Mobile operator strategies - 28/03/07

Malawi' s telecoms regulator, Macra, has announced that there are five bidders for the country's third mobile operator license, including Millennium Global Telecom, Econet Wireless and three local firms.

Turkey is expected to grant 3G licenses this year.

MTC (Kuwait) has won the third mobile licence in Saudi Arabia for $1.6bn.

Batelco (Bahrain) has bought a 20% stake in mobile operator Sabafon (Yemen) for $144m.

UK regulator Ofcom has decided a 10%-20% cut in mobile termination rates.

Telekom Austria wins Macedonian third GSM licence.

TDC (Denmark) will become MVNO in Sweden, using Tele2 network.

Telemig Celular, Oi and Claro (all in Brazil) will provide mobile services in 420 municipaliites un Minas Gerais state that have yet no coverage.

Amnisty International (US) is a new US MVNO in the country.

AT&T signs a mobile payment services deal with Wachovia and several other banks.

Vodafone UK announced the launch of of the Vodafone Applications Service targeting enterprises.