PARIS, June 5 |
PARIS, June 5 (Reuters) - France Telecom's shareholders on Tuesday rejected a resolution advocated by some of its employee shareholders that would have cut its dividend by nearly 30 percent.
Some 93 percent of shareholders at its annual investors' meeting voted in favor of a proposal by France Telecom's board to keep the dividend at its current level of 1.40 euros a share.
Other European telecoms operators such as Telecom Italia , Vivendi and Telefonica have recently scaled back their dividend payouts to counter a negative mix of economic recession, competition and costly network upgrades in their mature home markets.
One company union that favored a cut in the payout blamed the recently inaugurated government of Socialist President Francois Hollande for the vote, given that the government is the company's largest single shareholder with about a 27 percent stake, including shares hold by sovereign wealth fund FSI.
"By refusing to lower the dividend to 1 euro as the employees wanted, the government has committed its first political error of its new term," the main France Telecom union said in a statement.
The government would have surrendered 145 million euros ($180.73 million) in dividend payout if the proposed reduction had gone through, according to union estimates.
France Telecom, which like other incumbent operators has been slammed by low-price competition from upstart rival Iliad's Free cellular brand, said it would almost certainly cut its dividend for 2012 and 2013.
Earlier during the shareholder meeting, France Telecom Chief Executive Stephane Richard played down the possibility that the company would enter an already crowded Brazilian telecoms market.
He also said he viewed some degree of consolidation in an intensely competitive European market as "inevitable."
E3: Samsung signs Smart TV cloud gaming deal with Gaikai - BBC News
Samsung is to introduce a cloud-based video games service to its premium TVs.
It has signed a deal with Gaikai to use the California-based firm's streaming technology to let its customers play titles written for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 without having to own one of the consoles.
The tie-up was announced at the E3 games trade show in Los Angeles.
It appears to confound rumours that Gaikai was on the verge of being taken over by Sony.
Samsung said the service would be made available on its Smart Hub environment on high-end televisions released this year.
It will initially be restricted to the US where users will shortly be invited to sign up to a trial.
Console competitor"Samsung is excited to deliver this revolutionary gaming experience that takes advantage of all the benefits of cloud-computing, all on the central screen of the home," said Kyung-shik Lee, vice president of Samsung Electronics' visual display business.
Gaikai's chief executive David Perry added: "Together, we will turn Samsung Smart TVs into a console-like experience capable of delivering the best-selling video games and other content instantly to consumers - no downloads, no extra hardware, no trips to the store."
“Start Quote
End Quote Giancarlo Varanini Senior editor, GamespotStreaming technology is very attractive in theory to publishers as it's a piracy buster”
The cloud gaming company was founded in 2008 and to date has focused on offering users the chance to play demonstrations of console-designed games via web browsers.
Samsung will pay the company a fee to use its cloud technology and then strike separate deals with games publishers to allow owners of its televisions to buy access to full titles.
The South Korean firm was not able to discuss which titles would be available at launch.
Quality concernsOnLive, another California-headquartered company, already offers users the chance to stream games to TVs via its Microconsole device.
However, both it and Gaikai's service have been criticised for offering an inferior experience to owning a dedicated games console.
Graphics are either shown at a lower resolution or with fewer frames per second. Players have also complained that it can take longer for their control pad commands to be registered.
The delayed response time is only a mater of milliseconds, but this can still put users at a disadvantage in fast-paced action games.
However, the recent announcement of new technology from Nvidia and the roll-out of faster broadband should address such issues going forward.
Reaction timesOne industry watcher at E3 said cloud gaming had huge potential, but might disappoint serious gamers in its present state.
"Streaming technology is very attractive in theory to publishers as it's a piracy buster," said Giancarlo Varanini, senior editor at the news site Gamespot.
"It makes it so much more difficult to copy titles when the files are located on a remote server.
"But broadband penetration isn't where it needs to be and the service isn't up to snuff for games which require a huge amount of precision. Gamers need quick reflex responses to compete with other players especially in multiplayer environments."
Gaikai had previously been linked to a potential takeover by Sony, and trade magazine MCV suggested the two companies might still announce a tie-up of some sorts.
A spokesman for Gaikai would not confirm or deny the report, saying only that: "We don't comment on rumours".
Telecom tariff might increase by 26 paisa, analyst - Top News India
According to an analyst at the research firm Ernst&Young, the telecom tariff is like to increase by as much as six times the 4.4 paisa estimated by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), or by 26 paisa per minute if the impact of two factors is considered.
Analyst said that the TRAI did not take into consideration the cost of license extension and the cost of spectrum to be auctioned while estimating the increase in tariff during financial year 2013.
Partner in member firm of EY Prashant Singhal said, "TRAI's assessment does not include the cost of license extension in addition to the cost of spectrum to be auctioned. Taking into account, these two factors only, EY-COAI estimates that the impact on cost per minute will be more than six times the 4.4 paisa." The remarks come just two days before the meeting of Empowered Group of Minister of telecom.
The analysis from the research firm sheds more light into the ongoing deliberations into the matter after TRAI recommended a base price of Rs 3,622 per unit of airwaves that are to be auctioned to the telecom service providers in the country.
Telecom sector deposited Rs 363bln in 2012 to national economy - Pakistan News Service
ISLAMABAD: Telecom sector is one of the most potential sectors that remained important contributor to the national economy by depositing Rs 363 billion during the year 2012 and showed increase of 5.4 percent compared to last year.
ISLAMABAD: Telecom sector is one of the most potential sectors that remained important contributor to the national economy by depositing Rs 363 billion during the year 2012 and showed increase of 5.4 percent compared to last year.
In line with the teledensity the cellular sector also has the highest share in telecom revenue as during 2011 cellular revenue increased by 11 percent to reach Rs 262,761 million as compared to Rs 236, 047 million in the previous year. During the first two quarters of 2012, Rs 197,686 million worth of revenue has been generated by the telecom sector.
According to the report of Pakistan economic survey 2011-12, companies have invested more than US$ 12 billion in building of infrastructure and other projects in the last six years.
In 2011, the telecom sector invested US$ 495.8 million with the cellular mobile sector being the major contributor. In addition USF invested Rs 3.5 billion in the 2011.
The telecom sector made its higher contribution to the national exchequer in 2011 as almost Rs 117 billion deposited by the telecom companies showering 7% growing in 2011.
According the report, foreign direct investment (FDI) by the telecom companies is more than 30 percent of the total foreign direct investment in the country during last six years.
Owing to terrain/security situation companies were reluctant to invest further however in 2011 telecom sector attracted over US$ 79 million FDI in the country which is about 5 percent of the total FDI in Pakistan in 2011.
Despite all the factors the cellular industry managed to double its growth rate from the previous year and according to the World Economic Forum's Global Information Technology Report 2101-11 Pakistan ranks no 1 in the internet and telephony competition. The total of mobile subscriber reached 118.3 million at the end of 2012.
The mobile market over the years has come more stable due to intense competition. Market shares are now more balanced among the five operators with almost insignificant changes over the years. At the end of March 2012 Mobilink had a market share of 30.25 percent followed by Telenor with 24.80 percent and Ufone with 19.54 percent.
The auction of 3G license is expected that will bring more investment into the country and improved economic condition of the country would further encourage investors to bring the capital into the country.
Economic survey further revealed that teledensity in the country stood at 68.3 percent showing 6.7 percent growth as compared to the previous year. Since the mobile sector contributes over 95 percent to the total density of the country an increase in mobile penetration from 60.4 percent in 201-11 to64.9 percent in 2012-12 resulted into improvement of 4.3 percentage points in total density.
Fixed teledensity has been declining over the year due to mobile substitution and today it stands at 1.93 percent in 2011-12 as compared to 2.1 percent last year showing a decrease of 0.17 percent.
End.
Samsung Puts $500,000 Behind Its Secret Weapon Against Apple - The Business Insider
The South Korean company will soon announce that it joined the Linux Foundation at the highest level, Platinum. This gives Samsung a seat on the Linux Foundation's board.
Linux forms the basis for Google's Android operating system. But the Linux Foundation has also been building another mobile OS called Tizen.
No one really gives Tizen much notice—and for good reason. The world seems happy enough with iOS and Android. Even Windows Phone can't break that.
But Samsung is a big backer of Tizen. This is a step to try and crank it up.
"Having just recently [in Q1 2012] beat out Nokia to become the world's largest maker of mobile phones, this announcement also makes it clear how Samsung will now try to attack Apple's position with both the Linux-based Android and Tizen platforms," a Linux Foundation spokesperson told Business Insider.
In other words, Samsung wants to have more control so it can turn Tizen into a true alternative to Android, and, more importantly, an alternative to iOS.
As we've reported, Android seems to be losing the platform war to Apple. Samsung is not content to sit by and let that happen without a backup plan.
Remember the Linux Foundation taps into 800 companies and 8,000 developers, many of them zealots for Linux and the open source way. That's a big base of developers to help build another mobile OS and cool apps for it.
Platinum membership costs about $500,000. Only six other companies have joined the foundation at that level (IBM, Oracle, Intel, Fujitsu and Qualcomm Innovation Center).
Even Red Hat doesn't have a seat on the board.
UPDATE: This story originally published with the wrong membership fee. The correct amount is $500,000, not $500 million as we orginally stated. A big difference and we apologize for the error.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. : IR News : SAMSUNG Set To Kick Off On-Site Activation For London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay - 4-traders (press release)
17 May, 2012 - Samsung Electronics, Ltd, a global leader in consumer electronics and a Presenting Partner of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, revealed today its Olympic Torch Relay programme just days before the Olympic Flame arrives in the UK. Samsung has a legion of inspirational international Olympic Torchbearers who will carry the Olympic Flame around the UK during its 70-day relay. Samsung will bring the excitement in towns and villages across the UK throughout Samsung Caravan and 20-minutes of stage performance at evening celebrations, offering new inspiring opportunities for everyone to experience and take part in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
During 2011, Samsung launched a six-month global search for Torchbearers who had demonstrated how they had "gone the extra mile". Nominations were received from 58 countries around the world, enabling Samsung's London 2012 campaign to deliver the most inclusive Olympic Games ever - An Olympic Games for Everyone. Every Torchbearer has been carefully selected for their unique contribution to local communities and their demonstration of the Olympic spirit.
London 2012 Olympic Torchbearers will have their experience further enriched by the involvement of an array of celebrity Torchbearers including, nine-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist John Legend. Legend is well-known for his work to break the cycle of poverty and improve educational opportunities for all kids through his Show Me Campaign.
Commenting on his Torchbearer invitation, Legend said, "This will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me and I'm looking forward to meeting some of the amazing people from all walks of life that Samsung has invited to take part."
Samsung has selected a number of globally recognized Torchbearers who are known for their continuous inspiration to others. British TV star and campaigner Jamie Oliver, Ivory Coast and Chelsea footballer Didier Drogba and Vladimir Tolstoy, the essayist and great grandson of Leo Tolstoy, will all join Legend in carrying the Olympic Flame.
Didier Drogba, a star striker playing for Chelsea FC, with whom Samsung has partnered with since 2005, has been nominated as an Olympic Torchbearer. His selection for this role is due to his continuous efforts in improving health and education for African children through the Didier Drogba Foundation, as well as supporting the club's community and sporting activities for underprivileged youngsters in London. Didier Drogba commented, "It is a great honour to be recognised for the work I do off the pitch, in local London communities or campaigning to improve the lives of children in Africa. It has always been my goal to change things for the better. The Olympic Torch Relay celebrates just a handful of the many extraordinary people that put others' needs before their own on a daily basis and this is what I will be celebrating."
The Olympic Torch is the emotional symbol of the Olympic Games which marks the beginning and the end of the Olympic Games. It also presents an opportunity to general public to take part in the Olympic Games by offering them a chance to carry the Olympic Flame. Since Athens 2004, Samsung had sponsored the Olympic Torch Relay in two Youth Olympic Games and three Olympic Games, and is now entirely committed to delivering its sixth Olympic Torch for London 2012 to share the Olympic Spirits with everyone across the world.
The Samsung Caravan will travel with Torchbearers around the UK during the 70-day relay. An interactive LED screen built into the side of the Caravan will feature Olympic Torch Relay highlights as well as avatars of participants for Samsung Hope Relay, a virtual Olympic Torch Relay that allows everyone to take part. The caravan is designed to cheer up everyone to celebrate the Torch Relay with music and interaction with local communities such as by distributing Olympic keepsakes to crowds.
To welcome the Olympic Flame and to celebrate the combined efforts of all its Torchbearers, Samsung will join LOCOG and the host Local Authority to stage an evening celebration event, showcasing a series of exciting shows featuring groups such as 'Britain's Got Talent' dance group Diversity who will be prepped to thrill the crowds. And topping the bill, will the brand new Samsung GALAXY SIII - Samsung's Olympic Games Phone for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Spectators will be able to visit the Samsung Mobile Trailer to enjoy an immersive entertainment experience and to explore the most world's most advanced smartphone, the GALAXY SIII, before it is released to market.
Sunny Hwang, Vice President & Head of Global Sports Marketing, Samsung Electronics, said, "Our aim is for London 2012 to be an Olympic Games for everyone. Our worldwide campaign to find deserving people to carry the Olympic Flame has offered people across the world a once-in-lifetime opportunity to be involved in this amazing event. We have also prepared a variety of entertaining elements to build the excitement of the Olympic Torch Relay for communities along the route. We are looking forward to the start of a momentous journey."
The London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay will begin its 70 day journey around the UK on Saturday May 19th taking in many of the UK's cultural landmarks. Visiting over 1,000 cities, towns and villages along its 8,000 mile route, the Olympic Flame aims to inspire the UK with spirit of the Olympic Games and marks the official start of the London 2012 Olympic Games prior to its celebrated arrival at the Olympic Stadium on July 27th.
Samsung encourages everyone to celebrate the Olympic Torch Relay and to make London 2012 'Everyone's Olympic Games' by creating inspiring and memorable experiences for everyone around the world.
Telecom operators must pay N1.17bn fines, or… – NCC - Vanguard
By Adekunle Adekoya
EARLY last month, the four top telecoms firms in the country – MTN, Airtel, Etisalat and Globacom were fined a total N1.17 bn by the industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, for not meeting stipulated quality of service benchmarks called key performance indicators.
A deadline by which the fines must be paid was set, which expired last May 25th, with a default fine of N2.5m per day until the fines are paid. The telcos, in moves that suggest unwillingness to pay the fines fought back, and in several advertorials listed their ordeals, chief of which include self-generated electricity and damage to business infrastructure which they said is militating against attainment of stipulated KPIs. Observers have keenly watched developments, especially since expiration f the May 25 deadline by which none of the telcos have paid.
Instead, chief executives of the telcos and some of their top brass sought and secured a meeting with NCC, which held in Abuja last week. At the meeting the NCC reiterated its position on quality of service, and insisted that the telcos must first pay the fines and the default penalties before discussions can proceed on any other issue.
Speaking through its Director of Public Affairs, Mr Tony Ojobo, NCC disclosed that as a regulator, there are several options open to it in enforcing payment of the fines, including withdrawal of regulatory services to service providers. Excerpts:
We had a meeting with the sanctioned service providers. Initially the position of the Commission was that we were not going to have any discussion with the service providers until the penalties had been paid but on second thought management felt that there was need to listen to them to see if there were new issues to be raised regarding sanctions.
The CEO’s were all in attendance with some of their staff. They indicated that they wanted to see if the NCC would review its position on the sanctions and probably see whether there can be some form of reprieve for them, considering the challenging circumstances in the environment which have contributed to the poor quality of service. They mentioned the issues of power, cable cuts and multiple taxation and all of that.
These challenges are not new to the commission. They have been on and the issue of quality of service has been in discussion for six years until last January when the Quality of Service guidelines were gazetted and then there was need for the Commission to apply sanctions to service providers that did not meet key performance indicators (KPIs) as indicated in the guidelines.
Meeting
Before then there was a meeting between the service providers and the commission where they had made commitments that by March this year we were going to see noticeable improvements in the quality of service offered. As at March we still didn’t see any noticeable improvements; rather we observed very poor quality of service on all the networks.
The Commission was of the view that there was no need to review the sanctions in the sense that these key performance indicators have not been met; but at the end of the meeting the position of NCC still stands; the sanctions and penalties will have to be paid.
What if it is not paid?
The point is that there are specifications in the guidelines that after the deadline for the sanctions there is going to be N2.5 million for each day of default and we are already in the default period and it is expected that the sanction as well as the default penalties will have to be paid.
There are options open to the regulator in the event where the service provider is not ready to obey. The regulator has the choice of withdrawing regulatory services such as the issuing of new numbers or entertaining any request whatsoever from the service provider. There is no way a service provider can do without the regulator; there are so many things a service provider cannot do without approval of the regulator. The regulator has a number of regulatory tools to get the service provider to conform or obey the regulatory rules.
The deadline given was on the 25th of May; why did you decide to give them ears even after the deadline elapsed?
As a responsible regulator as much as possible we provide listening ears to the industry and the most important thing is that the Commission was not ready to shift grounds; it was also important that we re-emphasize that we are maintaining our stand on the payment of sanctions.
NCC boss, Juwah
Nothing is waived, either the original sanction or the default period penalty. At the time of payment all of that has to be paid. We entered the default period from the 26th of May, counting from the 26th of May to anytime payment is made, it is N2.5 million per day.
The funds you are charging them are they going to be paid to the consumers or to government through the NCC?
For the purpose of emphasis, we have to make a distinction between compensation and fine. A sanction is a fine. Fines are paid to government and compensation is paid to subscribers. What the guideline specified is fine and that fine is paid to government through the Commission.We are not shifting any ground on this matter.
We have the backing of the law on this matter and we want to reemphasize that the purpose of the sanctions is not a rent seeking thing. We are not looking for avenues to generate revenue but as a deterrent. We want a situation that there is something that is acting as a check for which the service providers will constantly make sure there is improvement in the quality of service on their networks.
When are you moving to check quality of service again?
It was important to draw the attention of service providers that quality of service is still poor and there is a need for them to address it squarely. They also wondered if this sanction was going to be a continuous sanction. The position of the Commission is that we are not going to discuss any further until this sanction is complied with. We will not discuss further actions or entertain any further meeting on this matter until sanctions are complied with.
The measurement for quality of service is quarterly. The months we are talking about is for March and April. March is the last month in the first quarter and April is the first month in the second quarter. The issue of drive test is continuous. Our engineers will still conduct drive tests and if we observe that there is very remarkable degradation of QoS the attention of the service providers will have to be drawn.
Will that attract sanction?
When we get to the bridge we cross it.
Samsung Galaxy S3: Verizon Bound Next Galaxy Images Surface - ibtimes.co.uk
If this information is correct, Verizon's S3 will have a hardware home button. The Verizon logo, along with the lettering "4G LTE" will be written on the battery cover.
Regardless of external appearances, all five variants of the S3 will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and, like the Canadian and Japanese variants, the US-bound S3 will pack 2GB of RAM, to provide high-speed performance and multitasking. The phone will be available in the same two colours it is anywhere else - pebble blue and marble white - and come in two storage models - 16/32GB. It will be powered by a Li-ion 2100mAh battery and run the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) operating system with a 4.8in HD Super AMOLED touchscreen display. The Galaxy S3 will go on sale with starting price $199 (£129.57). The Galaxy S3 with all the carriers in the US will connect the 4G LTE and HSPA+42 network speeds. The retail price for the Galaxy S3 will be announced by the carriers in the coming weeks.
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