October 15, 2009 Helios Towers secures US100M Telecompaper reports that Helios Towers Nigeria has secured a US$100 million investment from the World Bank's IFC as part of a US$250 million capital injection that will help the company increase its network to 2,000 sites nationwide. By Mobile World Live
Asia Pacific China Mobile Middle East and North Africa Operators October 15, 2009 Report: Vavasi in talks with China Mobile for Zain bid Telecompaper, citing a Business Standard report, notes that a consortium led by India-based Vavasi group has sent feelers to China Mobile for a possible joint bid for Zain. By Mobile World Live
Operators Telefonica October 15, 2009 Telefonica edges closer to HanseNet deal Spanish telecoms group Telefonica aims to bring talks with Telecom Italia to buy its German broadband division HanseNet to a close within the next few weeks, Bloomberg reports, citing Telefonica's chairman Cesar Alierta. By Mobile World Live
October 15, 2009 T-Com and T-Mobile to merge next year TeleGeography reports that Slovakian incumbent fixed line provider Slovak Telekom and mobile operator T-Mobile Slovensko will be merged into a single company in 2010 as part of a wider strategy by their German parent Deutsche Telekom to consolidate its wireline and wireless businesses. By Mobile World Live
October 15, 2009 Management buys back Picsel Picsel's management team, led by founder and former CEO Imran Khand, announced today that it has purchased the Picsel Group of companies out of administration, and will continue to operate the business as a going concern. By Mobile World Live
Operators Vodafone October 15, 2009 Ghana govt cautious on report over Vodafone buy of GT Telecompaper notes that the Ghanaian government has said that it will formally state its official position on the Inter-Ministerial Review Committee Report which probed the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone within a fortnight. By Mobile World Live
Nokia RAN Vendors October 15, 2009 O2 Germany and AT&T first with Nokia’s netbook Nokia's high-profile 'Booklet 3G' - its first foray into the netbook space - will be launched in Germany and the US in the next few weeks. O2 will offer the device in Germany for EUR249 (US$371) with an additional monthly charge of EUR20 over 24 months. There will also be an optional flat-rate data tariff which will cost EUR25 per month. By Mobile World Live