GSM mobiles reach the 500-million milestone. More than 500 million GSM (global system for mobile communications) phones are now in use worldwide, according to figures released on 11 May 2001 by the GSM Association — the mobile/wireless industry's worldwide body. GSM technology, which allows mobile users to roam to more than 168 countries making and receiving calls on one handset and with one global number, now accounts for more than 70 per cent of the world's digital mobile phones. The three other digital technologies combined account for the remaining 30 per cent. This market share is expected to grow even more with the imminent deployment of third generation (3G) mobile systems. Today, nearly 40 per cent of all GSM customers are outside Europe, reflecting the increasing globalization of GSM. In fact, the largest single country GSM population is now in China, with some 82.4 million customers. China alone has almost as many GSM customers as any other digital standard.
GSM in the Americas is also growing exponentially. There are more than 10 million GSM phones in North America. The recent decision of major operators such as AT&T Wireless and Rogers Wireless to overlay digital TDMA networks with GSM services is expected to lead to a surge in GSM usage across the United States. Meanwhile, in Latin America, decisions by countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Mexico to adopt GSM are predicted to see a tenfold increase in GSM users in the region during the next 12 to 18 months.— GSM Association.

Network operators could earn USD 78 billion from B2B e-commerce by 2005. According to a recent report published by Analysys (advisors in telecommunications and new media), network operators could take up to 23 per cent (USD 78 billion) from the global business-to-business (B2B) electronic commerce market over the next five years. The report Business-to-Business Infrastructure Providers: Network Operators in Ecommerce notes that at a time when the telecommunications sector is going through rationalization and finance markets are disenchanted with telecommunication stocks, B2B e-commerce holds out a promise of better times to come, and gives network operators a chance to fill the gaps left by the erosion of their traditional telephony markets. The report stresses that while e-commerce revenue is not going to fall into the laps of network operators, those that are dedicated and focused in their approach to the B2B sector could enjoy strong, long-term growth. Analysys forecasts that the global B2B e-commerce infrastructure and services market will be worth as much as USD 336 billion by the end of 2005. Some network operators, such as BCE, BT, NTT, Singapore Telecom and Telenor, have already started to chase this market hard, and have found themselves competing with other e-commerce value-chain players including IT, software, systems integration, consulting and finance companies. The network operators have formed a complex web of partnerships and made significant acquisitions in order to gain the skills they need to compete effectively. — Analysys.

BT to sell stake in Maxis in Malaysia for GBP 350 million. BT has announced its agreement in principle to sell its 33.33 per cent holding in Maxis Communications Berhad (a Malaysian telecommunications group) to its partner Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd for GBP 350 million in cash. This follows the announcement on 2 May 2001 that BT had agreed to sell its interests in Japan Telecom and J-Phone for GBP 3.7 billion and Airtel of Spain for GBP 1.1 billion. BT's announcement shows a further step forward in its debt-reduction plan. The sale is subject to final documentation, regulatory and other approvals. — BT. 

Rohde & Schwarz receives order for analogue television network in Nigeria. The State-owned Nigerian operator, NTA, has awarded Rohde & Schwarz a large-scale order to supply 99 analogue high-power transmitters in a project to replace the country's existing transmitter systems and set up a large number of new stations. As part of a long-term partnership, the project also comprises training for local technicians and the setting up of a service infrastructure. The concept of the liquid-cooled UHF transmitters was a particularly important factor in NTA's decision since the transmitters are extremely compact and can easily be converted from analogue to digital television whenever required. — Rohde & Schwarz.

France Télécom announces strong growth in wireless and international business. On 3 May 2001, France Télécom announced that its consolidated operating revenues for the first quarter of 2001, ended on 31 March, were EUR 10 billion (FRF 65.9 billion), up 36.5 per cent over the same period in 2000. The company puts this growth to strong increase in revenues from wireless, fuelled by fast-paced expansion of wireless services across Europe, with Orange, vigorous growth in consumer Internet services, with Wanadoo; and accelerated growth in international businesses. Indeed, the France Télécom group continued to expand in international markets during the first quarter. Businesses outside France accounted for 33.5 per cent of the group's consolidated revenues, compared with 25.8 per cent at the end of 2000. The integration of France Télécom Mobiles and Orange, and of Wanadoo and Freeserve were reported to be progressing smoothly. Orange revenues contributed to France Télécom totalled EUR 3.4 billion at the end of March, an increase of 131.1 per cent compared with the first quarter of 2000. Orange had a total controlled customer base of 33.2 million customers at the end of March, compared with 14.3 million at the same period in 2000. Orange France had 15.1 million customers as at 31 March 2001, up 38.1 per cent over the previous year's figure of 10.9 million. Wanadoo revenues contributed to France Télécom were EUR 290 million for the first quarter of 2001, an increase of 57.6 per cent over the same period last year. Audience levels on Wanadoo and Freeserve portals and theme sites are said to have risen substantially, reaching 1.103 billion pages viewed on March 2001, compared with 528 million in December 2000. — France Télécom.

SingTel to increase investment in Bharti Group. Singapore Telecommunications Limited has announced that it will increase its investment in the Bharti Group of India by up to USD 200 million, bringing its total investment to USD 650 million. Bharti has also announced that a number of financial investors including E M Warburg Pincus have separately committed investments totalling up to USD 260 million. This amount, along with SingTel's latest commitment (all totalling USD 460 million) will be used by Bharti Televentures to build a pan-Indian footprint for its cellular and fixed-line businesses. Projects include the construction of a long-distance backbone network, acquisition of new cellular licences in a number of areas including Mumbai, Calcutta, Punjab, Gujarat and Kerala. The group also plans to roll out fixed-line services in New Delhi and Haryana, the national capital region, as well as in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, India's major software development centres. — SingTel.

European Internet commerce growing steadily. According to a recent report from IDC, some 117 million Europeans, around 30 per cent of the entire population, were using the Internet at year-end 2000. This figure is set to increase to 233 million by the end of 2004, representing almost 64 per cent of the entire population. Despite the much publicized dot-com shakeout and economic slow-down, Internet commerce continues to grow and is expected to surpass USD 1 trillion by 2004. The report notes that the recent dot-com shakeout has done nothing for the reputation of the Internet and e-business as a whole. Rather, it has allowed both consumers and companies to develop more realistic expectations of what can be accomplished using the Internet. Virtues such as profitability and efficiency are finally becoming widespread in the virtual world and the collapse of certain dot-coms may actually help e-businesses achieve more sustainable development in the future. According to IDC, the business-to-consumer (B2C) sector saw promising growth in 2000, with European consumers spending USD 12.2 billion online, which is double the spending in 1999. But these growth rates are unlikely to be carried over to the near future, although the business-to business (B2B) sector is expected to drive e-commerce as a whole, despite the apparent economic slowdown. New business models such as e-marketplaces and e-procurement, are helping to make B2B e-commerce increasingly relevant to decision-makers who previously found it hard to relate to a direct sales model. — IDC.

Detecting quality gaps in GSM networks. The rapid spread of mobile radio and the resulting high utilization of networks are often the cause of interference. This is usually due to gaps in frequency planning, poorly or wrongly aligned antennas and inadequate provision of base station power. The new ROGER interference measurement system from Rohde & Schwarz makes it possible to analyse network coverage, detect potential interference and track it to the source. Through the ROGER system, which is no bigger than a small suitcase, measurements are automatically controlled by up to four active mobile phones. Any interference occurring is measured and allocated to the base station of the area in question. To do this, the software evaluates the position from where measurement is made, the time of transmission and the site of the base station and compares these data with characteristic data such as the arrival time of the mobile-radio signal. The interference situation is then mapped with the place of interference, serving cell and source of interference. — Rohde & Schwarz.