Zain announced that for the first quarter of 2010 to end-March, it recorded consolidated revenues of KWD 329.7 million (US$1.146 billion), an increase of 11 per cent year-on-year. Consolidated EBITDA reached KWD 139.2 million, down 43 per cent year-on-year, while net income for Q110 amounted to KWD 51.55 million, down 31.9 per cent compared to KWD 75.7 million achieved last year.

“These results reflect the Middle East operations are in line with adopted International Accounting Standards, which necessitates excluding all of Zain Africa’s 15 mobile operations, except for net profit, as the company entered into a definitive sale agreement with Bharti Airtel on March 30, 2010” commented Asaad Al Banwan, chairman of the board of directors of Zain.

Zain Group CEO Nabeel Bin Salamah said the healthy results were a sign of better things yet to come as Zain strives to maximise shareholders’ value in the new era. “We will consider all options before us with extreme flexibility,” he said.

Omani operator Nawras announced the launch of its fixed services for business customers. With a wide portfolio of broadband Internet, voice and data products, Nawras’ new fixed services are suitable for businesses of any size, and offer the first alternative to Omantel’s fixed-line services.

“Over the last five years Nawras has built a solid reputation for offering mobile services of excellent quality and reliability,” said Nawras CEO Ross Cormack. “We are excited to be adding to this rewarding experience through the launch of our new fixed services.”

Nawras is introducing the first non-geographical numbering to enable a business to keep the same fixed Nawras numbers even after relocating, while the use of SIP Trunks is another Nawras innovation that gives customers access to significantly more voice channels than currently being offered through legacy systems. In addition, Nawras Leased Line gives customers the chance to access Nawras connectivity without replacing their current equipment.

Spanning most of the country, three fibre-optic cable rings make up the backbone network for the new fixed services. Major corporations will be served with their own fibre connection, offering a secure communication provision with excellent quality. WiMAX base stations will further connect the sultanate, delivering a same-day, Plug ‘n’ Play wireless Internet link to almost all other small and medium size businesses.

Vivendi-owned Maroc Telecom Group has reported first quarter revenues of MAD 7.437 billion (US$858 million), a 4.3 increase compared to the same quarter in 2009. Consolidated operating income rose by 0.5 per cent to MAD 3.205 billion, while EBTIDA grew 1.5 per cent for the same period.

Group subscribers also grew 14 per cent year-on-year to hit 22.4 million, taking into account its subscribers in Morocco and subsidiaries in Mauritania (Mauritel), Burkino Faso (Onatel), Gabon (Gabon Telecom), Mali (Sotelma) and Belgium (Mobisud Belgium).

Maroc’s home market of Morocco contributed MAD 6.095 to Q1 revenues, with an operating income of MAD 2.898 billion. Mobile customers grew by 6.5 per cent year-on-year to reach 15.578 million, including 265,000 3G mobile broadband customers. The operator’s ADSL fixed broadband customer base contracted two per cent to 474,000.

The group is owned 53 per cent by Vivendi, a French international media conglomerate, with the remaining shares listed on the stock exchange.

Mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile has launched a service in Qatar, and is Qatar’s first youth-focused mobile offering, delivered by Virgin Mobile in a brand partnership with Qtel.

As part of a range of new products launched this week, Virgin Mobile Qatar will offer a prepaid mobile service that combines the coverage and call quality benefits of Qtel’s mobile network with the unique brand experience delivered by Virgin Group.

Virgin’s Richard Branson and Qtel’s Nasser Marafih at the launch ceremony of Virgin Mobile Qatar

“Virgin Mobile is the fastest-growing and most successful business in Virgin’s history, with more than fifteen million customers around the world. Virgin Mobile Qatar is an entirely new type of mobile experience, which everybody can start enjoying from today,” said Richard Branson, chairman and founder of Virgin Group. “I am proud to have partnered with Qtel to make Virgin Mobile Qatar our first mobile launch in the Middle East, and I would like to invite the people of Qatar to come on in and enjoy the fun. We’re open.”

Virgin Mobile Qatar will offer a simple all-day tariff, and also provide 180-day airtime – the longest-lasting mobile airtime validity in the country.

Virgin Mobile Qatar promises to provide a value-oriented, flexible service. Local calls will cost QR 0.55 (US$0.15) per minute for the first five minutes each day, and QR 0.30 per minute after that. Mobile Internet will cost just QR1 per megabyte.

The launch of Virgin Mobile Qatar is the eighth Virgin Mobile branded operation in the world, following on from launches in the UK, Australia, USA, Canada, France, South Africa, and India.

The launch of Virgin Mobile Qatar beats regional MVNO Friendi Mobile to the post. Friendi Mobile operates in Oman and is soon to launch in Jordan.

STC’s Viva, the third operator in Kuwait, has concluded a US$270 million financing arrangement with Huawei to expand its network.

The five-year Sharia-compliant loan will enable Viva, which launched operations in September 2008, to grow its capacity and upgrade to the latest technologies using equipment from China’s largest telecoms vendor.

The deal follows a similar agreement signed between the UAE’s Du and Nokia Siemens Networks in April, providing a long term credit facility. Du’s financing contract has been backed by Finnvera, the Finnish Export Credit Agency, and will be provided through Nordea Bank for the purchase of NSN equipment. NSN is the major supplier to the integrated operator for 2G and core works.