Iraq is reported to have delayed the auction of the country’s fourth national mobile network licence until the start of next year, due to delays in securing government approval for the tender.

The auction had been due to take place by the end of this year.

"I have submitted all the papers to the council of ministers," communications minister Mohammed Allawi told Reuters. “I should get a response definitely, God willing, within November."

Allawi later said at the conference that the auction would likely happen in early 2012.

Earlier this year when announcing the tender for the licence, the government said that it hopes to raise as much as US$2 billion from the sale.

Under the terms of the tender, 40 per cent of the shares would be owned by the operator, 35 per cent by the public, and the remaining 25 per cent of the shares would be owned by the ministry.

Allawi also said that he expects parliament to vote on a long-awaited communications law, a crucial step in the development of the telecom sector, before the end of the year. The sector currently relies on pre-2003 legislation.

South Africa’s MTN Group announced that it had 158.59 million customers across all its subsidiaries at the end of September 2011, representing a 4.1 per cent increase over the past three months.

During the quarter, MTN successfully maintained market share across most of its operations. Although social unrest remained a factor in some countries such as Syria, Yemen and Cote d’Ivoire, its operations in those countries were still able to increase net connections during the quarter.

The subscriber bases of the three regions continue to grow at marginally different rates and as a result, when compared to June 2011, the subscriber contribution between the regions has remained relatively unchanged. South and East Africa (SEA) region contributed 23% (June 2011: 22%) of the group’s total subscribers, while West and Central Africa (WECA) and Middle East and North Africa (MENA) contributed 44% (June 2011: 45%) and 33% (June 2011: 33%), respectively.

Ericsson and Sony Corporation today announced that Sony will acquire Ericsson’s 50 per cent stake in Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (Sony Ericsson), making the mobile handset business a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony.

The transaction gives Sony an opportunity to rapidly integrate smartphones into its broad array of network-connected consumer electronics devices – including tablets, televisions and personal computers – for the benefit of consumers and the growth of its business. The transaction also provides Sony with a broad intellectual property (IP) cross-licensing agreement covering all products and services of Sony as well as ownership of five essential patent families relating to wireless handset technology.

As part of the transaction, Ericsson will receive a cash consideration of € 1.05 billion (US$1.45 billion).

“This acquisition makes sense for Sony and Ericsson, and it will make the difference for consumers, who want to connect with content wherever they are, whenever they want. With a vibrant smartphone business and by gaining access to important strategic IP, notably a broad cross-license agreement, our four-screen strategy is in place,” said Howard Stringer, Sony’s chairman, CEO and president.

“Ten years ago when we formed the joint venture, thereby combining Sony’s consumer products knowledge with Ericsson’s telecommunication technology expertise, it was a perfect match to drive the development of feature phones,” commented Hans Vestberg, president and CEO of Ericsson. “Today we take an equally logical step as Sony acquires our stake in Sony Ericsson and makes it a part of its broad range of consumer devices. We will now enhance our focus on enabling connectivity for all devices, using our R&D and industry leading patent portfolio to realise a truly connected world,” he added.

By the end of the third quarter of 2011, Sony Ericsson held a market share of 11 per cent (by value) in the Android phone market, representing 80 per cent of the company’s third quarter sales. During its ten years in operation Sony Ericsson has generated approximately €1.5 billion of profit and paid dividends totalling approximately €1.9 billion to its parent companies.

The transaction, which has been approved by appropriate decision-making bodies of both companies, is expected to close in January 2012, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Batelco Group today announced its results for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2011, which the telco described as being marked by growth and diversification of the its customer and revenue base from across the seven markets in which it operates.

Gross revenue for the period came in at BD245.5 million (US$651 million), down four per cent from the BD256.1 million reported over the same period in 2010. EBITDA for the nine months stood at BD93 million, down 16 per cent year-on-year.

Consolidated net income came in at BD56.5 million, down 14 per cent year-on-year, with the group subscriber base surpassing 11 million, an increase of eight per cent and 41 per cent quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year, respectively.

37 per cent of revenues and 29 per cent of operating profit were sourced from markets outside Bahrain during the nine months to end-September.

Gross revenue specifically for Q311 amounted to BD82.3 million, down four per cent year-on-year, while net revenue was down by seven per cent to BD 60.3 million.

Batelco Group thus reported an operating profit of BD18.9 million for Q311, down 29 per cent year-on-year. EBITDA for the three months to end-September amounted to BD28.3 million, down 22 per cent from the year earlier.

Batelco reported it is free of debt and as of September 30 had substantial cash and bank balances of BD86.8 million reflecting a 65 per cent increase over the same period last year.

“Since the end of Q2, we have added more than 800,000 new subscribers to our customer base, which now exceeds 11 million across the MENA region and India,” commented Batelco chairman, Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdulla Al Khalifa. “This increase underscores the ongoing growth of our business and the strength of our offering despite a year-over-year decline in the group’s revenues and profitability.”

Zain Saudi Arabia’s chairman, Hussam bin Saud bin Abdul Aziz has announced that the board has agreed to the cellco undergoing a reduction of its capital followed by a SAR6 billion (US$1.6 billion) rights issue, subject to the consent of the Capital Market Authority, the ministry of Industry and Commerce and the approval of other relevant parties.

The capital reduction will result in the company’s paid-up capital being reduced from SAR14 billion to SAR 4.8 billion. The paid-up capital will be subsequently increased to SAR 10.801 billion by way of the rights issue.

The rights issue will consist of raising fresh equity and the capitalisation of subordinated shareholder loans to the company. The fresh equity will, subject to obtaining the relevant approvals, be used to reduce bank debt, enhance the quality and performance of the existing network as well as to expand the company’s recently launched 4G LTE network. The fresh equity will also be used to fund the future growth of the company, while the capitalisation of the shareholder loans will further reduce the debt levels of the company.

The capital reduction and the rights issue will be subject to shareholder approval at respective extraordinary general assemblies of the company, to be held after all relevant consents and approvals have been obtained.