July 22nd, 2008 — News
UAE-based Etisalat has surpassed regional competitor Zain Group as the fastest growing operator in the world, based on the number of proportionate subscribers.
According to Informa Telecoms & Media, Etisalat grew 106.41 per cent in Q108 compared to the previous quarter, achieving a proportionate mobile subscriber base of 24.2 million across its 16 markets.
Chairman Omran says Etisalat is on track to become one of the world’s largest operators by 2010.
July 20th, 2008 — News
Omantel signed an agreement on Friday with Egypt’s Middle East and North Africa (Mena) Company, which will see a landing station established on the sultanate’s coast as part of an 8,000 kilometre submarine fibre optic cable project.
It is expected the cable will land at Seeb, near Oman’s capital Muscat, by the third quarter of next year.
The cable will pass through Italy, Greece, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman and India, costing a total of US$400 million, but it is yet to be confirmed what share of the costs Omantel will bear.
July 20th, 2008 — News
Vodafone may have to wait until October to receive approval for its purchase of Ghana Telecom (GT), after opposition parties sought to block the government’s deal as parliament went into summer recess.
Ghana’s opposition party believes Vodafone’s purchase offer undervalues GT’s worth
Ghana’s main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised the £450 million (US$900 million) sale of a 70 per cent stake in the state-owned operator saying it goes against the national interest.
July 20th, 2008 — News
Threatened legal action between India’s billionaire brothers over Reliance Communication’s potential merger with Africa’s MTN Group, has ended negotiations which would have resulted in an emerging markets telecoms giant worth US$66 billion.
Ongoing feuds between brothers Anil and Mukesh Ambani ruined Reliance’s chances of merging with MTN.
Anil Ambani controls Reliance Communications (RCom) which had been in dialogue with MTN since May 26 and had extended talks until July 21.
July 20th, 2008 — News
Dubai-based boutique management consultancy Affinitiv has confirmed its acquisition by global management consultancy Arthur D. Little. No figures were released.
Affinitiv specialises in strategic telecommunications and customer relationship management consultancy in the region, and the company’s founder and CEO, Zoran Vasiljev and employees will join Arthur D. Little’s Middle East practice, with Vasiljev serving as a company director. Affinitiv enjoyed a long-standing relationship with du, the second network operator in the UAE, for example.
Zoran Vasiljev, founder and CEO of Affinitiv has become a director with Arthur D. Little in the Middle East
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