DENMARK
Mobilix, a France Telecom subsidiary, has begun offering services on its DCS 1800 network.
GERMANY
Lucent Technologies Inc.’s Microelectronics Group acquired Optimay GmbH, a privately held software-development company based in Munich. Optimay, which will become a subsidiary of Lucent Technologies International, develops software products and services for GSM wireless handsets. The arrangement is valued at US$65 million.
ITALY
Mannesmann AG, Olivetti and Bell Atlantic International have acquired Swedish telecom operator Telia’s 9.66-percent ownership in Monitel Sistemi Radiocellulari, which owns 6.8 percent of Italian mobile operator Omnitel Pronto Italia.
LUXEMBOURG
Millicom International Cellular S.A. said it will merge its combined GSM 900 MHz and DCS 1800 MHz license in Luxembourg and its nationwide prefix license in France with certain operations contributed by Industriforvaltning A.B. Kinnevik of Sweden. Kinnevik’s operations include the Tele 2 Europe, 3C, Transcom International and Transcom Europe long-distance and billing operations.
THE NETHERLANDS
Vodafone Group plc announced its parent company, Vodafone Europe Holdings BV, acquired 8.5 percent of CV Gemeenschappelijk Bezit Libertel from ING Bank Corporate Investments BV. The transaction gives Vodafone a 70-percent stake in Libertel, while ING will keep the remaining 30 percent. Libertel controls the Dutch GSM communications operator Libertel BV and Liberfon BV. Libertel BV claims more than 531,000 subscribers.
Telesystem International Wireless Inc. of Canada acquired an additional 28-percent interest in the Dutch paging operator CallMax from Deustche Telecom MobilNet GmbH, bringing its participation in CallMax to 88 percent, said TIW.
UNITED KINGDOM
Simoco has developed a new speech-enhancement system for digital PMR (Private Mobile Radio) users in conjunction with the University of Birmingham. The system interfaces with the company’s digital TETRA PMR systems to double word recognition in noisy environments.
