Mobile operator strategies - 06/06/07

US MVNO Amp’d filed for bankruptcy protection. With a strat 18 months ago, Amp'd was relatively successful with about 200k subscribers after a strong first quarter 2007. The company claims that its back-end systems have been unable to keep up with the company’s rapid growth.

Eastern Telecom Philippines (ETPI) intends to transform its traditional telephony system to become a NGN provider.

Nine investors are currently in talks with Reliance (India) for taking stake in its telecom infrastructure tower unit.

Debitel (Germany) has bought Talkline from TDC for €560m.

Carrefour (France supermarket) plans to launch MVNO operations in Italy, UnoMobile, using Vodafone network.

3i, a private equity and venture capital company, has acquired 25% of Finnet , a mobile operator in Finland, for €140m.

Brazil would open a tender for 3G licenses in 2008.

Entel (Bolivia) expects to offer mobile telephony services in 22 new rural communities in the Chuquisaca department by the end of the year.

TIM Hellas (Greece) is being renamed Wind Hellas