Mobile operator strategies - 07/02/07

SFR (France) plans to join mobile payment trial initiated by NRJ Mobile and Credit Mutuel bank in Strasbourg.

Mobile operators are looking for alternative to Google and Yahoo.

Germany plans to auction additional UMTS licenses in 2008 in the 2.6GHz band.

Millicom International plans to sell almost 18% of its Colombian unit (Colombia Movil) via an IPO aimed to raise about $85m.

Reliance (India) has raised $1bn via convertible bonds.

Mobilkom Autria, a unit of Telekom Austria, has been awarded a GSM 900/1800 licence in Macedonia for €10m.

Sri Lanka Telecom Mobitel plans to launch 3G services and expand its GSM capacity and coverage.

Hutchison 3UK has 90% population coverage for its 3G network in the UK.

Carlos Slim is planning to invest in the Nicaraguan mobile market.

Vodafone has signed an exclusive deal with Web site MySpace allowing its customers to access and update their MySpace pages from their mobile phone. MySpace will be pre-loaded into Vodafone phones. It has also signed a roaming agreement with Digicel (pan-Caribbean operator).

Weather Investments (or Naguib Sawiris) is close to buy TIM Hellas (Greece) for €3.4bn.