Vietnam awards 3G spectrum to four operators

The Vietnamese regulator has released 3G spectrum to four of the country's mobile operators and reports suggest that the first 3G services could launch as early as next month.

source: GMBB

Mobile network equipment market share ranking 2Q09

1 Ericsson 32% vs. 32% last year
2 Nokia Siemens 20% vs. 26% last year
3 Huawei 17% vs. 10% last year
4 Alcatel-Lucent 12% vs. 14% last year

source: reuters

China Mobile launches app store

The world's largest operator (by subscribers) ventured into an open-access business model that allows users to download music, games, videos and other entertainment applications direct to mobile phones. The report notes that Mobile Market currently supports ten handset models including Nokia, Samsung and LG phones.

source: GMBB

Verizon to begin LTE rollout in Boston and Seattle

The choice of Boston and Seattle as early launch markets could put the LTE network in direct competition with WiMAX operator Clearwire, which will have launched in both markets by next year.

Verizon's LTE game plan:
- To roll-out the network using the 700MHz spectrum it acquired last year.
- To rollout commercial LTE services in up to 30 US markets in 2010.
- To to cover 100 million POPS [US population coverage] by 2013.

Vendors involved in the rollout include Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks and Starent Networks.
source: GMBB

OECD's cheapest calls: Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden

Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden have the lowest prices for mobile phone calls among OECD countries, according to the latest OECD Communications Outlook. The highest were found in Canada, Spain and the United States.

The study found that between 2006 and 2008 mobile voice prices fell on average by 21 percent for low usage consumers, 28 percent for medium usage and by 32 percent for subscribers with the highest consumption patterns.

The decline in operators' revenue from fixed-line has been slowed by the expansion of high-speed broadband Internet, which usually relies on fixed-line.

source: GMBB

Hutchison confirms plan for Thailand sale

Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd. (HTIL) has agreed to the sale of its 51.31 percent controlling stake in Partner Communications Co. Ltd., its Israeli subsidiary, to Scailex an Israel-based importer of mobile phones, for 5.29 billion Israel New Sheckels (US$1.381 billion).

HTIL has made no secret of the fact that it has been looking for a buyer for Partner. The company's CEO, Dennis Lui, explains that, although it is a good business, it is in a mature market with limited growth opportunities and a long way from Hong Kong. Lui also confirms that HTIL is continuing its attempts to sell its operation in Thailand and says that now the changes in Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia Ltd. 's board have taken place, discussions could be reinvigorated. However, he cautions that no fixed timetable for negotiations was in place yet.