France Telecom is eyeing the acquisition of smaller companies in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, after walking away from its bid for European telco TeliaSonera.

France Telecom launched fixed-line, mobile and Internet services yesterday in Niger under the  Orange brand and is considering further emerging markets acquisitions.

Finnish-Swedish company TeliaSonera rejected the French firm’s US$41.8 billion offer as too low. The French telco is known to be considering deals in Algeria and Vietnam, while analysts suggest the Egyptian operator Orascom Telecom is also being contemplated.

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The Bahrain Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has told Comm. that it will most likely fund the central database or database solution for Bahrain’s number portability project, a cost usually worn by operators and which could amount up to US$2 million.

Rob Middlehurst of Bahrain TRA says the regulator is considering funding the number portability database but operators would still need to pay for their significant back office costs. 

Speaking earlier today on the sidelines of the Number Portability Middle East event in Dubai, the Bahrain TRA’s director of market and competition, Rob Middlehurst, said the regulator’s consultants, Mott MacDonald and Horrocks Technology, are still determining what the most cost-effective solution is for implementing number portability.

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Comments attributed to Dubai-based, pan-regional mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that it is set to launch mobile services in Oman before the end of the year could potentially harm the company’s efforts to conclude a wholesale deal with one of the two incumbent operators, sources familiar with the situation told Comm.

Oman Mobile’s managing director Amer Al Rawas will be holding talks with the  five resellers, as will Nawras’ Ross Cormack

Today, Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) confirmed it had issued five class two licences in the sultanate, allowing the resale of basic mobile services. Friendi Mobile, through a bidder called Arab Link was awarded one of the five-year licences, together with Injaz International, Kalam Telecommunications, Majan Telecom, and Mazoon Mobile. The cost of each licence is OR2,500 (US$6,500).

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Multi-Links Telecommunications has selected Nortel to expand and upgrade its wireless network in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, in a three-year frame agreement.

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The CEO of Dubai-based mobile wholesaler, distributor and retailer Axiom Telecom has confirmed the company is planning an MVNO for the region, as it announced securing US$400 million in a syndicated term loan facility.

Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of Axiom Telecom, said forming an MVNO for the region is definitely part of the company’s strategy. 

“From our point of view, we are definitely moving to an MVNO as one of our key strategic directions,” Faisal Al Bannai, Axiom CEO told Comm. “The key is which is the right market to move in to that will capitalise on our existing infrastructure and our existing strength?”

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