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 October 2007 headlines for more key stories and market data and statistics.
Or check out the December 2007 headlines.
Headlines from issue 296 dated 29 November 2007:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
East Mediterranean Mobile Network Subscriber Statistics: 3Q 2007
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST:
MTN to extend Backhaul technology in other countries
AFRICA:
Celtel extends reach of One Network service
EASSy project gets initial funding
Safaricom, MSTelcom to use Intelsat’s satellite capacities
ALGERIA:
Algérie Telecom selects Ericsson for network upgrade
Government lowers the bar for call centres
BAHRAIN:
BT inks outsourcing deal with Nuetel
BENIN:
Sarci protects its interests
GHANA:
Government selects France Telecom for GT’s acquisition
ISRAEL:
012 Smile.Communications publishes prospectus for trading on TASE
Qtel plans to launch operations in Palestine
KENYA:
Alcazar to contribute USD 58.5 million for Telkom Kenya Deal
Celtel signs SMS interconnection deal with Telkom
KUWAIT:
Saudi Telecom wins bid to acquire stake in third Kuwaiti mobile carrier
MALAWI:
Huawei to deploy optical fibre network for MTL
NIGER:
Regulatory authority chooses France Telecom for Niger licence
NIGERIA:
ALTDON to file suit against Celtel
Celtel Nigeria awards USD 70 million GSM/EDGE expansion contract to Motorola
Globacom commences deployment of fibre network
Mtel rewards customers with reduced tariffs, free calls and SMS
QATAR:
Mansouri appointed executive director of business solutions unit at Qtel
RWANDA:
MTN increases stake in MTN Rwanda
SOUTH AFRICA:
AIRCOM to provide 3G consultation to MTN
Local investment firms acquire stake in NSN SA
Reuben September appointed as Telkom’s new CEO
Vodacom to increase shareholding in WBS to 25.1 percent
SUDAN:
Sudatel interested to buy majority stake in Intercellular
TUNISIA:
Wataniya wins Tunisiana dispute
UGANDA:
Uganda Telecom’s UMTS/HSPA network deployed
Need this issue? - issue 296 is available here.
Headlines from issue 295 dated 22 November 2007:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
Top 25 Middle East Operators by Net Additions 2Q 2007
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST:
Mobile TeleSystems considering investment options in MEA region
AFRICA:
Etisalat looking at Africa as next investment destination
PT to sell minority stake in Africa holding
CAMEROON:
MTN Cameroon selects Redline’s RedMAX for WiMAX network
EGYPT:
IMEWE consortium to use Telecom Egypt’s infrastructure
Mobinil considers deploying international gateway to route international calls
Orascom reduces stake in HTIL to 14.3 percent
Telecom Egypt registers 12.3 percent increase in profits
ISRAEL:
Bezeq releases 3Q 2007 results
KENYA:
France Telecom consortium wins Telkom Kenya stake
Safaricom inks Internet deal with Google
Treasury acquires Telkom’s interest in Safaricom
KUWAIT:
KIA receives nine more bids for third telecom company
Zain to acquire European telecom firm
LEBANON:
Credit Suisse estimates generation of USD 6 billion from telecom auction
MALAWI:
MTL inks deal with Huawei to deploy fibre optic network
MIDDLE EAST:
GCC to spend USD 375 billion for telecom development
NIGERIA:
Nigerian House of Representatives proposes ban on sale of SIMs
NITEL sale to undergo government, senate review
OMAN:
TRA approves resale of mobile services
SAUDI ARABIA:
Mobily to spend SAR 4 billion for expansion
Saudi Zain to sell 700 million shares
Vivendi fails to reach agreement to acquire stake in Oger Telecom
SOUTH AFRICA:
Telkom SA announces financial results for 1H ’07
Vodacom declares financial results for 1H ’07
Vodacom seems set for listing
UGANDA:
Uganda Telecom restructuring for IPO
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
BT, Etisalat collaborate to connect UAE’s financial sector with global players
Need this issue? - issue 295 is available here.
Headlines from issue 294 dated 15 November 2007:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
Top 100 Africa Operators by Net Additions 2Q07
AFGHANISTAN:
WaselTelecom launches services in northern Afghanistan
ALGERIA:
Orascom reveals intentions to sell LACOM
BAHRAIN:
Batelco reduces call charges on 123 cards
GHANA:
Final evaluation of GT bids commence
MTN, Onetouch fail to adhere to the 30-day NCA directive
ISRAEL:
Cellcom Israel releases 3Q 2007 results
JORDAN:
Umniah launches WiMAX services
Zain unveils SMS translation service
KENYA:
Four firms interested in Telkom stake
KDN to invest USD 350 million in Kenya telecoms
Telkom to invest KES 1.6 billion for expansion
KUWAIT:
Zain registers revenue worth USD 4.27 billion
NIGERIA:
Celtel Nigeria contracts NSN for USD 130 million contract
NITEL imposed NGN 14 billion in damages
OMAN:
Omantel offers USD 204 million for 65 percent stake in World Call
QATAR:
Qtel launches news alert service
Qtel registers profit worth QAR 1.54 billion
SENEGAL:
Sonatel selects Ascade’s Carrier Cockpit Suite
SOUTH AFRICA:
Broadband subscriber base to reach 33 million by 2012
Key Cell C executives resign
Neotel collaborates with IS for ZAR 192 million deal
Neotel expects SEACOM to be operational in 2009
Vodacom registers 22.6 percent increase in subscribers
TURKEY:
Turkcell registers 29 percent increase in profits
UGANDA:
MTN, Uganda Telecom offer reduced tariff options
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
du signs for IPTV and billing solutions
Need this issue? - issue 294 is available here.
Headlines from issue 293 dated 8 November 2007:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
Middle East Markets by Population 2Q 2007
AFGHANISTAN:
Afghan Wireless deploys digital microwave ring around the country
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST:
MTN Group reports increase in 3Q subscriber growth
AFRICA:
Nigerian Commerce and Industry Minister seeks Celtel’s Nigeria and Niger networks’ integration
BAHRAIN:
Batelco to launch extended validity SimSim voucher
EGYPT:
Etisalat to raise USD 800 million loan to fund network expansion
GAMBIA:
Micheal Ten appointed as new MD for Gamtel/Gamcel
IRAQ:
Iraqi operators to expand operations
ISRAEL:
012 Smile.Communications IPO raises USD 80.1 million
Ericsson to provide HSPA network for Pelephone
Partner Communications releases 3Q 2007 results
Radwin to assist MTN in cellular backhaul project
KENYA:
Government extends deadline for submission of bids for Telkom sale
Telkom to increase service tariffs
MOROCCO:
Maroc Telecom registers 19 percent increase in revenue
NIGERIA:
President pushes NCC to grant mobile licence to NigComSat
OMAN:
Nawras to offer 3G services
QATAR:
Qatar Telecom obtains USD 3 billion loan
Qtel launches new Hala offer
SAUDI ARABIA:
i2 to launch MVNO services in Jordan
Mobily introduces new billing scheme
SOUTH AFRICA:
Vodacom collaborates with Omnifone to offer music download service
TURKEY:
Alcatel-Lucent to provide IP/MPLS upgrade to Avea
Turkcell collaborates with Simena to develop test equipment
UGANDA:
MTN cuts Internet prices by 20 percent
Warid begins deployment of wireless communication technology
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
du introduces new Visitor Mobile Line Pack
ZIMBABWE:
POTRAZ to reduce telecom tariffs
Need this issue? - issue 293 is available here.
Headlines from issue 292 dated 1 November 2007:
A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS:
African Markets by Population 2Q 2007
AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST:
Zain CEO seeks to set up UN body for private organisations
AFRICA:
GSMA reserves $50Bn investment to increase mobile coverage in Africa
BAHRAIN:
Batelco plans USD 4 Billion investment for acquisitions
Batelco registers 10.7 percent increase in profits
EGYPT:
Orascom Telecom divests 3 percent stake in HTIL
IRAN:
Telecom sector encourages foreign investment
ISRAEL:
Bezeq board sanctions ILS 1 billion for Pelephone’s HSPA network deployment
Telecom Argentina chooses Radcom’s network and service monitoring solution
Wataniya granted spectrum to operate mobile services in Palestine
KENYA:
Launch of MNP delayed due to lack of funds
KUWAIT:
Wataniya partners with Cisco to offer new Wnet Corporate Offering in Kuwait
LEBANON:
Zain to bid for stake in Lebanese telecom firm
MIDDLE EAST:
T.A. Telecom subscribers to enjoy Shazam’s music recognition service
MOROCCO:
Vivendi increases stake in Maroc Telecom to 53 percent
NIGERIA:
GSM subscriptions cross 43 million mark in Nigeria
Transcorp expects NGN 35 billion revenue from SAT-3 cable
OMAN:
Omantel launches pilot phase of ADSL Internet project
Omantel registers nearly 100 percent increase in 3Q 2007 profits
SAUDI ARABIA:
Mobily announces 43.3 percent increase in 3Q 2007 net profits
Mobily offers new increased speed data bundles
SOUTH AFRICA:
CCMA to hear Telkom wage dispute
TANZANIA:
Vodacom Tanzania inks roaming agreement with MTN Rwanda
UGANDA:
UCC restricts carriers from offering free airtime
Uganda Telecom wins CHOGM Internet deal
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Etisalat still not open to foreign investment
Need this issue? - issue 292 is available here.
For Middle East news and business information resources click here.
