Operator strategies N53

Telenor Pakistan, a subsidiary of Telenor Norway, could invest $ 1bn over the next five years in the country’s telecom sector.

Fixed networks:

Neuf Telecom (France) is adding digital terrestrial television (DTT) into its TV-over-ADSL offering.

China Netcom wants to address, in cooperation with PCCW, the IPTV service market.

Belgacom and Swisscom Fixnet are combining their international carrier businesses into a joint venture (72% Belgacom and 28% Fixnet).

Telecom Italia wants to expand services in Europe: interested to buy Tiscali France, interest for privatization of Turk Telecom, and expansion in Germany.

After FT, TI and DT, Telefonica will eat its internet division.

BT will deploy this year a nationwide commercial wireless broadband (2Mbps) network.

Mobile networks:

Many MVNOs are launching operations: IDT/Toucan with T- Mobile in the UK, Movida communications with Sprint in the US; Virgin Mobil in Canada; M6 with Orange in France, Futur Telecom with SFR in France; NRJ with SFR in France;

Hutchison will build a $650 million 3G network in Vietnam with Hanoi Telecom.

TOT (Thailand) has bought Thai Mobile and got full control of the company.

AIS (Thailand) targets to rollout a 3G network by 2006. Its capex will increase by 20% to $500-550m a year.

Vodafone could be interested by TV broadcasting; it has been awarded a patent that enables a mobile phone to manage conventional TV broadcast viewing.

Sunday (Hong Kong) could be bought by a Chinese telecom operator (Mobile or Unicom?). Huawei owns 8% of Sunday.

Vinaphone (Vietnam) targets to invest $100m in network upgrades.