Alcatel-Lucent third quarter revenue highlights:

Alcatel-Lucent announcing the third quarter revenue presented a rosy picture about the future about the telecom equipment maker as the company started responding well in line with its new Shift Plan strategy.

TelecomLead.com is presenting Alcatel-Lucent third quarter revenue highlights

Alcatel-Lucent third quarter revenue increased 7 percent year-on-year to Euro 3,668 million. Alcatel-Lucent reported net loss of Euro 200 million for the period.

The Core Networking segment grew 6.0 percent, driven by IP Routing.

In the Access segment, both Wireless and Fixed Networks enjoyed a strong performance, driven by broadband roll-outs partially offset by declines in legacy technologies. This is partially offset by the decrease in revenues from Managed Services.

Google Nexus 5 on Android 4.4 KitKat OS goes on sale:

Google Nexus 5 on Android 4.4 KitKat OS platform announced today comes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and global LTE support.

The 5-inch smartphone is meant for both developed and developing telecom markets.

Google Nexus 5 will be available without contract with a telecom operator. It is currently available on Google Play in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, U.K., Australia, Korea and Japan.

The new device will be sold in Europe, Central/South Americas, Asia including India, CIS and the Middle East from mid-November.

Nexus 5, which is produced by LG, has Qualcomm QFE1100 feature offering reduced heat by up to 30 percent, decreased power consumption by up to 20 percent and longer battery life.

LG, which competes with Samsung, Apple, Huawei, Lenovo, Sony, etc. to improve smartphone market share, said Nexus 5, the slimmest and fastest Google Nexus phone to date, comes in both 16GB and 32GB versions.

Nexus 5 features LG Innotek’s optical image stabilizer technology which was first introduced in the LG G2.

Ericsson, Zain Bahrain sign 4G LTE deal:

Telecom equipment vendor Ericsson and Zain Bahrain announced the signing up of a 4G LTE deal that will assist replace existing 2G and 3G radio network equipment while adding 4G functionality with the Ericsson RBS 6000 base stations.

As part of the 4G deal, Ericsson will also deploy Evolved Packet Core with triple-access SGSN-MME and Ericsson Evolved Packet Gateway based on Ericsson SSR 8000 family of Smart Services Routers as well as MINI-LINK PT and SP for IP backhaul.

The LTE contract includes the latest LTE technology and prepaid charging including consulting and systems integration services. On Wednesday, Ericsson said it has been named the worldwide overall telecoms software revenue leader by Analysys Mason.

Mohammed Zainalabedin, CEO of Zain Bahrain said the deal will enable the company to benefit from better quality at a predictable cost.

Zain will also implement Ericsson’s Charging System for prepaid subscribers as phase one of the convergent charging and billing in one solution (CBIO). This business support solution (BSS) will enable Zain to market its services with better flexibility in pricing.

Korea Telecom Confirms Interest in Buying Stake in Tunisian Operator:

South Korea based Korea Telecom (KT) has confirmed that it is considering bidding for a stake in a North African mobile network operator.

In a stock market filing, KT Corp said that it is reviewing a possible purchase of a stake in Tunisia based Tunisie Telecom.

A 35% stake in the state-controlled company is being sold by its Dubai owners, who look likely to book a significant loss on the investment. They paid US$2.25 billion for the stake in 2006, but it is now estimated to be worth around US$650 million.

"The talks are still in the early stage and nothing has been decided yet," it said, adding that it is also seeking to expand its presence in other African countries.

The company recently dropped out of bidding for a controlling stake in the Morocco based Maroc Telecom.

The Tunisian government has previously said that it would like to see the company listed on the local stock market, although those plans were put on hold by the ousting of the previous President by a popular uprising.

Zain, SLA Mobile launch direct operator billing platform:

Zain Group has signed an agreement with mobile solutions provider SLA Mobile to provide its subscribers what it claims to be ‘one of the first in the region’ direct operator billing (carrier billing) services. According to a press release, the service will enable Zain’s customers to pay for digital goods from a third-party content or service provider by charging the transaction to their mobile phone monthly bill or using their pre-paid credit. Zain’s Direct Operator Billing service is set to be launched in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, first, followed by Iraq, South Sudan and Sudan.

Zain Group’s CEO Scott Gegenheimer said: ‘Zain is already one of the leading technology innovators with respect to our state-of-the-art mobile broadband networks, and this investment in our networks goes hand-in-hand with our ability to offer services that enhance customer’s digital purchasing experiences.’

African mobile operators make up to 30% of their revenues with non-voice services:

Wherever 3G mobile broadband services are deployed in sub-Saharan Africa, they quickly take over as the preferred means of access to the internet, provided that a suitable backbone network is in place. DSL services offered by national telcos on their typically underdeveloped fixed-line networks are quickly reduced to niche market status, as are most traditional ISPs reselling these services or offering their own wireless access.

The extensive national network infrastructure of the mobile operators and their large user bases for voice services place them in a dominant market position for data services as well. The additional revenue is welcome in an environment of shrinking average revenue per user (ARPU) in the mobile voice market.

In many countries in the region, national fibre backbone networks are being rolled out, and new international submarine fibre optic cables along the continent’s East and West coast are providing the bandwidth needed to connect millions to the internet, at much lower cost than previously when satellites were the only option. In many cases the mobile operators are building their own fibre backbones under converged licensing regimes.

North Africa has traditionally been in a slightly better position in terms of fixed networks, but even here mobile broadband is quickly outgrowing other access methods. Mobile broadband prices are often comparable to fixed broadband offerings or at least not far behind. In Morocco, Africa’s most penetrated DSL market with some of the lowest prices on the continent, 3G mobile broadband jumped from virtually zero to over 40% of all connections within two years after launch and made up more than 80% by mid-2012.

Low Income Groups to Grow in Prominence in the Sudan Telecom Market:

The relatively low mobile penetration rate and the limited presence of fixed-line services are driving mobile growth in Sudan, especially in remote areas. While mobile broadband is expected to witness the highest growth due to better accessibility, the segment with the highest potential is broadband. The fixed-line segment will also get a boost with the prevalence of new technologies such as CDMA fixed-wireless technology.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that the market earned revenues of US$2.13 billion in 2011 and estimates it to reach US$2.85 billion in 2018. In 2011, Sudan had approximately 24 million mobile subscribers and the penetration rate stood at 55.1 per cent. The number of subscribers in the country is anticipated to triple to 56.8 million between 2012 and 2018.

"Sudan has a relatively liberalised telecom sector," said Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Jonas Zelba. "There are two fixed-line and five mobile operators providing services in the country and all operators have planned network expansion to take advantage of the growing demand in rural areas."

However, with close to 40 per cent of the population living below the poverty line, there is substantial pressure on the operators to find fresh revenue streams. In addition, high illiteracy rates restrict the uptake of sophisticated data services.

Further, a high number of new subscribers in the low income segments use their mobiles phones mainly for incoming calls, lowering operators' average revenue per user.

Owing to this large presence of low-income groups, operators should acknowledge that the next wave of subscriber growth in Sudan is likely to come from these consumers. Therefore, apart from offering innovative and advanced services for high-end subscribers, they should also provide simplified broadband services to penetrate the low-income segment effectively.

MTN Group closed out third quarter with 203.8m subscribers:

Johannesburg-based African operator MTN Group says that as at 30 September 2013, it recorded 203.762 million subscribers across its operations spanning 22 countries across Africa and the Middle East, up 1.1% quarter-on-quarter from 201.534 million at end-June. However, it noted a slowdown in subscriber growth due to increased price competition and registration regulations. Commenting on the latest operational results, MTN Group president and CEO, Sifiso Dabengwa, said: ‘The third quarter has been characterised by lower than anticipated subscriber growth following ongoing price competition and subscriber registration requirements across a number of markets. Subscriber growth was limited to 1.1% quarter-on-quarter, mainly impacted by disconnections in Nigeria related to registration requirements, slower than expected subscriber growth in South Africa, as well as slower subscriber growth in Iran. During the quarter, the group continued to focus on segmented competitive voice and data tariffs, and improving network quality to cater for increased traffic. Data and Mobile Money remain a key focus for the group, with traditional voice revenue under pressure. Data revenue for the group increased by 34.7% year-on-year, contributing 14.1% to total revenue, while Mobile Money subscribers increased 10.7% q-o-q to 13.4 million across 13 operations.’

Nigeria expected to gain 45m mobile subscribers in five years:

Business Monitor predicts that Nigeria could add around 45 million new mobile subscribers in the next five years.

In its new Nigeria Telecommunications Report, Business Monitor says after a wave of regulatory penalties, including fines and a ban on promotions, Nigeria’s mobile operators have announced plans to expand and upgrade their networks to cope with strong subscriptions growth and increasing data usage. Business Monitor expects this trend to continue over the medium term.  

Meanwhile, consolidation and, subsequently, transition to LTE technology appears to be a growing trend among tier two telecoms service providers in Nigeria. Business Monitor sees this as a positive development as, through consolidation, tier-two operators are able to gain scale for bigger network deployments while the transition to LTE should enable them to compete better with 3G HSPA+ offerings from the GSM operators.

The report notes that mobile subscription growth slowed to 2.7% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) in Q213 due to the large net loss reported by third largest operator Airtel. Mobile ARPU decline accelerated in Q213 due to the impact of cuts to mobile termination rates in April 2013, with market leader MTN's ARPU down 22.6% year-on-year and the fixed-line sector contracted by 5.7% in Q113 and 27.6% in the 12 months to June 2013.

Samsung Ghana urges e-warranty registration:

Samsung Ghana has called on all customers and users of Samsung phones who have not yet registered their mobile phones on the e-warranty platform to do so, in order to enjoy a 24-month warranty and other exciting services and offers from the electronic giants.

The e-warranty platform also offers customers of all Samsung phones the unique opportunity of checking whether their phones are original. “We at Samsung always seek to provide our customers with real value for their money. The e-warranty service is therefore here to ensure our customers get 24 months warranty while giving them the opportunity to check for the authenticity of their phones,”explained Jaspreet Singh, Business Leader for Handheld Products at Samsung Ghana.

Neotel Launches Fixed Wireless LTE Network:

South Africa's second landline network operator, Neotel has launched its own LTE network to provide fixed wireless based internet services.

The Neo Broadband branded service uses a fixed installation to connect business offices via Neotel's LTE network, which operates over its 1800Mhz spectrum.

Sunil Joshi, MD & CEO of Neotel said "Neotel is using its LTE network to deliver efficient, stable, low contention, unshaped and uncapped internet to its business and retail customers as well as for last mile requirements. By using fixed wireless deployment Neotel can optimise the number of connections to each tower thereby delivering better speeds, consistent user experience and minimal disruptions."

The initial coverage is focused in Gauteng and offers download speeds of 2 Mbps, 5Mbps and 10 Mbps on an unshaped, uncapped package ranging from R999 to R2899 per month. As the network footprint expands, Neotel will offer additional packages as well as make the service available in other regions in a phased manner.

With the addition of NeoBroadband powered by LTE in its product portfolio, Neotel is now positioned to offer a wide range of broadband services ranging from 1 Mbps up to 100 Mbps using different access technologies such as Fibre, WiMAX and now LTE.

Vodacom Purchase of Neotel Could Face Trade Body Obstruction:

South Africa's Wireless Access Providers' Association (WAPA) says that it would object to any attempt by Vodacom to buy the country's second largest landline operator, Neotel and said it was watching developments carefully before formulating a formal response.

WAPA believes that the acquisition would stifle competition, lead to job cuts, and do little to reduce the digital divide that it believes should be the country's top priority with regard to broadband.

WAPA says that it is seeing an increase in membership exceeding 25% per year, as smaller operators seize the gap created in the broadband market, particularly with respect to last-mile access.

"The growth in smaller operators is good for the customer and good for the country," says Christopher Geerdts, Chairperson of WAPA. "It increases competition, creates jobs and drives rural broadband penetration. Larger operators tend to cut jobs and cherry-pick customers in the most lucrative suburbs and business parks."

WAPA and many of its members have a commercial relationship with Neotel.

Vodacom in Exclusive Talks to Buy South African Landline Network:

South Africa's Vodacom is reported to have entered into exclusive talks to buy the country's second landline network operator, Neotel from its Indian owners.

Vodacom had previous been said to be the last company running its eye over Neotel's accounts after rival MTN dropped out of bidding.

The advantage for Vodacom apart from Neotel's own newish LTE network and radio spectrum would be access to a much larger landline network for backhaul and to cross sell to corporate users.

A deal to buy Neotel is expected to be worth around US$500 million, according to Bloomberg News, who cited an unnamed person familiar with the talks.

Neotel is majority owned by India based Tata Communications, who bought their initial stake in 2008 and have slowly built it up to 67.3% as of this March.

Vodacom is 65% owned by the UK based Vodafone, with the rest of its shares listed locally.

Etisalat Extends Talks to Buy Majority Stake in Maroc Telecom:

UAE based Etisalat says that it has extended its talks to buy a majority stake in Morocco's Maroc Telecom.

Etisalat entered into exclusive talks with France's Vivendi to sell its majority holding stake in Maroc Telecom back in July after other bidders dropped out. The price is expected to be in the region of US$5.7 billion.

The deadline for the negotiations had been due to expire on the 25th September, but have now been extended until the 31st October.

The reason for the delay was not made clear.

Vivendi owns 53% of Maroc Telecom, with 17% listed on a local stock market. The remaining 30% is owned by the government which also has a veto over any change in ownership.

Unitel claims first African 4G video roaming:

Angolan cellco Unitel and Belgian counterpart Proximus have performed the first African 4G LTE international roaming video call (via LTE data roaming session), supported by BICS, a global provider of wholesale carrier services. The demonstration was made in the presence of Princess Astrid of Belgium, on an official state visit by the Belgian Economic Trade Mission to Angola, a press release says. The Belgian deputy prime minister Didier Reynders (in Luanda, Angola) and a BICS representative in Belgium made the video call using BICS’s  LTE signalling platform.

Angola leads the way with 4G mobile services:

Angola is leading the way with a new generation of mobile network technology. A $100m upgrade to the mobile phone network means that Angolans will benefit from high speed mobile downloads using the 4G services well ahead of most of Europe and US.

The 4G technology will be launched in Luanda and Cabinda in addition to 15 further populous centres.  Provider Movicel aims to have a subscriber base of between 4.5m to 7m by 2013 including 30 more cities. Movicel has partnered with Chinese company ZTE who will also advise on the $1bn upgrade of Movicel’s entire system.

The 4G upgrade is a key part of Angola’s infrastructure investment and is seen as vital to keep pace with an economy that has expanded 8% in the last year alone.

The technology is also a further step towards diversifying away from Angola’s historic reliance on the petrochemicals industry and an opportunity to educate and empower local people with new skills. The majority of the technical team behind the upgrade will be Angolans and ZTE have committed to transferring knowledge, skills and experience.

Demand for Broadband Set to Drive Algerian Telecom Market:

The mobile telephony segment in Algeria is reaching maturity. Mobile subscriber growth rates are projected to slow down even as mobile penetration rate was expected to reach 100 per cent by the first quarter of 2012. 3G services are likely to be the next major trend in the Algerian market and are set to boost broadband penetration. However, an inefficient regulatory environment threatens the development of the telecommunications industry.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan finds that the market earned revenues of USD 4.96 billion in 2011 and is estimated to reach USD 7.36 billion in 2018. The highest growth potential is anticipated to lie in the broadband segment.

"Algeria has a 2.5 per cent broadband penetration rate as of 2011," noted Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Jonas Zelba. "However, the demand for high speed data services is evident and is expected to increase, thus driving its growth."

Algeria has among the lowest broadband penetration rates in the region. The fixed-line broadband services are monopolised by Algerie Telecom as all the ISPs have to use its network.

Algerian Telecom Market Set to Become More Competitive As 3G is Introduced:

Algeria is set to become more competitive as 3G is introduced in 2013 and expected regulatory changes allow number portability and local loop unbundling, according to a new report from Pyramid Research.

"Tight regulations imposed by the government have deterred foreign buyers," says Pyramid Research Analyst, Ousmane Yatera.

Nedjma, the only Ooredoo affiliate without 3G services, expressed high expectations from UMTS technology, and it made a substantial effort to modernize its network in order to comply with the license requirements. Equally, the other operators have been investing a lot of money to improve their infrastructure for 3G. This move will give operators more flexibility to offer data-based services such as mobile video.

"If the mobile operators succeed in building high-quality 3G networks, they could also attract ADSL customers who complain about the quality of service," he adds.

Orascom Telecom Algerie Awarded 3G Operator License:

Global Telecom Holding says that its Algerian subsidiary Orascom Telecom Algerie (OTA) has been awarded one of the three provisional 3G licenses offered in Algeria.

Final licenses with the relevant coverage obligations are expected to be granted after payment of fees, satisfaction of the conditions indicated in the tender documents and receipt of clearances and approvals from various governmental authorities. The 3G license will cost DZD 3 billion (approximately US$40 million) and will be valid for 15 years, after which successive renewals will be in five year fixed terms.

OTA also received an exceptional approval from the Bank of Algeria allowing it to make foreign payments to acquire equipment exclusively dedicated to 3G technologies. This exception is a conditioned derogation to the current ban on foreign payments.

Telecom Egypt share price rises on possible Vodafone bid:

Telecom Egypt shares surged to their highest level since February after Vodafone expressed interest in buying the shares it does not already own in Vodafone Egypt, Bloomberg reports. Analysts told Bloomberg that the sale could raise about USD 2 billion for Telecom Egypt. Vodafone is ready to buy the 45 percent stake, an official at the company who sought anonymity said. Buying the share could end a conflict of interest that has arisen after Telecom Egypt applied for an integrated licence allowing it to offer mobile services. The Cairo-based company hasn't received a formal offer, an official said, declining to comment further.

Vodafone poised for Telecom Egypt buyout:

The Vodafone Group is ready to buy Telecom Egypt’s 45 per cent stake in Vodafone Egypt, according to a Bloomberg report.

Analysts at Naeem Brokerage, quoted by Bloomberg, reckon the sale could raise $2 billion for Telecom Egypt, which is 80 per cent owned by the state.

As well as boosting government coffers, a Telecom Egypt exit may well avert a conflict of interest for the country’s fixed-line monopoly holder.

Telecom Egypt has already applied for an integrated licence, a concession that allows operators – for the first time in Egypt – to offer fixed and mobile services under one licence.

Integrated licences would also open the door for Egypt’s three main mobile operators – Etisalat, Orange and Vodafone – to offer fixed-line services.

Regional and Continental Telecommunication Collaboration of AFRICA:

As a member of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU), Nigeria has been collaborating with the member nations of these organizations to develop telecommunications services at the sub-regional as well as continental levels. This collaboration has taken the form of meetings among the telecommunications engineers and planners of the various member countries to discuss the technical issues involved in planning, operating, and designing telecommunications systems suitable for use in Africa's environment.
The segment of the Pan-African Telecommunications Network (PANAFTEL) linking the eastern part of the continent with the western part passes through Nigeria and uses portions of its domestic network. The objective of the PANAFTEL is to provide the African continent with reliable and effective telecommunications systems that will enable telephone and telex circuits to be set up readily between any two African countries without the need to transmit through extra-African centers.
Convinced that the development of telecommunications is one of the essential requirements for the building of a meaningful ECOWAS organization, this subregional group has made the inter-telecommunication (INTERCOM) program one of its priority actions since it was initiated in 1979. The objective of the program is to link the capital towns of the member states through earth networks and microwaves and provide them all with an international transit center to facilitate automatic telephone communication among them. Nigeria continued to be an active participant in this endeavor in the mid-1990s.

Nigerian Group Demands $3.6 Billion in Compensation for Poor Phone Service:

A Nigerian consumer rights group is demanding that the big four GSM mobile networks offer N602 billion (US$3.6 billion) worth of airtime credit for poor services.

The National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) has made the demand and petitioned the telecoms networks own trade association and the telecoms regulator.

NATCOMS has demanded that mobile networks offer N5,000 to each subscriber as a way of compensating them for the poor quality of services

With nearly 120 million subscribers, the compensation claim could reach $3.6 billion for the industry.

However, the consumer rights group has no way of enforcing its demand, and would have to seek legal action to force any such payments.

Nigerian Government Said to Have Ordered Gold-Plated IPhones:

Nigeria's government has been critisised after it placed an order for gold plated iPhones to mark the country's 53rd Independence anniversary this month.

The specially modified iPhones are said to be worth around £2.65 million and are being converted by a UK jewelry company, Gold and Co.

The company charges between £3,000 and £50,000 per customised handset depending on the type of gold used and if any jewels are required in the casing.

The 53 special phones are to be supplied by Amjad Ali, a Bristol-born owner of Gold and Co. now based in Dubai.

MTN Topped Nigerian Advertising Spend in 2012:

MTN's Nigerian subsidiary outspent its rival mobile networks last year in terms of marketing spend, according to a report by MediaReach OMD.

MTN topped telecoms advert spending in the Above-The-Line, ATL in 2012 with N5.09 billion (US$31 million).

Etisalat came second with N4.40 billion while Airtel and Globacom spent N2.99 billion and N2.95 billion during the year.

According to the report, the N15.56 billion (US$95 million) spent by the telecoms sector in 2012, however, represented a decline from the N20.12 billion spent in 2011.

Nigerian Produced Mobile Phones to Launch Shortly:

Two Nigerian produced mobile phones should be launched shortly, the local Phone and Allied Products Dealers' Association (PAPDAN) has disclosed.

The Made-in-Nigeria phone brand is the outcome of a joint venture among 20 Nigerian investors who have jointly invested in manufacturing a phone specifically designed for the local market.

Godfrey Iyke Nwosu, president of PAPDAN revealed that the two new phone brands will be called iQ and MaxTel, but did not elaborate on their specifications.

The new phones should go on sale in November he added.

$124m Interconnect Debt Threatens Nigeria’s Telecoms Sector:

In spite of regulatory interventions put in place by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to curb indebtedness in the telecoms sector, reports have emerged that the sector’s interconnect debts have risen to over $124 million.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos recently, Abimbola Akeredolu, partner at Lagos-based law firm Banwo & Ighodalo said the large debts volume was linked to sharp difference in revenue sharing ratios between mobile operators, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and other landline networks.

This development, according to Akeredolu has led to unrest with some operators threathening to cut-off debtor networks after mediation and arbitration avenues were fully explored.

Last year, the NCC introduced new guidelines for disconnecting telecoms operators that defaulted in meeting their interconnect payment obligations as part of new measures to ensure sustainable growth in Nigeria’s telecoms sector.

MTN Ghana Plans $100 Million Network Improvements in 2013:

MTN's Ghana network is investing over US$100 million this year on networks upgrades designed to improve the quality of the network, the company's Corporate Services Executive, Mrs Cynthia Lumor has told local news media.

She said the mobile network had invested US$1.2 billion in the network since it launched its network in 2007.

On the topic of why the network is suffering poor quality of service in some parts of the country, she cited frequent breaks to its fibre network, mainly by property developers and road construction efforts.

The company suffered 77 disruptions to its network in the first five months of this year.

Fibre cuts are major challenge to the operations of MTN in the country.

Over 800,000 Numbers Ported in Two Years of MNP:

Ghana's telecoms regulator says that the number of mobile phone numbers ported to a different mobile network had exceeded 800,000 in the two years since MNP was launched.

A total of 817,202 successfully completed ports were recorded, representing about 3% of the estimated 27million active mobile line in the country.

The MNP service launched in July 2011, and in the first year a total of 370 thousand numbers were ported, with 447 thousand numbers ported in the second year.

Since the second anniversary, the number of ported numbers has continued to rise, and is expected to exceed one million sometime next month.

The regulator said that around three-quarters of customers who migrate to another network are happy with their new provider, with the rest either moving to a third network, or back to their original provider.

MTN Ghana Offers Compensation Following Network Faults:

Ghana's MTN has offered customers compensation equivalent to 6 minutes worth of free voice calls following network disruption.

MTN sent text messages to its customers over the weekend offering 6 minutes of free calls valid for four days and apologised for the network problems that affected the company on the 14th August.

The problems were caused during network upgrade work when the network interface link connection on the switch experienced intermittent errors.

However the level of compensation has been criticized by businessmen speaking to local media as insufficient.

Glo Mobile Given Two Weeks to Clamp Down on SIM Box Fraud:

Ghana based mobile network, Glo Mobile has been given two weeks to clamp down on the use of illegal SIM boxes on its network for international calls.

The regulator issued the warning after finding that the use of SIM Boxes to bypass the international termination rates payable to the landline network had surged on the Glo network.

Statistics from the NCA indicate that there has been a increase in fraudulent SIMs from around 2,500 in January, 2013, to nearly 30,000 in August, 2013.

"Our team of investigators uncovered that out of the number of SIM bypass activities exposed, Glo Mobile's share of the fraud accounted for more than 80 per cent since May, 2012," the regulator said.

However, the mobile network says it is as much a victim of the fraud as the landline network, as it has to pay termination fees to other networks for calls which appear to have originated on its network.

Commentators noted that as Glo is the smallest network, with around 6 percent market share, that its high level of SIM box fraud indicated some sort of failure within its own monitoring systems.

Usage of FIBRE OPTICS as Broadband Connection in Nigeria:

“Fiber Optics for broadband technology provides the ultimate safety and an ultra speed! I call it the "fabulous speed of the internet". The technology is the most important innovation that provides a higher reliability, less vulnerability to natural disasters and bad weather conditions. Fiber optics technology has an amazing environmental advantage by preventing sparks or fire hazards because no electricity is transferred in fiber optics cable. The immunity of Fiber optics transmission to electromagnetic interference ensure the accuracy of signal transmission by keeping the original strength of the signal over long distance, and because of its nature, fiber optics is a safer option for broadband connection in Nigeria with a higher flexibility and tremendous ease of deployment.

Fibre Optic Broadband is the next generation of broadband - much faster, more reliable and it uses a different technology. Whilst traditional broadband (known as ADSL) is delivered via copper telephone lines, fibre broadband uses Fibre Optic cables. Fibre Optic cabling provides high-speed data transmission and is much less likely to lose connectivity than a traditional dial-up connection. The fact that a single Fibre Optic cable can carry a significantly larger amount of information than a copper wire line means that less space is required for cabling - this is particularly useful when trying to connect a large number of users.

Ghana Telecoms Market Statistics and Forecasts:

With two national operators, a third regional operator and four mobile networks, annual growth has been impressive in Ghana’s telecoms markets,
Notably in the mobile sector where the number of lines exceeds fixed lines by around 10:1. However, at a combined tele-density of little more than 15% and an Internet user penetration of less than 2%, enormous further potential exists. This report contains key statistics and scenario forecasts for the country’s fixed-line Ghana Telecoms Market Statistics and Forecasts:
 markets for the years 2010 and 2015.

World Mobile Subscription exceeds 6.4bn:

Total number of mobile subscriptions worldwide grew approximately by 8% year-on-year exceeding 6.4 billion for the first quarter of 2013, Ericsson’s Mobility Report released this week has revealed.

The report, which aims to share analysis based on traffic measurements, internal forecasts and other relevant studies, has projected that by the end of 2018, mobile subscriptions will reach 9.1 billion.

“The total number of mobile subscriptions globally will exceed the world population in 2014. We will have more mobile subscriptions in the world than there are people in the world," Ericsson Head of Region, Sub Saharan Africa, Fredrik Jejling, said during the launch of the report in Accra on Wednesday.

Of the 130 million mobile net additions the world saw in the first quarter of the year, Africa contributed 27 million.

The report says mobile broadband subscriptions globally also grew drastically at a rate of 45 per cent year-on-year reaching around 1.7 billion for the same period and are predicted to reach 7.0 billion in 2018.

Cellular/Mobile Network in Ghana:

The first cellular phone service in Ghana was initiated by Mobitel in 1992. In that year alone, 19,000 Ghanaians owned mobile phones. In 1998 the number of mobile phone users in the country increased to 43,000 and by the middle of 1999 the number increased to 68,000.

4 companies nowcompete for cellular customers, and usage rose from 22,000 to 132,000 subscribers between 1999 and 2000.
Networks: GSM-900 (digital), (E)TACS and AMPS.

Cellular Market Penetration (September 2003)

Analogue Subscribers	Digital Subscribers	Total Subscribers	Population	Penetration
50,400	651,600	702,000	20.26mil	33,46

Ghana- Broadband & Internet Market Report:

Ghana was amongst the first countries in Africa to achieve connection to the Internet. The rapid growth in this sector in recent years is set to continue in 2006. National and international public data services are provided by more than 20 companies and there are more than 50 VSAT networks operating in the country. Almost 100 new Internet Service Providers (ISPs) were licensed in 2004 alone, bringing the total to more than 140. Broadband ADSL services were introduced in 2003. The government is committed to continuing the privatisation of the national carrier, Ghana Telecom, as well as the fibre network of Voltacom, the country’s electricity company. The full legalisation of VoIP telephony and the implementation of Broadband over Powerlines (BPL, PLC) are other key developments expected in 2006.

Telecommunications in Ghana

Ghana's telecommunications statistics indicated that as of 2012 there was 284,981 telephone lines in operation, and as of 2013 there are 26,336,000 cell phone lines in operation. 

The prefix code of Ghana for international calls is +233.

In 2010, Ghana authorized 2 fixed phone companies to operate in Ghana and authorized 6 mobile phone companies to operate in Ghana of which only 1 was not operating in 2010. Mobile phone companies that are currently authorized for operations are: Mobile Telecommunications Networks  (MTN), Vodafone Ghana acquired by Telecom Ghana, Tigo, Bharti Airtel acquired Western Telesystems Ltd (Westel), Kasapa Telecom Ltd which is a enterprise of Chinese origin, now Expresso Telecom, and Glo Mobile Ghana Limited.

Annual Reports of Leading Telecommunications Operators:

There were no surprises in a recent report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) announcing that energy consumption is steadily rising and will continue to do so in the long-term. The report estimates that global energy consumption will rise by 2.5% annually through 2015, with fossil energy continuing to play a dominant role. And while much of this increased consumption can be attributed to lifestyle advancements in developing countries, the role of first world industry continues to contribute to the world's dwindling energy supply.

According to the annual reports of leading telecommunications operators, the industry is a heavy contributor to the trend in rising energy consumption, with some operators listed as the largest energy-consuming companies in their respective countries. These companies continue to introduce complex information and communications technologies, leading to an ever-increasing number of peripheral equipment running online and an increased demand on the world's energy supply. As a result of this increased demand, both CO2 emissions and energy costs have risen in parallel, putting operators under long-term financial pressure to reduce their consumption in order to meet corporate social responsibility requirements and/or federal regulations, as well as improve their bottom line. The continued increase in data demand and faster transfer rates leads to an increasing need for speed provided by communications equipment, which in turn amplifies the overall power consumption of the telecommunications industry.

Telecom Commission to discuss M&A guidelines on October 29: report

Telecom Commission, the highest decision making body of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), is likely to discuss telecom merger and acquisitions (M&A) guidelines in its meeting on October 29, according to official sources.

"The merger and acquisition guidelines are on the agenda," the sources said.

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal had said earlier the guidelines will be issued by November 1.

The sources said that DoT is considering allowing market share of up to 50 per cent of the resultant entity in case of merger and acquisitions from 35 per cent earlier.

The DoT sources also said that "transfer of licences consequent to compromise, arrangements or amalgamation of companies shall be allowed where market share for access services in respective service area of the resultant entity is up to 50 per cent".

The companies will also be allowed to retain two blocks of 3G spectrum in respective areas as a result of the merger, they added.

The resultant entity has to surrender the excess spectrum within one year of the permission being granted failing which action will be taken by the government, the sources said.

The guidelines, if approved, is likely to benefit telecom players such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular. As per the guidelines, incumbent service providers participating in consolidation activities will have to convert their old licence to unified licence, they added.

In the revised guidelines, a DoT panel on M&A has proposed one year time for completing transaction and exemption from cross holding norms that prohibits incumbent companies from having more than 9.9 per cent stake in competing firms.