Africa & Middle East Telecom weekly news

December 11th to December 18th 2008

AFRICA:
Accuris Networks, QuickTel Kenya sign for roaming solutions
France Telecom inks MoU for ACE deployment
LAP Green Networks plans to develop single telecom network in Africa

ANGOLA:
Unitel acquires 49.9 percent stake in BFA

BOTSWANA:
iPhone 3G launched by Orange

EGYPT:
Market lead increased by MobiNil
Orascom launches mobile services in North Korea

GHANA:
Zain launches 3.5G network

ISRAEL:
Class actions figure in the affairs of Cellcom
DIC to sell 2.3 percent stake in Cellcom Israel
Israel ministry of communications reassess IPTV services

KENYA:
KDN, Intel, Alcatel-Lucent to develop WiMAX pilot
Minister mandates review of M-Pesa mobile money service
Zain to revamp money transfer service

LEBANON:
mtc post-paid finally get SMS roaming

MALAWI:
Government condemns MTL lay-offs

MIDDLE EAST:
Broadband covering the Middle East bases

MOZAMBIQUE:
Third mobile phone licence to be issued in 1H 2009

NIGERIA:
Etisalat offers lowest call tariffs to attract customers
IILL gains 6.67 percent stake in NITEL
Submarine cable licenses for Main One Cable Company

QATAR:
Credit ratings put Qtel in a good light
SMC-Qtel JV acquires 60 percent stake in Liberty Holdings

SAUDI ARABIA:
Broadband milestone for end of 2008 says STC

SOUTH AFRICA:
ICASA to auction mobile TV licences
MTN to strike new BEE deal in 1H 2009
Neotel secures ZAR 7.5 billion funding
Pre-paid Blackberry for Vodacom subscribers

TUNISIA:
Regulator bars Tunisiana from bidding for licence

TURKEY:
Huawei to supply 3G equipment to Vodafone

UGANDA:
MTN files lawsuit against UTL over interconnection fees
MTN Uganda awards three-year network optimisation contract to Motorola

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Etisalat focuses on service hub enhancements

ZAMBIA:
Muyunda appointed as Zamtel MD