Hutchison

NTT Docomo agreed the sale of its minority stake in mobile businesses in Hong Kong and Macau (which use the 3 brand) to co-owner Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Holdings (HTHKH), with the deal set to be completed in May.

CK Hutchison and the venture arms of Telstra and Swisscom are among the latest investors in telecoms software company Matrixx, Financial Times reported. Matrixx said it offers a “digital commerce solution that enables always-on customer engagement”.

UK operator 3 will launch a new low cost mobile service, with the sub-brand offering discounts to customers who do not use their data allowance on a monthly basis.

Ofcom wants to bar BT/EE from bidding in part of a forthcoming spectrum auction because the UK regulator is wary of the market leader’s growing dominance.

CK Hutchison and VimpelCom, which received EC approval for their Italian merger, can exercise a buy-sell option on their respective stakes three years after the deal completes.

As expected, the European Commission approved a merger between the local units of Hutchison and VimpelCom to create Italy’s largest operator. Key to the approval was the two companies’ commitment to sell assets to newcomer Iliad.

Hong Kong conglomerate CK Hutchison said its 3 Group Europe business is “now one of the major earnings contributors to the group”, as it acknowledged economic uncertainty for Europe in the near future.