Africa & Middle East Telecom weekly news

July 3rd to July 10th 2008

EGYPT:
Second fixed-line licence deadline postponed again 

ETHIOPIA:
Network expansion from ZTE

GAMBIA:
Gamtel seeks tariff hike

GHANA:
Vodafone acquires 70 percent stake in Ghana Telecom for USD 900 million
Zain Ghana launches services

ISRAEL:
Internet Gold board authorises additional share buyback programme

KENYA:
Celtel introduces new offers for subscribers 
Safaricom ropes in Huawei for 3G equipment

KUWAIT:
Alternative BTS power rig tested
Wataniya likely to list shares on Doha Stock Exchange
Zain gets government approval for USD 4.5 billion capital hike

MALI:
Sotelma privatisation kicks off in Paris

MOROCCO:
Meditel to invest USD 577 million on service development

MOZAMBIQUE:
mCel to invest USD 70 million in infrastructural development in 2008

NIGER:
African Development Bank to fund Orange’s expansion

NIGERIA:
Celtel to compensate subscribers for poor service quality by 15 August 
Phase3 to invest USD 200 million in fibre-optic network

OMAN:
Government invites investors for acquisition of 25 percent stake in Omantel

QATAR:
Qtel introduces Late Talkers, Internet promotion

SAUDI ARABIA:
Mobily gains regulatory approval for Zajil acquisition
Saudi Telecom launches new screening Service

SOUTH AFRICA:
Anil Ambani suggests alternate structure to acquire majority stake in MTN
Deukom files lawsuit against ICASA over pay TV licence
Huge Group opposes MTN’s offer to fully acquire i-Talk 

TURKEY:
Number portability systems deployed by Avea and Vodafone

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
Etisalat collaborates with FT for multiple offerings
TRA issues new directive for CPS availability

ZIMBABWE:
Mobile users burdened with further tariff hikes