Mobile operator strategies - 23/02/06

MTN (S. Africa) could open HSDPA service this year, said its general manager.

Telekom Malaysia bought Thailand's Samart 49% stake in Cambodia Samart Communications (Casacom).

NTL (UK) is poised to finally takeover Virgin Mobile, paving the way for it to offer a "quadruple play" of services.

Vodafone will pay $2.4bn to acquire S. African VenFin group that owns 15% of mobile operator Vodacom. Vodafone now owns 50% of Vodacom (remaining 50% are Telkom SA).
Vodafone is planning to sell its own-brand phones on the consumer market for the first time. Huawei will be the first to provide Vodafone with branded 3G handsets across 21 countries. has signed a Partner Agreement with Mobiltel, the Bulgarian mobile operator of Telekom Austria. Vodafone has signed a Partner Agreement with Mobiltel, the Bulgarian mobile operator of Telekom Austria.

Russia could begin offering licenses for 3G mobile telephones this year.

3 Italy targets to add as many as 500,000 new clients in 2006 for mobile TV.

Swisscom Mobile has started rolling out an HSDPA network.

Teliasonera has sold all its shares in Elisa Oyj (Finland) for €25m.

Orange (France) will use Webraska' s Navigation 6 GPS solutions.

TF1 (a French broadcasting company) could launch mobile services, backed by Bouygues Telecom, in 2006.