Global operator strategies - 14/1/06

BT, Vodafone, O2 and DoCoMo have expressed interest in investing in the Thai telecom market.

AOL buys video search startup Truveo,

The European regulator has cleared a €28bn deal by Telefonica to buy O2 (mobile operator in the UK) under some conditions. One of the conditions is that Telefonica has to exit the FreeMove alliance, an international roaming alliance.

IT companies announce formation of the Ethernet Alliance, with SUN, Force10 Networks, Agere, and UNH-IOL, as founding partners.

FCC, the US regulator, plans to sell airwaves for in-flight Internet to US air travelers.

Vietnam: the Vietnamese government is planning to privatize the country's two biggest mobile phone companies: Vinaphone and MobiFone, both 100% subsidiaries of state-owned giant VNPT.

FastWeb and Vodafone in Italy are considering a fixed-mobile alliance.