Global operator strategies - 12/01/08

The EU Commission announced it will make policy proposals by mid-2008 to create a single European market for online services such as music, films and games.

India 1: Nine companies were given telecom licenses for both fixed and mobile services in India. Companies are: Idea Cellular, Spice, Shyam Telelink, Unitech, Datacom solutions, Tata Teleservices, S Tel, Swan Telecom and Loop Telecom. But as spectrum is not available, it remains uncertain when those operators can start services.

India 2: Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular, Aircel and Bharti have additional spectrum to expand service provision in circles where they had licenses but not yet spectrum.

Etisalat has acquired a controlling stake in Sudan-based, Canar Telecom (Sudan) and owns now 82% of the company.

Eutelsat and Viasat have teamed up to expand satellite broadband internet services on both sides of the Atlantic. Each of the companies has committed separately to build and launch a satellite, with world' s largest capacity, for a global cost of about $700m. Eutelsat chooses EADS, while Viasat chooses Loral for the construction of the satellites.

Yahoo! Has opened its mobile platform to outside programmers to develop new applications accessed on mobile handsets.

Microsoft is ready to pay $1.2bn for Norwegian search engine company Fast Search & Transfer ASA.

Vodafone is rumored to be interested in buying Carphone Warehouse in the UK. Carphone' share price jumped on rumors.

Oi (Brazil) will acquire a controlling stake in Tele Norte Celular (Brazil).

Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan) invests $34m in Global Mobile.

Bharti Airtel (India) has sold stake in its Infratel subsidiary for $1bn to investors.

DT could face a fine for failing to allow competitors to access subscriber lines.

Argentina' s operators plan to invest $1.1bn in 2008, mainly in broadband and mobile infrastructure.

ATT is rumored to be interested in Telekom Malaysia mobile unit.

Teliasonera sets up infrastructure company named Skanova Access.