Newsletter July 2014

EDITORIAL

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Dear Readers,
Pakistan received foreign direct investment (FDI) of $1.36 billion in the first 11 months of 2013-14, which is 2.5% higher than the FDI received during the comparable period of the preceding fiscal year. A major increase in the foreign investment was registered in the telecommunications sector, where net FDI remained $406.4 million during the period under review. Warid Telecom has started testing its Long-Term Evolution (LTE) services and even mobilized diplomatic channels to press the government for an early approval as it looks to launch the service commercially. Mobilink, in collaboration with Huawei has launched Huawei Ascend P7 with unlimited 3G data bundle offer available for 6 months. Zong, BOP and Inov8 signed an MOU to announce their partnership for digitizing government flows via the branchless channel. Mobilink is providing free 3G services in 8 major cities of Pakistan.

Beeline Uzbekistan has expanded capacity and coverage of GSM and 3G network in the territory of Kashkadarya region. VivaCell Armenia has introduced its new ‘MTS Connect LTE’ postpaid tariff line. Sky Mobile, working under the Beeline Kyrgyzstan brand, has expanded its HSPA+ and GSM networks in various regions.

Qualcomm has announced that the Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 processor and Qualcomm Gobi 9×35 modem are powering the Samsung Galaxy S5 Broadband LTE-A in Korea, the world’s first commercially available LTE Advanced Cat 6 smartphone. Qualcomm has introduced the Qualcomm FSM90xx system-on-chip (SoC) for neighborhood and small and medium business (SMB) small cells.

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Industrial News

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Megafon Tajikistan Modifies Calculation for Rates

Mobile operator Megafon Tajikistan has modified the way it calculates the rates for its BIT 50 and BIT 100 tariff options. Prices will go to TJS 45 and TJS 75 per month from 1.5 and 2.5 per day.
Source: TelecomPaper

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New base stations Beeline are installed in Kashkadarya region

Beeline Uzbekistan has expanded capacity and coverage of GSM and 3G network in the territory of Kashkadarya region. The operator launched into commission new base stations in Shahrisabz, Mubarak and Kamashi, which helped to improve the quality of the signal and mobile Internet.
Source: UzDaily

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Vivacell Launches New LTE Modem Tariffs

Armenian mobile operator VivaCell has introduced its new ‘MTS Connect LTE’ postpaid tariff line. The line includes three plans at AMD 7,000, AMD 10,000 and AMD 13,000 per 7GB, 25 GB and 50 GB respectively. And in case of an 18-month subscription “MTS Connect LTE” USB modem is provided free of charge. Subscribers of “Internet Medium” and “Internet Large” tariff plans also get a package providing 1500 embedded on-net airtime and an opportunity to send 150 SMS to RA GSM networks per month for the same monthly fee.
Source: TelecomPaper

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MTS Returns to Uzbekistan

The Government of Uzbekistan adopted decision on resumption of operations of Russian mobile operator MTS in Uzbekistan, according to State Committee for Communication, Information and Telecommunication Technologies of Uzbekistan. The Government adopted a resolution, which says that the State Committee for Communication, Information and Telecommunication Technologies of Uzbekistan and MTS will create joint venture, which will work under MTS brand. The stake of the sides in the venture was not disclosed.
Source: UzDaily

AzQtel Widens WiMAX Footprint

Azeri WiMAX operator AzQtel, which provides services under the SAZZ brand, has expanded its network to a number of new settlements and municipalities in and around the capital Baku and the Absheron Peninsula. WiMAX services are now available in a number of locations. AzQtel, which operates a 802.16e mobile WiMAX network in the 3.5GHz band, launched commercial broadband internet services in Baku in September 2008 over a network supplied by US-based Cisco.
Source: TeleGeography

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Beeline’s CAMEL-Roaming Expands in Thailand and Croatia

Beeline Uzbekistan has expanded a geography of international voice roaming. CAMEL-roaming is now available in the partner network of Real Future in Thailand and T-Mobile in Croatia. Beeline subscribers can use CAMEL roaming. The service allows to use Beeline communication services at any positive balance. At the same time, the funds will be written off in real time regime. CAMEL roaming does not requires activation and it is automatically enabled in handsets. The service can use any individual subscribers, connected to pre-paid tariffs at any positive balance.
Source: Beeline PR

Beeline Uzbekistan Launches New Entertainment Service

Mobile operator Beeline Uzbekistan has introduced its new Fanbox entertainment service. Calls to the portal are free. Dating, as well as other entertainment options, are available to subscribers on the portal. The service is being offered free for the first three days’ subscription, after which the daily charge is USD 0.05 later.
Source: TelecomPaper

Sky Mobile Offers Top-Ups for Any Network at No Charge

Mobile operator Sky Mobile, working under the Beeline Kyrgyzstan brand, is offering opportunity to make balance top-ups without a commission fee in its branded retail outlets across the country. The option is available to subscribers of any Kyrgyzstan mobile operator. Sky Mobile currently runs 42 branded retail outlets and service centres.
Source: TelecomPaper

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Users can pay for Beeline services via ESAVDO.uz

Beeline has provided a capability of payment services on the wed-site ESAVDO.uz. Using this service company’s subscribers can easily manage their account and pay for services through UzCARD online without commission and leaving home. Using web-site ESAVDO.uz, there is available to pay online not only pay for cellular Beeline services, but also to order and pay by UzCARD for purchases through this online store. To use the service, holders of UzCARD online should access SMS-notification from the card in any nearest ATM or self-service terminal.
Source: UzDaily

Warid to Launch 4G After Eid

Warid Telecom has started testing its Long-Term Evolution (LTE) services and even mobilized diplomatic channels to press the government for an early approval as it looks to launch the service commercially. Though still awaiting the government’s approval, the company is hoping to commercially launch its LTE services in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad after Eid ul Fitr.
Source: Phone World

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Alexander Sorvachev Appointed As Finance Director of Beeline

Beeline Uzbekistan appointed Alexander Sorvachev as the finance director. Since January 2014 Alexander moved to the position of the finance director of Nizhny Novgorod Cellular Communication CJSC where he participated in the preparation and implementation of the first phase of the transaction by the integration of mobile assets of Rostelecom OJSC and Tele2. On 24 June, Alexander Sorvachev took the lead of the Finance Department of Beeline in Uzbekistan.
Source: UzDaily

Kar-Tel Offers Free Data to ‘Free Style’ Subscribers

Kar-Tel, working under the Beeline Kazakhstan brand, has introduced a promotion for subscribers of its ‘Free Style’ tariff. Customers receive 5 MB of daily mobile internet traffic as a bonus. The offer can be activated over the USSD menu. The daily subscription to the tariff totals KZT 29, and customers must top up KZT 490 to KZT 1,890 once per week or at least KTZ 1,890 once per month. The plan also includes 150 minutes of on-net calls and 10 on-net SMS daily.
Source: TelecomPaper

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Uzbekistan and South Korea Sign Several Agreements in ICT Sector

Uzbekistan and South Korea has signed several agreement on cooperation in the sphere of information-communication technologies (ICT) on 16 June. The documents were signed within a conference dedicated to the Uzbek-Korean cooperation in ICT sector. The conference was attended by over 140 representatives of Korean organizations and companies, as well as state bodies and IT organizations of Uzbekistan. During the conference, the participants discussed issues of introducing ICT into all sectors of economy, strategies for ICT development, introduction of smart farms, electronic commerce, etc. In the result of the conference, Uzbekistan and South Korea signed several documents. In particular, Center for scientific-technical and marketing research UNICON.UZ and Research Institute of electronics and telecommunication of South Korea signed a memorandum of cooperation.
Source: UzDaily

Maxim Efremov Appointed As Commercial Officer of Beeline

Beeline Uzbekistan has appointed Maxim Efremov as Chief Commercial Officer. He replaced Grigoryev, who completed his work in the company on May. In 2006, Maxim joined VimpelCom and started to work at the position of sales director of the Western Regional Branch of Unitel LLC, serving customers in Karakalpakstan and Khorezm. There he managed to build a new extensive dealer network and in 2007 the branch become a leader on number of the subscribers in the region. In 2008 he was appointed as a head of sales service in Unitel. In September 2012, he assumed position of sales director on the mass market. In June 2014, he was appointed as a commercial director of Beeline in Uzbekistan.
Source: Beeline PR

Armenian Mobile Subscribers Exceed 3.3 Mln

Armenian mobile subscribers reached 3.319 million at the end of Q1 as per a statement from Samvel Martirosyan, an Armenian IT security expert. According to the statement, the mobile operator VivaCell led with 2.102 million subscribers, Armentel followed with 699,400, and Orange Armenia had 517,100 customers. Mobile penetration totaled 120 percent. Internet subscribers at VivaCell numbered 1.003 million, up by 9,400 quarter-on-quarter, while the indicator at Armentel was 299,900, up by 3,600. The internet subscriber base of Orange Armenia totaled 266,100, up by 11,500.
Source: TelecomPaper

Ucell Claims 9 Mln Subscribers

Uzbekistan mobile operator Ucell has announced that its subscriber base currently totals 9 million. The operator, controlled by the TeliaSonera group, runs GSM, 3G and HSPA+ networks across the country. The company owns over 20 branded retail outlets and service centres, and its services are also available for sale in over 2,300 dealers’ shops. Ucell has been providing services in Uzbekistan for six years.
Source: TelecomPaper

3G/4G licenses rises FDI by 2.5% in FY14

Pakistan received foreign direct investment (FDI) of $1.36 billion in the first 11 months of 2013-14, which is 2.5% higher than the FDI received during the comparable period of the preceding fiscal year. According to data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), a significant spike in FDI was witnessed in May when the country received a staggering sum of $610.9 million mainly because of the proceeds of the telecom spectrum auction. A major increase in the foreign investment was registered in the telecommunications sector, where net FDI remained $406.4 million during the period under review. FDI in the telecommunications sector in May alone amounted to $539.3 million, thanks to the one-off auction of 3G/4G licenses.
Source: Phone World

Uzbektelecom Purchases Mobile Phones and Modems

Uzbektelecom Joint Stock Company announced a tender on purchase of terminal equipment CDMA-450. The tender will be held on seven lots. The maximum cost of the purchase of terminals makes up US$4.75 million. Within tender, Uzbektelecom plans to purchase mobile terminals with minimal functions (maxim cost of the lot is US$950,000), with medium functions (US$500,000), with expanded functions (US$950,000), stationary terminal (US$500,000), USB modems (US$450,000), wireless routers (US$450,000), and M2M modems for payment systems (US$950,000). The tender is open both for local and foreign producers or vendors. The tender proposals are accepted till 17 July 2014. The equipment should be supplied with 45 banking days after transfer of advanced payment.
Source: UzDaily

Ufone Partners With Etihad Airways to Woo Postpaid Customers

Ufone has yet again partnered with Etihad Airways to reward its prestigious postpaid customers, under the new offer, customers consuming PKR 2000 worth of air time will be eligible to enter a lucky draw and win free tickets to Rome, Zurich, Abu Dhabi, Johannesburg and Nairobi.
Source: Ufone PR

Beeline Starts Navur Village Fixed Network Digitization

Beeline continues works aimed at digitizing subscriber lines in Armenian regions. The company will complete works on establishing a digital station in Navur village in Tavush region in late June. In addition, the equipment will be updated as a result of which Navur village residents will have fixed digital network and will enjoy broadband Internet services. The company has provided 100% digitization of fixed network in Yerevan, and in total, 86% of Armenian subscribers are connected to Beeline digital stations.
Source: Beeline PR

Ucell raises internet gateway capacity

Uzbekistan mobile operator Ucell, controlled by the TeliaSonera group, announced that it has expanded the capacity of its internet gateway by 16 percent. The operator expects that quality, speed and stability of its mobile internet services will increase thanks to the higher capacity.
Source: TelecomPaper

The Bank of Punjab, ZONG and Inov8 Join Hands for Digitizing Government flows via Branchless Channel

BOP, Zong and Inov8 signed an MOU to announce their partnership for digitizing government flows via the branchless channel. This is a first of its kind arrangement wherein service providers with existing market experience are coming together to provide the services which are aimed at poverty
Source: Zong PR

Mobilink Launches 3G Enabled Huawei Ascend P7

Mobilink, in collaboration with Huawei has launched Huawei Ascend P7. Customers can purchase Huawei Ascend P7 for just PKR. 47,000 with a Mobilink unlimited 3G data bundle offer available for 6 months. This offer comes with a fair usage policy of 12GB and is valid on all new and existing Mobilink SIMs. All Mobilink pre-paid customers can enjoy the offer by inserting their SIMs in their new Huawei Ascend P7 on or before 31st July, 2014.
Source: Mobilink PR

Sky Mobile Expands Network in Regions

Sky Mobile, working under the Beeline Kyrgyzstan brand, has expanded its HSPA+ and GSM networks in various regions. A total 29 HSPA+ base stations were mounted in Osh, Dzhalal-Abad, Chuya, Batken and Naryn regions, as well as in the city of Bishkek. Another 17 GSM base stations were launched in Chuya, Dzhala-Abad, Osh and Batken regions.
Source: TelecomPaper

Vivacell Offers Seasonal Roaming Discount

VivaCell, a subsidiary of Russian and CIS mobile operator MTS, has introduced a seasonal promotion of its roaming services. Subscribers are offered incoming calls for AMD 55 per minute under the ‘Call to Armenia’ service during a stay in Georgia, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Spain and France. Regular rates of incoming calls total AMD 80 per minute in Georgia and AMD 260 per minute in the other states.
Source: TelecomPaper

Kazakhstan MPs Urge Competition in LTE

MPs belonging to the Nur-Otan parliamentary faction of the Kazakhstan Parliament have issued a request to the prime-minister concerning LTE services. The MPs have recommended that the State Agency for ITC should be obliged to ensure competition in the field of LTE by the end of the year. Kazahstan operator Altel, a subsidiary of national operator Kazakhtelecom, is currently the only LTE services provider in Kazakhstan.
Source: TelecomPaper

Waseela Microfinance Bank Launches ATM/Debit Card Facility

Waseela Microfinance Bank Ltd (WMBL) has launched ATM /Debit Card as a means to address the banking needs of growing customer base. The ATM /Debit Card launch was jointly announced by Rashid Khan, Chairman WMBL and President and CEO Mobilink and Ghazanfar Azzam, President & CEO WMBL in a ceremony held in Islamabad. With the launch of this facility, Waseela Microfinance Bank is one of a few Microfinance Banks that facilitate their customers for banking transactions through ATM machines across the country.

Source: Mobilink PR

Azercell Launches New Internet Promotion

Azerbaijan mobile operator Azercell has introduced a promotion for its internet services. Subscribers purchasing data-cards from the operator can get bundles of 10 GB for an AZN 10 promotional rate. The offer is accessible to all subscribers. Speeds will drop to 128 kbps after exceeding the threshold. The bonus traffic can be used on either smartphones, tablets or modems.
Source: TelecomPaper

Mobilink Provides Free 3G Services across Major Cities of Pakistan

Mobilink is providing free 3G services in 8 major cities of Pakistan. Mobilink launched 3G services earlier this April in 8 major cities across Pakistan; the services will continue to provide first-hand opportunity for testing high-speed internet services. Customers can experience free 3G services in Karachi, Quetta, Faisalabad, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Multan. The free 3G service is accessible to both postpaid and prepaid customers with 3G enabled handsets. The free 3G services are available on all existing and new Mobilink SIMs.
Source: Mobilink PR

Beeline Complies With International Standards ISO 9001:2008

Beeline has once again confirmed the compliance of the corporate operations with international standards ISO 9001:2008. Recertification audit of the company was held in April 2014 by the international certification body Russkiy Registr – Srednaya Azia. Unitel LLC were issued three certificates of conformity to quality management standards (QMS), Certificate with international accreditation, Certificate with the national accreditation and Certificate of a single international standard IQNet that allows in case of need without additional checks to issue for Unitel any certificate from more than 50 countries that are members of the International Association of certification bodies IQNet.
Source: UzDaily

China to Set a Smartphone Manufacturing Plant in Pakistan

A Chinese delegation expressed its commitment to set up a smartphone manufacturing plant in Pakistan before Finance Minister Ishaq Dar assured the investors of reduced income tax rates as a neatly-folded package of incentives. The delegation said the plant would be set up on a fast-track basis as Pakistan begins to move forward in the telecom sector after acquiring next-generation 3G and 4G services. In response, the government assured the Chinese mobile manufacturing companies that its upcoming production plants of smart-phones for next-generation services will qualify for reduced income tax rates announced in the new budget as part of incentives to lure foreign investors.
Source: Phone World

ArmenTel CEO Reports 30% Increase in Mobile Internet Users

The chief executive officer of ArmenTel, Andrei Pyatakhin, says that the number of mobile internet users on its books has increased by around 30%, while the volume of mobile data traffic on its network has doubled. ArmenTel, which trades under the Beeline banner of its Russian owner Vimpelcom, is currently working to expand mobile internet coverage in Armenia by building out new base stations and increasing the number of channels to its cell sites to improve service quality.
Source: TeleGeography

Ucell Starts Roaming Service in Thailand

Ucell has concluded roaming agreement with “AWN”, one of the largest operators in Thailand.
Now all prepaid subscribers are able to use roaming service within this network at any positive balance.
Source: Ucell PR

Armentel offers services management app

Mobile operator Armentel, working under the Beeline Armenia brand, has introduced its new services management mobile application. Versions for Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Java devices are available for download. The application enables users to perform online payments for fixed, mobile and internet connection services and to manage their Beeline services. Internet services are free for prepaid subscribers using the application, and the traffic rate will be calculated according to the prevailing tariff for postpaid subscribers.
Source: TelecomPaper

Kyrgyzstan Lets Operators Provide Fixed and Mobile Services

Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Transport has presented parliament with a draft law enabling telecommunications operators to provide fixed and mobile connection services simultaneously. Providing both services is currently prohibited by the Law on Communications in Kyrgyzstan. The ministry claims that the current law limits the scope for operators to expand their businesses and impedes convergence.
Source: TelecomPaper

Ucell launches new SMS bundles

Uzbekistan mobile operator Ucell has expanded its line of its SMS bundles from 18 June. The operator added a bundle of 50 SMS for USD 0.4 rate, and it is possible to buy two such bundles daily. The line of SMS bundles also includes bundles of 150 messages for USD 1, as well as a bundle of 500 texts for USD 2.5. The bundles are available to both prepaid and postpaid subscribers. Ucell has also extended the promotion of its service enabling prepaid subscribers to switch to another tariff for USD 0.10. The promotion will be valid until 12 July.
Source: TelecomPaper

Beeline during FIFA World Cup Provides Free Access to Sports Web-Sites

Beeline (Unitel LLC and Buzton JV) has within a framework of the FIFA World Cup from 12 June to 13 July opened a free access to popular sports web-sites to all prepaid subscribers. Beeline subscribers have got free access to the portals www.sports.ru, www.liveresult.ru andwww.sports.uz.
Source: UzDaily

SaskTel turning off EV-DO in September

Canadian provincial operator SaskTel has announced it will switch off its 3G CDMA20001xEV-DO mobile data network at the end of September this year, although it will continue to offer 2.5G 1x-based CDMA voice and data services for remaining compatible device users. SaskTel explained in a statement that it is repurposing 850MHz band spectrum from the EV-DO data network to add capacity to its 4G LTE network across its home province of Saskatchewan.

Source: TeleGeography

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Telecom NZ achieves 260Mbps speeds in CA trial

Telecom New Zealand has introduced carrier aggregation (CA) technology on six of its 4G mobile sites in Auckland, in association with technology partner Huawei. Telecom expects to have CA-capable devices commercially available on its network by the end of 2014, or early next year; the CA technology utilizes a 20MHz block in the 1800MHz band and 20MHz in the 2600MHz band. The telco recently announced that it intends to extend its 4G capability to a number of other New Zealand towns over the next few months, including Dunedin, Rotorua, Blenheim and Nelson.
Source: TeleGeography

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SingTel Mobile launches LTE-A 300Mbps service

SingTel Mobile, working with equipment partner Ericsson, have successfully launched the first 300Mbps LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) service in Singapore – double the current maximum peak speed of 150Mbps. In a joint release, the two said that they achieved downlink speeds of up to 300Mbps using LTE-A carrier aggregation by combining 20MHz of bandwidth each from the carrier’s 1800MHz and 2600MHz bands. SingTel Mobile now plans to expand the LTE-A service as consumer devices supporting the technology become more widely available in the city-state.
Source: TeleGeography

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EETT consultation on 800MHz, 2600MHz license auction ends 30 June

The Greek telecoms regulator, Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT), has launched a public consultation on the proposed rules for an upcoming 4G mobile license auction in the 800MHz (digital dividend) and 2600MHz frequency bands, seeking comments on individual spectrum caps in both bands as well as general licensing procedures. A notice on EETT’s website announced that the consultation period runs for a month until 30 June 2014, and the consultation document is available on the site.
Source: TeleGeography

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Vodafone Qatar launches 4G for all users

Vodafone Qatar has launched commercial LTE mobile broadband services for all compatible handset, tablet or modem/Mi-Fi users, joining rival Ooredoo in the 4G market. All Vodafone’s customers with a 4G-enabled device can automatically access the LTE high speed mobile data services, at no additional subscription fees, using their existing data bundles. Vodafone subscribers can also choose to access 8GB per month free video streaming via ‘Go by OSN’ (available on PCs and Macs, smartphones and tablets) on a six-month free trial. Additionally, customers can choose to sign up to ‘Anghami’ music streaming with up to six months’ free trial, including 1GB per month of Anghami streaming, following which a subscription will cost QAR20 a month.
Source: TeleGeography

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TIM Brasil expands 4G to a further 21 cities

Brazilian mobile operator TIM Participacoes (TIM Brasil) has announced that it is expanding its 4G network 4G to an additional 21 cities in the country. Additionally, the cellco says it is looking to encourage existing users of its 3G service to migrate to the advanced platform to take advantage of a ‘much faster and stable’ technology standard. The new cities covered by the expansion are: Guarulhos, Osasco, Santo Andre, Sao Jose dos Campos, Sorocaba and Ribeirao Preto (SP), Sao Goncalo, Duque de Caxias and Nova Iguacu (RJ), Count (MG), Jaboatao Guararapes (PE), Feira de Santana (BA), Joao Pessoa (PB), Aracaju (SE), Sao Luis (MA), Teresina (PI), Campo Grande (MS), Palmas (TO) and Rio Branco (AC).
Source: TeleGeography

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Telekom Slovenije activates first 800MHz LTE base stations

Telekom Slovenije has announced that it is the first Slovenian operator to activate base stations using the 800MHz frequency band for 4G LTE mobile broadband services. Following April’s allocation of the ‘digital dividend’ 800MHz frequencies to the operator and its rivals, Telekom disclosed that its mobile unit Mobitel has activated the first two LTE cell sites in Ljubljana in the lower band to augment coverage of its 4G network which currently utilizes 1800MHz spectrum, and over the coming days it will carry out optimization and integration procedures before embarking on a wider rollout. Telekom Slovenije plans to end the year with LTE coverage of over 70% of the population, rising to over 80% in 2015 and around 95% in 2017.

Source: TeleGeography

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VIPnet announces completion of NFV trial

Croatian cellular operator VIPnet has announced the successful completion of a trial of network functions virtualization (NFV) technology. Parent company Telekom Austria said VIPnet has demonstrated HD video streaming made possible by combining 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology and NFV. It says the technology will enable customers to record and directly stream their smartphone content and multimedia onto cloud-based storage via a virtualized infrastructure, meaning consumers will no longer need to offload content from their smartphones to their computer.
Source: TeleGeography

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T-Mobile Poland prepares LTE launch

T-Mobile Poland, which was formerly known as Polska Telefonia Cyfrowa (PTC), has announced the launch of 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) services. The new offerings will be branded ‘Jump’, with pricing to start at PLN39.99 (USD13.12) for a SIM-only option, rising to PLN149.99 per month for a package which includes unlimited voice calls and mobile data roaming. The operator claims around half of the smartphones it offers are already LTE-enabled, while it says its 4G network already covers 45% of the population and is expected to pass 50% coverage by the end of this month.
Source: TeleGeography

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ANFR authorized 15,689 4G sites by 1 June

France’s independent telecoms regulator, the National Agency of Frequencies (ANFR), has published its monthly update on the number of 2G, 3G and 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) base transceivers stations (BTS) in the country, reporting that it has authorized a total of 15,659 sites for LTE use by 1 June 2014, up 4.5% month-on-month; 13,382 of these BTS are currently in service. Meanwhile, in the month under review, the number of 3G sites in France marginally increased to 38,580 BTS by 1 June (up from 38,485 on 1 May 2014), while the number of 2G-enabled sites reached 38,884, flat compared to the 38,849 BTS reported a month earlier

Source: TeleGeography

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Viva launches MPLS VPN over 4G network

Viva Bahrain has launched MPLS Virtual Private Network (VPN) services over its 4G LTE wireless network for corporate and SME customers with multiple locations in Bahrain, claiming a first of its kind in the Kingdom.
Source: TeleGeography

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Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile join Chunghwa with LTE launches

Hot on the heels of the announcement that Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom had become the first operator in the country to commercialize LTE technology, rival Far EasTone has launched its own 4G network. Taiwan Mobile has also gone live with its 4G services. While Chunghwa is offering its LTE services using spectrum in the 900MHz and 1800MHz bands, both Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile are said to be using 700MHz frequencies for their respective deployments; the latter two are, however, planning to introduce 1800MHz 4G services in the near future.
Source: TeleGeography

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Optus aims to match Telstra’s 4G footprint by 2016

SingTel Optus’ networks managing director Vic McClelland has said that he expects his company’s 4G mobile network coverage to have caught up with that of rival Telstra by 2016. The executive is cited as claiming that by that date the infrastructure will cover around 98.5% of the population. At present the operator’s LTE-based services are said to be available to around 75% of Australians in metropolitan areas, while by comparison Telstra’s own 4G network covered 85% of the entire population at the time of writing.
Source: TeleGeography

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Multitel deploys TD-LTE with Telrad

Multitel, an Angolan corporate-focused broadband/data services provider jointly owned by Portugal Telecom and Angola Telecom, has selected Israel’s Telrad Networks to evolve its network from fixed WiMAX to TD-LTE technology. Since 2006, Multitel has offered a variety of broadband services (such as VPN and internet. By leveraging Telrad’s turnkey suite of 4G solutions, Multitel will be able to expand its offerings to the small office/home office (SOHO) market with data, voice and video services enabled by a significantly increased network capacity. The BreezeCOMPACT 2000 base station, combined with Telrad’s CPE solutions, will help set a path for Multitel to smoothly evolve its network from fixed WiMAX to LTE.
Source: TeleGeography

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Vodafone’s Czech unit launches LTE tests in 800MHz band

Vodafone Czech Republic has launched a test of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in the 800MHz band via seven base stations in the area of Velka Bites and environs. During the trials Vodafone CR users who have an LTE SIM card and a device supporting LTE-800 technology can try out the service. The cellco’s 4G network in the 800MHz band is expected to support peak theoretical speeds of 75Mbps, with average throughput at 20Mbps-30Mbps. Vodafone CR launched its 900/1800MHz network last year under the banner ‘Turbo Internet’ which now serves 56% of the territory where 82% of the population lives.
Source: TeleGeography

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Jio to begin 4G launch in smaller cities

Wireless newcomer Reliance Jio Infocomm may look to inaugurate its 4G service in smaller cities before expanding to metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai in subsequent stages. The cellco is expected to launch Long Term Evolution (LTE) services later this year, and has so far signed infrastructure sharing deals with six firms to hasten its rollout. Of its own network, Jio has reportedly completed the installation of 11,000 base stations with that number expected to reach 40,000 by the end of the year.
Source: TeleGeography

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Surfline Communications trials LTE ahead of commercial launch

Ghanaian operator Surfline Communications is aiming to launch the country’s first 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network imminently, after ‘thousands of prospective customers’ have applied to take part in a network trial. The recently introduced ‘Press Play’ testing programme will allow participants in selected areas of Greater Accra to receive free connectivity in exchange for their feedback on the service.

Source: TeleGeography

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Omnitel 4G reaches 50% of Lithuanians

Omnitel, Lithuania’s largest mobile operator by subscribers, has announced that its 4G LTE network now covers 50% of the population. The TeliaSonera-owned company launched commercial LTE mobile broadband services in the downtown areas of Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda, Siauliai and Panevezys in April 2011. Since then, the network has been expanded to around 50 of the country’s largest towns and cities while 4G coverage was also expanded in Vilnius, Nemencine and Elektrenuose.

Source: TeleGeography

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AG-Placid picks Tazca for Nigerian LTE rollout

Nigerian network company AG-Placid plans to deploy Tazca Connects’ ‘LTE-as-a-Service’ solution for its metropolitan wireless network in Calabar, Gombe and Lafia, in a bid to expand broadband access to businesses, government, hospitals, schools and individual customers. Tazca Connects’ high speed internet service will be powered by a LTE software platform from Lemko Corporation, bringing cost-effective 4G LTE connectivity to Nigeria.
Source: TeleGeography

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Orange extends LTE coverage to Black Sea resorts

Orange Romania has announced that it has extended its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) coverage to a number of Black Sea resorts, spanning Navodari to Vama Veche. Following the deployment, Orange claims that its LTEnetwork now covers 47% of the population, a figure which rises to 75% in urban areas. 4G subscribers can expect to achieve downlink transmission speeds of between 60Mbps and 80Mbps, the cellco notes.
Source: TeleGeography

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LT-Eeyore: 4G donkey rides courtesy of expanded EE network

UK mobile network operator EE has further expanded 4G coverage, with the cellco naming 15 new locations as having been added to the network footprint, those being: Gateshead, Birkenhead, East Grinstead, Leighton Buzzard, Wallasey, South Shields, Wakefield, Coatbridge, Lisburn, Bangor (Northern Ireland), Newtownards, Omagh, Port Talbot, Neath and West Kirby. Meanwhile, in making the announcement EE noted that the infrastructure expansion means its 4G services are now available to around 72% of the UK’s population, with the network available in 215 large towns and cities, and an additional 2,588 villages and small towns.
Source: TeleGeography

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Far EasTone to swap 700MHz spectrum block with Ambit

Taiwanese multi-service operator Far EasTone has said it is open to collaborating with other carriers, having outlined plans to improve its 4G network coverage via a bandwidth swap with new player Ambit Microsystems. Far EasTone will initiate a trade with Ambit under which it will swap its A2 frequency block in the 700MHz band for the A3 block in the same band held by Ambit. Once complete, this would mean that both operators would benefit from operating adjoining blocks of the 4G network. With the deal between the two companies also said to include Far EasTone acquiring 5MHz of bandwidth from Ambit in addition to the frequency swap, it has been suggested that this will resolve regulatory issues related to the latter’s acquisition of Asia Pacific Telecom (APT).

Source: TeleGeography

Togolese Government Launches Tender For Third Mobile Operator

The government of Togo has launched a tender to award the country’s third mobile operator license, as it looks to drive competition in the country. According to a statement published by the Council of Ministers, the new license will allow the winner to offer both 3G and 4G mobile services as the state forges ahead with a strategic focus designed to create ‘a new competitive dynamic strategy’ that will raise inward investment in mobile telecoms infrastructure, in turn allowing ‘the telecommunications sector to realize its full potential and promote the growth of the digital economy.’
Source: TeleGeography

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Thai Network Granted More Time to Migrate Customers to 3G Service

Thailand’s True Move has been given more time to migrate the remaining 6 million customers from an older concession network to its own 3G service. The regulator said that it was able to extend the deadline after the government decided to delay the auction of the radio spectrum currently being used by True Move. It has now been told an extension will be offered beyond this September, although the details are still to be finalized.
Source: Cellular-News

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BizClout launches Pakistan’s first E-commerce Content Management System designed for SMEs

BizClout has launched Pakistan’s first E-commerce content management system designed for small and medium enterprises. Recently incubated at the LUMS Center for Entrepreneurship, BizClout is a one-stop solution to fully e-commerce enable SMEs with-in 15 minutes, using a proprietary content management and ecommerce platform. In its new release, BizClout is providing end to end technology solution with a complete dashboard through which customers will be able to manage their websites and content from anywhere around the world.
Source: BizClout

4G Auction No Later Than ‘Early September’, Minister Says

Brazil’s communications minister Paulo Bernardo said that he expects this year’s planned auction of 700MHz band 4G mobile licenses to go ahead by ‘the end of August or the first week of September,’ remaining in line with the government’s previous rough schedule of August. If there are no objections to the plan, the preparations for the auction should take another month, he added. Mr. Bernardo downplayed concerns about possible delays to the timetable, particularly the possibility of the auction being delayed until after Brazil’s elections (scheduled for this October).
Source: TeleGeography

Unicom to Roll out Hybrid TD-LTE/FD-LTE Networks in 16 Cities

China Unicom has received approval from regulator the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to conduct trials of hybrid Time Division Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE)/Frequency Division (FD)-LTE networks in 16 cities. According to a press release from the cellco, the hybrid platform will be rolled out in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Xi’an, Changsha, Jinan, Hangzhou, Shenyang, Harbin, Fuzhou, Nanjing and Shijiazhuang.
Source: TeleGeography

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New Zealand’s 2degrees’s Launches 4G Network

New Zealand based mobile network operator, 2degrees says that it has switched on its LTE network, with coverage currently available in Auckland. 2degrees CEO Stewart Sherriff said that the launch of 4G is slightly ahead of schedule in Auckland. Access to 2degrees’ 4G network will be at no additional cost and will operate with all existing 2degrees customer’s current data allocations. The network currently covers the capital, with coverage planned in Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch – by the end of the year with rollout to provincial areas beginning in 2015.
Source: Cellular-News

SK Telecom introducing 225MbpsLTE-A

SK Telecom (SKT) is gearing up to introduce Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) technology this week, allowing it to offer end-users maximum theoretical download speeds of 225Mbps. The LTE-A broadband service utilizes carrier aggregation (CA) technology, which combines 10MHz and 20MHz spectrum blocks to triple the 75Mbps speeds it delivers over its LTE network without aggregation. Further, the first handset to support LTE-A speeds has been unveiled as Samsung’s flagship smartphone – Samsung Galaxy S5 LTE-A – which will be available exclusively on SKT’s network. Manufacturers LG Electronics and Pantech are also planning to debut new LTE-A compatible devices by early-July.

Source: TeleGeography

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Nepal takes tentative step towards 4G licensing

The Nepalese government has appointed a committee under the coordination of the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC) to prepare draft legislation which would pave the way for the auction of 4G wireless spectrum and the issue of a new unified license. The country’s two cellular operators, Nepal Telecom and Spice Nepal, have been asking for 4G frequencies for several years, while there are also long-standing plans to license a third player, but the government says ‘legal hurdles’ have so far delayed a spectrum auction.

Source: TeleGeography

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Telekom offers European LTE roaming

German telecoms group Deutsche Telekom, which provides fixed and mobile services in its domestic market under the brand Telekom Deutschland, has begun offering LTE roaming for customers travelling to a number of European countries. The company says it has concluded LTE roaming agreements with network operators in Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Norway and Poland, while further deals with providers in the UK and other countries are expected to follow shortly. Telekom added that customers with a 4G-enabled mobile phone and an applicable data tariff will be able to access LTE speeds in these countries ‘at no additional cost’.

Source: TeleGeography

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Nextel Brasil launches 4G in Rio

Nextel Brasil, the Brazilian unit of US-based NII Holdings, launched its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) service in Rio de Janeiro. The company has deployed a total of 300 antennas in the city, covering some 19 districts, using equipment provided by Huawei Technologies. Going forward, the carrier intends to expand coverage to outer metro areas of Rio de Janeiro before extending its footprint to other regions of Brazil. Unlike its main mobile rivals which have opted to launch LTE in the 2500MHz band, Nextel Brasil is using the 1800MHz band which critics point out could hamper matters where it comes to number portability.

Source: TeleGeography

Vodafone expands LTE network to nine new locations, raising total to 19

Vodafone Romania has expanded its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network to cover nine new cities, namely: Baia Mare, Botosani, Buzau, Braila, Oradea, Pitesti, Ploiesti, Sibiu and Targu Mures. The cellco’s footprint currently covers Bucharest, Arad, Bacau, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Constanta, Craiova, Iasi, Galati and Timisoara, and Vodafone notes that all 19 cities will boast 100% LTE coverage by the end of July.

Source: TeleGeography

Bouygues Telecom launches LTE-A in six cities

Bouygues Telecom has announced the successful deployment of Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A) technology in the cities of Lyon, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Vanves, Issy-les-Moulineaux, Malakoff and Rosny-sous-Bois. Going forward, improved connectivity will be extended to 16 of France’s biggest cities later in the year. The operator claims to be the first wireless operator in France to offer the service, which will deliver theoretical download speeds of up to 220Mbps – four times faster than LTE – at no extra cost. In addition, Bouygues Telecom notes that it has expanded the 1800MHz frequency block used by its 4G sites by 5MHz, giving it to a total of 15MHz; the upgrade will see subscribers benefit from greater flow and network fluidity in more than 1,600 municipalities.
Source: TeleGeography

Swisscom launches LTE-A

Swisscom, Switzerland’s fixed line incumbent and largest telco by subscribers, has announced that it has completed the deployment of Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) technology, becoming the first company in the country to implement the platform. Swisscom began testing LTE-A in its labs in February this year, and has rolled out the technology in the Berne and Lausanne railway stations, with plans to make the service available in Berne and Biel by the start of July.

Source: TeleGeography

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Vodafone Italy pledges to launch LTE in 100 new towns every month

Vodafone Italy has announced that, with immediate effect, it will start deploying 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in 100 new municipalities every month, enabling it to cover 90% of the Italian population by 2016. At present, the cellco boasts coverage of more than 300 municipalities and tourist areas; this figure will rise to 1,000 by year-end and 1,500 by March 2015. As part of its EUR3.6 billion (USD4.9 billion) investment programme Vodafone will also extend its 3.5G HSPA+ network to 95% of the population within two years, and deploy fibre-optic infrastructure to around seven million households.
Source: TeleGeography

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KT and China Mobile claim world first for cross-border VoLTE roaming

KT Corp has reportedly showcased the world’s first cross-border roaming services based on the voice-over-Long Term Evolution (VoLTE). With the South Korean operator having partnered with China Mobile to develop VoLTE roaming services. It is understood that the two companies expect to commercialize the technology in November 2014.
Source: TeleGeography

Movistar targets Guatemala City LTE launch in 3Q14

Movistar Guatemala intends to introduce 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) services during the third quarter of 2014.The network will cover 50% of capital Guatemala City at launch, and will be extended to major municipal centres and tourist resorts later in the year. It remains unclear as to whether or not Movistar has been granted additional spectrum with which to launch LTE; it is believed that testing has taken place using refarmed 1900MHz frequencies.
Source: TeleGeography

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MCA to amend licenses for 4G launch

Maltese regulator the Malta Communication Authority (MCA) has announced that it will amend 3G licenses, allowing cellcos to deploy other technologies, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The move follows the European Commission’s decision 2012/688/EU regarding the harmonization of the 1920MHz-1980MHz and 2110MHz-2170MHz frequency bands. The MCA will accept comments on the decision until 24 June 2014, following which it will proceed with issuing the amended licenses.

Source: TeleGeography

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China Unicom Invests HK$3 billion to Build China Unicom (Hong Kong) Global Center

China Unicom (Hong Kong) Operations Limited has announced the construction of its first and largest integrated
telecommunications facility overseas in Hong Kong — China Unicom (Hong Kong) Global Center at its Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony. The state-of-the-art Global Center comprises six strategic functions, namely: Global Network Operations Center with Submarine Cable Landing Station, Global Network Solutions & Support Center, Cloud Computing Service Platform, Internet Data Center (IDC), Hong Kong Service Platform, and Product Innovation & Development Center. Asia Pacific is forecasted to emerge as the world’s fastest-growing market for cloud storage with a projected compound annual growth rate of 29% from 2009 to 2018. Global Center will utilize its leading ICT infrastructure and extensive international network resources to provide high-speed network communications services to businesses worldwide, supporting them in their international overseas expansion plans.
Source: China Unicom PR

Qualcomm Introduces High-Performance, Cost-Effective Small Cell System-on-Chip for SMB and Neighborhood Access Points for Expanding Network Capacity and Coverage

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has introduced the Qualcomm FSM90xx system-on-chip (SoC) for neighborhood and small and medium business (SMB) small cells. From its inception to implementation, the FSM90xx has been designed and optimized to meet the cost targets and performance requirements of neighborhood and SMB segments. The FSM90xx is designed to provide specific features so that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can deliver the right form factor and application for the target use cases. With access points (APs) based on this new small cell SoC, mobile operators, cable multiple systems operators (MSOs) and businesses can expand network capacity and ensure superior end-user mobile experiences cost effectively.
Source: Qualcomm PR

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Qualcomm Grabs Two-Thirds of Cellular Baseband Revenue Share in Q1 2014

The global cellular baseband processor market registered a modest 2.5 percent year over year growth to reach USD4.7 billion in Q1 2014, according to Strategy Analytics. As detailed in this Strategy Analytics report, Qualcomm, MediaTek, Spreadtrum, Marvell and Intel featured in the top-five cellular baseband revenue share rankings in Q1 2014. Qualcomm maintained its baseband market dominance with 66 percent revenue share, followed by MediaTek with 15 percent revenue share and Spreadtrum with 5 percent revenue share. In Q1 2014, Spreadtrum overtook Intel to capture the number three revenue share ranking.
Source: Cellular-News

Antel Deploys Alca-Lu Small Cells to Boost Capacity, Coverage

Uruguay’s state-owned national telecoms operator Administracion Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Antel) will deploy Alcatel-Lucent’s small cells technology to expand the reach of its network in high-traffic locations and areas of limited coverage such as homes, businesses, sports stadiums and shopping malls. Alcatel-Lucent will provide its complete end-to-end small cells solution, comprising enterprise cells, home cells, Metrocells, Small Cells Gateway and Management System (which includes the Motive Home Device Manager). Initial deployment of the Gateway and Management System has been completed, while small cells have been installed on customer sites since early 2014.

Source: TeleGeography

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Landmark Agreement Signed On 5G Mobile Technology

A joint declaration on strategic cooperation in information communications technology and 5G has been signed in Seoul and was described as a ‘milestone in the global race to develop 5G mobile technologies’. The agreement was signed by Neelie Kroes, vice president of the European Commission for the digital agenda, and Mun-Kee CHOI, South Korea’s minister of science, ICT and future planning (MSIP) and states that the two will to deepen discussions in the area of net futures (network and communications, 5G, cloud computing), an element of on-going relations on ICT topics; work towards a global definition of 5G; and cooperate in 5G research. They also agreed on the need for harmonized radio spectrum to ensure global interoperability; the preparation of global standards for 5G; and will both work towards a coordinated call for research project proposals, to be launched in 2016.
Source: Cellular-News

Qualcomm Powers World’s First Commercial LTE Advanced Category 6 Smartphone

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc has announced that the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 805 processor and Qualcomm® Gobi™ 9×35 modem are powering the Samsung Galaxy S5 Broadband LTE-A in Korea, the world’s first commercially available LTE Advanced Cat 6 smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S5 Broadband LTE-A smartphone is the first commercial mobile device to feature the Snapdragon 805 processor and Gobi 9×35 LTE Advanced Category 6 modem, enabling Ultra HD video capture and playback, connectivity for mobile web streaming and downloads and a leading-edge graphics and gaming experience for consumers.
Source: Qualcomm PR

Arqiva Trials Small Cell Technology in Southampton

UK towers owner, Arqiova says that it has been working with a number of vendors for trialing Small Cell backhaul technology in Southampton City Centre. The company named vendors including Intracom, CCS and Siklu Communication, together with the mobile network operators to help define the scope of the trials.
Source: Cellular-News

Microsoft Shows off its Second Android Based Smartphone

Microsoft has shown off a new Nokia smartphone based on its own Android clone. Just like the Nokia X, the new Nokia X2 provides access to Android apps and Microsoft services, while allowing people to switch between apps with the Fastlane feature. The Nokia X2 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor featuring a dual core 1.2GHz CPU and 1 GB of RAM. The Nokia X2 also debuts the next-generation Nokia X Software Platform 2.0 and major enhancements to the user interface. The Nokia X2 will be available initially as a dual-SIM device and will begin rolling out to unspecified countries next month for EUR99 (US$135).
Source: Cellular-News

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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CommunicAsia 2014

CommunicAsia is taking place 17 – 20 June 2014 Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The stellar event recognised by industry professionals, continues to strengthen and stay relevant to the ever changing info-communications technology industry. CommunicAsia2014 is the event that addresses the ENTIREICT ecosystem from 4G / LTE, AR and Innovations, Content Security Management, FTTx, Mobile Apps, Mobile Broadband, Mobile Devices, RF & Cables, Telecom Energy & Power System.
Please visit:http://www.communicasia.com/

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Myanmar Telecoms & IT Summit 2014

The event will be held on 10-11 July, 2014, Park Royal Hotel, Yangon, Myanmar. It will provide the high-level strategic platform for foreign telecom operators, investors, equipment providers and technology leaders to assess new market dynamics, network with government and industry stakeholders, discuss the operational challenges, evaluate options to overcome perceived difficulties, and profit from emerging opportunities in Myanmar’s telecom and ICT sectors.
Please visit:http://www.magenta-global.com.sg/Into-Myanmar-Telecoms-IT-Summit-2014/

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ITU Telecom Event 2014

ITU Telecom World taking place at Doha from 7-10 December, 2014 is the global platform for high-level debate, networking, innovation-showcasing and knowledge-sharing across the ICT community. It brings together public and private sectors, emerging markets and industry investors to explore the current massive disruption of the ICT sector and its implications for the future.
Please visit:http://telecomworld.itu.int/

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Iran Telecoms & ICT Event

Taking a long-term, business-serious, determined approach, Magenta Global, with its forte in organizing Global Investment Summits for New-Growth, Emerging Economies around the world has organized the 1st “Iran Telecoms and IT Global Summit 2014” in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. The event will take place on 15-16 October, 2014 in Tehran. Please visit:http://www.magenta-global.com.sg/Iran-Telecom-IT-Global-Summit-2014/

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Social Media in Telecom Sector

As today’s customers social media use goes into overdrive fixed line operators, MNOs and MVNOs now need to look to social media to deliver the type of differentiated experiences that translate to long-term customer loyalty. On 16th-17th July 2014, an event is taking place in London, UK to measure the effectiveness and ROI of social media campaigns in Telecom sector. Please visit:http://www.smi-online.co.uk/telecoms/uk/conference/Social-Media-in-Telecoms

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The GSMA Mobile 360 Series

The event will take place on 13th-14th October 2014 in Dubai, UAE. Middle East conference will identify and address the key challenges and opportunities applicable in all of these markets, and provide an invaluable opportunity for distinguished regional industry stakeholders from both developed and emerging markets to share their experiences and further the development of mobile broadband. Please visit:http://www.mobile360series.com/

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Phone World Magazine

CACF has launched 8th Edition of Phone World Magazine covering the devices and their ecosystem serving to bridge the gap between the OEMs, Operators, Distributors, Retailers, and the Consumers. Phone World 8th Edition is available in Pakistani markets. Pdf is available on www.phoneworld.com.pk . PhoneWorld website has latest local telecom news, handsets and also has blog section. For subscription email to: info@phoneworld.com.pk
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3G DEVICE SECTION

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[/column] [column] Name Nokia X2 Dual SIM
GENERAL
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 2100
DATA GPRS/EDGE/Speed/WLAN/BLUE TOOTH/ USB/
Operating System Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean)
Chipset Qualcomm MSM8210 Snapdragon 200
CPU Dual-core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7

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[/column] [column] Name HTC One (M8) Dual Sim
GENERAL
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
DATA GPRS/EDGE/Speed/WLAN/BLUE TOOTH/ USB/
Operating System Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 801
CPU Quad-core 2.3 GHz
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[/column] [column] Name Huawei Ascend P7
GENERAL
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100
4G Network LTE 800 / 900 / 1800 / 2100 / 2600
DATA GPRS/EDGE/Speed/WLAN/BLUE TOOTH/ USB/NFC/
Operating System Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat)
Chipset HiSilicon Kirin 910T
CPU Quad-core 1.8 GHz Cotex-A9

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[/column] [column] Name BlackBerry Z3
GENERAL
2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network HSDPA 900 / 1900 / 2100
DATA GPRS/EDGE/Speed/WLAN/BLUE TOOTH/ USB/
Operating System BlackBerry 10.2.1 OS
Chipset Qualcomm MSM8230 Snapdragon 400
CPU Dual-core 1.2 GHz Krait 200
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VENDORS/OEM SECTION

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Huawei Replaces its Head of Mobile Phones in the USA

Huawei has announced the appointment of Mr. Zhiqiang Xu as President of Huawei Device USA. In his new role, Mr. Xu will be based in the company’s Plano, Texas, headquarters and have operational responsibility and provide strategic oversight for the consumer business group. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Xu served as President of both Device Global Key Accounts and the Central Eastern Europe and Nordic Region Device Business Unit. Mr. Xu also assumed management of the consumer business’ Global Product Solution Sales department where he was responsible for all go-to-market strategies.
Source: Cellular-News

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LG Launches Three New Android Tablets

LG Electronics has announced the launch of three new tablets, starting with the G Pad 7.0 followed by the G Pad 8.0 and G Pad 10.1. All three tablets offer a 1.2 GHz Quad-Core processor, 1GB RAM and a True IPS HD display (1280 x 800). The tablets also include the new QPair 2.0 facility, which provides convergence between Android-powered tablets and smartphones via a Bluetooth connection. Users can receive notifications of calls and messages on a smartphone and respond directly from the G Pad. Smart Keyboard and Dual Window will be also included in all three tablets. Price and additional availability details will be announced locally.
Source: Cellular-News

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Huawei Wins 7-Year Network Upgrade Contract in Russia

Russia’s MegaFon says that it has signed a 7 year tender contract with China’s Huawei, which it says is worth “dozens of billions of rubles”. As a billion rubles is about USD29 million, the contract is for at least USD350 million, up to whatever it might be. MegaFon said that the contract covers the supply of equipment for the construction and modernization of 2G/3G/LTE networks, as well as necessary software and maintenance. This approach is common practice, as the installation of equipment is always followed by its integration into the operator’s existing infrastructure. An additional advantage is that Huawei’s equipment has already been widely used on MegaFon’s networks.
Source: Cellular-News

Samsung, LG launch Android Wear Smartwatches

During the I/O Keynote, Google announced that LG’s G Watch and newly announced Samsung Gear Live will be now available on the Play Store. The Samsung Galaxy Live will be available for $199 and LG’s G Watch will be priced at $229. Along with that, Google announced that the Moto 360 smartwatch will be available “later this summer.” It’s unclear why Motorola wasn’t able to launch alongside the two smartwatches mentioned above. No pricing was mentioned for the Moto 360.
Source: newvision

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ZTE Wins 4G Contract in Dominican Republic

ZTE has won a contract from Wind Telecom to build the first TD LTE based 4G network in the Dominican Republic. Under the multi-year contract, ZTE will help Wind Telecom deploy a TD-LTE network in 2.5 – 2.7 GHz spectrum covering major cities and rural areas of Dominican, as well as provide 4G mobile devices. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Source: Cellular-News

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ZTE Seeking to Have Vringo Patents Overturned in China

China’s patent office is reviewing an application by ZTE to have 32 patents claimed by the former ringtone company, Vringo declared invalid. The two companies have been fighting over patents in a number of countries since 2012. ZTE has also initiated patent invalidation litigations against Vringo in courts in the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia. In parallel to the concerted global patent invalidation action, ZTE has filed an antitrust complaint with the European Commission, requesting the regulator to investigate the licensing practices of Vringo in light of concerns that these practices are impeding fair competition in the telecommunications market.
Source: Cellular-News

Huawei and NSN trial VoLTE for Zain Kuwait

Zain Kuwait has announced the successful trial of what it claims to be ‘the first ever [use of] voice-over-Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) technology in Kuwait’. The trial took place in partnership with equipment vendors Huawei and Nokia Solutions and Networks (NSN). The company tested VoLTE in a live environment in order to showcase the technology’s superior calling capability, ahead of a promised commercial launch, which will take place in ‘due course’. Zain is planning to introduce the technology on a commercial basis as soon as VoLTE-enabled handsets become available.

Source: TeleGeography

Ericsson’s 5G Test Network Delivers 5Gbps Download Speeds

The first 5G networks are not expected until 2020, but Ericsson has already achieved speeds of 5Gbps in live, over the air demonstrations of the company’s pre standard 5G network technology. The live demonstration employs an innovative new radio interface concept and advanced Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) technology to achieve the record-breaking results. Ericsson 5G network development activity includes new antenna technologies with wider bandwidths, higher frequencies and shorter transmission time intervals. Radio base stations built with baseband units and radio units are being developed specifically for 5G trials. Small cells in a heterogeneous network environment, new frequency bands (including 15 GHz) and high-speed, high-capacity backhaul transmission are also key 5G focus areas for Ericsson.
Source: Cellular-News

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Nokia Networks Claims Lead As China Mobile’s Largest Non-Chinese 4G Network Vendor

Nokia Networks says that it is now the top non-Chinese vendor in the second phase of a significant TD LTE tender with China Mobile, although it declined to offer any details about the value of the contract. The company simply stated that it had secured an unspecified, but double-digit share of China Mobile’s recent network tender and will cover 18 out of 31 provinces. The contract covers Nokia’s indoor and outdoor base stations as well as its cloud-enabled NetAct network management system. Nokia Networks will support China Mobile across the 1.9 GHz, 2.6 GHz and 2.3 GHz frequency bands in both single mode TD-LTE and TD-SCDMA / TD-LTE dual mode implementation. Network implementation, planning & optimization, care and training services are included in the agreement.
Source: Cellular-News

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