering participation in Lebanon telecom auction
Qtel’s yearly subscription offer hits the mark
SAUDI ARABIA:
Mobily extends benefits of yearly post-paid subscription
TANZANIA:
TCRA sets January end deadline for mobile carriers
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Etisalat introduces new broadband package
ZAMBIA:
Cell Z forges ahead; outlines new plans
Zamtel to invest ZMK 5 billion in service upgrade
Need this issue? - issue 301 is available here.
For Middle East news and business information resources click here.
