UAE telco Du has announced a partnership agreement with Alcatel-Lucent to deploy IP-routing technology to achieve convergence in its telecom services.

Under the terms of the agreement, Alcatel-Lucent started deploying an IP/MPLS, as well as providing Du with a set of comprehensive professional services that include project management, network design, installation and commissioning, software integration and operations.

"Convergence of fixed and mobile networks is a logical evolutionary step in our growth story. This stems from the increasing propensity of our customers to access everything from a single device," said Du CEO, Osman Sultan.

Last month, Alcatel Lucent and Du successfully deployed the first phase of the network with several sites across Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain now carrying mobile traffic.

Research In Motion’s CEO, Thorsten Heins has repeated previous suggestions that the company could license its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 operating system to other companies – but has said that the launch of the OS and its associated new smartphones is the company’s current priority.

In an interview with Die Welt, Heins confirmed that the company might look at alliances with other handset manufacturers. Until now, BlackBerry has been the sole handset manufacturer using its own OS and has shunned licensing its OS to other parties, or using outside software on its handsets.

Heins also left open the possibility that the company would sell the handset hardware division and become a pure software player, saying only that all things are still open to consideration.

A sale of the handset division would also almost certainly require the new owner to become one of the first companies to license the BlackBerry OS software platform.

The new OS is due to be launched at the end of this month.

UAE telco, Du says that it is putting in place a new organisation structure under which a new Operations division has been created, integrating Operations Planning, Product Engineering, IT, Network, Customer Operations, and Technology Security Risk and Fraud Management under one business vertical.

The company has also enhanced its efforts in hiring more Emirati talent, which have already placed Du at 32 per cent Emiratisation, with 39 per cent in senior management positions.

Elaborating on the development, Osman Sultan, Du CEO, said: "Starting January 2013, we have embarked upon our journey to take Du to the next level by pursuing excellence and innovation in the way we do our business.”

Huawei announced that it expects its 2012 global sales revenues to reach US$35.5 billion, an eight per cent year-on-year increase, with a net profit of US$2.4 billion, a 33 per cent increase from the previous year. The January earnings disclosure is part of Huawei’s on-going commitment as a private employee-owned company to be more open and transparent with stakeholders. The 2012 results audited by KPMG will be outlined in the company’s annual report, which will be released in April.

Huawei Chief Financial Officer, Cathy Meng is positive about the industry’s future growth prospects with a projection that overall group revenue will grow 10-12 per cent in 2013.

Continuous innovation focused on customer needs is an important driving force behind Huawei’s growth. The company has cumulatively invested US$19.2 billion R&D over the past 10 years, including a US$4.8 billion investment in 2012, accounting for more than 13 per cent of the year’s revenue.

About 70 per cent of Huawei’s revenue was generated from serving leading telcos, including 45 of the world’s top 50.

Huawei’s Carrier Network business group recorded sales revenues of US$25.7 billion.

Huawei’s Device business group recorded robust sales revenue of US$7.7 billion and achieved breakthroughs in developed markets. Huawei’s Enterprise business group generated sales revenue of US$1.8 billion.

66 per cent of Huawei’s overall revenue was generated outside China.

This year’s pick of CEOs has had to work doubly hard in order to secure their positions on the list. The fact that the telecom sector is becoming increasingly nuanced as operators look to generate new revenue streams and partner with new value chain participants, means corporate leaders are having to juggle safe-guarding their existing revenues, managing costs, and trying to grow income all at the same time 

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