Global Wireless News

Alcatel-Lucent signs European Union’s Code of Conduct on Energy Consumption of Broadband Equipment
From: WebWire
Alcatel-Lucent announced that it has signed the European Union’s Code of Conduct on Energy Consumption of Broadband Equipment. By signing the Code of Conduct, Alcatel-Lucent commits to make all reasonable efforts to abide to the principles described in the Code of Conduct (version 3 ‑ 2008) for the broadband communications equipment it is developing for communications services providers and enterprises while maintaining service reliability and quality levels.
Most notable of these principles is the company’s commitment to make all reasonable efforts to achieve the power consumption targets defined in the Code of Conduct for at least 90 percent of the total port count of new model items introduced.
Alcatel-Lucent will annually provide the European Commission with information concerning the energy consumption of the broadband equipment covered by the Code of Conduct. This is equipment primarily deployed into service providers? networks, but Alcatel-Lucent also agreed to include certain equipment typically deployed at businesses or homes, such as DSL (digital subscriber line) terminals and optical networking terminals. Read the entire press release.
SK Telecom to sell back its stake in China Unicom for $1.28 billion
From: Telecom Tiger
South Korean mobile telecommunication operator SK Telecom Co. on Monday agreed to sell back its 3.8 percent stake in China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd. for KRW1.5 trillion ($1.28 billion), marking the end of a three-year investment partnership.
The announcement comes on the heels of a recent move by the Chinese telecommunication operator to deepen its ties with Spain”s Telefonica.
Telefonica and SK Telecom interestingly came forth as key associates to China Unicom after the reorganization of the domestic telecom industry this year that brought the total telecom companies from four to three.
SK Telefonica, which replaced SK Telecom as Unicom’s biggest overseas investor last year, said Monday in a statement that the sale followed a “change of strategy” and payoffs will be deployed in strengthening its financial base and tap new business opportunities.
However, both SK and Unicom said they will continue to be partners, without elaborating. Read the article at Telecom Tiger
China Unicom to sell iPhone beginning this week
From: CNN.com
China Unicom, the country’s second largest mobile operator, said on Monday it would launch Apple’s iPhones on the mainland this week. Unicom is pinning its hopes on the iPhone as it tries to win market share and more high-end users in China’s highly competitive telecoms market.
The mobile operator said it would start selling 3G iPhones for about Rmb5,000 ($732) each on October 1, without specifying which model. Subscribers could choose from eight service plans, ranging from Rmb126 to Rmb886 per month. Users who signed two-year contracts of above Rmb186 per month would receive handset subsidies of up to Rmb4,253.
Since Beijing unveiled a wide-ranging reorganisation of the industry last year and awarded three 3G licences in January, competition among Unicom and its two rivals — China Mobile and China Telecom — has been heating up, with smartphones being the latest battleground.
China Mobile, Unicom’s bigger rival, is set to launch the 3G OPhone based on Google’s Android operating system. It also plans to launch smartphones made by Dell, the US computer manufacturer, China’s Lenovo and Taiwan’s HTC.
China Telecom, the smallest operator, is in talks with Research In Motion, maker of the BlackBerry, and Palm to offer devices. Unicom plans to sell its own Google phones made by Samsung in December for about Rmb4,500 each. Read the entire article at CNN.com.
Bharti-MTN Deal Faces New Potential Hurdles
From: The Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
The proposed $24 billion merger between India’s Bharti Airtel Ltd. and South Africa’s MTN Group Ltd. may be jeopardized by hurdles erected by the governments in Johannesburg and New Delhi, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday. Read the article at The Wall Street Journal (subscription required).