Mobile operator strategies - 17/03/07

Iliad (France) is interested in French fourth 3G licence, but will file a bid only if requested conditions (cost and planning) change.

China Unicom will deply GPRS services in about 50 cities this year.

Centennial Dominicana has been sold for $80m to Trilogy International Partners,

The Essar Group has got $415m from Hutchison Telecom to smooth the sale of its Hutchison Essar stake in the JV to Vodafone. On the other hand, Vodafone and Essar have reached an agreement to rename Hutchison Essar as "Vodafone Essar". Vodafone and Essar will jointly manage the new company, with Ravi Ruia at the helm and Arun Sarin as vice Chairman.

Cable operator ONO in Spain plans to enter the mobile services market as a MVNO in Spain.

Telecom Italia plans to invest $3.2bn in TIM Brazil between now and 2009.

Vodafone is extending its flat, daily rate for data roaming across Europe for €12 a day.

China Telecom is bidding for Saudi Arabia’s fixed-line licence.

A consortium, made of Telekom Srbija and Ogalar, has received Montenegro’s third cell phone licence.

FT Orange has been granted mobile licences in Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.

Reliance has been revoked phone license award in Kenya after it failed to apply for the licence by the deadline.