Sony Ericsson has reported a net loss of €207 million (US$265 million) for the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to a profit of €8 million a year earlier. Revenues also dropped by 16 per cent, to €1.29 billion.

For the full year, the company posted a loss of €247 million, compared to a profit of €90 million in 2010, and revenues of €5.2 billion, compared to €6.3 billion in 2010.

"Our fourth quarter results reflected intense competition, unfavourable macroeconomic conditions and the effects of a natural disaster in Thailand this quarter," commented Bert Nordberg, president and CEO of Sony Ericsson.

The manufacturer shipped nine million devices in the fourth quarter, a 20 per cent decrease year-on-year and a five per cent decrease compared to last quarter. The year-on-year and sequential declines reflect a significantly lower number of feature phones shipped, partially offset by an increase in smartphone shipments.

Sony Ericsson has shipped 28 million Xperia smartphones to date.

The company estimated that its share of the global Android-based smartphone market was 10 per cent in volume and seven per cent in value during the quarter and 10 per cent in volume and 10 per cent in value for the full year.

Average selling price (ASP) for the quarter was €143, up five per cent year-on-year but down 14 per cent sequentially. The year-on-year increase is due to the shift to smartphones and geographic mix.

At the start of December, Arab Advisors Group held its inaugural Smart Handheld Summit in Dubai. The event drew some of the most influential players in the regional telecom arena, and while the opportunity raised by increased computing power on mobile devices is widely acknowledged, how to monetise such opportunities remains less certain

Arab Advisors hosted the Smart Handheld Summit, which considered ways in which Arab operators could benefit from the changing mobile data ecosystem

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Vodafone is reported to have moved a step closer to the long anticipated stock market listing of its Indian subsidiary after it appointed the investment bank NM Rothschild to assist in its listing plans.

The company held a preliminary briefing last month with investors and analysts where it outlined the Indian subsidiary’s performance, and in light of ongoing disputes, the regulatory risk inherent in the Indian market.

When asked about Rothschild’s appointment, a Vodafone India spokesperson told local media in India that it is already known that the cellco is preparing itself for a potential IPO in the future.

Last April, Vodafone was reported to be considering offering up a 10 per cent stake to the public through the IPO.

In July 2011, Vodafone agreed terms for the buy-out of former partner Essar from its Indian mobile phone business. The UK firm paid US $5.46 billion for Essar’s 33 per cent stake, raising its own stakeholding 74 per cent. The other 26 per cent is owned by Indian investors, in compliance with Indian law.

Telecom Egypt has named Tarek Aboualam as CEO and MD with effect from January 19, 2012.

Telecom Egypt’s outgoing CEO, Mohammed Abdel Rehim Hassanein is stepping down as he reaches his retirement age. 

Aboualam joined Telecom Egypt in May 2009 as VP, International & Wholesale and was subsequently promoted to senior V P in June 2011.

Telecom Egypt owns 44 per cent of Vodafone Egypt.

Eaton Towers has secured a US$30 million loan to fund its expansion into Ghana. The transaction was signed in December 2011 and provides for a five-year senior secured term loan facility to fund the enhancement and upgrade of towers under a site sharing and maintenance agreement contract with Vodafone Ghana.

It will fund further capital expenditure in relation to the build-out of up to 300 additional wireless towers in Ghana.

"We are delighted to have completed our first bank debt financing with Standard Bank Group, commented Peter Lewis, Eaton Towers’ chief financial officer. “Given our strong deal pipeline and the interest we are seeing from financial and development institutions, we are confident that this will be the first of many such financing deals.”

The company had already secured US$150 million of private equity funding last September.