Nokia Siemens Networks, SKY first with 4G in Latin America | Nokia Siemens Networks

Nokia Siemens Networks, SKY first with 4G in Latin America

São Paulo, Brazil – December 13, 2011

TD-LTE network and subscriber devices provide fixed wireless broadband in Brazil

SKY, the largest cable and satellite TV operator in Brazil, today launched wireless broadband services using fourth generation (4G) technology. Nokia Siemens Networks is the sole vendor for the launch, providing a complete TD-LTE (time division duplex long term evolution)* network, the first of its kind in Latin America.

SKY has initially launched fixed wireless broadband services for customers in Brasília city. The company plans to roll out services to new customers in other cities of Brazil, and other countries in Latin America, in the future. TD-LTE is a 4G mobile broadband technology. It enables SKY to deliver high data throughputs with superior reliability, allowing users to benefit from a wide range of new and innovative multimedia applications and services.

“We are proud to be the very first operator to introduce wireless broadband in Brazil by deploying a TD-LTE network,” said Luiz Eduardo Baptista, CEO, SKY. “To implement our 4G plans, we required a partner that had the strong expertise and solutions to truly assist us in taking broadband experience to a completely new level for our customers. So we selected Nokia Siemens Networks’ end-to-end TD-LTE solution for our TD-LTE network rollout.”

“We are committed to the overall LTE ecosystem and driving the adoption of 4G technology globally,” said Eduardo Araujo, head of Latin America region, Nokia Siemens Networks. “Brazil is a key market for our company. With this deal, we are delighted to have brought 4G to Brazil through our partnership with SKY, one of the region’s leading brands. Our expertise in TD-LTE and strong local service delivery helped SKY roll out the 4G services rapidly for its customers.”

Under the three-year contract, Nokia Siemens Networks has provided the TD-LTE radio network based on its award-winning, compact, energy-efficient Flexi Multiradio Base Station. The company has also provided its FlexiPacket Microwave transport platform and Evolved Packet Core (EPC), which is part of its Liquid Core architecture**. In addition, Nokia Siemens Networks has provided its CPEi-lte 7212, a wireless router built for indoor use that provides fixed wireless connectivity to TD-LTE services via WiFi or Ethernet.

Nokia Siemens Networks has also provided its NetAct network management system to provide consolidated configuration, monitoring and network optimization. The company’s One-NDS subscriber database software will help SKY improve its customers’ experience. One-NDS unifies fragmented subscriber data into a single database for one or multiple network applications, creating a consolidated view of subscriber profile information. Network planning, network implementation and care services are part of the deal to ensure a smooth rollout of the network.

Vodafone Fiji : Free M-PAiSA for Six Months

Vodafone Fiji : Free M-PAiSA for Six Months:

Vodafone has announced zero fees and charges on all M-PAiSA transactions for the next six months calling it the “Free for ALL” promotion. Effectively, customers can now use Vodafone’s M-PAiSA service to do any M-PAiSA transactions at no cost to the user. Customers will be able deposit money and withdraw cash from their M-PAiSA account at no cost. They will also be able to send money to any mobile number and receive money in their M-PAiSA account anywhere in Fiji at no cost; there is no sending and withdrawal fee.

Furthermore, M-PAiSA customers will also be able to enjoy free international money transfer service, ie they will be able to receive money from Australia and New Zealand directly on mobile phone at no cost. This is huge boost and big savings this festive season for many families who receive money from their loved ones in Australia and New Zealand. Upon receipt of monies in the M-PAiSA account, customers can visit any M-PAiSA agent and withdraw the full amount received with no deductions and no withdrawal charges. It offers greater convenience because money sent from overseas is received directly on the recipients’ mobile phone within seconds of it being sent.

Also made free for next six months are all business payment options available through M-PAiSA. These include FEA and Water Authority of Fiji bill payments. Customers will be able to pay their bills from home by depositing money in the M-PAiSA account at an agent and using the bill pay option. Today if customers travel just one stage by bus to pay their bills, it costs them 75 cents. With free bill pay service through M-PAiSA customers now have means and convenience to pay their bills on time at no cost.

Other business payments available at no cost to the user includes hire purchase payments for Courts Fiji Limited, PBS TV subscription, FDB and Housing Authority loan repayments , town and city council rate and parking fines , Fijian Holding Unit Trust and Unit Trust of Fiji payments for unit purchases and Judicial department traffic and criminal fines. Also available at no cost to the user is the loan repayment for the clients of SPBD.

“Thousands of customers are already using this revolutionary mobile phone based financial service that is considered very trendy, convenient and cost effective. With zero fees and charges on all M-PAiSA transactions for next six months, we expect all Vodafone customers to trial this service. They will soon realize how easy, safe and convenient it is to use M-PAiSA for sending and receiving money as well as to make bill payment and other business payments” said Mr. Prasad.

“There are no other hidden fee and charges like monthly account maintenance fees. As an example, if you deposited $100 in your account and left it for a year, you can expect to get your money in full at the end of the year with no deduction whatsoever”, The M-PAiSA Manager said.

Telefonica and NEC Start Cloud Computing Services in Argentina(December 8, 2011): News Room | NEC

Telefonica and NEC Start Cloud Computing Services in Argentina(December 8, 2011): News Room | NEC:

Tokyo and Buenos Aires, December 8, 2011 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) announced today that Telefónica has launched "APLICATECA" in Argentina, cloud services using NEC's cloud platform.

In February 2011, Telefónica selected NEC as a strategic partner to promote cloud computing in Latin America. As a result, Telefónica is now approaching its customers with a new option based on the SaaS business system (Software as a Service), designed to facilitate access to a variety of digital applications and services where the customer only pays for the number of licenses that are used.

This project allows Telefónica to boost its innovative services in Latin America by using a more efficient model that reduces time-to-market. Initially, Telefónica aims to support small and medium sized businesses in Latin America by breaking down the current entry barriers to new technologies and IT applications, while encouraging an open environment for developers to launch new applications.

Looking forward, NEC's deployment of platforms for cloud services in Argentina can be applied to a wide variety of areas.

Nokia Siemens Networks inaugurates service delivery center in Mexico | Nokia Siemens Networks

Nokia Siemens Networks inaugurates service delivery center in Mexico | Nokia Siemens Networks:

Nokia Siemens Networks today inaugurated a new center in Mexico to deliver remote services to operators across Latin America and around the world. The service delivery center – or SDC – will provide network design and planning as well as optimization and assurance for both networks and the services running over them. The new center aims to ensure excellent network performance, and an enhanced customer experience, while reducing operational costs.

The new center joins Nokia Siemens Networks’ existing global network of SDCs for optimizing networks remotely for operators. The company’s four other SDCs are operating from Chennai and Noida in India, Lisbon in Portugal, and from Shanghai in China. The Mexico SDC will provide network planning and optimization services (NPO)* to operators in Latin America and eventually extend these capabilities to other regions. Nokia Siemens Networks currently supports a number of operators with its remote service delivery model.

“With the surge in network traffic due to increasing adoption of smartphones and the use of data intensive services such as VoIP, video download and IPTV, operators are seeking to improve customer experience,” said Jose Luis Garcia, head of global service delivery for Nokia Siemens Networks. “We have increased our focus on optimizing the specific services our customers offer, in addition to providing network optimization, and this new center is part of that effort.”

Nokia Siemens Networks’ SDCs combine the traditional network optimization services with services optimization. Network optimization services ensure network performance for more consistent and reliable services with improved call connection ratio and data speed. Services optimization improves the overall performance of different services, applications and devices to enhance the customer experience.

“The telecom market in Latin America is growing rapidly with increasing demand for higher value services,” said Eduardo Araujo, head of Nokia Siemens Networks in the Latin America region. “We already have strong partnerships with operators across the continent. Mexico is a high growth market and we estimate it is the region’s second largest with more than 23%** share of the Latin Americans market in 2011. Our new Mexico SDC will help us further strengthen our position in the region to serve our customer base across the Americas.”

“We have already set up a Global Network Operations Center (GNOC) for network operations in Brazil, which was inaugurated earlier this year. The new SDC in Mexico further enhances our global service delivery in the Latin American market,” said Araujo.

The global network of five SDCs supports multi-technology, multi-vendor networks for operators. These centers support radio (2G, 3G and 4G technologies), transport, core and IP networks, as well as an increasing range of services, applications and devices.

Telefónica launches "Movistar One" in Latin American to revolutionise the smartphone market in the region

Telefónica launches "Movistar One" in Latin American to revolutionise the smartphone market in the region

Madrid, 7th December 2011.- Telefónica will launch its Movistar ONE smartphone in Latin America during the 2011/12 Christmas campaign. The high-end smartphone uses the Android Gingerbread operating system and is available from the Movistar catalogue at a very competitive price, thereby offering a greater number of customers access to the latest in mobile technology.

Users in Mexico, Colombia, Uruguay, Chile, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama and Nicaragua will be the first to enjoy the new Movistar ONE with sales of the device being extended to the rest of the region during the first quarter of 2012.

Movistar ONE is perfect for users wanting to surf the net, keep in touch with their personal and professional contacts by email, use instant messaging (Whatsapp or Gtalk) or social networking (Facebook or Twitter) sites, use location services or create and watch multimedia content (photos, audio and video), among other possibilities.

To offer an even more rewarding user experience, the handset also boasts Movistar's own services and content (such as Diversión Movistar, Sonora and Terabox), while applications and games can also be downloaded from its application store.

The Movistar ONE also boasts a range of high performance features such as a 2.8 inch capacitive touch screen, WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth, a 2 Mpx camera and high download speed (up to 7.2Mbps).

The new Movistar ONE handset is the result of the collaboration agreement forged between handset manufacturer ZTE and Telefónica in Latin America, initiated in early 2010, and which has seen the successful marketing of over a dozen Movistar devices in the region.

Smartphones represent an increasing percentage of the handsets being commercialised in Latin America. According to Pyramid Research, smartphones account for 17.9% of the total amount of devices purchased in the Region, a figure expected to grow up to 24.5% and 32.3%, in 2012 and 2013, respectively. On the other hand, Android is the predominant operating system in Latin America and according to Strategy Analytics it has been the operating system chosen by more than 50% of the smartphones buyers during the third quarter of 2011, versus 20.3% the previous year.

UNE and Huawei to Deploy its First LTE Commercial Network in South America

[Bogota, Colombia, 11 November, 2011]: Huawei, a leading global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions provider, announced today that it will deploy its first LTE (Long Term Evolution) commercial network in South America for UNE Colombia.

UNE is the largest fixed broadband operator in Colombia. To keep its industry's leadership in broadband, UNE has decided to provide Mobile Broadband (MBB) based services enabled by a best of breed LTE network. As such, UNE selected Huawei as its preferred technology partner and Huawei's end to end future oriented SingleRAN LTE solution, evolved packet core network solution and LTE terminals.

Throughout this first stage of project, UNE will deploy the network in Bogota and Medellin using Huawei's LTE leading edge solution. Also the entire core network will be geared with Huawei equipments. Furthermore as for now, Huawei will provide terminal devices for UNE, including the world's first LTE five-mode USB dongle –E392 and other models.

"We are pleased to partner with Huawei for the deployment of Colombia's first commercial LTE network for the first stage" said Juan Ignacio Palacio, VP international business, UNE. "UNE is committed to providing its customers the best and fastest possible Mobile Broadband Internet experience. We believe that Huawei's cutting-edge SingleRAN LTE solution will enable us to rapidly achieve our objective of building one of the largest and best next-generation mobile networks in Colombia."

Ying Weimin, President of GSM&UMTS&LTE Network, Huawei, said:" We are pleased that UNE Colombia has chosen Huawei as its partner of choice for its LTE commercial network deployment. This underscores Huawei's top position in the LTE field and highlights its leading advantages in the MBB solutions delivery. The cooperation between UNE and Huawei will accelerate the LTE commercialization progress in South and Latin America's MBB market."

According to the latest GSA's (the Global Mobile Supplier Association) LTE Evolution Report released on October 12, 2011, there are 35 commercial LTE networks globally - 18 of them are using Huawei's end-to-end SingleRAN LTE solution. Huawei ranks No.1 worldwide with over 50% market share.

Ericsson and Open Mobile sign Latin America's first 4G/LTE contract

Puerto Rico's leading operator Open Mobile has chosen Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) to supply, deploy and manage its nationwide network. Under the deal, Ericsson will roll out a complete 4G/LTE solution. Ericsson will assist the operation of Open Mobile newly deployed LTE network. This is Ericsson's first full-scope contract for an LTE network combined with MPLS enabled Mobile Backhaul.

Frank Bell, President of Open Mobile, commented: "Being at the forefront of broadband evolution means our customers in Puerto Rico will be the first in Latin America to benefit from this groundbreaking technology. We appreciate having a partner in Ericsson with proven experience and knowledge to deploy this first LTE network in the region. This is a key step towards bringing our customers the fastest mobile broadband network."

Sergio Quiroga, Head of Ericsson in Latin America, says: "We are in a unique position with our global LTE leadership. Having worked closely with Open Mobile to plan its LTE rollout, we are proud to bring the next generation of mobile broadband to Puerto Rico. Our world-class services and LTE network will enable Open Mobile to continue to deliver a superior end-user experience to its customers."

The contract includes radio access and core network with latest-generation multi standard radio base station, RBS 6000 series, MME and and Mobile Backhaul with MINI-LINK TN and MINI-LINK SP. The network rollout has started.

Ericsson's global experience and vision surrounding 4G LTE were significant reasons for selecting them as our key infrastructure partner. Our companies have worked closely to rapidly build a high-quality 4G LTE network said Neville Cruz, CTO, Open Mobile. "As we continue to roll out 4G LTE network in our metropolitan areas in the remainder of 2011 and early 2012, we plan to leverage Ericsson's technology leadership to bring our customers an exciting mobile broadband experience."

As of Sept 2011, LTE is available in more than 160 devices, mainly smartphones, dongles, mifis, tablets and built-in modems.

Quantum Telecom Inc. : Forumtel to Penetrate Latin America Long-Distance Communication Market | Business Wire

Quantum Telecom Inc. : Forumtel to Penetrate Latin America Long-Distance Communication Market

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Quantum Telecom Inc. d/b/a Forum Mobile (Nasdaq:QTMI) announced today that Forumtel, the MVNO for the travel industry will launch long distance communication campaign in Latin America using its innovative new overlay SIM offering and Forum Mobile back office services.

The program will be launched jointly with a large multinational Latin America retailer and media partners in a multi phase deal. The turnover for the company from the program, estimated at $5-10 Million in 2012, is already underway as Forumtel received the first PO and advance payment. The program will allow ex-pats living and working in the US to communicate with their family and friends in Latin America and vice versa.

Calls will be done directly from the user handset without any need for calling cards or access number dial. Forumtel estimate the monthly usage per user to be over 300 minutes.

Forumtel initiated its expansion into Latin American market last year partnering with AssistCard, a leading international travel insurance and Assistance Company, allowing travelers to enjoy affordable mobile communications while roaming.

"We are extremely pleased to expand our initial CALA campaign and looking to continued success in the market through our joint cooperation with large multinational partners" said Mr. Ami Segal, Forumtel Chairman and owner of the Forum Group. "We are delighted to see our investment turning fruitful and the company's focus showing promising results".

Mr. Benny Yehezkel, Exec. VP of Forum Mobile, said: "Our goal in Forum Mobile is to provide cutting edge communication solutions to the market. This is our first implementation of the new overlay SIM offering. Users will be able to enjoy simpler and straight forward communication solution."

Puerto Rico’s Open Mobile selects Bridgewater Solution for New LTE Network

Puerto Rico’s Open Mobile selects Bridgewater Solution for New LTE Network

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 5, 2011 : Amdocs (NYSE: DOX), the leading provider of customer experience systems, today announced that Open Mobile, a leading mobile operator in Puerto Rico, has selected Bridgewater’s advanced policy and subscriber network control solution, for its new Long Term Evolution (LTE) network.

The Bridgewater solution will enable Open Mobile, a Bridgewater customer since 2007, to rapidly launch new LTE data services such as the creation of volume-based packages with pre-set quotas, real-time subscriber redirection to top-up service quotas, and roaming controls to manage data usage and prevent mobile bill shock. The solution will also allow Open Mobile to manage and monetize mobile data with real-time policy control and improve subscriber transparency with dynamic notifications when service quotas are reached.

"We selected the Bridgewater solution because of its innovative ‘control-plane-in-a-box’ approach, which bundles real-time policy control with sophisticated subscriber, device, and service management capabilities, giving us a competitive differentiation through targeted service tiers and flexible pre-purchase service packages.” said Edgar Jaen, Open Mobile’s data services engineering director. “Not only does it give us a significant time-to-market advantage, it also offers us the flexibility to continue to innovate with new LTE services that leverage dynamic metering and control."

"Open Mobile’s selection of the Amdocs Bridgewater solution for their LTE network validates our network control and monetization leadership and our unique ability to enable the transformation to LTE with integrated subscriber, service and policy control,” said David Sharpley, vice president of business and products for Amdocs’ Data Experience Solution Product Business Unit. “As Open Mobile currently deploys Bridgewater’s Service Controller and Subscriber Data Broker, extending its Bridgewater subscriber management system will enable a seamless and holistic 3G/4G data experience, providing operational synergies and improving customer satisfaction.”

Personal Argentina and Gemalto Deploy SIM-based Facebook® Service

Personal Argentina and Gemalto Deploy SIM-based Facebook® Service

Amsterdam, Oct 5, 2011 - Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces that Personal Argentina will go live with the Facebook for SIM software application. Personal Argentina will provide its more than 17.4 million customers with an innovative new way to access Facebook from any type of handset, and without the need for a data plan.

The software application, which is embedded inside the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM), allows you to easily access core Facebook features from the phone’s main screen, through an intuitive and interactive menu. You can receive notifications of wall posts and messages, view friend requests and status updates. To begin using the service, you simply login using your existing Facebook account credentials and it just works.

"The new Facebook for SIM by Personal allows us to continue multiplying accesses to social networks, anytime, anywhere, for millions of customers who could be connected, regardless of device they have," said Ezequiel López Alcalá, Innovation and Value Added Services Manager, Personal.

"The launch of Facebook for SIM reinforces Personal's history of delivering innovative solutions," added Guillaume Lafaix, Vice President Sales Latin America South Cone at Gemalto. "At Gemalto, we share Personal’s vision that access to Facebook should be available to everyone, including those without access to PC-based internet, smart phones, or mobile data plans."

BT to accelerate Latin-American growth

T today announced a series of investments aimed at doubling its business in key Latin American countries over the next three years. By recruiting 250 new staff, increasing its professional services capabilities , opening new centres of excellence and implementing a wide range of network and customer service improvements, BT will better support global customers investing in this region and help large Latin American companies (the “multilatinas”) expand globally. BT’s research has identified an addressable market for the company in the Latin American region of £12bn as at 31 March 2011, growing at a rapid 7% per annum.

BT already serves around 1,300 organisations in the region, including a number of global multinational companies, such as Unilever, Rhodia, BASF and Fiat. BT has this year signed a number of high profile contracts with Latin-American companies such as the £133 million contract with ECT – Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telégrafos (the state-owned Brazilian Post Office and Telegraph Company), with Caixa Economica Federal to connect its data centres with its banking correspondents and lottery outlets in Brazil, with Pão de Açúcar , the largest retail conglomerate in Brazil, with Ecopetrol, Colombia’s largest company, and with Colombia’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technologies, where BT supports the Compartel programme to deliver internet connectivity to hundreds of schools, hospitals, council buildings, courthouses and other government institutions and contracts.

Jeff Kelly, CEO BT Global Services said, “Latin America is showing great dynamism and ability to grow in the face of a turbulent global economy. Our global customers recognise this. Right now, they are expanding and investing in the region. At BT we also understand that large Latin-American companies, the “multilatinas”, are rolling out ambitious strategies of globalisation. These powerhouse players need consistency across their global operations, in their home bases and all over the world. That is exactly what our investments allow us to deliver to them.“

As part of the new programme, BT will hire around 250 new employees in the region, including highly skilled professional services specialists to support customer needs and deliver BT’s enhanced portfolio of products and services .Through BT’s professional services capabilities, global delivery model and strong partner relationships, customers active in Latin America will benefit from industry leading expertise.

BT will also extend the coverage of its high performance networks in the region by increasing the number of its MPLS points of presence by around 20% and by launching Ethernet services in 21 new cities. By combining these with satellite capabilities which currently connect 37,000 sites, together with its recently improved data centre infrastructure, BT will offer its customers a market leading network capability in the region, capable of connecting their most remote locations to deliver business critical applications and services as efficiently as possible. Latin American companies growing globally will fully benefit from BT’s ability to provide IP VPN services in 197 countries/ territories, Ethernet VPN services in 28 countries and an Applications Performance Management service around the world.

BT will deploy three new Centres of Excellence to better support its client requirements in the region. The new centres of excellence will be in Rio de Janeiro (satellite technologies, products and services), Bogotá (security and data centre services) and Mexico City (IP telephony and contact centres).

BT will also launch more than 30 new products or services across the region. BT will increase the reach of the BT Inbound Contact services with new nodes and will be building a new extension of the BT Cloud Contact platform to give customers access to a “pay-as-you-go” cloud contact centre in the region. The BT One Video immersive video-conferencing offer will be enhanced with new video bridges. The BT One Cloud hosted unified communications service will be launched together with BT One Voice to deliver a single, consistent service, which can be deployed very quickly to customers’ operations as they expand in the region. The existing portfolio and the new launches will be supported by the BT Assure managed security services.

BT also has a wide range of industry specific solutions, including propositions customized to the financial services sector, which are currently being deployed in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, and will soon be extended to the rest of the region.

BT will launch wholesale solutions tailored to the needs of other regional telecom operators, designed to help enhance and extend the range of services they provide to their own customers.

Today’s announcement is part of a wider ongoing investment programme supporting BT Global Services’ growth strategy. Previous announcements include a successful growth programme in Asia-Pacific, improvements to BT’s global portfolio and network capabilities, investments in highly skilled professional services resources, and the development of four strategic global sector teams to better serve multinational customers: banking & financial services, government & health, consumer packaged goods and manufacturing, logistics & pharmaceuticals.

Research In Motion Introduces New BlackBerry 7 Smartphones In The Caribbean

Waterloo, ON - Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the launch of three BlackBerry® 7 smartphones for the Caribbean region. The new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9900, BlackBerry® Torch™ 9860 and BlackBerry® Torch™ 9810 are expected to be available from carrier partners in the major markets of the Caribbean starting mid-October.

Featuring RIM’s next generation of hardware and software platforms, the new BlackBerry 7 based smartphones offer users a variety of designs to choose from and deliver the ultimate in communications, multimedia and productivity.

The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is the thinnest BlackBerry smartphone ever, offering a large keyboard and brilliant touch display. The BlackBerry Torch 9860 introduces an all-new, all-touch design featuring the largest display on a BlackBerry smartphone to date. The new BlackBerry Torch 9810 builds on the popularity of the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and combines a large touch display with a convenient slide-out keyboard.

“This is the largest global launch of new BlackBerry smartphones in RIM's history,” said Wes Nicol, Managing Director for the Northern Cone of Latin America and Caribbean region at Research In Motion. “We believe that customers in the Caribbean will be thrilled by the faster performance, enhanced browsing and richer multimedia delivered by these powerful new BlackBerry 7 smartphones.”

ANTEL Selects ZTE for Uruguay National GPON Project - ZTE Corporation

ANTEL Selects ZTE for Uruguay National GPON Project

19 September 2011, Shenzhen, China – ZTE Corporation (“ZTE”) (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), a publicly-listed global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions, announced it has been selected by ANTEL (Administración Nacional de Telecomunicaciones) to assist in providing 300,000 subscribers in the country with a Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON). The tender is one of the largest ever issued in the South American market.

ANTEL is Uruguay’s largest fixed-line operator as well as its biggest mobile carrier, with a 95.5 per cent share of the nation’s broadband market as of June 2010. Under the contract, ZTE will help the operator deliver broadband speeds of 100Mbps.

The GPON will offer broadband under a range of FTTx scenarios, including FTTH, FTTB, backhaul and enterprise networks. For the project, ZTE will provide a next-generation, convergent full-service optical access platform, the ZXA10 C300. The platform meets ANTEL’s requirements and is upgradable to NG PON and WDM PON technologies.

"ZTE has successfully cooperated with ANTEL in a number of areas, including home gateways and cellphones,” said ZTE Vice President Xu Ming. “With our understanding of the Uruguayan telecoms market and our experience deploying more than 100 million lines of xPON across the globe, our goal is to build this project into a model deployment for South America that is scalable worldwide."

ZTE was one of the first vendors to develop and commercialize optical access network products.

According to Ovum's "4Q10 Market Share - FTTx, DSL, and CMTS ports", ZTE ranks first among major GPON vendors in revenue growth. To date, 108 million lines of ZTE xPON products, over 55 million of which are broadband equipment, have been deployed worldwide.

Motorola Mobility and Telcel Launch the New Ultra-Slim Motorola MOTOKEY™ XT in Mexico

Motorola Mobility and Telcel Launch the New Ultra-Slim Motorola MOTOKEY™ XT in Mexico

MEXICO CITY – Sept. 19, 2011 – With a smart, slim exterior, Motorola MOTOKEY XT; the latest handset from Motorola Mobility and Telcel allows users to stay connected, providing optimum convenience and flexibility.

With the combination of touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard, users can keep in touch with friends and family and carry their entire social network in the palm of their hand. The new Motorola MOTOKEY XT is now available from Telcel’s extensive chain of Authorized Distributors and Customer Support Centers.

“At Telcel, we are focused on providing users with an extensive portfolio of cell phones that offer integrated voice and data features and simplified mobile Internet access,” said Leonel Shofecker, assistant director, strategic planning, Telcel. “MOTOKEY XT delivers on all counts; featuring a full QWERTY keyboard, touch-screen display and multiple options for accessing social networking sites.”

“Users expect to wirelessly access the Internet anywhere – the Motorola MOTOKEY XT with touch-screen display offers you the flexibility you need,” said José Luis de la Vega, marketing director, Motorola Mobility, Latin America North. “Motorola Mobility is committed to offering devices with multiple features at reasonable prices. Partnering with Telcel provides users with access to high-quality voice and data services.”

Motorola MOTOKEY XT's smart, slim body is less than 10mm thick and features a 2.4-inch touchscreen display, making it easy to tuck in a pocket or purse. A full QWERTY keyboard and a touchscreen display provide for comfortable, intuitive operation and easy typing. Motorola MOTOKEY XT also offers five different home screen styles, a range of interface themes and built-in links to Facebook®, Twitter™ and other popular social networking sites, plus the Opera Mini browser and other email services.

Motorola MOTOKEY XT also comes with a 3-megapixel camera so users can catch life's memorable moments whenever they occur. With up to 32GB microSD card support, high-speed USB 2.0 file transfer and support for multiple audio and video formats, users no longer have to worry about choosing which music, video and document files to load to their device. Motorola MOTOKEY XT also supports Bluetooth® stereo sound, stereo radio and a 3.5mm earphone jack for a high quality audio feast.

Cofetel to sanction 5 MNOs

Mexico regulator to sanction 5 mobile phone providers | Reuters

Having checked the Cofetel (Mexico regulator) website and read through the Reuters release, we are not sure who the 5 are. Iusacell, Movistar, Nextel de Mexico & Telcel are the 4 known active MNOs for Mexico, so who is the 5th?

Is Cofetel hitting WWL service providers? Are the 4 MNOs part of the 5?

Carlos Slim maybe standing by for another big fine, although Cofetel has also neglected to mention what the fall out would be for the failures in service. Back in April America Movil was hit for USD 1 billion by the Federeal Competition Commission for being too big, too dominant and using the latter negatively to their advantage.

Bizarrely, this important regulatory announcement, from Mony de Swaan, was made via a Tweet.

CellularOne to merge with M3 Wireless (Bermuda)

BEVERLY, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATNI) announced today the completion of the merger of its Bermuda wireless subsidiary CellularOne with M3 Wireless, Ltd., a leading wireless provider in Bermuda. M3 is a subsidiary of KeyTech Limited, a Bermuda-based communications company.

"We are creating a stronger and more capable single wireless company out of two very complementary businesses," said Kurt Eve, CEO of ATN's Bermuda operations. "We are confident that, as we grow our service and products, more and more customers will see the great value of the new CellularOne. We are going to use our combined strengths in the marketplace to deliver new products, greater coverage, better service and more options for our customers."

"In looking at each other and the marketplace, we recognized that we could be in a more competitive position and deliver greater value for our customers as a combined business," commented Sheila Lines, CEO of M3 Wireless. "Together, we intend to leverage our respective competitive strengths to deliver more reliable island-wide coverage and a broader range of wireless plans and devices to our customers."

The new company will keep the existing CellularOne management team and operate under the CellularOne brand. The company will have about half of the Bermuda wireless market, including both post- and pre-paid. As the two companies execute the merger, customers will see the transition to the single CellularOne brand. There will be no service disruptions and the new company will honor existing agreements, service plans and pricing. The new company will ensure customers of both companies receive the high level of service they have come to expect.

Paul Bowersock, ATN's President of International Operations commented, "This merger will increase our competitive position in Bermuda, and lead to lower market risk for ATN. At the same time, it will allow for more efficient use of capital and ensure funding for investment in new technologies and other products and services in a market we already know. The new CellularOne will be focused on investing in the best service and products for our customers in Bermuda."

The merger has received all necessary regulatory approvals

América Móvil to acquire 20% of StarOn

Press release - América Móvil - April 19, 2011

América Móvil announced today that it has entered into a stock purchase agreement with GE Satellite Holdings LLC and its affiliates (“GE”), to acquire 20% of the shares representing the capital stock of StarOne S.A. (“StarOne”).

StarOne is a Brazilian company that provides satellite services in Brazil. Empresa Brasileira de Telecomunicações S.A. (“Embratel”), subsidiary of AMX, currently owns the remaining 80% of the shares representing the capital stock of Star One.

The completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals in Brazil, and is expected to occur during the third quarter of 2011.