New data from TeleGeography’s Global Bandwidth Research Service reflect the recent surge in submarine cable construction globally. In 2010 and 2011, 19 systems worth an aggregate $3.7 billion were launched, and the pace of growth will only pick up in the next few years
TelstraClear, the New Zealand telco wholly owned by Australian fixed line incumbent Telstra, has announced that it has introduced downlink transmission speeds of 100Mbps over its cable network in Wellington, Kapiti and Christchurch. Connectivity to its ‘WarpSpeed’ product is priced at NZD115.95 (USD94.99) per month, with a data allowance of 100GB; upload speeds are limited to 10Mbps.
UK-based Cable & Wireless Communications (CWC) has reportedly said that it will spend around GBP1 million (USD1.59 million) on upgrading the 3G network operated by its Isle of Man subsidiary. Operating under the ‘Sure’ brand on the island, Manx Radio claims that CWC will invest the money on making improvements to seven cell sites, with coverage expected to be improved in Ramsey, Douglas, Castletown and Colby. Further, alongside the 3G upgrades the report claims that CWC has said that it is aiming to introduce 4G services as soon as Long Term Evolution-suitable (LTE-suitable) spectrum is made available
Eesti Mobiiltelefon (EMT-TeliaSonera), Estonia’s largest mobile network operator by subscribers, has announced that it has enhanced the coverage of its Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, having inaugurated a number of new base stations in the capital Tallinn. New areas where it is now able to offer its services include: Kaberlas, Assakul, Kehras, Kuldalas, Sakus and Todval ja Uksnurmes (Harju County); Annas (Jarva County); Antslas (Voru County); Rapinas (Polva County); and Alatskivis, Ulenurmel and Reolas ja Torvandis (Tartu County). In making the announcement, EMT also noted that its 4G services were now available to around 35% of the country’s population, adding that it expects to achieve nationwide coverage by 2014.
T-Mobile’s Czech mobile subsidiary has claimed a first for the country, with the announcement that it has launched DC-HSPA+ technology on parts of its network, offering maximum download data transmission speeds of 42Mbps. The new service went live in selected cities from 16 April it said, initially covering residents of Zlin and Mlada Boleslav, followed by Prague 4, including T-Mobile’s headquarters in the Roztyly district, by the end of April. By the end of the third quarter of the year, DC-HSPA+ coverage will be extended to Brno, Ceske Budejovice and Liberec, and will then be made available elsewhere depending on capacity requirements
According to an unconfirmed report by Telecompaper, Telecom Italia Mobile (TIM) is currently in the midst of staging a week-long trial of its in-deployment Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in Milan. Until 21 April Milanese citizens can sample transmission speeds of up to 100Mbps (downstream) and 50Mbps (upstream) at selected TIM retail stores.
Singaporean full service provider M1 Limited (M1) says that revenues for the January-March 2012 period climbed 3.9% year-on-year to SGD191.7 million (USD153.4 million) on the back of solid subscriber growth and a higher contribution from fixed services, but net income dipped 5.3% to SGD40.3 million due to higher subscriber acquisition costs (SACs). On a more positive note, the carrier noted that net profits increased by 7.1% on a quarter-on-quarter basis.
