Operator: mobile networks 17-01-05 N47

FarEasTone Telecommunications and Chunghwa Telecom operators will launch 3G services in mid 2005.

Vodafone will broadcast 90 mn TV film on 3G portal in Germany.

Trinidad and Tobago's TSTT plans a $ 500m GSM network expansion to improve coverage and services.

Verizon launched consumer 3G service using LG VX8000 phone, the first handset in the US for consumers that runs on Verizon Wireless' EV-DO.

China Mobile reported strong income from new services (SMS, ring back tone, MMS and WAP). WAP service registered more than 30m users (x6), ring back tone users grew at 39% a month, and MMS users grew 17 times the one-year-ago figure.

T-Mobile USA, hit by recent big local mergers (Cingular-AWE, Sprint- Nextel and AllTel-Wireless) and by 3G initiatives from Verizon and Cingular, said it will bypass current 3G deployment to jump directly to an upgraded version called HSDPA (to be deployed over the next two years). In the meantime, T-Mobile will focus on rolling out its EDGE technology.

Telefonica Moviles has completed the purchase of Movicom (Argentina) for $ 988m. It will use a combined HP/ Opnet solution (including Openview and SP Guru software) in Spain to forecast the impact and accelerate the delivery of new mobile services.

Orange is offering its customers a selection of music content through agreement with EMI.

Telekom Malaysia has bought 27.3% stake in Indonesian EXCELCOMINDO PRATAMA.