TIMELINE

NETWORKS

Fujitsu plans UK fibre network Fujutsu revealed plans to invest up to £2 billion to build an open- access fibre network in the UK over the next 3–5 years (see p.14). Virgin Media and TalkTalk are among those planning to buy wholesale access on the network, which will use Cisco equipment.

France LTE auction French regulator ARCEP will begin its auction of LTE spectrum

in May and hopes to raise around E2 billion.

India proposes state merger India’s government has proposed that state-owned operators BSNL and MTNL, and equipment vendor ITI, should merge.

Network sharing in Europe Mobile operators eircom and O2 struck a deal to share network infrastructure in Ireland and build new cell sites together. And T-Mobile and Orange agreed to share 3G infrastructure in rural areas in Austria.

BT extends broadband BT said it will extend its 20-Mbps ADSL2+ broadband service to 80% of the UK population by the end of this year.

Korea boosts mobile networks SK Telecom said it will spend a total of KRW2.3 trillion (E1.4 billion) on 3G and LTE networks this year and plans to launch LTE services in July. And rival LG U+ said its LTE network will be complete by mid-2012, a year earlier than originally expected following investment of KRW1.25 trillion (E940 million).

Alcatel-Lucent China pact Alcatel-Lucent and China Mobile agreed to co-operate on research,

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testing and development of next- generation mobile and cloud computing technologies.

LTE rollouts Canadian operator Rogers will launch LTE services this year and has selected Ericsson to provide the infrastructure; Vodafone Hutchison Australia began upgrading 5,800 basestations using Huawei equipment in order to launch LTE this year; O2 Germany signed a deal for Huawei to provide LTE infrastructure; and PLDT claimed service launch in the Philippines.

All-IP network in Russia MegaFon said it is building a nationwide IP mobile backhaul network in Russia using equipment and services from Nokia Siemens Networks.

UK MVNO deals Everything Everywhere took its number of MVNO customers to 21 in the UK by signing three new deals.

FTTH network in Canada Canadian operator Sasktel announced a seven-year plan to build a fibre-to-the- home network throughout Saskatchewan, spending around C$670 million (E475 million).

Clearwire keeps spectrum Clearwire said it no longer plans to sell any of its spectrum this year to raise additional funds for the company.

Australian NGN trials Vodafone Hutchison Australia signed an agreement with NBN Co to participate in residential fixed-line trials of the national broadband network. Telstra, iiNet, Internode and iPrimus will also take part in trials. In addition, Optus won a five-year A$200 million deal to provide

satellite services for NBN, while Telstra has now been given until 30 June to put forward its plans for structural separation.

Syria postpones licence Syria postponed the auction of a third mobile licence due to political activity.

Belgian 3G auction Belgium’s auction of 3G spectrum in the 2100-MHz band attracted one, unnamed, bidder.

PEOPLE

KPN changes CEO, cuts jobs KPN CEO Ad Scheepbouwer handed over to new chief executive Eelco Blok on 6 April. Blok’s first task was to issue a profit warning and say the company will need to cut 4,000 to 5,000 jobs in the Netherlands between now and 2015.

Telefonica job cuts loom Telefonica said it could cut staff in its home market by up to 20%—some 6,400—by 2013.

XO head resigns Carl Grivner, the president and CEO of XO Communications since 2003, resigned.

Huawei gets new UK head Huawei appointed Mark Mitchinson as its UK and Ireland vice president. Mitchinson joins from Carphone Warehouse where he was group managing director for business, wholesale and distribution.

BSNL chairman Rakesh Kumar Upadhyay became chairman and managing director of state-run Indian operator BSNL on 30 April.

Nokia chairman Nokia chairman Jorma Ollila confirmed he will leave in 2012.

NOKIA STAFF CUTS Nokia last month announced plans to outsource its Sym- bian software to Accenture, transferring 3,000 staff in the process, and to cut an addi- tional 4,000 jobs worldwide by the end of 2012. The moves are part of the company’s aim to cut Devices and Services operating expenses by E1 bil- lion in 2013 compared to last year. Nokia earlier this year set out its strategy to transition its smartphone line to use Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7, but the offloading of Symbian was hardly signposted. Earlier in April Nokia launched an updated version of Symbian and two new handsets based on the operating system, and said it still expects to sell around 150 million Symbian devices in the next few years. “With these new products and more Symbian devices and user enhancements coming in the near future, we are con- fident we can keep existing Nokia smartphone customers engaged, as well as attract new first-time and competi- tor smartphone users,” said Jo Harlow (pictured), head of Nokia’s Smart Devices business, at the launch. The deal with Accenture will see that company providing Nokia with Symbian-based software development and support services. Accenture in October 2009 acquired Nokia’s professional services unit that provides engineering and support of the Symbian operating system to handset makers and service providers. Nokia, which currently has around 65,000 staff worldwide (not including those working for Nokia Siemens Networks), said the majority of job cuts will come from Denmark, Finland and the UK.

www.totaltele.com May 2011