Fixed operator strategies - 21/12/06

Telefonica may buy Getronics to improve its VOIP offerings.

KT (S. Korea), Verizon, China Telecom, China Netcom, China Unicom and Chunghwa Telecom and Tyco will build a new 18,000-km undersea cable between South Korea, China, Taiwan and the United States. The system, called TPE, will be operational in 2009.

FT will start deploying a NGN architecture in 2007, after a selection of its IMS partners in 1H07. Phase out of traditional TDM switches will start in 2008. It will start deploying its FTTH network from 2009 onwards, but will start deploying in limited cases in 2007 and 2008. Paris will be covered in 2007, as well as 10 regional capitals from mid 2007. Orange targets up to 200k customers at the end of 2008, while 1m households would be passed.

SKT (S. Korea) will work with Staccato to provide the Ultra Wideband (UWB) wireless personal area network (WPAN) cell phone services.

Clearwire (US) has filed an application for a new $400m IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Tiscali (Italy) is selling its UK unit, in spite of recent denies. Potential buyers (identified by Tiscali) could be BT, Orange, BSkyB Carphone Warehouse Group, NTL, ...

Umniah Mobile (Jordan) has won the first FBWA 3.5GHz fixed broadband wireless access license in Jordan.