operator

TORONTO-The consolidation trend in the North American wireless sector is intensifying. The prevailing wisdom is that it is no longer good enough to be merely a regional or national carrier …

Brazil’s national telecom agency Anatel said it received 35 proposed from companies, entities and individuals on the proposal of guidelines for implementation of the personal communications services (PCS), submitted to …

Telecom Italia is in advanced talks to buy a stake in Digitel, a wireless operator in Venezuela, according to a Reuters report. Digitel, a GSM 900 MHz operator, is the …

Nigeria Intercellular Nigeria awarded a US$21 million contract to Motorola for the supply and deployment of a CDMA fixed wireless local loop (WLL) network expansion. The 800 MHz system will …

DUBLIN, Ireland-High license costs and fierce competition have further increased the pressure on European third-generation (3G) operators to quickly roll out their networks. But while this rush to market will …

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa-Econet Wireless is gearing up to become one of the leading cellular operators on the African continent. With Botswana and Zimbabwe cellular operations firmly under its wing, it …

Australia Telecom New Zealand said it intends to make a takeover offer for the approximately 18 percent of shares in Australian operator AAPT that it does not already own for …

BANGALORE, India-Although the Indian cellular industry is growing quite well, with the country’s cumulative cellular subscriber base at 2.18 million at the end of June, operators are still hesitant to …

France France released details of its plan to award four 3G wireless phone licenses based on a beauty contest. Bidders, given a 31 January, 2001, deadline to submit proposals, will …

Denmark Tele2 entered an agreement with Sonofon to become a mobile virtual network operator (VNO) in Denmark. Sonofon is the first operator to open its networks to mobile VNOs, according …

DUBLIN, Ireland-The myth that prepaid cellular users are by definition low-value customers has been firmly discredited, and prepaid services did much to increase GSM penetration among the young and cost …

U.K. wireless handset manufacturer Sendo announced a global strategic partnership with Virgin Mobile. Virgin Mobile will be the first operator to offer Sendo’s phones to consumers later this year. Virgin …

SINGAPORE-What do you do when you have loads of cash? You go shopping. That is precisely what Singapore Telecom has done. Flushed with cash reserves of some S$6.3 billion (US$3.7 …

DUBLIN, Ireland-Gaining more than 10 million Japanese subscribers within 18 months of launch, NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode wireless Internet service is a genuine industry phenomenon. But despite the Japanese company’s determination …

NEW DELHI, India-Ailing Indian GSM operator Koshika Telecom has decided to sell majority stakes to pay license fees to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The company operates in four contiguous …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-L.M. Ericsson announced plans to work with WorldCom’s UUNET Internet communications subsidiary to develop Internet services for mobile operators. The companies plan to work together on new technology and …

One of the world’s most savvy and chic brand names is coming to the U.S. mobile-phone market next year. Virtual network operator Virgin Mobile USA said it plans to ink …

NEW YORK-The number of licenses awarded, not the prices paid for them, likely will lead Standard & Poor’s Corp. to downgrade the debt ratings of many winning bidders in Germany’s …

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill.-In a move designed to give its customers a higher level of focus, resources and services, Motorola Inc. created the Global Telecom Solutions Sector, which includes employees from …

WELLINGTON, New Zealand-Telecom Corporation of New Zealand said it intends to make a takeover offer for the approximately 20 percent of shares in Australian operator AAPT that it does not …

New Zealand Nokia Corp. will integrate its General Packet Radio Service core network solution into Vodafone New Zealand’s network, providing mobile Internet access to Vodafone’s subscribers. Vodafone plans to launch …

STOCKHOLM, Sweden-Three companies formed a consortium to apply for a Swedish Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service third-generation license. The companies are Swedish private equity firm Ratos; Nomura International plc, a wholly-owned …

OSLO, Norway-Seven groups plan to participate in Norway’s selective tender or “beauty contest” process to award four Universal Mobile Telecommunications System licenses. The licenses will be awarded by the end …

OSLO, Norway-Tele Danmark and partner SBC Communications Inc. agreed to sell their combined 40-percent stake in Norway’s mobile operator NetCom ASA to Sweden’s Telia. In May, Tele Danmark purchased 25,000 …

SHENZHEN, China-Chinese GSM operator China United Telecommunications Corp. launched General Packet Radio Service mobile data on its network in Shenzhen, China, enabled by the core GPRS network solution supplied by …