LG Confirms Launch of :New L Series Smartphones

LG Electronics has confirmed that it will be unveiling the third generation of its L Series smartphones at the Mobile World Congress MWC 2014

All L Series III models come with Android 4.4 KitKat. Other specifications will be announced at the launch.

They all come with a protective cover -- called Quick Window, which comes in three colors, and is the first cover from LG to be designed specifically for a mid-range smartphone. Quick Window also offers functional benefits beyond just protection from drops and bumps, as the see-through window allows one to see who's calling and check the time without opening the cover.

"In addition to inheriting the refined design aesthetic that is synonymous with LG's premium devices, the L SeriesIII provides an array of user benefits that extend far beyond a simple upgrade," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "We're confident that the L SeriesIII will be a strong volume driver in 3G markets."

Safaricom Bans Mobile Money Agents from Handling Rival Networks Services:

Kenya s Safaricom has been accused of abusing its dominant market power after it barred its mobile money agents from acting on behalf of rival networks at the same time

Both Airtel and Essar Kenya (Yu) had approached mobile money agents offering Safaricom's M-Pesa mobile money service asking them if they wanted to offer the rival services as well.

However, Safaricom has ordered the agents to stick to just one mobile network, theirs.

"By growing our agency network we have demonstrated that there is ample opportunity for our rivals to recruit and invest in their own agents so as to demonstrate their commitment to creating job opportunities for young Kenyans," Safaricom told the Business Daily.

Airtel has taken the matter to the Competition Authority claiming that it is an abuse of market power by the country's largest mobile network.

DTAC to Double 3G Capacity and Launch LTE Network:

Thailand s DTAC has said that it plans to double the capacity of its 3G network this year as it also prepares for a limited LTE launch in April

The company has pledged an investment of THB13 billion (US$400 million) this year as it adds 5,500 new 3G base stations by June. That will take the total to 11,000 base stations operating on its new 2.1Ghz spectrum.

DTAC's CEO, Jon Eddy Abdullah said that he expects the company to have 25 million 3G subscribers this year, or around 70% of its total customer base as the network migrates GSM concession customers to its own network infrastructure.

The aim is for all GSM customers to have migrated to the 3G network by 2015.

He also confirmed the LTE launch will take place in the second-quarter of this year, with around 300 base stations.

The company estimates that 20 percent of its 3G data traffic is currently consumed by customers using LTE-capable smartphones, so the network launch should release additional 3G capacity for the remaining customers.

Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom Brings Forward its LTE Network Launch Date:

Taiwan s Chunghwa Telecom has announced that it is bringing forward its LTE network launch by nearly six months

The network had been due to launch towards the end of the year, but will now start services in July, the company announced. It still aims to sign up at least 300,000 customers to the 4G service.

The company is rolling out its network, and aims to deploy 10,000 base stations by the end of 2016, but will have enough by this July to start a limited service.

Chunghwa Telecom was awarded a 4G license last October when it paid US$129 million in the auction.

The network infrastructure is being supplied by Ericsson as the main supplier, alongside NSN who are supplying some of the kit, and upgrading the existing 3G network.

Zambia's Government to Boost Rural Mobile Phone Coverage:

Zambia s government says that it plans to spend US 24 million building more mobile phone towers in rural areas to boost coverage where the networks currently lack services

The project is being carried out by the telecoms regulator, the Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA), and will see the deployment of 169 new telecoms towers.

The project is due to be completed this year, and should see mobile phone coverage expanded to more than 200,000 people currently not served by mobile networks.

The towers will be leased to the mobile networks, who then provide the service direct to customers.

It's estimated that around 5 million people living in rural areas currently lack access to mobile phone coverage.

Bharti Airtel Said to Be Close to Announcing Loop Mobile Purchase:

India s Bharti Airtel is reportedly close to announcing a deal to buy Mumbai based Loop Mobile bringing to an end over a year of speculation about the future of the smaller mobile network

Dubai-based IP Khaitan owns the Mumbai based mobile network and has long been said to be looking for a buyer.

Citing unnamed sources, the Economic Times said that a deal worth around Rs 700 crore, including some Rs 400 crore of debt is likely to be announced within a few days following the latest round of talks between the two companies.

The move is a turn around, as last September, Bharti Airtel denied that it was interested in buying the company.

Although Loop Mobile is the dominant operator in Mumbai with around 3 million customers, it has limited coverage outside the region.

The deal would be primarily a customer base and infrastructure one as Loop Mobile's licenses expire later this year, and it did not win replacement spectrum in the recently concluded auction.

Google Plotting 10Gbps Broadband Service to the Home:

Although Google is currently rolling out a small scale test of a 1Gbps domestic broadband service in the USA it is already looking at a ten fold speed increase in the near future

The Google Fiber service offers speeds of up to 1Gbps, but is only available in the test market of Kansas City, with an expansion planned for the city of Austin.

Speaking at a conference, Google's CFO, Patrick Pichette indicated that the company is already looking at 10Gbps download speeds.

"That's where the world is going. It's going to happen," Pichette told USA Today. It may happen over a decade, but "why wouldn't we make it available in three years? That's what we're working on. There's no need to wait," he added.

However, while the headline speeds are impressive, and ideal for downloading large files, for average browsing, or gaming and live video streaming, it is latency that matters more than raw download speeds.