Claim your FREE copy of the 'Africa Mobile Factbook' now! 22-pages of detailed data on the African mobile industry with analysis by Country and by Operator. Home Subscribe Subscriber Log-in Free Trial Subscription Password Registration Africa & Mid East Telecoms Free News Telecoms Market Resources Mobile Operator Statistics Operators & Regulators MVNOs in the Middle East Market Research Reports Country Reports Custom Research Back Issues Events Telecoms Market Research Contact About Terms & Conditions Privacy Search Site

For African telecoms news, AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST TELECOM WEEK is your weekly news service in this fast-moving telecoms market! Never before has Africa and the Middle East offered such a remarkable business opportunity for telecom manufacturers, operators and suppliers. africantelecomsnews Telecom News & Operator Data from issue 402 dated 10 December 2009: A & ME SUBSCRIBER STATISTICS: East Mediterranean Mobile Network Subscriber Statistics: 3Q 2009 Middle East Mobile Penetration 2Q 2009 AFRICA & MIDDLE EAST: Six new members join the ACE cable project Six new telecom carriers from the Middle East and Africa have joined the ACE cable consortium, including Etisalat... < more > AFRICA: BSNL on lookout for smaller African properties Kuldeep Goyal, the Chairman and Managing Director of India-based Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL), has revealed... < more > Vodafone targets African corporate market with Global Enterprise Division Vodafone is reportedly planning to expand its Global Enterprise Division in Africa to cater to the MNCs operating in the... < more > BOTSWANA: Mobile operators told to drop prizes The government of Botswana has issued a warning to the country’s three telcos - Orange, beMobile and Mascom - ...< more > EGYPT: Mobinil selects SMS router solution Comviva has announced that Mobinil, Egypt’s largest GSM operator with over 24 million subscribers, has selected its... < more > Mobinil to issue bonds worth EGP 1.5 billion Khalid Ellaicy, the CFO of Mobinil, has announced the company’s plans to launch five-year fixed-rate unsecured bonds...< more > OTH undergoes restructuring to maintain growth The Board of Directors of Orascom Telecom Holding (OTH) has approved an organisational restructuring of the...< more > GHANA: EDC readies for Vodafone Ghana review The government of Ghana has selected Ecobank Development Corporation (EDC) as its consultant to re-negotiate the...< more > ISRAEL: 012 Smile.Communications finds funds for Bezeq deal 012 Smile.Communications has managed to raise funds worth ILS 3.9 billion (USD 1 billion) from a consortium of...< more > Ronen joins Partner board Partner Communications has invited Osnat Ronen to join its Board of Directors. Ronen has been appointed as a...< more > Temporary settlement reached over Bezeq Businessmen Michael Chernoy and Gad Zeevi have said that they have reached a provisional settlement regarding a...< more > KENYA: Safaricom enters managed services market Safaricom has partnered with Cisco to develop a series of managed services offerings. Safaricom plans to launch the...< more > Telkom Kenya to begin 3G trials Telkom Kenya has announced that it will begin trials of its 3G service in very shortly. The company is expecting to ...< more > LEBANON: mtc announces top-up transfer mtc touch last week has said that its post-paid subscribers can now top-up and extend validity of pre-paid magic lines...< more > NIGERIA: NITEL, Mtel bid deadline extended In a statement released by Joe Anichebe, Head of Public Communications of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE),...< more > Zain commences second phase of Fixed Payphones rollout Zain Nigeria has embarked on the second phase of the deployment of Fixed Payphones throughout the country. The...< more > OMAN: Seven bidders selected for USO licences The Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Oman has shortlisted seven bidders in the first round of bidding to connect...< more > QATAR: Qtel keen on international expansion; eyes Libya and Iran Nasser Marafih, the CEO of Qtel said that the company is keen on spreading its operations at several locations across...< more > RWANDA: 3G from the start says Millicom Millicom has announced the official start-upof its new network. Thew operator was awarded its license in December...< more > MTN secures USD 18 million loan for network upgrade MTN Rwanda has secured a loan of USD 18 million from a consortium of six local banks to revamp its network...< more > SAUDI ARABIA: Mobily Board reappoints Chairman and CEO Saudi telecom carrier Mobily’s Board has decided to extend the tenure of Abdulaziz Alsughayir, the Chairman of the...< more > SOUTH AFRICA: Huawei inaugurates telecom R&D centre Paolo Bertoluzzo, the CEO of Vodafone Italy, has been selected as a member of the Board of Vodacom as a...< more > Vodacom allocates BEE units to directors Vodacom has granted a total of 2.5 million YeboYethu units to three of its directors under the employee share ...< more > TANZANIA: Millions on offer to Vodafone M-PESA users Vodacom Tanzania has said that it will stage a weekly draw during December for Vodafone M-Pesa subscribers using...< more > UGANDA: MTN Uganda to be shielded from job cuts MTN South Africa which recently announced that it will reduce its workforce by 403 beginning this month has assured...< more > UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Etisalat eager on acquisitions in Syria, Lebanon and Libya Emirates Telecommunication Company (Etisalat) has outlined plans to expand operations to Syria and Lebanon by...< more > WiMAX - UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Metro solution from Motorola Motorola announced this week that its Home & Networks Mobility business is working with UAE telco du to provide Dubai...< more > Issue index: 401 - 3 Dec 2009 | 400 - 26 Nov 2009 | 399 - 19 Nov 2009 Why Africa? "...Africa remains Millicom's fastest growing region and an increasing proportion of total Group capex has been invested in the region in 2008 and we expect that this will continue in 2009. The slightly lower growth in new subscribers, 611 thousand in Q4, reflects the more challenging economic conditions across Africa, but we expect to continue to achieve high growth in Africa as, with around 160 million people under license, Africa represents 55% of Millicom's potential market and with the penetration still low in all our markets, there is potential for high growth for many years to come." Millicom 4Q 2008 Financial Report Why 'Africa & Middle East Telecom-Week'? developing-telecoms.blogspot.com - 14 April 2009 "I have, of late, been taking advantage of an excellent newsletter from Blycroft Publishing - Africa & Middle East Telecoms Week." Acision "I like your magazine a lot! Very up-to-date and interesting info." Saudi Telecom "...it was my pleasure to receive your Africa & Middle east Telecom week, I believe it’s one of the highest standard reports I have seen in terms of coverage to the big news especially in Saudi Arabia where I work." Globitel "The title is meaningful, I like it mostly, nothing was bad so far.... It is great news." Neugroups "It is an excellent source of information, well compiled and concise. I am indeed interested to continue. Thank You." listerus & partners "I think that A & ME is very good. We are a consulting company and recommend it to our clients." September 2009 Country Report - Democratic Republic of Congo Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics The DRC is a mineral-rich country that is recovering from civil strife and many years of pillage by its former leaders which has accounted for the low level of development of its telecommunications and other infrastructure. While there has been little success with revitalising the fixed-line network infrastructure, the mobile networks have experienced strong growth and provide a replacement for fixed telephony and public payphones. Following the launch of mobile data services, they are also set to become major players in the underdeveloped Internet and broadband sector. Overall, market penetration is still well below the African average, leaving enormous potential for future growth. Check out the African Telecoms News' resource area for mobile telecoms market information and data. Click here for market research reports, studies and research services covering other telecom markets.

IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE: East Mediterranean Mobile Network Subscriber Statistics: 3Q 2009 chart Eastern Mediterranean mobile subscribers by State 3Q 2009 data table EastMed mobile penetration 3Q 2009 data table Eastern Mediterranean mobile subscribers by Operator 3Q 2009 Middle East Mobile Penetration 2Q 2009 chart Middle East Mobile Penetration 2Q 2009 table Botswana Mobile Subscribers & Penetration 3Q07-3Q09 chart & data table Egypt Mobile Subscriber Growth y-o-y 4Q06-3Q09 chart Ghana Mobile Subscribers and Penetration 3Q07-3Q09 data table and chart Kenya Mobile Subscribers and Penetration 3Q07-3Q09 table and chart Lebanon Mobile Subscribers and Penetration 3Q07-3Q09 table and chart Oman Mobile Subscribers and Penetration 3Q07-3Q09 data table and chart Rwanda Mobile Subscribers and Penetration 3Q07-3Q09 data table and chart