Mobile operator strategies - 8 June 2005

Vodacom (S. Africa) and UK Virgin Mobile are jointly bidding for a controlling stake in Vmobile, Nigeria's No.3 mobile phone company.

Portugal Telecom mobile unit, TMN, enters the second phase of deploying 3G network. It targets 1m users by the end of 2006.

Vodafone D2 Germany has announced a new telephone service called 'At Home' throughout the country. The service will use a wireless network instead of traditional fixed lines.

Vodafone KK (Japan) would invest $2.4bn (+50%) this year to boost 3G deployment with additional 4000 base stations outdoors and 1400 BS indoors (+30%). Vodafone KK already covers 99% of the Japanese population.

Telefonica Moviles and Amena (both in Spain) got additional spectrum to be used for GSM900 services. Telefonica paid €465m and Amena €368m.

China Mobile and China Unicom have announced plans to offer low-cost handsets, respectively from Nokia/ Motorola and Chinese phone makers.