Africa & Middle East Telecom weekly news

January 22nd to January 29th 2009

ALGERIA:
Algeria Telecom, Iristel introduce VoIP service
Contract awards under investigation

ANGOLA:
Fixed-line upgrade delayed

BAHRAIN:
Batelco posts profits of BHD 104.2 million
Saudi Telecom awarded third mobile licence

BURKINA FASO:
International fiber ring mapped out

CAMEROON:
NGO to offer increased rural connectivity

CAPE VERDE:
Telecom debt talks back on the table

GAMBIA:
Former directors of Gamtel reappointed

GHANA:
Huawei to upgrade Ghana Telecom to 3G

IRAN:
Etisalat to invest USD 5 billion in five years

IRAQ:
Government fines mobile phone carriers

ISRAEL:
Bezeq to connect Rishon LeZion to NGN

JORDAN:
Orange Jordan enters into cooperation agreement with Space Telecom

KUWAIT:
Wataniya acquires Fono

LIBYA:
Libya joins WiMAX party, but will tariffs spoil the fun?

MALI:
Orange Money comes to Mali

MAURITIUS:
Orange applies for drop in Internet tariffs

NIGERIA:
Glo Gateway slashes international call rates by 70 percent
MTN Nigeria to invest USD 1.5-1.6 billion in 2009

OMAN:
Oman Mobile introduces 3.5G network

RWANDA:
MTN Rwanda to invest USD 100 million

SAUDI ARABIA:
Atheeb launches IPO
Mobily posts improved annual profit

SOUTH AFRICA:
ICASA awards I-ECNS licences to 288 VANS providers
Telkom acquires additional 25 percent stake in Multi-Links
Virgin Mobile to offer new products and services
Vodacom to acquire 51 percent stake in StorTech

TOGO:
Orange closing in on new licence

TURKEY:
Turkcell submits bid for Cosmofon