TMCnet News
BRIEFING - ASIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS - NOV 12, 2008An executive briefing on the telecommunications industry for Nov 12, 2008, Nov 12, 2008 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities. VODAFONE AUSTRALIA BOOSTS CUSTOMER LEVELS IN 2008 SYDNEY - Vodafone Australia added 84,000 customers in the six months to September for a total of 4.1 million, despite what it calls a challenging economic environment. The mobile phone company said that revenue had grown by 7.4 per cent in the first half of its trading year, compared to the corresponding period last year. AUSTRALIAN TELCO OPTUS GROWS NET PROFIT BY 1.8PCT SYDNEY - Australia's second-biggest telecoms group Optus grew net profit by 1.8 per cent in the second quarter of this financial year, on the back of a growing mobile customer base. Optus, which is owned by Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (ASX:SGT), said net profit rose to $A125 million ($US82.2 million) in the three months ended September, from $123 million in the prior corresponding period. BANGLADESHI GOVT LOWERS INTERNET CHARGES BY 60% DHAKA - In an effort to stretch services to Bangladesh's rural areas, the government has reduced bandwidth charges up to 60 per cent with effect from December 1. In a press release issued yesterday, the Bangladesh Telecommunication and Regulatory Commission (BTRC) said the bandwidth charges have been reduced for the second time in five months time to provide internet services in the country's remote areas. UZBEKISTAN'S PLATINUM MOBILE USERS CAN NOW PAY BILLS VIA PAYNET TASHKENT - Paynet, payment system in Uzbekistan, signed agreement with Unitech JV to render services on receipt of payments in real time from users of Platinum Mobile. Platinum Mobile is a trade mark of UNITECH JV. International Platinum Mobile SIM card is a simple-to-use Prepaid GSM SIM Card with low international roaming rates available in 150 countries worldwide. INDIAN TELECOM COMMISSION MEETS ON ONE-TIME SPECTRUM CHARGES NEW DELHI - The Department of Telecom is likely to finalise tomorrow the additional fee to be charged from existing GSM players like Bharti, Vodafone and Idea, who have acquired spectrum beyond the contracted limit of 6.2 MHz, along with hiking the annual user fees. According to sources, the Telecom Commission, the apex decision making body, will consider various proposals including the one-time fee for spectrum beyond 6.2 MHz or recurring annual charges along with spectrum usage fee. AUST TELCO OPTUS CONTINUES MOBILE CUSTOMER GROWTH SYDNEY - Australia's second largest telco, Optus, says it added 182,000 new mobile customers in the three months to September, bringing costumer growth over 12 months to 7.6 per cent. Optus parent Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (ASX:SGT) said its Australian business' mobile customer base now stands at 7.42 million. AUSTRALIAN MINISTER ASKS ISPS TO GET INVOLVED IN NET NANNY PJT CANBERRA - Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has urged internet service providers (ISP) and mobile telephone operators to participate in a live trial of the government's proposed internet filtering system. The government yesterday called for expressions of interest from industry to take part in the ISP-level filtering trial, expected to start before the end of the year. |