Mobile operator strategies - 30/05/07

Alfa Telecom (Russia) has asked Turkey' s Cukurova pays its $1.3bn debt to Alfa in Turkcell shares (worth 13.8% stake).

America Movil confirms its interest in Northern Brazil region, and is analysing opportunities such as Telemig, Amazonia Cellular or Oi.

Digitel (Philippines) plans to spend $240m in 2007 to expand its GSM network.

Reliance Telecom (India) plans to sell stake in RT Infrastructure tower business.

T-Mobile invests in VOIP startup Jajah. This deal may be the first time a major carrier has supported a VoIP startup service.

Ofcom (UK) postpones 3G spectrum auction until 2008, after receiving complaints from mobile firms.

MTC-led consortium has won the third mobile license in Saudi Arabia for $6.1bn.

China Mobile is planning to buy 2m TD-SCDMA handsets later this year.

DT denies T-Mobile USA to be for sale.

Vodafone will allow Orcon to launch a MVNO service in New Zealand (the country's second GSM mobile service). It will sell its Bharti 10% stake for about $1.6bn by fall, and is still mulling its strategy vs Vodacom (S. Africa), waiting for financial results.

Comcel (Colombia) plans to launch 3G WCDMA/HSDPA services in 1Q08.

China Unicom and China Mobile finally interconnect data services.