NEWS APRIL2010

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T-Mobile, Orange get regulatory go-ahead for UK merger from EC

to deliver converged services. The joint venture is expected to generate estimated synergies with a net present value in excess of €4bn. By way of concessions,

The UK mobile subsidiaries of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom have been given the green light from the European Commission to go ahead with their proposed merger. Integration measures

are expected to start immediately, with the closing of the transaction expected before the

spring is out. The deal, announced in August 2009, is to be conducted as a merger of equals, with T-Mobile and Orange folded into a 50:50 joint venture. This move will create a new market leader, with over 34 million subscribers and a 43 per cent share of the UK market, compared

to current leader O2’s 22.4 million strong user base and 28.5 per cent market share, according to the latest figures from Informa Telecoms & Media’s WCIS. The new player will

also benefit from the inclusion of Orange’s fixed broadband subscriber base and the potential

the companies have agreed with the EC to divest 2×15MHz of their joint GSM spectrum in the 1800MHz band by the end of 2011. Of the divested spectrum 2×10MHz needs to be cleared by September 30 2013 at the latest and further 2×5MHz need to be cleared by September 30 2015. T-Mobile’s existing

network sharing deal with 3UK was also reinforced. Through Mobile Broadband Network Ltd, formed by 3 and T-Mobile UK in 2007, the two firms share their masts and

3G access networks. 3UK is supportive of the proposed merger between T-Mobile and Orange, and is expected to want to share in the synergies afforded by the agreement. It should be noted that Orange UK already hosts 3’s 2G traffic and, in a statement released shortly after the merger announcement, 3UK said: “Our network infrastructure joint venture with T-Mobile inevitably makes us an interested party.” A combined brand is

ultimately expected, but this week the companies said the T-Mobile and Orange UK brands will continue to operate in the UK for at least 18 months after the completion of the transaction.

Android gets access to Java-flavoured apps

as mobile middleware developer Myriad launched a tool which it claims seamlessly converts Java MIDlets into Android applications. Myriad’s J2Android

is able to take the tens of thousands of MIDlet

Mobile operating system Android has gained access to a whole new library of pre-written applications,

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applications already on the market and develop new revenue opportunities for the Android community. Software features include adaptive screen scaling and the ability to apply virtual

keypads and softkeys. “As Android devices

appear in greater volumes, the challenge has been how quickly the industry can make apps and content available to cope with user demand. One obvious source is the catalogue of quality titles already available but locked away in Java format,” said Malcolm Dawe, chief product officer of Myriad. In other Android news, the

platform continues to make headway with the operators

as UK MVNO Virgin Mobile announces four new devices to be launched over the next few weeks. Hot on the heels of

Virgin’s first Android device, the LG InTouch Max, Virgin Mobile is introducing the Samsung Galaxy Portal, the HTC Desire and Sony Ericsson’s flagship Android handset, the Xperia X10. LG’s InTouch Max features

a touch screen and slide out QWERTY keyboard, and is available free on a

£22 per month tariff; the Samsung Galaxy Portal features a 3.2inch screen and a 3.2 megapixel camera and is also available free on a £22 per month tariff. The HTC Desire, based on a Qualcomm 1Ghz Snapdragon processor, with a 3.7inch AMOLED screen, will launch in April, as will the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10.

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