TeleGeography, citing a report in The Nation, notes that the board of CAT Telecom early this week gave the green light to sign a memorandum of understanding with Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd (HTIL) concerning CAT's plan to buy network assets and related businesses from their Thai joint venture, Hutchison CAT Wireless Multimedia (HCWM).

Reuters reports that the government on Tuesday ordered a cut in mobile phone charges by the end of November, saying it had been forced to act because the communications regulator would not do so.

Reuters notes that AT&T has won US antitrust approval to buy rival Centennial Communications for US$944 million on the condition that it sell assets in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Germany's EUR5 billion auction of digital dividend spectrum can go ahead next year as planned despite complaints from the European Union and the country's smaller operators, reports Reuters. The news agency notes that the advisory council of Germany's Federal Network Agency (FNA) has agreed that the auction can take place in the first half of 2010.

T-Mobile USA has not yet decided on its plans for launch of 'next-generation' networks but is confident it will not be involved in any future market consolidation.

Egypt-based Orascom Telecom (OT) has ruled itself out of bidding for France's fourth 3G license.

Sweden's TeliaSonera has secured near full ownership of Estonia's Eesti Telekom and two-thirds of votes in Lithuanian fixed-line operator TEO LT after separate buy-out bids.