Africa & Middle East Telecom weekly news

April 17th to April 24th 2008

AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST:
Comtech to provide satellite modem in the Middle East and Africa

ALGERIA:
Algerian ADSL customers to enjoy reduced tariffs
Wataniya Telecom Algeria selects NSN for network upgrade

EGYPT:
Orascom to buy-back 10.3 percent of its shares

GHANA:
Ghana to introduce number portability
Itel expresses interest in GT stake sale

ISRAEL:
Bezeq contracts Teledata Networks for BroadAccess-1000 MSAG deployment
Koor extends USD 719.76 million proposal for stake in Tata Teleservices
Netvision in talks to acquire Leumi’s stake in HOT
Smile’s WiMAX trials licence extended

KENYA:
France Telecom to invest KES 7 billion in Telkom Kenya
Telkom workers threaten strike amid salary increment issues

KUWAIT:
Zain Kuwait to launch new mobile back-up service

LESOTHO:
Vodacom contracts TVS for WiMAX deployment

LIBERIA:
LTA proposes reforms for telecom sector

MAURITIUS:
Mauritius Telecom to re-brand under Orange umbrella

NAMIBIA:
Telecom Namibia extends data services nationwide

NIGERIA:
NITEL workers go on strike for non-payment of salary arrears

SAUDI ARABIA:
Mobily reports 1Q 2008 results
Mobily secures SAR 1.5 billion financing for Bayanat acquisition
Saudi Telecom posts improved 1Q 2008 results

SOUTH AFRICA:
Telkom approaches court against CC

UGANDA:
Government of Uganda to transfer management of fibre optic network to private hands
MTN Uganda introduces new MTN Preferred Roaming service

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Etisalat records 15.5 percent increase in 1Q profit