Mobile operator strategies - 14/06/06

Reliance (India) plans to invest $325m to significantly expand its GSM network coverage. It plans to buy 10m GSM lines for around $330m.

Smartfone-Vodafone (HK) is introducing HSDPA service at 1,8Mbit/s, and plans upgrading this to 14,4Mbit/s by 2007-2008, while Vodafone Italia has launched its HSPDA service, called Super UMTS Broadband. Vodafone Netherlands, Vodafone Spain and RIM are introducing the UMTS-enabled BlackBerry 8707v in Holland and Spain.

Optus (Australia) has published a study saying that mobile email usage for work is increasing and has tripled in one year.

Mobile operators in Spain put all the brakes on against the entering of MVNOs on the market. Even if the market is open since February 06, no MVNO has already signed a deal with an established operator (Moviles, Amena or Vodafone).

SFR (France) commits covering 65% of French population by the end of the year.