Avea embraces hi-tech with the launch of new Teknopark
Avea, one of Turkey’s leading mobile phone networks, launched "Avea Teknopark," its new technology center, at a press conference held Tuesday.
Speaking at the conference, Avea chief executive Cüneyt Türktan said the firm had invested $18 million in the project. "With this Teknopark, we have not only developed our technologic facilities, but also our infrastructure," he said.
The building contains a research and development center, network centers, information technology services and added value departments. Türktan said the building was environmentally friendly, thanks to special systems working in accordance with the different seasons.
"Thanks to this feature, we can also economize," he said, adding that the Teknopark would support innovation in the industry. The center currently employs 550 people, but the figure is expected to rise.
"In this building we have a surveillance center from which we can observe closely all the base stations and Turkish networks," said Kemal Erman, director of Avea Network.
"This system helps us to understand and follow the problems in the networks," he said. "We have created new costing and billing systems for our clients," Türktan said.
"Apart from delivering quality communication, with our infrastructure and advantageous billing systems we have become the most preferred operator in Turkey."
Noting that Avea was trying to support the communications sector in Turkey, Erman said the firm had recently created new tariffs and used a package-based approach. "Right now we are readying our infrastructure for development," he told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. "We are trying to improve our infrastructure further and Turkey has a good international record in this area."
26 May 2009
Turkcell - Decline in Customers As Churn Hits All-time High
Turkcell - Decline in Customers As Churn Hits All-time High
¬The first quarter of the year is traditionally the weakest for growth for Turkcell, Turkey's market leader, but Q1 09 was a particularly poor quarter. The quarterly loss of 0.6m customers was only the second ever suffered by the company, with the first being in Q1 08 (-0.3m). In both Q1 08 and Q1 09, it was the prepaid base which suffered the entire loss. In fact, the contract base has grown with remarkable consistency, adding 0.3m in the past four quarters, although it is worth mentioning that Turkcell only reports numbers to the nearest 0.1m. At the end of Q1 09, the prepaid base stood at 28.6m . unchanged year on year . while the contract base was up 18.2% to 7.8m. Total customer growth stood at 3.7%, down from 9.0% a year earlier.
Turkcell's KPIs present a mixed bag. Churn hit an all-time high of 8.2% per quarter, up from 7.2% in Q1 08. However, blended ARPU was up 8.9% to TRY17.1 and prepaid was up 15.2% to TRY10.6. Contract was still down, however, a 7.0% fall taking the Q1 09 figure to TRY41.4.
Turkcell also holds stakes in Astelit, Ukraine's third largest operator, and Fintur, which operates networks in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Georgia. Astelit saw a 22.3% rise in registered customers to 11.5m, but active customers grew by 37.9% to 8.0m. Both registered and active ARPUs fell, however, the former dropping 30.3% to USD2.30 and the latter falling 35.2% to USD3.50. Meanwhile, Moldcell of Moldova appeared to perform the best of the Fintur operations with 20% annual growth; however, more detailed figures from TeliaSonera, Fintur's joint owner, show that the operation grew by just 4.8% from 0.54m to 0.57m (rather than 0.5m to 0.6m, as Turkcell portrayed it).
The fastest growing operator was in fact Georgia's Geocell, which was up 14.4% to just under 1.6m. Azercell (Azerbaijan) grew 13.4% to 3.58m and K-Cell (Kazakhstan) was up 9.0% to 7.06m.
Turkcell's total revenue was up 12.3% to TRY2,103m and EBITDA grew 12.6% to TRY774m. Both Fintur and Astelit saw declines in revenue, although since both are reported in dollars, currency fluctuations do have a part to play here.
¬The first quarter of the year is traditionally the weakest for growth for Turkcell, Turkey's market leader, but Q1 09 was a particularly poor quarter. The quarterly loss of 0.6m customers was only the second ever suffered by the company, with the first being in Q1 08 (-0.3m). In both Q1 08 and Q1 09, it was the prepaid base which suffered the entire loss. In fact, the contract base has grown with remarkable consistency, adding 0.3m in the past four quarters, although it is worth mentioning that Turkcell only reports numbers to the nearest 0.1m. At the end of Q1 09, the prepaid base stood at 28.6m . unchanged year on year . while the contract base was up 18.2% to 7.8m. Total customer growth stood at 3.7%, down from 9.0% a year earlier.
Turkcell's KPIs present a mixed bag. Churn hit an all-time high of 8.2% per quarter, up from 7.2% in Q1 08. However, blended ARPU was up 8.9% to TRY17.1 and prepaid was up 15.2% to TRY10.6. Contract was still down, however, a 7.0% fall taking the Q1 09 figure to TRY41.4.
Turkcell also holds stakes in Astelit, Ukraine's third largest operator, and Fintur, which operates networks in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Georgia. Astelit saw a 22.3% rise in registered customers to 11.5m, but active customers grew by 37.9% to 8.0m. Both registered and active ARPUs fell, however, the former dropping 30.3% to USD2.30 and the latter falling 35.2% to USD3.50. Meanwhile, Moldcell of Moldova appeared to perform the best of the Fintur operations with 20% annual growth; however, more detailed figures from TeliaSonera, Fintur's joint owner, show that the operation grew by just 4.8% from 0.54m to 0.57m (rather than 0.5m to 0.6m, as Turkcell portrayed it).
The fastest growing operator was in fact Georgia's Geocell, which was up 14.4% to just under 1.6m. Azercell (Azerbaijan) grew 13.4% to 3.58m and K-Cell (Kazakhstan) was up 9.0% to 7.06m.
Turkcell's total revenue was up 12.3% to TRY2,103m and EBITDA grew 12.6% to TRY774m. Both Fintur and Astelit saw declines in revenue, although since both are reported in dollars, currency fluctuations do have a part to play here.
Turkcell may seek legal action against regulator
Turkcell may seek legal action against regulator
reuters.com
Turkcell, Turkey's biggest mobile phone operator, is considering taking legal action against the state regulator because of its policies on retail prices, the company said on Tuesday. Turkcell didn't specify in its filing with the Istanbul Stock Exchange to which actions by the Ankara-based Information and Communication Technologies Authorities (BTK) it was referring. The BTK on May 1 lowered the call-termination fees Turkcell applies to competitors by 28 percent after Turk Telekom, the landline monopoly, opened a case. "We believe that some of the BTK decisions amount to interference in our retail prices and the decisions may not be in line with licence agreements and the rules of fair competition," Turkcell said in the filing. "Therefore we are considering using legal means to protect our rights," it said, without elaborating.
reuters.com
Turkcell, Turkey's biggest mobile phone operator, is considering taking legal action against the state regulator because of its policies on retail prices, the company said on Tuesday. Turkcell didn't specify in its filing with the Istanbul Stock Exchange to which actions by the Ankara-based Information and Communication Technologies Authorities (BTK) it was referring. The BTK on May 1 lowered the call-termination fees Turkcell applies to competitors by 28 percent after Turk Telekom, the landline monopoly, opened a case. "We believe that some of the BTK decisions amount to interference in our retail prices and the decisions may not be in line with licence agreements and the rules of fair competition," Turkcell said in the filing. "Therefore we are considering using legal means to protect our rights," it said, without elaborating.
25 May 2009
Google yeni patenti ile neyi hedefliyor?
Google yeni patenti ile neyi hedefliyor?
chip.com.tr
Google'ın netteyken bilgilerinizi topladığını mı düşünüyorsunuz? Öyleyse bu habere sinirleneceksiniz.
Google, pek çok aracı sayesinde internet üzerinde kullanıcıların ne yaptıklarını ve farklı konudaki eğilimlerinin ne yönde olduğunu takip edebiliyor. Fakat dev firmanın aldığı yeni bir patent artık internette olmadığını zamanları da takip etmeye hazırlandığını gösteriyor.
Akıllı telefonlar için geliştirilen pek çok uygulama aslında pek çok ilginç özellik sağlıyor. Bunlar arasında gelen aramaları saate göre farklı bir telefona yönlendirerek iş saati dışında aramaları kabul etmemeyi sağlama, GPS ile bulunduğunuz nokta tespit edilerek telefon ayarlarını otomatik değiştirme gibi uygulamalar da var. Fakat Google'ın Android işletim sistemi ile kullanılmasını düşündüğü proje biraz daha farklı.
Detaylarına ABD patent ofisinin ilgili sayfasından ulaşabileceğiniz Google'ın yeni projesi, cep telefonunuzun hareketlerinden o anda ne yapmakta olduğunuzu anlamayı planlıyor. Google bir hızölçer ile cep telefonunun hareketlerini tespit etmeyi ve buna göre farklı işlemler gerçekleştirmeyi hedefliyor. Her ne kadar hızölçerler şu an için sınırlı yeteneklere sahip olsa da, zaman içerisinde çok daha farklı becerilere kavuşacakları sağlanıyor. Google'ın şu anda hızölçer ile tespit edilebilecek farklı hareketleri tanımlayacak bir veri tabanı oluşturmak üzerinde çalıştığı da söyleniyor.
Fakat bu şu an için sadece bir patent ve Google'ın tam olarak neyi hedeflediğini net bir şekilde açıklamıyor. Yine de Google gibi veri toplamayı seven bir firmanın bu topladığı veriler için çok ilginç kullanım yöntemleri bulacağına şüphe yok.
chip.com.tr
Google'ın netteyken bilgilerinizi topladığını mı düşünüyorsunuz? Öyleyse bu habere sinirleneceksiniz.
Google, pek çok aracı sayesinde internet üzerinde kullanıcıların ne yaptıklarını ve farklı konudaki eğilimlerinin ne yönde olduğunu takip edebiliyor. Fakat dev firmanın aldığı yeni bir patent artık internette olmadığını zamanları da takip etmeye hazırlandığını gösteriyor.
Akıllı telefonlar için geliştirilen pek çok uygulama aslında pek çok ilginç özellik sağlıyor. Bunlar arasında gelen aramaları saate göre farklı bir telefona yönlendirerek iş saati dışında aramaları kabul etmemeyi sağlama, GPS ile bulunduğunuz nokta tespit edilerek telefon ayarlarını otomatik değiştirme gibi uygulamalar da var. Fakat Google'ın Android işletim sistemi ile kullanılmasını düşündüğü proje biraz daha farklı.
Detaylarına ABD patent ofisinin ilgili sayfasından ulaşabileceğiniz Google'ın yeni projesi, cep telefonunuzun hareketlerinden o anda ne yapmakta olduğunuzu anlamayı planlıyor. Google bir hızölçer ile cep telefonunun hareketlerini tespit etmeyi ve buna göre farklı işlemler gerçekleştirmeyi hedefliyor. Her ne kadar hızölçerler şu an için sınırlı yeteneklere sahip olsa da, zaman içerisinde çok daha farklı becerilere kavuşacakları sağlanıyor. Google'ın şu anda hızölçer ile tespit edilebilecek farklı hareketleri tanımlayacak bir veri tabanı oluşturmak üzerinde çalıştığı da söyleniyor.
Fakat bu şu an için sadece bir patent ve Google'ın tam olarak neyi hedeflediğini net bir şekilde açıklamıyor. Yine de Google gibi veri toplamayı seven bir firmanın bu topladığı veriler için çok ilginç kullanım yöntemleri bulacağına şüphe yok.
Alcatel jumps into Mobile Ad with Location Based Services
Alcatel jumps into Mobile Ad with Location Based Services
By SARA SILVER and EMILY STEEL
Alcatel-Lucent is entering the much-hyped market for mobile advertising with a service that will let cellphone carriers offer their customers tailored alerts about a sale at a favorite store or a bank's closest ATM.
The new service, which the big French telecom-equipment maker plans to announce Thursday, will be managed by 1020 Placecast, a San Francisco-based developer of cellphone and online ads tied to a user's location. The closely held firm's clients include Hyatt, FedEx and Avis Rent A Car System.
Alcatel-Lucent's technology identifies cellphone users within a specified distance of an advertiser's nearest outlet and notifies them of the address and phone number. The ad can also include a link to a coupon or other promotion.
The service might be programmed to reach drivers within five miles of a Walnut Creek, Calif., bank or pedestrians within a five-minute walk of a Manhattan shoe store.
The service's debut comes as phone-gear makers are turning to developing services to make up for declining profits from selling equipment. Last fall, Nokia started selling mobile display ads targeted to consumers in 10 metro areas in the U.S. Navteq, a digital-map data company owned by Nokia, has started selling targeted mobile ads based on a consumer's location.
Wireless carriers, meanwhile, are seeking a cut of the revenues from these services.
"This is a vehicle that lets [carriers] extend their network assets" and "grab a share of the revenues that would normally be outside of their reach," says Gani Nayak, president of Alcatel's Rich Communications business. Alcatel will host the new service, testing revenue-sharing models.
Alcatel's service differs from most mobile-ad set-ups because its ads will be beamed only to cellular customers who sign up for them. They can specify when and how frequently they want to receive ads, and from which vendors. A customer could elect to get retail announcements at lunchtime and movie promotions on evenings and weekends.
Amid privacy concerns, marketers are under increasing pressure to limit their digital ads to customers who "opt in," and to make their ads more relevant to those customers. "If [consumers] opt out, the odds that you hear from them ever again are low," says Phuc Truong, managing director at Mobext, a mobile-marketing network of French ad company Havas. "You have one shot to do things right."
In recent years, dozens of companies have raised capital on the premise that advertisers are eager to reach cellphone consumers, whether through text messages or mobile Web sites. If such advertising is targeted to a specific location, rather than citywide, consumers there are three to 10 times as likely to click through the ads, according to Michael Boland, program director of research firm Kelsey Group.
"I call it marketing as a service, not marketing as an intrusion," says Alistair Goodman, chief executive of 1020 Placecast, which uses such factors as neighborhood demographics and the weather to target its ads.
Alcatel and 1020 Placecast hope the service can overcome some of the barriers that have kept mobile advertising a minuscule, though fast-growing, slice of the online-ad market. U.S. mobile ad spending this year is expected to grow 17% from a year earlier to $760 million, according to research firm eMarketer. That compares with a projected $24.5 billion for the U.S. online-ad market.
The spread of high-speed wireless networks and devices with global-positioning chips that pinpoint a user's location hold the promise of creating enough of an audience to justify location-based ad spending. And the popularity of applications running on Apple's iPhone, Research in Motion's BlackBerry devices and other smartphones shows that consumers are accessing mobile information in droves.
For now, however, the technology for location-based ads is running ahead of demand. Ad executives say they need to see more research on how targeting ads based on location translates into sales.
"The question is always the same: Can we drive more sales?" says Alexandre Mars, head of mobile advertising at ad holding company Publicis Groupe and chief executive of its Phonevalley mobile-marketing agency.
Alcatel-Lucent says it is in talks with carriers to start trials this summer, but it declined to identify them. Placecast is also seeking initial advertisers through ad agencies such as AKQA, which runs mobile campaigns for Target, Gap and Diageo's Smirnoff vodka.
By SARA SILVER and EMILY STEEL
Alcatel-Lucent is entering the much-hyped market for mobile advertising with a service that will let cellphone carriers offer their customers tailored alerts about a sale at a favorite store or a bank's closest ATM.
The new service, which the big French telecom-equipment maker plans to announce Thursday, will be managed by 1020 Placecast, a San Francisco-based developer of cellphone and online ads tied to a user's location. The closely held firm's clients include Hyatt, FedEx and Avis Rent A Car System.
Alcatel-Lucent's technology identifies cellphone users within a specified distance of an advertiser's nearest outlet and notifies them of the address and phone number. The ad can also include a link to a coupon or other promotion.
The service might be programmed to reach drivers within five miles of a Walnut Creek, Calif., bank or pedestrians within a five-minute walk of a Manhattan shoe store.
The service's debut comes as phone-gear makers are turning to developing services to make up for declining profits from selling equipment. Last fall, Nokia started selling mobile display ads targeted to consumers in 10 metro areas in the U.S. Navteq, a digital-map data company owned by Nokia, has started selling targeted mobile ads based on a consumer's location.
Wireless carriers, meanwhile, are seeking a cut of the revenues from these services.
"This is a vehicle that lets [carriers] extend their network assets" and "grab a share of the revenues that would normally be outside of their reach," says Gani Nayak, president of Alcatel's Rich Communications business. Alcatel will host the new service, testing revenue-sharing models.
Alcatel's service differs from most mobile-ad set-ups because its ads will be beamed only to cellular customers who sign up for them. They can specify when and how frequently they want to receive ads, and from which vendors. A customer could elect to get retail announcements at lunchtime and movie promotions on evenings and weekends.
Amid privacy concerns, marketers are under increasing pressure to limit their digital ads to customers who "opt in," and to make their ads more relevant to those customers. "If [consumers] opt out, the odds that you hear from them ever again are low," says Phuc Truong, managing director at Mobext, a mobile-marketing network of French ad company Havas. "You have one shot to do things right."
In recent years, dozens of companies have raised capital on the premise that advertisers are eager to reach cellphone consumers, whether through text messages or mobile Web sites. If such advertising is targeted to a specific location, rather than citywide, consumers there are three to 10 times as likely to click through the ads, according to Michael Boland, program director of research firm Kelsey Group.
"I call it marketing as a service, not marketing as an intrusion," says Alistair Goodman, chief executive of 1020 Placecast, which uses such factors as neighborhood demographics and the weather to target its ads.
Alcatel and 1020 Placecast hope the service can overcome some of the barriers that have kept mobile advertising a minuscule, though fast-growing, slice of the online-ad market. U.S. mobile ad spending this year is expected to grow 17% from a year earlier to $760 million, according to research firm eMarketer. That compares with a projected $24.5 billion for the U.S. online-ad market.
The spread of high-speed wireless networks and devices with global-positioning chips that pinpoint a user's location hold the promise of creating enough of an audience to justify location-based ad spending. And the popularity of applications running on Apple's iPhone, Research in Motion's BlackBerry devices and other smartphones shows that consumers are accessing mobile information in droves.
For now, however, the technology for location-based ads is running ahead of demand. Ad executives say they need to see more research on how targeting ads based on location translates into sales.
"The question is always the same: Can we drive more sales?" says Alexandre Mars, head of mobile advertising at ad holding company Publicis Groupe and chief executive of its Phonevalley mobile-marketing agency.
Alcatel-Lucent says it is in talks with carriers to start trials this summer, but it declined to identify them. Placecast is also seeking initial advertisers through ad agencies such as AKQA, which runs mobile campaigns for Target, Gap and Diageo's Smirnoff vodka.
WiMAX to Act as DSL Substitute, Says Juniper
WiMAX to Act as DSL Substitute, Says Juniper
Juniper reports that up to 12% of the global DSL installed base will be substituted by WiMAX by 2013. The Far East will lead with over one fifth of the 47m subscribers in 2013.
A region by region analysis by Juniper Research found that there is a significant opportunity now for WiMAX as a DSL substitute technology. The study explored how WiMAX is well suited to rapid deployment in the many underserved areas, not only in developing areas, but also in developed countries.
Report author Howard Wilcox said: "WiMAX will be an attractive offer in areas where there are no wired networks, and in areas where the existing DSL speed is suboptimal. WiMAX will solve the broadband access problem for users located at the fringes of DSL coverage. This is in fact the case in a number of developed nations such as UK, USA, Ireland and Scandinavia, and WiMAX network operators are deploying networks to address this market need. Additionally in developing countries - such as India - network operators are aiming to provide basic connectivity."
The vast majority of the WiMAX 802.16e trials and network contracts which are being announced almost daily will begin by providing fixed broadband. Mobile usage will develop after initial demand for fixed and portable services - this will be an added benefit for subscribers.
Highlights from the report include:
• The annual fixed WiMAX global market size will exceed 13m subscribers by 2013
• The WiMAX device market - comprising CPE, chipsets, minicards, and USB dongles - will approach $6bn pa by 2013
• The top 3 regions (Far East, N. America and W. Europe) will represent over 60% of the $20bn p.a. global WiMAX service revenues by 2013
However, Howard Wilcox cautioned: "Brand identification and service differentiation are major marketing challenges facing new WiMAX operators. Many of the existing broadband providers are household names that already have widespread market presence and recognition. WiMAX operators will need to identify and promote their USPs, whilst avoiding entering the market on the basis of price."
The report provides five year regional forecasts for WiMAX 802.16e as a 'local loop' technology, providing data on subscribers, service revenues and devices as well as detailed deployment tables and case studies. Juniper Research interviewed senior executives across a wide range of vendors and operators.
Juniper reports that up to 12% of the global DSL installed base will be substituted by WiMAX by 2013. The Far East will lead with over one fifth of the 47m subscribers in 2013.
A region by region analysis by Juniper Research found that there is a significant opportunity now for WiMAX as a DSL substitute technology. The study explored how WiMAX is well suited to rapid deployment in the many underserved areas, not only in developing areas, but also in developed countries.
Report author Howard Wilcox said: "WiMAX will be an attractive offer in areas where there are no wired networks, and in areas where the existing DSL speed is suboptimal. WiMAX will solve the broadband access problem for users located at the fringes of DSL coverage. This is in fact the case in a number of developed nations such as UK, USA, Ireland and Scandinavia, and WiMAX network operators are deploying networks to address this market need. Additionally in developing countries - such as India - network operators are aiming to provide basic connectivity."
The vast majority of the WiMAX 802.16e trials and network contracts which are being announced almost daily will begin by providing fixed broadband. Mobile usage will develop after initial demand for fixed and portable services - this will be an added benefit for subscribers.
Highlights from the report include:
• The annual fixed WiMAX global market size will exceed 13m subscribers by 2013
• The WiMAX device market - comprising CPE, chipsets, minicards, and USB dongles - will approach $6bn pa by 2013
• The top 3 regions (Far East, N. America and W. Europe) will represent over 60% of the $20bn p.a. global WiMAX service revenues by 2013
However, Howard Wilcox cautioned: "Brand identification and service differentiation are major marketing challenges facing new WiMAX operators. Many of the existing broadband providers are household names that already have widespread market presence and recognition. WiMAX operators will need to identify and promote their USPs, whilst avoiding entering the market on the basis of price."
The report provides five year regional forecasts for WiMAX 802.16e as a 'local loop' technology, providing data on subscribers, service revenues and devices as well as detailed deployment tables and case studies. Juniper Research interviewed senior executives across a wide range of vendors and operators.
World's first commercial 4G/LTE site unveiled in Sweden by Ericsson and TeliaSonera
World's first commercial 4G/LTE site unveiled in Sweden by Ericsson and TeliaSonera
Ericsson and TeliaSonera have unveiled the world's first commercial Long-Term Evolution (LTE) site in Stockholm, Sweden - an important milestone in making the mobile digital highway a reality. LTE will transform the mobile-broadband user experience, providing the ultra-high data speeds needed for services such as internet TV, mobile video blogging, on-line video games and the mobile office environment.
The site will be part of a commercial network scheduled to go live in 2010, bringing data rates far above what is possible in today's mobile broadband networks and allowing Stockholmers to stay connected and enjoy seamless, high-quality, online services even while on the move. Ulf Ewaldsson, Vice President and Head of Product Area Radio at Ericsson, says: "The unveiling of this site shows that LTE is no longer the story of the future; it is the story of today. Ericsson, as a leader in LTE development, is proud to work with TeliaSonera to bring a commercial LTE network to life."
Erik Hallberg, Senior Vice President and Head of TeliaSonera Mobility Services in Sweden, says: "Being at the forefront of broadband evolution means our customers will be the first to benefit from this groundbreaking technology. This first LTE site is a key step towards further enhancing Sweden's fastest mobile broadband network." LTE enables unprecedented performance in terms of peak data rates, spectrum efficiency and delay. Ericsson has already demonstrated peak rates of 160Mbps. LTE can be deployed both in new and existing frequency bands and is designed to minimize the cost of network operation and maintenance. The evolution of mobile broadband is an integral factor in building sustainable cities that minimize the use of energy and reduce CO2 emissions.
Ericsson and TeliaSonera have unveiled the world's first commercial Long-Term Evolution (LTE) site in Stockholm, Sweden - an important milestone in making the mobile digital highway a reality. LTE will transform the mobile-broadband user experience, providing the ultra-high data speeds needed for services such as internet TV, mobile video blogging, on-line video games and the mobile office environment.
The site will be part of a commercial network scheduled to go live in 2010, bringing data rates far above what is possible in today's mobile broadband networks and allowing Stockholmers to stay connected and enjoy seamless, high-quality, online services even while on the move. Ulf Ewaldsson, Vice President and Head of Product Area Radio at Ericsson, says: "The unveiling of this site shows that LTE is no longer the story of the future; it is the story of today. Ericsson, as a leader in LTE development, is proud to work with TeliaSonera to bring a commercial LTE network to life."
Erik Hallberg, Senior Vice President and Head of TeliaSonera Mobility Services in Sweden, says: "Being at the forefront of broadband evolution means our customers will be the first to benefit from this groundbreaking technology. This first LTE site is a key step towards further enhancing Sweden's fastest mobile broadband network." LTE enables unprecedented performance in terms of peak data rates, spectrum efficiency and delay. Ericsson has already demonstrated peak rates of 160Mbps. LTE can be deployed both in new and existing frequency bands and is designed to minimize the cost of network operation and maintenance. The evolution of mobile broadband is an integral factor in building sustainable cities that minimize the use of energy and reduce CO2 emissions.
22 May 2009
Kyivstar & MTS continue to lose ground to Turkcell-controlled Astelit in Ukraine
Ukraine mobile users drop 261,000 in April
By Will Bland
Subscribers fall to 55.17m as Kyivstar, MTS continue to lose ground to Astelit. The number of Ukrainian mobile phone subscribers fell by 261,000 in April to 55.17 million, consultants Advanced Communications & Media said Monday.
The country's two biggest operators, Kyivstar, controlled by Norway's Telenor ASA and OAO Mobile TeleSystems, continued to lose market share to Turkcell-controlled Astelit.
AC&M gave the following breakdown of the largest operators' subscriber numbers in the country.
By Will Bland
Subscribers fall to 55.17m as Kyivstar, MTS continue to lose ground to Astelit. The number of Ukrainian mobile phone subscribers fell by 261,000 in April to 55.17 million, consultants Advanced Communications & Media said Monday.
The country's two biggest operators, Kyivstar, controlled by Norway's Telenor ASA and OAO Mobile TeleSystems, continued to lose market share to Turkcell-controlled Astelit.
AC&M gave the following breakdown of the largest operators' subscriber numbers in the country.
Operator March April
Kyivstar 23.05m 22.85m
MTS 17.94m 17.82m
Astelit 11.48m 11.52m
VimpelCom 1.89m 1.88m
Broadband Around the World
Broadband Around the World
By Catherine Rampell
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development today released its latest data on broadband access. For broadband penetration, the United States is in the middle of the pack, slightly above average for O.E.C.D. member countries:
By Catherine Rampell
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development today released its latest data on broadband access. For broadband penetration, the United States is in the middle of the pack, slightly above average for O.E.C.D. member countries:
Source: O.E.C.D.
But perhaps this makes sense, given that the United States is in and of itself an unevenly developed country. As for affordability, the United States has monthly broadband subscription fees that are slightly more expensive than the average for the O.E.C.D.:
But perhaps this makes sense, given that the United States is in and of itself an unevenly developed country. As for affordability, the United States has monthly broadband subscription fees that are slightly more expensive than the average for the O.E.C.D.:
Source O.E.C.D
19 May 2009
Vodafone & T-Mobile plan mobile VoIP tariffs, instead of blocking
Vodafone & T-Mobile plan mobile VoIP tariffs, instead of blocking
Vodafone Germany and T-Mobile Germany are retreating from their position that they would not sell Nokia devices with Skype included, according to reports in the German press. Both operators have said that they are looking into offering special tariffs for mobile VoIP use instead of blocking all VoIP services for their mobile internet customers.
Vodafone Germany and T-Mobile Germany are retreating from their position that they would not sell Nokia devices with Skype included, according to reports in the German press. Both operators have said that they are looking into offering special tariffs for mobile VoIP use instead of blocking all VoIP services for their mobile internet customers.
18 May 2009
Turk Telekom eyes $1 bln expansion in Eastern Europe
Turk Telekom eyes $1 bln expansion in Eastern Europe
By Moira Sidoti and John Irish
Turkish fixed-line telephone operator Turk Telekom has its sights set on Eastern Europe as it looks to invest as much as $1 billion in acquisitions, an executive from its majority shareholder said.
Oger Telecom chief business development officer Hakam Kanafani told Reuters Financial Television on Saturday that Turk Telekom was studying possible opportunities coming up in Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Romania and Bulgaria.
"In the CIS nations, Asia and the Middle East in general, this is where the growth will happen on the telecommunication and internet side," Kanafani said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea, Jordan.
"Turk Telekom is looking to expand in regions around Turkey." Earlier this year, Turk Telekom's general assembly mandated the management board to make up to $1 billion in acquisitions in 2009. In March, the company submitted a preliminary, non-binding bid for Macedonian mobile phone operator Cosmofon.
Purchase plans coincide with a sharp slowdown in the Turkish economy due to the global financial crisis which has resulted in companies scaling back their investment plans.
Turkish unemployment jumped to a record high of 16.1 percent in the January-March period due to a sharp contraction in the economy.
"I'm not sure whether it will be spent or not but these are sort of opportunities we're looking at in 2009 and 2010," Kanafani said. He said investments could happen once the banking system is "back on its feet."
"There are six million subscribers of ADSL (internet) and based on that that's where we'll be based geographically."
Saudi Telecom Co 7010.SE bought a 35 percent stake in Oger Telecom for about $2.56 billion last year as the former monopoly operator sought to expand into new markets.
Kanafani said Oger was not planning to sell a further stake.
Turk Telekom, controlled by Dubai-based Oger, was listed on the Istanbul bourse in May 2008 when the government reduced its stake to 30 percent by listing a 15 percent holding.
By Moira Sidoti and John Irish
Turkish fixed-line telephone operator Turk Telekom has its sights set on Eastern Europe as it looks to invest as much as $1 billion in acquisitions, an executive from its majority shareholder said.
Oger Telecom chief business development officer Hakam Kanafani told Reuters Financial Television on Saturday that Turk Telekom was studying possible opportunities coming up in Kosovo, Kazakhstan, Romania and Bulgaria.
"In the CIS nations, Asia and the Middle East in general, this is where the growth will happen on the telecommunication and internet side," Kanafani said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea, Jordan.
"Turk Telekom is looking to expand in regions around Turkey." Earlier this year, Turk Telekom's general assembly mandated the management board to make up to $1 billion in acquisitions in 2009. In March, the company submitted a preliminary, non-binding bid for Macedonian mobile phone operator Cosmofon.
Purchase plans coincide with a sharp slowdown in the Turkish economy due to the global financial crisis which has resulted in companies scaling back their investment plans.
Turkish unemployment jumped to a record high of 16.1 percent in the January-March period due to a sharp contraction in the economy.
"I'm not sure whether it will be spent or not but these are sort of opportunities we're looking at in 2009 and 2010," Kanafani said. He said investments could happen once the banking system is "back on its feet."
"There are six million subscribers of ADSL (internet) and based on that that's where we'll be based geographically."
Saudi Telecom Co 7010.SE bought a 35 percent stake in Oger Telecom for about $2.56 billion last year as the former monopoly operator sought to expand into new markets.
Kanafani said Oger was not planning to sell a further stake.
Turk Telekom, controlled by Dubai-based Oger, was listed on the Istanbul bourse in May 2008 when the government reduced its stake to 30 percent by listing a 15 percent holding.
AT&T to offer cloud-based storage as a service
AT&T to offer cloud-based storage as a service
by Jim Finkle
AT&T Inc, the biggest U.S. telephone company, plans to offer Web-based data storage services for corporations using "cloud computing" technologies developed by data storage equipment maker EMC Corp.
The telecommunications giant will join International Business Machines Corp, Amazon.com Inc, Symantec Corp, Iron Mountain Inc and others in offering storage as a service product, which allow companies to use the Internet to transfer information to remote storage facilities. AT&T said on Monday it will initially run the service from two data centers in the United states, although the company intends to expand overseas.
It is still early days for the industry. Market researcher Gartner forecasts that revenue from cloud-based storage and backup services will rise 22 percent this year to about $400 million. Cloud-based storage services charge companies for space as they use it at an agreed rate per gigabyte per month, rather than requiring them to purchase storage equipment in advance or pay for maintaining that gear.
by Jim Finkle
AT&T Inc, the biggest U.S. telephone company, plans to offer Web-based data storage services for corporations using "cloud computing" technologies developed by data storage equipment maker EMC Corp.
The telecommunications giant will join International Business Machines Corp, Amazon.com Inc, Symantec Corp, Iron Mountain Inc and others in offering storage as a service product, which allow companies to use the Internet to transfer information to remote storage facilities. AT&T said on Monday it will initially run the service from two data centers in the United states, although the company intends to expand overseas.
It is still early days for the industry. Market researcher Gartner forecasts that revenue from cloud-based storage and backup services will rise 22 percent this year to about $400 million. Cloud-based storage services charge companies for space as they use it at an agreed rate per gigabyte per month, rather than requiring them to purchase storage equipment in advance or pay for maintaining that gear.
Bharti Airtel Crosses 100 Million Customers Mark
Bharti Airtel Crosses 100 Million Customers Mark
Over the last decade the Indian Telecom sector has grown by leaps and bounds, this is due to its services being very affordable as compared to that of any other country. As a result it is not surprising that Bharti Airtel, India's largest mobile operator has crossed the 100 million customers mark. With this Bharti Airtel becomes the third largest single country mobile services operator and sixth largest in-country integrated telecom operator in the world.
Having reached this milestone, Bharti Airtel has announced a series of network augmentation and customer service initiatives. On the network front, Airtel will roll out 100,000 BTS sites by this year end to set up wider and deeper network coverage across the country. The company is also planning to transform its entire fixed line network to IP/Broadband over a phased manner, which will enable it to offer advanced services like High-speed internet, Triple Play, Media-rich VAS, MPLS, VPN for both Retail and Business customers.
On the customer service front, Airtel has started a set of initiatives to empower the customer and currently it's Self Service Option over SMS. As around 60% of Airtel's customer additions come from rural areas, Airtel has already set up 14,000 Airtel Service Centers and going forward the company is looking at having over 100,000 such centers across the country by March 2010.
Over the last decade the Indian Telecom sector has grown by leaps and bounds, this is due to its services being very affordable as compared to that of any other country. As a result it is not surprising that Bharti Airtel, India's largest mobile operator has crossed the 100 million customers mark. With this Bharti Airtel becomes the third largest single country mobile services operator and sixth largest in-country integrated telecom operator in the world.
Having reached this milestone, Bharti Airtel has announced a series of network augmentation and customer service initiatives. On the network front, Airtel will roll out 100,000 BTS sites by this year end to set up wider and deeper network coverage across the country. The company is also planning to transform its entire fixed line network to IP/Broadband over a phased manner, which will enable it to offer advanced services like High-speed internet, Triple Play, Media-rich VAS, MPLS, VPN for both Retail and Business customers.
On the customer service front, Airtel has started a set of initiatives to empower the customer and currently it's Self Service Option over SMS. As around 60% of Airtel's customer additions come from rural areas, Airtel has already set up 14,000 Airtel Service Centers and going forward the company is looking at having over 100,000 such centers across the country by March 2010.
11 May 2009
Verizon MiFi - Pocket-sized 3G to WiFi Gateway
Verizon Wireless MiFi Lets Wi-Fi Devices Tap 3G Connectivity
by Geoff Duncan
Verizon's forthcoming MiFi 2200 lets up to five Wi-Fi devices - like laptops, phones, media players, gaming devices, and cameras - tap into Verizon's 3G network.
If you've ever been out and about with your Wi-Fi enabled gear, you've probably thought to yourself that it would be cool if you could tap into a mobile 3G network instead of having to hunt around for an open Wi-Fi hotspot. Verizon Wireless has been thinking the same thing, and has just announced its forthcoming MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, a small, portable device that enables up to five nearby Wi-Fi gadgets to tap into Verizon's 3G mobile network to upload photos and video, check email, surf the Web, or tap into digital media. But, of course, all this convenience comes with a price: a two-year contract and bandwidth caps, or paying full price and then $15 every time you want 24 hours' access to Verizon's 3G network.
Developed by Novatel Wireless, the MiFi 2200 is designed to be small enough to fit in a pocket or bag, and features integrated Wi-Fi and CDMA antennas—one for connecting to local Wi-Fi devices, and the other for tapping into Verizon's 3G network. The MiFi 2200 sports a rechargeable battery that Verizon Wireless says can offer up to four hours of connectivity on a single charge and up to 40 hours of standby time.
However, for all its convenience, using the MiFi 2200 won't necessarily come cheap: Verizon Wireless plans to offer it for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate…and that's only if customers sign up for a two-year service contract, just like a mobile phone. Options include paying $39.99 a month for 250 MB of data transfer (plus $0.10 for every megabyte over the limit), or paying $59.99 a month for up to 5 GB of data transfer plus $0.05 for every megabyte over the limit. Leaving out taxes and fees, the MiFi 2200 comes in at over $1,000 over two years—or over $1,500 for two years on the 5 GB data plan. Folks who balk at that price can opt to pay "full retail price" for the MiF 2200—Verizon Wireless hasn't said what that might be—then pay Verizon $15 every time they want to access Verizon's 3G network for a 24-hour period.
The MiFi 2200 is scheduled to go on sale May 17.
by Geoff Duncan
Verizon's forthcoming MiFi 2200 lets up to five Wi-Fi devices - like laptops, phones, media players, gaming devices, and cameras - tap into Verizon's 3G network.
If you've ever been out and about with your Wi-Fi enabled gear, you've probably thought to yourself that it would be cool if you could tap into a mobile 3G network instead of having to hunt around for an open Wi-Fi hotspot. Verizon Wireless has been thinking the same thing, and has just announced its forthcoming MiFi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, a small, portable device that enables up to five nearby Wi-Fi gadgets to tap into Verizon's 3G mobile network to upload photos and video, check email, surf the Web, or tap into digital media. But, of course, all this convenience comes with a price: a two-year contract and bandwidth caps, or paying full price and then $15 every time you want 24 hours' access to Verizon's 3G network.
Developed by Novatel Wireless, the MiFi 2200 is designed to be small enough to fit in a pocket or bag, and features integrated Wi-Fi and CDMA antennas—one for connecting to local Wi-Fi devices, and the other for tapping into Verizon's 3G network. The MiFi 2200 sports a rechargeable battery that Verizon Wireless says can offer up to four hours of connectivity on a single charge and up to 40 hours of standby time.
However, for all its convenience, using the MiFi 2200 won't necessarily come cheap: Verizon Wireless plans to offer it for $99.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate…and that's only if customers sign up for a two-year service contract, just like a mobile phone. Options include paying $39.99 a month for 250 MB of data transfer (plus $0.10 for every megabyte over the limit), or paying $59.99 a month for up to 5 GB of data transfer plus $0.05 for every megabyte over the limit. Leaving out taxes and fees, the MiFi 2200 comes in at over $1,000 over two years—or over $1,500 for two years on the 5 GB data plan. Folks who balk at that price can opt to pay "full retail price" for the MiF 2200—Verizon Wireless hasn't said what that might be—then pay Verizon $15 every time they want to access Verizon's 3G network for a 24-hour period.
The MiFi 2200 is scheduled to go on sale May 17.
Ericsson: No plans for 3G femtocell
Ericsson: No plans for 3G femtocell
Ericsson said it doesn't understand the business case for 3G femtocells. The infrastructure giant released a GSM femtocell in 2007, but said it would wait to see how the market develops in 2009 to see whether it would follow up with 3G version. With 2009 now here, Ericsson said it still is unconvinced, executives said during the company's Capital Markets Day event in Boston last week.
Ericsson SVP and head of business unit networks Johan Wibergh told Unstrung that at this point, WiFi is solving the problem of improving data coverage in the home, while 2G femtocells serve to improve voice coverage. Ericsson also believes there may be interference problems when users install femtocells in dense areas where 3G networks are already running. Wibergh added that 3G femtocells "might be suitable for rural deployments."
While Ericsson isn't planning on developing any 3G femtocells, Wibergh said the vendor will work with carriers to make other vendors' equipment work with Ericsson infrastructure.
However, Airvana recently released the results of a performance test of the company's HubBub CDMA femtocell that revealed the product can significantly improve indoor 3G coverage and broadband performance when compared with an existing macro-cellular network alone. Airvana said a side-by-side test showed a typical HubBub user can expect to achieve broadband data rates throughout the house of about five times that of the existing wireless macro network.
Signals Research Group has also pointed to considerable cost savings associated with offloading data traffic onto femtocells. The firm's recent study finds the costs savings associated with offloading as little as 1.4 GB of HSPA data or 1.3 GB of EV-DO Rev. A data per month onto a femtocell justifies an operator offering a customer a free femtocell.
Ericsson said it doesn't understand the business case for 3G femtocells. The infrastructure giant released a GSM femtocell in 2007, but said it would wait to see how the market develops in 2009 to see whether it would follow up with 3G version. With 2009 now here, Ericsson said it still is unconvinced, executives said during the company's Capital Markets Day event in Boston last week.
Ericsson SVP and head of business unit networks Johan Wibergh told Unstrung that at this point, WiFi is solving the problem of improving data coverage in the home, while 2G femtocells serve to improve voice coverage. Ericsson also believes there may be interference problems when users install femtocells in dense areas where 3G networks are already running. Wibergh added that 3G femtocells "might be suitable for rural deployments."
While Ericsson isn't planning on developing any 3G femtocells, Wibergh said the vendor will work with carriers to make other vendors' equipment work with Ericsson infrastructure.
However, Airvana recently released the results of a performance test of the company's HubBub CDMA femtocell that revealed the product can significantly improve indoor 3G coverage and broadband performance when compared with an existing macro-cellular network alone. Airvana said a side-by-side test showed a typical HubBub user can expect to achieve broadband data rates throughout the house of about five times that of the existing wireless macro network.
Signals Research Group has also pointed to considerable cost savings associated with offloading data traffic onto femtocells. The firm's recent study finds the costs savings associated with offloading as little as 1.4 GB of HSPA data or 1.3 GB of EV-DO Rev. A data per month onto a femtocell justifies an operator offering a customer a free femtocell.
6 May 2009
Gartner: Mobile VoIP Is Coming, Slowly
Gartner: Mobile VoIP Is Coming, Slowly
Richard Martin
Mobile VoIP services will eventually make up more than half of total mobile voice traffic, according to new research from Gartner – but it’s going to take a decade to reach that point.
“Ten years from now, more than half of mobile voice traffic will be carried end-to-end using VoIP,” said Akshay Sharma, a Gartner research director, in a statement.
The obstacles to more rapid adoption of mobile VoIP include the slow roll out of 4G broadband networks, due in part to the current recession, and the carriers’ hub-and-spoke model of deploying 4G in major metro areas and spreading out from there.
Thus while non-network-based competitors using VoIP will pose a “huge and direct” challenge to the carriers’ nearly $700 billion global voice market, they have plenty of time to adapt if they begin now, says the research firm’s new report, “Emerging Technology Analysis: Mobile VoIP, Global Consumer Communications Services.”
“Mass-scale adoption of end-to-end mobile VoIP calling will not happen until fourth-generation (4G) networks are fully implemented in 2017,” said Tole Hart, research director at Gartner.
Some of the twists and turns that the adoption of mobile VoIP faces were highlighted by a pair of related news developments. In its new set of guidelines for the forthcoming Windows Market for Mobile application store, Microsoft has banned “applications that enable VoIP (Voice over IP) services over a mobile operator network.” Officials of the European Union, meanwhile, have indicated that they will force mobile operators to allow VoIP calls on handsets.
At any rate, voice service may become less paramount over the coming years: “The biggest competitors to mobile VoIP may be text messaging and e-mail,” Gartner stated, because text-based communications are easier, faster, and “less emotional.”
Richard Martin
Mobile VoIP services will eventually make up more than half of total mobile voice traffic, according to new research from Gartner – but it’s going to take a decade to reach that point.
“Ten years from now, more than half of mobile voice traffic will be carried end-to-end using VoIP,” said Akshay Sharma, a Gartner research director, in a statement.
The obstacles to more rapid adoption of mobile VoIP include the slow roll out of 4G broadband networks, due in part to the current recession, and the carriers’ hub-and-spoke model of deploying 4G in major metro areas and spreading out from there.
Thus while non-network-based competitors using VoIP will pose a “huge and direct” challenge to the carriers’ nearly $700 billion global voice market, they have plenty of time to adapt if they begin now, says the research firm’s new report, “Emerging Technology Analysis: Mobile VoIP, Global Consumer Communications Services.”
“Mass-scale adoption of end-to-end mobile VoIP calling will not happen until fourth-generation (4G) networks are fully implemented in 2017,” said Tole Hart, research director at Gartner.
Some of the twists and turns that the adoption of mobile VoIP faces were highlighted by a pair of related news developments. In its new set of guidelines for the forthcoming Windows Market for Mobile application store, Microsoft has banned “applications that enable VoIP (Voice over IP) services over a mobile operator network.” Officials of the European Union, meanwhile, have indicated that they will force mobile operators to allow VoIP calls on handsets.
At any rate, voice service may become less paramount over the coming years: “The biggest competitors to mobile VoIP may be text messaging and e-mail,” Gartner stated, because text-based communications are easier, faster, and “less emotional.”
Alcatel Confident Despite Loss
Alcatel Confident Despite Loss
Though he had to report a $536.6 million loss for the quarter, Alcatel-Lucent chief executive Ben Verwaayen assured investors that his cost-cutting and restructuring plans will continue apace. Investors were heartened by his outlook and shares in the company rose in late trading.
Shares of Alcatel-Lucent rose 0.2%, to 1.96 euros ($2.62), during late trading in Paris on Tuesday, recovering from an early-morning loss of around 6.0%. The stock is still up 36.9% since Feb. 5, buoyed by improved market sentiment surrounding technology companies like Ericsson and Nokia.
On a conference call to announce the results, Verwaayen called 2009 a "transition year" and said it would present a foundation on which to produce much better results. He said that the unsatisfactory quarterly performance would not change the company's 2009 guidance.
"There was nothing new on the call, but the company was confident of being able to reach its goals," said Roland Pitz, an analyst with Unicredit.
Alcatel-Lucent hopes to break even this year on an adjusted operating-profit level, which would exclude restructuring costs, asset write-downs, one-off gains and the knock-on effects of the merger that created the company in the first place. France's Alcatel bought American company Lucent Technologies in 2006, in an all-share deal worth more than $13.0 billion.
The company reported a double-digit decline in North American sales in the first quarter, and said that product mix and volumes had knocked 4.7 percentage points off its gross margin over the year. CEO Verwaayen is trying to slim the company down by slashing management positions and contractors--Alcatel has cut 290 management positions out of a planned 1,000, along with 770 contractors out of a planned 5,000--but he will need to play more cards to fully regain investor confidence.
Sal. Oppenheim analyst Nicolas von Stackelberg said that Alcatel's cash burn over the quarter was a concern, with net debt doubling to 841 million euros ($1.1 billion) in three months--but the company's sale of its stake in Thales should offset the need for more capital.
Though he had to report a $536.6 million loss for the quarter, Alcatel-Lucent chief executive Ben Verwaayen assured investors that his cost-cutting and restructuring plans will continue apace. Investors were heartened by his outlook and shares in the company rose in late trading.
Shares of Alcatel-Lucent rose 0.2%, to 1.96 euros ($2.62), during late trading in Paris on Tuesday, recovering from an early-morning loss of around 6.0%. The stock is still up 36.9% since Feb. 5, buoyed by improved market sentiment surrounding technology companies like Ericsson and Nokia.
On a conference call to announce the results, Verwaayen called 2009 a "transition year" and said it would present a foundation on which to produce much better results. He said that the unsatisfactory quarterly performance would not change the company's 2009 guidance.
"There was nothing new on the call, but the company was confident of being able to reach its goals," said Roland Pitz, an analyst with Unicredit.
Alcatel-Lucent hopes to break even this year on an adjusted operating-profit level, which would exclude restructuring costs, asset write-downs, one-off gains and the knock-on effects of the merger that created the company in the first place. France's Alcatel bought American company Lucent Technologies in 2006, in an all-share deal worth more than $13.0 billion.
The company reported a double-digit decline in North American sales in the first quarter, and said that product mix and volumes had knocked 4.7 percentage points off its gross margin over the year. CEO Verwaayen is trying to slim the company down by slashing management positions and contractors--Alcatel has cut 290 management positions out of a planned 1,000, along with 770 contractors out of a planned 5,000--but he will need to play more cards to fully regain investor confidence.
Sal. Oppenheim analyst Nicolas von Stackelberg said that Alcatel's cash burn over the quarter was a concern, with net debt doubling to 841 million euros ($1.1 billion) in three months--but the company's sale of its stake in Thales should offset the need for more capital.
4 May 2009
First of its kind: Bharti outsourced fixed line network to Alcatel for $500mln
Bharti, Alcatel in $500 mn fixed line network venture
Bharti Airtel, India’s largest telecom service provider, on Thursday announced it is outsourcing its fixedline network to Alcatel Lucent for five years in a $500 million deal.
This is the first deal of its kind in the telecom segment for outsourcing fixedline network to any equipment major.
Bharti Airtel can be termed pioneers of outsourcing networks to vendors. The company has already outsourced management of its mobile networks to Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Network (NSN). Its IT infrastructure is managed by IBM.
The company on Thursday formed a joint venture with global equipment major Alcatel-Lucent to manage Bharti Airtel’s broadband and landline services. “The services would be managed by a joint venture in which Alcatel Lucent would hold 74 per cent, while the remaining 26 per cent would be held by Airtel,” said Manoj Kohli, chief executive officer (CEO) of Bharti Airtel.
The JV would be run by Alcatel Lucent with 4,000 employees, some of whom would come from the network management firm. Employees of Bharti Airtel’s fixed line setup would be transferred to the new JV company.
“It will also help us accelerate performances as we migrate to Next Generation Networks for our broadband and telephone customers, opening the door to advanced services and applications,” said Kohli.
Bharti has over 2.7 million landline users. It operates services in 95 cities. Though, this number is very small compared to its 93 million subscribers of mobile services, the average revenue per user (ARPU) of landline subscribers is very high. For broadband services, it is 21 USD per month compared to ARPU of 6 USD per month for mobile users.
Bharti Airtel, India’s largest telecom service provider, on Thursday announced it is outsourcing its fixedline network to Alcatel Lucent for five years in a $500 million deal.
This is the first deal of its kind in the telecom segment for outsourcing fixedline network to any equipment major.
Bharti Airtel can be termed pioneers of outsourcing networks to vendors. The company has already outsourced management of its mobile networks to Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Network (NSN). Its IT infrastructure is managed by IBM.
The company on Thursday formed a joint venture with global equipment major Alcatel-Lucent to manage Bharti Airtel’s broadband and landline services. “The services would be managed by a joint venture in which Alcatel Lucent would hold 74 per cent, while the remaining 26 per cent would be held by Airtel,” said Manoj Kohli, chief executive officer (CEO) of Bharti Airtel.
The JV would be run by Alcatel Lucent with 4,000 employees, some of whom would come from the network management firm. Employees of Bharti Airtel’s fixed line setup would be transferred to the new JV company.
“It will also help us accelerate performances as we migrate to Next Generation Networks for our broadband and telephone customers, opening the door to advanced services and applications,” said Kohli.
Bharti has over 2.7 million landline users. It operates services in 95 cities. Though, this number is very small compared to its 93 million subscribers of mobile services, the average revenue per user (ARPU) of landline subscribers is very high. For broadband services, it is 21 USD per month compared to ARPU of 6 USD per month for mobile users.
Tellcom ve Süperonline güçlerini birleştirdi
Tellcom ve Süperonline güçlerini birleştirdi
Kendi fiber optik alt yapısına sahip yenilikçi telekom operatörü Tellcom ve gelişmiş ağ yapısıyla Türkiye’de internet erişiminin öncüsü olan Superonline, 01.05.2009 tarihinde güçlerini birleştirdi.
İletişimde süper bir dönem başlatmayı hedefleyen şirket, yoluna Tellcom İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. olarak Superonline markası ile devam edecek.
Birleşme ile Türkiye pazarının en güçlü telekom operatörlerinden biri haline gelen Superonline müşterilerine en yeni iletişim teknolojilerini sunarak hayatlarını kolaylaştırmaya, yaşamlarına hız ve değer katmaya devam etmeyi kurumsal ve bireysel kullanıcılarının ilk tercihi olmayı hedefliyor.
Superonline Genel Müdürü Murat Erkan, telekom sektöründe önemli bir güç birliği olan birleşmeyle ilgili olarak yaptığı açıklamada,
“Turkcell Grup bünyesinde faaliyet gösteren iki şirketimizin birleşmesi ile Superonline’ın sahip olduğu gelişmiş ürün ve servislerini Tellcom’un güçlü altyapısına entegre ederek yolumuza daha da güçlü bir şekilde devam ediyoruz” dedi. Erkan, Superonline’ı rakiplerinden ayıran en önemli noktanın, kendi fiber optik altyapısını kurmak üzere yaptığı yatırımlar olduğunu belirterek bu yatırımlarla sektörün gelişmesinde ve ülkenin kalkınmasında önemli bir rol oynadıklarını, yerleşik operatörün iletişim omurgasına güvenilir bir alternatif oluşturmaya devam edeceklerini belirtti.
Superonline Müşteri Hizmetleri 444 222 0 numarasından hizmet verirken, şirketin web adresi de www.superonline.net olarak yenilendi.
SUPERONLINE Hakkında:
Serbestleşen telekomünikasyon pazarında uygun koşullarda kaliteli iletişim imkânı sunmak hedefiyle, 2004 Haziran’ında Turkcell grup şirketi olarak Tellcom İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. adıyla kuruldu.
Birçok ilke ve öncü çalışmaya imza atan şirket, A Tipi arama hizmetlerini müşterilerine ilk sunan operatör olmanın yanı sıra 2007’de başladığı fiber optik altyapı yatırımları sayesinde Türkiye’de ilk ve tek evlere kadar 100Mbps’a varan internet bağlantısını taşıyan telekom operatörüdür.
1 Mayıs 2009 tarihinde, Türkiye’de internetin öncüsü olan Superonline ile birleşen şirket yoluna, Tellcom İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. olarak Superonline markasıyla devam etme kararı aldı.
Yenilikçi telekom operatörü olan Superonline, bireylere ve kurumlara ses, data ve görüntü alanında iletişim çözümleri sunuyor. Kendi IP omurgasını oluşturmak üzere fiber optik altyapı yatırımlarına hızla devam ediyor kurumsal ve bireysel müşterilerine sadece ürün ve hizmet sunmakla kalmayıp, aynı zamanda teknoloji danışmanlıklarını da yapıyor.
Bireysel müşterilerine ses, data ve internet hizmeti veren Superonline internet erişiminde Türkiye genelinde ADSL, ADSL Double ve kendi kurduğu fiber altyapısı ile geniş bant internet hizmetleri de sunuyor.
Superonline, kurumsal müşterilerinin şehirlerarası, uluslararası ve GSM aramalarının ekonomik bir şekilde gerçekleşmesini sağlıyor geniş hizmet yelpazesi ile ulusal-uluslararası toplu ses taşıma, uluslararası kiralık veri hattı ve yurtdışı bağlantılı geniş bant internet erişim hizmetleri sunuyor. Türkiye’nin önde gelen kurumlarına hizmet veren Superonline şirketlere özel iletişim çözümleri, ürün ve hizmetleriyle kurumsal müşterilerin rekabet gücünü arttırıyor.
Kendi fiber optik alt yapısına sahip yenilikçi telekom operatörü Tellcom ve gelişmiş ağ yapısıyla Türkiye’de internet erişiminin öncüsü olan Superonline, 01.05.2009 tarihinde güçlerini birleştirdi.
İletişimde süper bir dönem başlatmayı hedefleyen şirket, yoluna Tellcom İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. olarak Superonline markası ile devam edecek.
Birleşme ile Türkiye pazarının en güçlü telekom operatörlerinden biri haline gelen Superonline müşterilerine en yeni iletişim teknolojilerini sunarak hayatlarını kolaylaştırmaya, yaşamlarına hız ve değer katmaya devam etmeyi kurumsal ve bireysel kullanıcılarının ilk tercihi olmayı hedefliyor.
Superonline Genel Müdürü Murat Erkan, telekom sektöründe önemli bir güç birliği olan birleşmeyle ilgili olarak yaptığı açıklamada,
“Turkcell Grup bünyesinde faaliyet gösteren iki şirketimizin birleşmesi ile Superonline’ın sahip olduğu gelişmiş ürün ve servislerini Tellcom’un güçlü altyapısına entegre ederek yolumuza daha da güçlü bir şekilde devam ediyoruz” dedi. Erkan, Superonline’ı rakiplerinden ayıran en önemli noktanın, kendi fiber optik altyapısını kurmak üzere yaptığı yatırımlar olduğunu belirterek bu yatırımlarla sektörün gelişmesinde ve ülkenin kalkınmasında önemli bir rol oynadıklarını, yerleşik operatörün iletişim omurgasına güvenilir bir alternatif oluşturmaya devam edeceklerini belirtti.
Superonline Müşteri Hizmetleri 444 222 0 numarasından hizmet verirken, şirketin web adresi de www.superonline.net olarak yenilendi.
SUPERONLINE Hakkında:
Serbestleşen telekomünikasyon pazarında uygun koşullarda kaliteli iletişim imkânı sunmak hedefiyle, 2004 Haziran’ında Turkcell grup şirketi olarak Tellcom İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. adıyla kuruldu.
Birçok ilke ve öncü çalışmaya imza atan şirket, A Tipi arama hizmetlerini müşterilerine ilk sunan operatör olmanın yanı sıra 2007’de başladığı fiber optik altyapı yatırımları sayesinde Türkiye’de ilk ve tek evlere kadar 100Mbps’a varan internet bağlantısını taşıyan telekom operatörüdür.
1 Mayıs 2009 tarihinde, Türkiye’de internetin öncüsü olan Superonline ile birleşen şirket yoluna, Tellcom İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş. olarak Superonline markasıyla devam etme kararı aldı.
Yenilikçi telekom operatörü olan Superonline, bireylere ve kurumlara ses, data ve görüntü alanında iletişim çözümleri sunuyor. Kendi IP omurgasını oluşturmak üzere fiber optik altyapı yatırımlarına hızla devam ediyor kurumsal ve bireysel müşterilerine sadece ürün ve hizmet sunmakla kalmayıp, aynı zamanda teknoloji danışmanlıklarını da yapıyor.
Bireysel müşterilerine ses, data ve internet hizmeti veren Superonline internet erişiminde Türkiye genelinde ADSL, ADSL Double ve kendi kurduğu fiber altyapısı ile geniş bant internet hizmetleri de sunuyor.
Superonline, kurumsal müşterilerinin şehirlerarası, uluslararası ve GSM aramalarının ekonomik bir şekilde gerçekleşmesini sağlıyor geniş hizmet yelpazesi ile ulusal-uluslararası toplu ses taşıma, uluslararası kiralık veri hattı ve yurtdışı bağlantılı geniş bant internet erişim hizmetleri sunuyor. Türkiye’nin önde gelen kurumlarına hizmet veren Superonline şirketlere özel iletişim çözümleri, ürün ve hizmetleriyle kurumsal müşterilerin rekabet gücünü arttırıyor.
T-Mobile develops embedded SIM for wireless M2M apps
T-Mobile develops embedded SIM for wireless M2M apps
By Bernard Cole
" Sensing a new opportunity for wireless in machine to machine designs, T-Mobile USA, Inc. has developed what it says is a first-of-its-kind embedded SIM (subscriber identity module). One of the first customers for the wireless M2M device is control networking provider Echelon.
No larger than the size of a head of a pin, the embedded SIM is designed to withstand challenging environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and motion to deliver reliable wireless connectivity, ideal for vehicle telematics and smart grid infrastructure solutions where environmental factors may reduce reliability and increase maintenance costs of removable SIM-based solutions.
The embedded SIM preserves many of the benefits of a GSM-based SIM solution (authentication, encryption and storage), but at a fraction the size of the traditional SIM found in a mobile phone.
In addition to the much smaller size, the embedded SIM differs from current SIMs in that it's fabricated as an integrated circuit rather than as a larger plastic module with discrete elements.
It is designed to be hard-mounted onto M2M modules, accelerating deployment by allowing customers to go directly from the factory to the field without having to provision and manually insert a SIM card.
Among the first to implement the embedded SIM into its M2M systems is Echelon Corp. The companies have formed an alliance to accelerate the adoption of the smart grid in the North American market by reducing the cost of communicating smart meters using Echelon's Networked Energy Services (NES) system over T-Mobile's GSM cellular service.
"M2M services are experiencing impressive growth, and we've predicted that the US enterprise M2M cellular service market will reach nearly 20 million connections by 2012," said Steve Hilton, vice president of Yankee Group's Anywhere Enterprise research group.
By Bernard Cole
" Sensing a new opportunity for wireless in machine to machine designs, T-Mobile USA, Inc. has developed what it says is a first-of-its-kind embedded SIM (subscriber identity module). One of the first customers for the wireless M2M device is control networking provider Echelon.
No larger than the size of a head of a pin, the embedded SIM is designed to withstand challenging environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and motion to deliver reliable wireless connectivity, ideal for vehicle telematics and smart grid infrastructure solutions where environmental factors may reduce reliability and increase maintenance costs of removable SIM-based solutions.
The embedded SIM preserves many of the benefits of a GSM-based SIM solution (authentication, encryption and storage), but at a fraction the size of the traditional SIM found in a mobile phone.
In addition to the much smaller size, the embedded SIM differs from current SIMs in that it's fabricated as an integrated circuit rather than as a larger plastic module with discrete elements.
It is designed to be hard-mounted onto M2M modules, accelerating deployment by allowing customers to go directly from the factory to the field without having to provision and manually insert a SIM card.
Among the first to implement the embedded SIM into its M2M systems is Echelon Corp. The companies have formed an alliance to accelerate the adoption of the smart grid in the North American market by reducing the cost of communicating smart meters using Echelon's Networked Energy Services (NES) system over T-Mobile's GSM cellular service.
"M2M services are experiencing impressive growth, and we've predicted that the US enterprise M2M cellular service market will reach nearly 20 million connections by 2012," said Steve Hilton, vice president of Yankee Group's Anywhere Enterprise research group.
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