More than two years back, I had posted an article on this blog titled "Zain and the art of network expansion"
I have always been an admirer of this company. It saw the opportunity in African continent well in advanced and grabbed it. Zain slowly acquired stack in so many of African operations and now it had sold them to Bharti. In few years is making a clean profit of $3.3 billion from sale of its African assets other than in Sudan and Morocco to Bharti Airtel for $10.7 billion even as the Indian operator said the deal is well-priced.
Bharti after signing this deal is all set to become fifth-largest wireless operator in the world with a combined subscriber base of over 179 million and operations across 18 nations. Bharti is taking a debt of $8.3 billion, to be paid upfront, besides paying another $700 million after one year. Manoj Kohli, CEO, international and joint MD of Bharti Airtel, will head the African operations.
Sabtu, 03 April 2010
Senin, 29 Maret 2010
GSM subscriber figures for Feb 2010 in India
I have never believed in these figures. But for sake of those who follow this blog, here are latest GSM customer acquisition figures in India.
As per data provided by the GSM operators' lobby Cellular Operators Association of India, the GSM mobile user base in India touched a little over 400 million (407 million). The country's GSM mobile subscriber base has increased by 13 million to 407 million in February, with Vodafone Essar adding the maximum number of new customers in the past month. This is, however, less than the total addition of 14.4 million users in January.
The country's second largest GSM player Vodafone Essar added as many as three million customers in the past month, closely followed by Bharti Airtel. Vodafone Essar's touched an user-base of 97 million. Airtel added 2.9 million users last month against 2.85 million in January taking its total mobile user base to 124 million. Bharti has a market share of 30.55 per cent, while Vodafone Essar has 23.84 per cent. Aditya Birla's Idea Cellular added 2.25 million new users during the month, taking its total subscriber base to 62 million. It has a market share of 14.96 per cent.
State-run BSNL and private operator Aircel added 1.5 million and 1.8 million new users respectively in the month with their user base at 61 million and 34 million each. BSNL's market share reached 14.96 per cent. The major gainer in the month has been MTNL which added 86,706 new users in February from 45,067 in January.
(Note - Figures are courtesy TRAI reports and Economic Times news)
As per data provided by the GSM operators' lobby Cellular Operators Association of India, the GSM mobile user base in India touched a little over 400 million (407 million). The country's GSM mobile subscriber base has increased by 13 million to 407 million in February, with Vodafone Essar adding the maximum number of new customers in the past month. This is, however, less than the total addition of 14.4 million users in January.
The country's second largest GSM player Vodafone Essar added as many as three million customers in the past month, closely followed by Bharti Airtel. Vodafone Essar's touched an user-base of 97 million. Airtel added 2.9 million users last month against 2.85 million in January taking its total mobile user base to 124 million. Bharti has a market share of 30.55 per cent, while Vodafone Essar has 23.84 per cent. Aditya Birla's Idea Cellular added 2.25 million new users during the month, taking its total subscriber base to 62 million. It has a market share of 14.96 per cent.
State-run BSNL and private operator Aircel added 1.5 million and 1.8 million new users respectively in the month with their user base at 61 million and 34 million each. BSNL's market share reached 14.96 per cent. The major gainer in the month has been MTNL which added 86,706 new users in February from 45,067 in January.
(Note - Figures are courtesy TRAI reports and Economic Times news)
Minggu, 21 Maret 2010
China Mobile sees reversal in ARPU trends!
Given the fact that telecom industry in India has followed the trend in China with a time lag, I think this is very encouraging news for Indian telecom sector as well.
China Mobile Ltd, the Hong Kong listed subsidiary of China Mobile Corp., has reported that its full-year revenues for 2009 rose by 9.8% to RMB452.1 billion (US$66 billion). Net profit was also up, by 2.3% to RMB115.2 billion (US$16.8 billion). EBITDA rose 5.9% to RMB229 billion (US433.5 billion), with EBITDA margin reaching 50.7%. The total customer base at the end of 2009 reached 522 million, of which 65.03 million were net additions. The contribution to total revenue from value-added business increased substantially, including revenue generated from Mobile Music, which again exceeded RMB10 billion.
In 2009, the average minutes of usage remained steady at 494 minutes, and monthly ARPU rose slightly to RMB77, countering a general downward trend over the past few years. Looking into the future, the continuing impact of the global financial crisis on the Chinese economy, the change in the competitive landscape, the increasing mobile penetration rate and the convergence across telecommunications, Internet and Radio & TV Broadcasting networks all pose fresh challenges to the Group's future development. The company added that it will maintain its policy of overseas expansion and will also continue development in LTE services for the Chinese market.
China Mobile Ltd, the Hong Kong listed subsidiary of China Mobile Corp., has reported that its full-year revenues for 2009 rose by 9.8% to RMB452.1 billion (US$66 billion). Net profit was also up, by 2.3% to RMB115.2 billion (US$16.8 billion). EBITDA rose 5.9% to RMB229 billion (US433.5 billion), with EBITDA margin reaching 50.7%. The total customer base at the end of 2009 reached 522 million, of which 65.03 million were net additions. The contribution to total revenue from value-added business increased substantially, including revenue generated from Mobile Music, which again exceeded RMB10 billion.
In 2009, the average minutes of usage remained steady at 494 minutes, and monthly ARPU rose slightly to RMB77, countering a general downward trend over the past few years. Looking into the future, the continuing impact of the global financial crisis on the Chinese economy, the change in the competitive landscape, the increasing mobile penetration rate and the convergence across telecommunications, Internet and Radio & TV Broadcasting networks all pose fresh challenges to the Group's future development. The company added that it will maintain its policy of overseas expansion and will also continue development in LTE services for the Chinese market.
Fund raising will be the key concern for Indian Telecom service providers in 2010-11
As per Economic times - Nine cellphone companies have joined the fray for just three 3G spectrum slots while 11 companies, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular, Reliance Communications and Aircel, have bid for broadband wireless spectrum, which will allow them to provide wireless internet services.
One more interesting news was floating around. RCOM has said that it has crossed the 100-million mark in wireless customers and would explore both acquisition and expansion opportunities to strengthen its foothold in the domestic market. RCOM expects to add another 100 million customers within the next 1,000 days.
I think the time is ripe in Indian Telecom industry for consolidations. 3G auctions will be followed by M & A activity provided the auctions do not stretch the balance sheets too far. Amid ongoing price wars it would take serious efforts to raise funds for acquisitions. With interest rates moving north - the funds requirements for overseas acquisition , 3G auctions and M&A within India will be difficult to balance. The winners may emerge from those who will be able to balance fund requirements rather than balance the operations. Is Bharati listening?
One more interesting news was floating around. RCOM has said that it has crossed the 100-million mark in wireless customers and would explore both acquisition and expansion opportunities to strengthen its foothold in the domestic market. RCOM expects to add another 100 million customers within the next 1,000 days.
I think the time is ripe in Indian Telecom industry for consolidations. 3G auctions will be followed by M & A activity provided the auctions do not stretch the balance sheets too far. Amid ongoing price wars it would take serious efforts to raise funds for acquisitions. With interest rates moving north - the funds requirements for overseas acquisition , 3G auctions and M&A within India will be difficult to balance. The winners may emerge from those who will be able to balance fund requirements rather than balance the operations. Is Bharati listening?
Senin, 05 Oktober 2009
Spectrum Status by Circles & Operators
Minggu, 04 Oktober 2009
Beyond MTN & Zain - Bharti, BSNL & MTNL have opportunity in Egypt
Egypt will offer two licenses to provide telecommunications services for upscale suburbs outside the capital, including fixed lines. The is move expected to bring in $1 billion worth of investments over the next five years. The licenses will be granted to a pair of consortia to operate so-called "triple-play" services that group internet, cable TV and phone services within such communities springing up around Cairo and elsewhere in the country.
The move marks the first potential crack in the state-owned Telecom Egypt's total monopoly over fixed line communications, though for now the services are only for within these communities.
The companies will not be required to submit an upfront payment, but the licenses would be based on a revenue sharing program in which the government would get 8 percent of the proceeds of operations within these compounds. Telecom Egypt would still operate in these communities, including fixed line services.
It is said that the bids are due on Jan. 12 and the decisions would be made in the second half of 2010. The communities affected are those which house between 50 to 5,000 units, while larger communities would be served by Telecom Egypt.
The move by the government comes as the country has been grappling with the fallout from the economic meltdown. While Egypt has fared better than many other nations, with officials projecting economic growth of over 5 percent for the fiscal year ending next June, it has still struggled with slumping foreign investment as the world's worst economic recession in decades has prompted investors to tighten their purse strings.
Over the last few years, Cairo has been expanding and its developers have invested billions of dollars in new housing communities in the desert catering to upper- and middle-income Egyptians.
The government's move also indicates a shift in the responsibility for providing infrastructure from the state to private developers.
Opportunity bells are ringing for Indian Telcos like Bharti, BSNL & MTNL who are desperate to invest abroad.
The move marks the first potential crack in the state-owned Telecom Egypt's total monopoly over fixed line communications, though for now the services are only for within these communities.
The companies will not be required to submit an upfront payment, but the licenses would be based on a revenue sharing program in which the government would get 8 percent of the proceeds of operations within these compounds. Telecom Egypt would still operate in these communities, including fixed line services.
It is said that the bids are due on Jan. 12 and the decisions would be made in the second half of 2010. The communities affected are those which house between 50 to 5,000 units, while larger communities would be served by Telecom Egypt.
The move by the government comes as the country has been grappling with the fallout from the economic meltdown. While Egypt has fared better than many other nations, with officials projecting economic growth of over 5 percent for the fiscal year ending next June, it has still struggled with slumping foreign investment as the world's worst economic recession in decades has prompted investors to tighten their purse strings.
Over the last few years, Cairo has been expanding and its developers have invested billions of dollars in new housing communities in the desert catering to upper- and middle-income Egyptians.
The government's move also indicates a shift in the responsibility for providing infrastructure from the state to private developers.
Opportunity bells are ringing for Indian Telcos like Bharti, BSNL & MTNL who are desperate to invest abroad.
Download speed of 28 Mbps offered by Singapore's Mobileone - Wired-line broadband's fag end begins?
Singapore's MobileOne (M1) has announced a further upgrade of its HSPA+ network to support mobile broadband download speed of up to 28 Mbps in selected areas. The increased speed has been achieved with the installation of MIMO (Multiple-input-multiple-output), making M1 HSPA+ network the first in the Asia Pacific to adopt this technology. MIMO is expected to be rolled out to the entire network progressively. Huawei has provided the upgrade.
Meanwhile, M1 will be offering mobile broadband service with download speed of up to 21Mbps island-wide from this Saturday. The M1 HSPA+ network has been capable of delivering download speed of 21 Mbps since July this year, although the company says it held back its commercial launch pending the arrival of customer terminals.
In a year or so the same can be expected in other major telecom markets of world - India & China. Does that indicate that the fag end of wired-line broadband has just begun.
Meanwhile, M1 will be offering mobile broadband service with download speed of up to 21Mbps island-wide from this Saturday. The M1 HSPA+ network has been capable of delivering download speed of 21 Mbps since July this year, although the company says it held back its commercial launch pending the arrival of customer terminals.
In a year or so the same can be expected in other major telecom markets of world - India & China. Does that indicate that the fag end of wired-line broadband has just begun.
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