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PricewaterhouseCoopers Presents
The TelecomDirect News Daily Update
For February 8, 2006
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EU Reprimands 16 Countries for Uncompetitive Telecoms Markets
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/130/16576?11228
The European Commission has ruled that no European Union (EU)
member countries have a competitive telecoms market. According to
Dow Jones reports, 16 out of the 25 member states lacked
sufficient competition, while the other nine failed to respond to
the EU's inquiries before the 30 September 2005 deadline. From a
total of 152 markets...
Portugal Telecom Wary of Sonae's Hostile Bid
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/120/16575?11228
Portugal Telecom has described Sonae's US$12.8 billion-bid for a
majority stake as hostile and below the actual or potential worth
of the company. In a statement, Portugal Telecom chief executive
Miguel Horta e Costa insisted that the bid undervalued Portugal
Telecom's current and future worth, warning that it could lead to
a break-up of...
SingTel Achieves Q3 Net Profit Growth on Mixed Regional Performance
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/120/16574?11228
In the quarter ending 31 December 2005, SingTel's net profit grew
by 16% y/y to S$885 million (US$541.9 million), while underlying
net profit rose 4.1% y/y to S$778 million. The net profit
increase was mainly boosted by a S$105-million exceptional gain
from the partial sale of its stake in Singapore Post. Revenue
rose by 4.2% y/y to...
"Better Than WiMax" Device Gets FCC Nod
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/150/16573?11228
Startup xGTM Technology has received FCC approval for its novel
wide area wireless network transmitter, an important step for a
firm that's looking to buck a seemingly overwhelming trend toward
3G and 802.11 technologies. The xGTM system is based on a
new low frequency wireless networking protocol called
xMax. Sarasota,...
Google Battles Broadband Provider Fee
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/110/16570?11228
WASHINGTON -- Internet giant Google said Tuesday that the wide
variety of Web sites might shrink if broadband providers like
AT&T start charging companies for premium access to high-speed
networks. The Bell companies promised members of the Senate
Commerce Committee that they have no plans to block Internet
services. Lawmakers...
Bush Wants $3.6B Wi-Fi Tax
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/120/16564?11228
The Bush administration has asked the Federal Communications
Commission to consider imposing fees that would yield about $3.6
billion during the next 10 years on unauctioned spectrum licenses
-- a notion widely seen as targeting newer broadband and Wi-Fi
services, but presumably also applicable to a wide range of
emerging RF...
Nortel Takes $2.5B Hit
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/120/16560?11228
Nortel Networks Ltd. (NYSE/Toronto: NT - message board) is on
course to take a $2.473 billion charge to settle outstanding
class action lawsuits. It would "remove a significant impediment
to Nortel's future success and allow Mike Zafirovski and the
Nortel team to move forward," the company's chairman Harry Pearce
said in a statement this...
US Business Data Services Spending Headed for Slow Decline
http://www.telecomdirectnews.com/do.php/150/16559?11228
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Total US business end-user data service
expenditures will grow 0.3% to $36.6 billion by the end of 2005,
reports In-Stat. Expenditures will increase slightly again in
2006, fueled by broadband Internet access and shifts to IP
environments, but start a gradual decline in 2007 as a result of
mounting pricing ...
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