At the end of the third quarter of 2008, the total number of main telephone accesses installed at customer request stood at around 4 million, corresponding to a penetration rate of approximately 37.9 accesses per 100 inhabitants. Compared to the previous quarter, there was a slight decrease in the number of accesses (-0.6%). The decline in analogue accesses and reduction in basic, primary and fractioned ISDN accesses was not fully offset by the growth of accesses using other technologies, including GSM, VoIP and cable.
Year-on-year the number of accesses installed at customer request saw a fall of 1.3%. It should be mentioned that accesses based on GSM technology increased by 20.2% year-on-year. The exponential growth seen in the number of accesses based on VoIP technology should also be pointed out.

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Source: ANACOM - National Authority of Telecommunications

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced that it has denied the Canadian Association of Internet Providers’ (CAIP) request that Bell Canada cease the traffic-shaping practices it has adopted for its wholesale Gateway Access Service. However, in the future, Bell Canada will be required to notify its wholesale customers at least 30 days in advance of making changes that impact on the performance of its Gateway Access Service.

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Source: CRTC

In a letter dated 13 November 2008 the Commission has informed the Slovenian telecom watchdog, APEK, that at this stage it has serious doubts as to the finding of joint dominance in the Slovenian mobile access and call origination market. During the following two months the Commission will call for and assess further market data from APEK and market players. APEK believes that two Slovenian operators, i.e. Mobitel and Si.mobil jointly possess a dominant position in the Slovenian wholesale mobile market which is used to prevent market entry of other mobile operators by way of access to existing mobile networks. The reason for such common interest to keep the market closed is that further competition in the downstream retail mobile market could lead to price cuts and a decrease in profits for the two established operators. On the basis of such assessment, APEK proposes to impose access obligations in the form of national roaming agreements on Mobitel and Si.mobil. The Commission underlines in its serious doubts letter sent on 13 November that a finding of joint dominance of two operators requires that a number of criteria are met, i.a. that competitive checks from other sources are not effective, that both operators pursue a common policy and that they can retaliate if one of them should deviate from the joint policy. There are already four mobile network operators and two service providers in the Slovenian mobile market. Two network operators provide nationwide services using Mobitel's network. At this stage, APEK provided unclear and ambiguous information concerning the stability of the alleged 'collusive equilibrium' between the two largest operators. The so-called "Phase II" two-month investigation launched last Thursday allows APEK to provide additional market data and clarify the outstanding issues which the Commission identified as necessary conditions to make any joint dominance story credible.

Press Release
Source: Europa

Investigation into Alleged Anti-Competitive and / or Misleading or Deceptive Conduct by Pacnet Internet (HK) Limited, Hutchison Global Communications Limited, and PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited.

The Complainant is a prominent property and facilities management services company which maintains a presence at over 130 separate locations throughout Hong Kong.  It relies on outside telecommunications services to connect its operations at these locations with its company headquarters. In November 2007, when the company switched service provider, problems in the changeover surfaced, resulting in a large number of the remote locations not having broadband connection to central office on the due date.  The company complained that this was the result of various transgressions by the telecommunications service providers involved.

See Press Release

T23_08.pdf (110,19 KB)

Source: OFTA

El Consejo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL) dio luz verde al proyecto de nuevos índices de calidad para la telefonía fija. A partir de enero del próximo año las operadoras deberán cumplir con estos nuevos parámetros que toman en cuenta los avances tecnológicos en este tipo de servicio.

En cuanto a la reparación de problemas, el 70% de los reclamos deberán ser solucionados en las primeras veinte y cuatro (24) horas. El restante podría ser resuelto en las siguientes cuarenta y ocho (48) horas o en cinco (5) días.

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Source: CONATEL

El acuerdo aprobado por el Consejo de Ministros de Telecomunicaciones de la Unión Europea para el nuevo marco regulador del sector supone para el Gobierno español un éxito en tanto que se alcanzan los objetivos marcados por el Ejecutivo. El Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio ha tenido una activa participación en la negociación y configuración del “paquete telecom”. La decisión del Consejo debe, no obstante, volver al Parlamento antes de su aprobación definitiva que está prevista para la primavera de 2009.

Puntos principales del acuerdo

1.- Directiva de mejor regulación (modifica las directivas Marco, autorizaciones y acceso)

2.- Espectro: Se incorpora el principio de flexibilidad de la gestión del espectro a través de la inclusión de :
neutralidad tecnológica
neutralidad de servicios
mercado secundario
la introducción de estos principios se hará de forma paulatina

See Press Release
Source: Ministerio de Industria, Turismo y Comercio

Competitive pressure is forcing MTN to eliminate roaming fees for users travelling between different countries, in a move that could noticeably dent its profit . The cellular operator has not yet wiped out roaming fees across its networks, but has tested the feasibility of doing so in Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria.

Last week it said it would introduce free roaming across all 21 countries where it operates in the first half of next year . Benin will be the next country to benefit, joining the trio of pilot countries by the end of this month.

Rival operator Zain demonstrated that free roaming is perfectly possible way back in September 2006 when it launched its "One Network" service, letting users cross between Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda without paying high roaming fees. Nor do they pay to receive incoming calls when they travel -- another favourite way for operators to inflate their profits.

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Source: Balancingact-africa

The congressional telecommunications committee has ruled that Spainish telco Telefonica's minority stake in Telecom Italia (TI) voilates Argentinean anti-trust laws. An investigation was opened after Telefonica joined a consortium that acquired nearly a quarter stake in TI in October 2007.

TI owns a 50% stake in the Sofora holding company that controls Telecom Argentina. When Argentina’s telecoms sector was privatised in the 1990s its fixed line services were divided between Telecom Argentina and Telefonica de Argentina, with a government directive that there be no cross-ownership between the two.

See Press Release
Source: Telegeography

The third quarter of 2008 saw continued growth in television services provided by satellite, over the public telephone network and by FWA, while a decline was seen in the cable TV service. The total market continued to grow (3.5%) to reach a total of 2.2 million subscribers, given that the decline in the cable television service was more than offset by growth in the service provided through other technologies, which have increased their relative presence in the market.
In terms of the geographical distribution of subscribers, there was no significant alteration, with the North and Lisbon Regions retaining the largest shares of customers. Penetration remains above average in the Autonomous Regions and in Lisbon.

See Press Release
Source: ANACOM - National Authority of Telecommunications

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has registered a revised version of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice. The code has been amended at clause 5.5.11 to permit promotions for digital television that include references to ‘Freeview’ to be exempt from the time limits placed on non-program matter.

Freeview is a brand of Freeview Australia Pty Limited, which promotes the free-to-air digital television platform in Australia. The members of Freeview Australia Pty Limited are the commercial television broadcasters and the national television broadcasters (the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Special Broadcasting Service Corporation).

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Source: ACMA

Nigeria's second national carrier, Globacom, has emphasised its readiness to launch its international submarine cable, Glo 1, touted as the solution to Nigeria and West Africa's bandwidth requirements, in March 2009.

Globacom, in a statement last week, said the 9,500 kilometre state-of-the-art cable would enable it to have a clear distinction in providing quality services through multiple and high quality direct links to several countries across the globe. It added that the cable would enable it to interconnect with several international networks and leading traffic carriers all over the world.

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Source: Balancingact-africa

The Commerce Commission today released a telecommunication service obligation (TSO) determination for the Local Residential Telephone Service covering the 2006/07 year. The draft cost is $62.8 million.

Under the TSO, Telecom is obliged to provide certain local residential telephone services to residential customers who may not otherwise be provided with those services at an affordable price. The TSO allows Telecom to recover its costs of providing this service.

In producing this draft determination the Commission has followed the modelling approach used in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 determinations.

The total cost for 2006/07 will be shared according to the TSO Cost Allocation determination for 2006/07 which is available on the Commission’s website. Under the Cost Allocation determination the costs will be shared amongst the following: Telecom, Vodafone, TelstraClear, WorldxChange, Compass, CallPlus, Ihug, Woosh and Teamtalk.

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Source: New Zealand - Commerce Commission

The Office of the Telecommunications Authority ("OFTA") announced that PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited ("PCCW") has launched CDMA2000 mobile service in Hong Kong.

"This is the fifth 3G mobile network in Hong Kong , in addition to the four W-CDMA networks licensed in 2001. At service launch, the new network offers high speed data and voice services conforming to the CDMA2000 standard in the golden bowl areas covering the Kowloon peninsula and the northern part of Hong Kong Island. The service coverage will be further extended to cover places such as the airport, Mass Transit Railway stations, the road tunnels and border control points," the spokesperson of OFTA said.

"CDMA is one of the major mobile communications standards and it has been widely deployed in Canada, the USA, Japan, Korea and the mainland China. With the launch of the CDMA2000 service in Hong Kong, visitors holding CDMA equipment can now enjoy CDMA2000 roaming services. This will strengthen Hong Kong's strategic position as a world city as well as the gateway between the mainland China and the world," the spokesperson supplemented.

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Source: OFTA

Russia's Communications Minister Igor Shchyogolev said yesterday that the government in Syria is considering allowing a Russian mobile operator into its market, Reuters reports. Speaking at the Russian-Syrian Intergovernmental Commission, Shchyogolev is quoted as saying: 'They have an idea to add one more mobile operator there.

The participation of Russian companies in the Syrian mobile market is possible.’ Commenting on the Minister’s statement a spokeswoman for Russian mobile operator MTS confirmed it would be interested in entering the market, while Vimpelcom, the second largest mobile carrier in Russia, has previously said it is interested in markets in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Number three player MegaFon also confirmed it would consider any opportunity that might emerge.

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Source: Telegeography

France Telecom SA, Europe's third- largest telephone company, said it's in talks to buy a phone license in Togo in western Africa.

France Telecom said about 25 percent of Togolese have a mobile phone. The company expanded in Kenya and Uganda this year as the former French monopoly seeks faster growth than in its home market.

France Telecom last month set up a joint venture in Uganda with Hits Telecom Uganda and plans to invest $200 million in a mobile network there in the next three years. Telkom Kenya Ltd., a joint venture between France Telecom and the Kenyan government, started operations in September.

See Press Release
Source: AllAfrica 

IST-Africa 2009 (6 May 2009 - 8 May 2009 Uganda)  is the fourth in a series of annual technology research conferences that bring together representatives from leading commercial, government and research organisations around the world to bridge the Digital Divide by sharing knowledge, experience, lessons learnt and good practice, and identify opportunities for international research collaboration between Europe and Africa under the ICT Theme and Research Infrastructures (Capacities Programme) of Framework Programme 7 (FP7). A Call for Papers on the following Thematic Priorities has been launched : eHealth - Health Information Systems, eInfrastructures, Technology Enhanced Learning and ICT Skills, Digital Libraries and Intelligent Content, Open Source Software - Applications, ICT for eInclusion and eAccessibility, ICT for Environmental Sustainability, RFID and Networked Enterprise, eGovernment - Services to Citizens & Business. Submission deadline is 9 November 2008

See Conference site
Source: Europa

Millicom International Cellular S.A. (Millicom) MIC last week announced that its subsidiaries Millicom International Operations, B.V. (MIO B.V.) and Sentel GSM S.A (Sentel), have instituted arbitration proceedings with the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) against the Republic of Senegal under provisions of Sentel’s license and international law.

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Source: Balancingact Africa