Global operator strategies N60

Optus (Australia) said it is reorganizing into four divisions: Consumer, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Business and Wholesale & Satellite.

Eurotel Bratislava, Slovakia, will change its name to T-Mobile Slovensko AS.

Tata Group (India) is raising its telecom investments to $ 4.6bn this year.

ENEL (Italy) could sell WIND, its telecom unit in Italy, to Weather Investments, led by Egyptian businessman Naguib Sawiris.

Telefonica should be allowed to increase its stake in Portugal Telecom to above 10% by next PT shareholder meeting. It also completes Cesky Telecom stake buy for € 2.7bn.

Tiscali may need additional cash to finance upgrading its infrastructure and face competition. In spite of selling French unit last week to help pay €250m of bonds due in July, the company could not invest more than $100m this year. So it could now have to sell another unit (Germany is questioned) in order to focus on real core markets (UK, Netherlands and Italy are the main units).

Belgacom, despite recent failures to cooperate with a partner such as KPN, Cegetel, or to buy telcos such as Cesky Telecom or Turk Telecom, is always looking for expansion abroad.

Alfa Group (Russia) is raising threat against Nordic telcos. First, Teliasonera is facing the Russian group in its attempt to take over Turkcell (Turkey). In spite of the agreement with Turkcell, Alfa Group is trying to dispute the arrangement. Second, Telenor is struggling with Alfa for the control of Vimpelcom (Russia) and the purchase of Ukrainian operator WellCom.

Telecom Italia is ready to regain control of Brazil Telecom in buying back the 19% it sold to Banco Opportunity. It will invest €350m to expand French broadband services by 2007.