MTN Group confirms multi-billion rand buyback deals

According to TechCentral, the MTN Group has acquired nearly ZAR1.36 billion (USD161.5 million) worth of its own shares during the past three months, in a move it says is meant to improve returns for its shareholders. The shares, which were acquired between 8 March and 28 May 2012, mean that the total value of shares bought back by MTN, including repurchases during the group's 2011 financial year, now total almost ZAR2.3 billion. MTN president and CEO Sifiso Dabengwa commented: ‘The total number of shares repurchased equates to 0.9% of MTN Group’s issued share capital.

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OVETEL MTN Group confirms multi-billion rand buyback deals

Qtel harvests Pearl network

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has agreed to acquire the privately-owned communications network serving business and residential customers in The Pearl-Qatar, from the reclaimed island’s main developer United Development Company (UDC). Qtel will own and operate the IP-based fibre-optic network, and will introduce its own range of voice, high speed internet and ‘Mozaic’ IPTV services to homes and offices in The Pearl-Qatar for the first time. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that previously, the country’s second national operator (SNO) licensee Vodafone Qatar launched fixed broadband services in The Pearl-Qatar – a 400-hectare urban development connected to the capital Doha – in July 2010, via an agreement with UDC to utilise the latter’s existing next-generation fibre-based network infrastructure, and Vodafone followed this up with the launch of fixed voice services there in September 2011.

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OVETEL Qtel harvests Pearl network

Telekom Slovenije posts 1% drop in revenues, declares war on costs

Slovenian and south east European communications group Telekom Slovenije has posted a 6% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to EUR15.4 million (USD19.1 million) in the first quarter of 2012, as it fought to bring costs down and diversify in the face of declining core telecoms revenues. The group’s operating turnover reached EUR193.8 million in January-March 2012, down by 1% year-on-year, while operating profit amounted to EUR22.7 million, also down by 1% on the first quarter of 2011. EBITDA fell by 5% to EUR68.7 million in Q1 2012 while quarterly CAPEX investment was raised by 18% y-o-y to EUR14.5 million.

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OVETEL Telekom Slovenije posts 1% drop in revenues, declares war on costs

Chunghwa to increase investment this year to speed up 100Mbps rollout

Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom (CHT) is reportedly considering increasing its capital expenditure to TWD37 billion (USD1.24 billion) this year, its highest level in ten years, with a view to ensuring that it achieves 100% population coverage for its 100Mbps fixed line broadband service by the end of next year. According to CENS.com, the operator is looking to reach the coverage target some two years ahead of its original schedule, and the report claims that the development comes in the wake of an instruction by Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, for the acceleration of the fibre-optic network’s construction.

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OVETEL Chunghwa to increase investment this year to speed up 100Mbps rollout

Orange France expects mobile ARPU to be down 10% this year

France Telecom-Orange has revealed that it expects average revenue per user (ARPU) to fall by 10% at its domestic mobile unit Orange France this year, as operators engage in a price war following the entry of new low-cost operator, Iliad Group’s Free Mobile, in January. Delphine Ernotte, head of Orange France, said the reduction included the effect of a 20% cut in tariffs that Orange has just unveiled and which will be implemented next month

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OVETEL Orange France expects mobile ARPU to be down 10% this year

Final nail in the coffin for MWEB’s dead WiMAX network

South African broadband provider MWEB has confirmed that it will switch off its legacy wireless broadband network at the end of May, and says that it has already migrated most of its customers to other platforms. General manager Andre Joubert told MyBroadband.co.za that the network is basically a remnant of the company’s trial WiMAX network that dates back to 2007. Following the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa’s (ICASA’s) refusal to extend MWEB’s WiMAX trial licence in early 2008, the company announced that it would switch off the under construction network in April 2008

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OVETEL Final nail in the coffin for MWEB’s dead WiMAX network

Vodafone Iceland implements new billing system

Vodafone Iceland has deployed a new billing and customer care solution from software vendor FTS. The new Leap Billing system from FTS enables flexible charging and billing for Vodafone’s entire line of business, including mobile, fixed and broadband services. Vodafone claimed around 30% of the overall mobile market in Iceland at the end of 2011 with an estimated 114,000 subscribers, according to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database

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OVETEL Vodafone Iceland implements new billing system