MyAdhan Blog

Link: Telekom Malaysia to spin off mobile unit

Another Link: Telekom Malaysia to spin off mobile unit

State-controlled Telekom Malaysia Bhd said on Friday it would split off and list its high-growth mobile business, separating it from the slower-growing fixed line and broadband businesses. “Our performance will become more transparent and it will enable the market to value us properly,” Chief Executive Abdul Wahid Omar told reporters in the Malaysian capital. Telekom, worth about 33.4 billion ringgit ($9.8 billion) until trade in its shares was halted for the news, is now about 20 percent undervalued by the Malaysian market, Abdul Wahid said. Its mobile businesses are worth some 28 billion ringgit ($8.2 billion) while its fixed-line and broadband businesses should be worth 12 billion, making the combined unit worth 40 billion ringgit, the firm said.

Link: Bangladesh: Grameenphone’s new CEO promises more affordable services

Grameenphone’s new chief executive officer (CEO) has promised that his company will provide more affordable services for its customers in near future. “I think being able to communicate is very close to human rights and it should be done at a price level people can afford, this is my promise to the Grameenphone customers in Bangladesh,” said Anders Jensen, who is scheduled to take over as the CEO of the private mobile service provider tomorrow. He, however, felt it necessary to increase capacity and bandwidth to maintain his promise. Meanwhile, the outgoing CEO, Erik Aas described the last three years of Grameenphone as a success story.

Link: Telecom Malaysia’s Proposed Demerger ‘Will Enable Faster Expansion’

Telekom Malaysia Bhd’s (TM) proposed demerger of its mobile and fixed line businesses to create two separate entities is seen to provide better opportunities for the company to strengthen and further expand its overseas presence. Inter-Pacific Research Sdn Bhd’s head of research Anthony Dass said today that a single entity in control of international operations will make it easier for TM to make decisions on expansion plans. Under the exercise, TM plans to split into two entities, one for domestic operations and the other for international operations.

Link: Telekom Malaysia to split mobile and fixed-line ops into two firms

Telekom Malaysia on Friday announced it will revamp its operations and split its mobile and fixed-line businesses into two separate entities listed on the local bourse. Under the plan, TM International Sdn Bhd will take over Telekom’s domestic mobile operators and non-Malaysian businesses. It will seek a listing on Bursa Malaysia. Telekom, already listed on the exchange, will hold remaining businesses comprising fixed-line voice, data and broadband services and other telecommunication and non-telecommunication related businesses.

Link: Omantel board clears proposal to buy stake in Worldcall

The board of Oman Telecommunication CompanyOman Telecommunication Company
Oman Telecommunications Company yesterday approved a proposal to acquire majority share in Worldcall Telecommunication a Pakistan-based telecommunication service provider. However, finalisation of the deal is subject to the approval of Worldcall shareholders and Pakistan’s regulatory authorities, a company statement said.

Link: Malaysia: Software to keep telcos competitive

INTEC Telecom Systems Plc is offering business and operations support systems (BSS/OSS) that it claims can help telecommunications companies in the Asia Pacific region cope with rapid changes in the industry landscape. To remain competitive, telcos are feeling the pressure to start offering new applications in addition to voice on mobile devices, such as video and data access, according to Intec. “Consumers are demanding more and more services from their telcos,” said Gary Bunney, Intec’s chief operating officer. He said consumers want convenient, personalised and instant access to services on their phones, such as web content and TV programmes.

Link: Ethiopia Restores SMS

Another Link: Ethiopia turns SMS back on

Banned since the contested elections in 2005, SMS has at last been turned back on in Ethiopia in time for Ethiopia’s new millennium. The Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation, the sole telecommunication service provider in Ethiopia, has re-started SMS on 14th September. During the elections in May 2005, Kinijit used text messaging to communicate with its supporters. The election result was contested and in response to Kinijit’s effective use of SMS in mobilising its supporters, the government closed down parts of the press, blocked acess to web sites and shut down SMS on 10th June 2005.

Link: Iran: Inquiry System Via SMS

The number of driving contraventions is going to be inquired through SMS via installing Inquiry System, said the NAJA Information Technology commander. Commander Hosseyn Mazloomi said: ” The citizens would become aware of their driving contraventions via SMS in a near future. To get the inquiry they should demand and pay.”

Link: Iran: Telecom concentrates on tariff

Surging the telephone fixed line’s tariffs would lead us to reduce the SMS tariff, said the president of Public Relations Department of Telecommunication Company of Iran. Davood Zarian did not talk over the relation of these two, and said: ”SMS tariff is not so expensive so that talking over this issue on the mass media is not going to make us reduce the cost of that.” He talked over the Telecommunication revenue which has been under deliberation of government so that the tariffs must meet the cost of services which the Telecommunication Company should offer. Therefore, if one tariff reduces, the other one surges.

Link: Turkish Telco Is Latest To Disclose Plans For ‘Pay-Buy Mobile’ Trial

Turkey’s largest mobile network operator and one of its largest banks plan to launch a small mobile-payment trial before the end of the year using phones that support Near Field Communication. A Turkcell representative said plans call for a trial with 200 users, including employees, and 100 merchants. Turkey’s Garanti Bank will issue a contactless payment application for the trial, said Burçin Açan, of Turkcell’s business development department.