MTN plots 3G launch in Abidjan, ten other cities

MTN Cote d’Ivoire is poised to inaugurate its long-awaited 3G network in the capital of Abidjan, Agence Ecofin reports, with plans to extend mobile broadband services to the country’s ‘top ten cities’ in due course. The cellco, which was awarded a 3G licence by L’Agence des Telecommunications de Cote d’Ivoire (ATCI) in March this year, for XOF6 billion (USD11.9 million), is confident that it can attract between 100,000 and 200,000 new subscribers on a daily basis.

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OVETEL MTN plots 3G launch in Abidjan, ten other cities

Courts grants Clarin last-minute reprieve

Argentine media giant Grupo Clarin has been awarded a last-minute extension of an injunction against the country’s media law, under which the firm would be forced to divest some of its assets, Dow Jones Newswires reports. A federal court ruled that the injunction – which was due to expire on 7 December – will remain in place until the constitutionality of the media law is determined by the courts.

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OVETEL Courts grants Clarin last-minute reprieve

Telefonica O2 CR share price slumps to eight-year low on competition concerns

Bloomberg writes that the share price of Telefonica O2 Czech Republic hit an eight-year low on the Prague bourse amid concerns that the advent of new competition will impact on its future earnings potential. The country’s largest telco by subscribers and revenue, backed by Telefonica of Spain, saw its share price slump by 3.1% to CZK323.5 (USD10.36) at the close on Friday, its lowest level since October 2004

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OVETEL Telefonica O2 CR share price slumps to eight-year low on competition concerns

ForthNet deploying pilot FTTH network, supported by Adtran

Adtran, a provider of next-generation networking solutions, reports that its GPON platform is enabling Greek alternative telecoms operator ForthNet to implement the first fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) pilot network in the metropolitan area of Athens. This platform will enable delivery of high-bandwidth triple-play services to residential and business subscribers in over 2,000 premises in the municipality of Nea.

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OVETEL ForthNet deploying pilot FTTH network, supported by Adtran

UTL hit by USD13m bill from Huawei

Chinese equipment vendor Huawei Technologies has filed a lawsuit against Uganda Telecom Ltd (UTL), accusing the telco of failing to pay some USD13 million for equipment and services received between 2005 and 2009. The Daily Monitor reports that in 2011 UTL and Huawei had agreed upon the outstanding amount, but following a change in management at UTL, the telco has refused to settle the amount.

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OVETEL UTL hit by USD13m bill from Huawei

Lawmakers propose to halt ‘indiscriminate’ sale of mobile lines

Peru’s Special Committee of Public Safety Multiparty Congress has approved legislative proposals to impose more stringent restrictions on the sale of mobile phones, La Republica reports.

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OVETEL Lawmakers propose to halt ‘indiscriminate’ sale of mobile lines

Antitrust watchdog concerned about Kabel Deutschland-Tele Columbus deal

Germany’s Federal Cartel Office (FCO) has expressed concerns that cable operator Kabel Deutschland’s planned acquisition of indebted regional player Tele Columbus could have an impact on competition in the market. Reuters reports that in its preliminary legal assessment of the deal, the FCO stated that the proposed acquisition of Tele Columbus would eliminate a significant competitor to Kabel Deutschland and Unitymedia Kabel BW – the two dominant players in the regions of Germany where they are the incumbent operators – thereby cementing their duopoly and impacting on competition in the market. The FCO added that this applied to both competition for contracts from residential property companies and to the cable operators' purchasing power over TV broadcasters.

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OVETEL Antitrust watchdog concerned about Kabel Deutschland-Tele Columbus deal