Nokia Lumia 610 coming to the Irish market
Billed as a smartphone thats fun, powerful and reasonably priced, the Nokia Lumia 610 hits Irish stores this week.
The most affordable model from Nokia’s Lumia smartphone range, the 610 comes with a 3.7-inch display, a 5MP camera, 256MB RAM and 8GB memory.
Powered by Windows Phone 7.5 Mango software and an 800MHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, the Lumia 610 is a brightly coloured, fast and user-friendly entry-level smartphone.
Nokia is targeting a younger audience with this device, labelling it the perfect first smartphone and an ideal introduction to the Windows Phone interface.
Focusing on social elements, PeopleHub keeps users in touch with friends, providing instant access to social networks and bringing all mobile, email, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn contacts together in one place. Gamers can also enjoy access to the Xbox Live Hub.
The Lumia 610 comes preloaded with signature Nokia apps like Nokia Maps, Nokia Drive and Nokia Music, as well as Microsoft Office, with access to Word, PowerPoint and Excel. OneNote mobile can be used to capture notes, ideas, pictures and voice memos, and cloud storage from Microsoft’s SkyDrive syncs files and notes for access from any device.
Black and white models will be available from Vodafone, Meteor and O2 operators this week from €179.
Elaine Burke 
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Nokia Is First to Market 2011 Canada Census Data - DirectionsMag.com
Census data included in the NAVTEQ Map helps businesses better understand customers through lifestyle and population statistics
– Nokia today announced at the USGIF Technology Days event that its Location & Commerce business is the first to launch 2011 Canada Census data in its Census Boundaries product. This data will provide geographic information systems (GIS) and geo-marketers access to a deeper level of census data for market analysis. The 2011 Canada Census data will be offered as part of the Q1/2012 NAVTEQ Maps database release and available to Nokia customers in June 2012.
When combined with demographic data, Census Boundaries becomes a tool for lifestyle and population analysis in the fresh and reliable context of the NAVTEQ map. This enables organizations to boost efficiencies, control costs, and make informed decisions for a range of applications. For example, geo-marketers can use Census Boundaries to discover population trends and become informed about where a business’s key customer segments are located.
Census Boundaries provides geo-marketers access to more options for analyzing census data through offering multiple geographic layers. This level of market analysis will significantly enhance a wide range of applications, including business intelligence, direct mail, GIS, market research, retail site selection and sales territory generation. In addition, public organizations benefit from using Census Boundaries by better understanding constituencies, preparing and responding to emergencies, and planning administrative district expansions.
“As technology evolves, we are helping to drive more sophisticated GIS and geo-marketing analytics by providing data that gives an enhanced depiction of real life in the real world,” stated Allan Tomlinson, Director North America Map and Content, Location & Commerce, Nokia. “We are providing the latest Canada Census data to enable geo-marketers with the information to derive richer and more preciseinsights on the Canadian market.”
Census Boundaries is also available in the United States, Mexico, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Demographic data is included in the Census Boundaries product for the United States and Mexico.
About Nokia `s Location & Commerce Business
Nokia is a global leader in mobile communications whose products have become an integral part of the lives of people around the world. The company’s Location & Commerce business, including NAVTEQ Maps products, the Nokia Location Platform as well as Nokia Maps aims to build and monetize unique location experiences for great mobile products, as well as the navigation industry, the automotive market and government and business solutions. Begin to explore our capabilities at www.maps.nokia.com.
Nokia and NAVTEQ Maps are trademarks in the U.S. and other countries. All rights reserved.
Telecom confirms forecast, delists from NYSE - National Business Review
Telecom says it remains on track to deliver H2 FY12 adjusted ebitda guidance of around $560 million and net earnings "near the top end of the $160m to $190m guidance range" (the ebitda and net profit forecasts it made at its half-year report on February 24).
The company says while the market became more competitive, cost cutting and cheaper finance has seen earnings stay on track.
Telecom shares [NZX:TEL] took a 4% hit on Tuesday, falling from $2.54 to $2.44 as Telstra confirmed it was in talks to sell TelstraClear to Vodafone, potentially creating a competitor of significant scale.
The stock regained some of the lost ground on Wednesday and Thursday (closing at $2.50), but did not enjoy any pop as a secondary rumour emerged that Telstra was clearing the decks for a run at Telecom.
Most analysts polled by NBR did not see a buyout fitting Telstra's strategy. Quiet trading indicated investors shared that opinion.
Nevertheless, a well-placed source at a major network infrastructure provider told NBR ONLINE yesterday that Simon Moutter, due to start as CEO on September 1, is already focusing heavily on his new role, quipping "he's already started".
Earlier, acting Telecom CEO Chris Quin told NBR he would be talking to Mr Moutter regularly during the transition period.
Today, in a statement to the NZX, Mr Quin said" "During the first quarter of calendar 2012 there was an increase in competitive activity in the fixed line and mobile markets. However, despite increased competition, our focus on reducing costs sees us on track to deliver ebitda guidance as planned."
CFO Nick Olson added that "net financing costs are lower than expected so we expect to finish the year near the top of the range. The decrease in financing costs relates to additional finance lease income post demerger, which will continue into the future."
Mr Quin said that "competitors have been very active with a variety of new offers, which has increased customer churn".
"We are firmly focused on responding and improving customer retention - for example, adding value to our products such as increased data caps on broadband plans.
"In mobile, we remain focused on growing postpaid connections by leveraging the strength of the XT network, but we are seeing continuing decline in our prepaid customer base prior to the expected shutdown of the CDMA network in July this year," he said.
At its February 24 half-year results briefing, Telecom said 639,000 customers remained on its CDMA network, which is due to be closed on July 31 (down from around one million at Telecom's previous six-month report).
The company said the 639,000 customers accounted 11% of its revenue.
Chief executive Paul Reynolds said on a conference call to analysts that "only" 300,000 had actively used the CDMA network in the past month.
This morning, Telecom refused to anser an NBR ONLINE query about how many customers remained on the CDMA network. A spokesman said the migration was "on track".
NYSE delisting
Telecom also said it intends to delist its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) from the New York Stock Exchange. Its shares and ADRs will not be listed or quoted on another national securities exchange in the US.
Telecom ADRs last day of trading on the NYSE is expected to be July 9 and the delisting is expected to become effective on July 19.
The delisting, in time, will reduce administration costs and complexity associated with the NYSE listing. ADRs equate to 15% of Telecom's listed shares, and therefore Telecom will retain an ADR programme in the US, on the "over-the-counter" market to enable investors to trade ADRs.
Trading on the OTC market is expected to start on July 10. Telecom’s ordinary shares will continue to be listed and traded on the NZX and ASX.
‘We are leaving no stone unturned in our drive to reduce costs and complexity, and delisting from the NYSE is a logical step in this process," Mr Olson said.
"However, we remain committed to our US investor base and will retain high standards of corporate governance and continue to provide comprehensive and transparent financial reporting."
Telecom also intends to permanently deregister and terminate its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in the event that it meets the criteria for deregistration.
Shares were flat at $2.50 in early Friday morning trading.
Telecom links in all Indian villages by 2014: BSNL - Deccan Herald
State-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has undertaken an ambitious Rs.20,000 crore project to establish telecom links in all villages across India and to take e-governance to rural and far-flung areas in the next two years, a BSNL official said here Sunday.
"The Rs.20,000 crore project for the creation of a 'National Optical Fibre Network’ (NOFN) for providing internet and other telecommunications connectivity to villages has been launched recently. It would be completed by the next two years,” BSNL CMD R.K. Upadhyaya told reporters.
“Once the NOFN was created, it would help in offering governance, banking and health and other basic services online up to the villages and rural areas,” he said.
According to him, the tele-density in urban areas in India is almost 100 percent while in the rural areas, it is 37 percent.
“After NOFN, the existing tele-density would be increased to a great extent in the rural areas,” said Upadhyaya, who came here Saturday and held a series of meetings with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and other senior officials.
The BSNL has also undertaken to improve the telecommunications connectivity in the northeastern region by upgrading the existing Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) network and hiring PGCIL (Power Grid Corporation of India Limited) and RailTel cable network, he said.
“The BSNL has laid OFC from Kolkata to (Bangladesh capital) Dhaka and the network would be further extended up to northeastern states in near future via Bangladesh,” he added.
Upadhyaya said that the BSNL has OFC network with some European countries, Nepal, Myanmar and Bhutan. “Earlier the link was put in place with Pakistan too but now it is non-operational.”
He said BSNL accounts to 80 percent of landline and 90 percent of broadband connections in the country, while around 30 percent of the nation's mobile connections are covered by BSNL.
During the past four years, the BSNL could not procure any GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) equipment, he said, adding that tenders have been issued recently for 15 million GSM line connections.
Telecom industry aims to reduce diesel consumption - Livemint.com
New Delhi: Some five years ago, India’s telecom industry overtook the railways briefly as the country’s largest consumer of diesel, estimated at more than 2 billion litres a year, according to a 2011 report by the environmental group Greenpeace.
“This translates to an operational energy expense for the telecommunication sector of Rs 6,500 crore, apart from other infrastructural costs, to operate their network towers, especially in off-grid locations,” the Greenpeace report said. “In turn, this constitutes around 30% of the sector’s revenue from off-grid services.”
The report said the Indian telecom sector was responsible for 5.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions (out of 13 million tonnes overall) annually and responsible for over 2% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
Fuel concerns: India has about 350,000 telecom towers and spends about Rs 8,500 crore a year on diesel, says a report by a consulting firm. (Pradeep Gaur/Mint)
According to a report by consulting firm AT Kearney, India has about 350,000 telecom towers and spends Rs 8,500 crore a year on diesel. One-fifth, about 70,000, are not connected to the power grid. The industry is seeking to reduce its dependence on the fuel.These costs, coupled with tighter margins, are forcing stakeholders in the Indian telecom sector to innovate on revenue streams. For tower companies, the need to cut costs is becoming important as challenges multiply. Business potential has taken a knock with the cancellation of 122 telecom licences by the Supreme Court on 2 February.
Tower businesses also face unpaid bills by telcos that have lost licences, the possibility of having to pay revenue share to the government if they are brought under the unified licence regime and a possible cut in the foreign direct investment limit in the firms to 74%, curtailing investments in the sector. In addition, diesel prices have risen more than 32% since January 2009 to Rs 40.91 a litre.
More than 60% of the towers in India depend solely on diesel for power generation. According to two officials working for tower companies, approximately 15% of the diesel bought is pilfered at some stage.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has directed all tower companies to reduce their dependence on diesel and cut carbon emissions by running at least 50% of all rural towers and 20% of urban towers on hybrid power by 2015.
The Tower and Infrastructure Providers Association (Taipa) grouping has issued a request for proposal (RFP) for renewable energy service providers (Rescos) to work with the tower companies for around 10,000-15,000 towers.
According to the proposal, the biggest challenge for the viability of the Rescos is the lack of scale. Taipa has proposed that tower companies can act as anchor clients for a Resco facility in a certain rural area. It can provide energy to the neighbouring area and tower companies, which can provide a certain amount of revenue assurance by addressing the cost-price deficit.
“Around 33% of the country is electrified, the cost of which is around Rs 6-8 per unit. We use diesel generators that cost around Rs 18 per unit. If the Rescos set up plants in the 150,000 villages across the country and generate around 30 kilowatts (kW) and we use around 15-20kW, the remainder can be used by the rest of the village,” said a senior executive at one of the larger tower companies, requesting anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the media.
The electricity generated for a base station can be used by common service centres or automated teller machines (ATMs). The tower companies have conducted pilot projects and shown proof of concept but there are a number of hurdles in the way of wide deployment. “There are multiple regulation issues, especially if the power generated is shared or distributed,”the official said. Also to be determined is whether such an initiative would be covered under the Electricity Act.
Many tower companies currently use renewable energy sources such as solar, biogas and wind besides hydroelectric power, for individual towers. But this has more disadvantages than advantages. Apart from the cost, which is Rs 20 lakh per tower, there are issues such as having to keep the solar panels clean for efficient usage. The weather, too, has to be taken into account; in most places, sunlight is available for an average 300 days a year. These problems get reduced significantly with the shared Resco off-grid model. While surplus power can be sold to the electricity grid, by distributing the power in the area, the Rescos and tower companies can earn credits (similar to carbon credits) that can be sold at a later time.
Apart from the industry associations, companies are trying their best to reduce costs and their dependence on diesel.
Indus Towers Ltd, considered the world’s largest telecom-tower company, said on 14 March that it would be replacing diesel generators with batteries in 20,000 of its 110,000 towers by next year.
The move came after the company had stopped using diesel for power back-up in 5,000 towers, saving 3.6 million litres of the fuel a year. Indus is a joint venture that involves Bharti Airtel Ltd, Vodafone India Ltd and Idea Cellular Ltd.
Bharti Airtel, India’s largest telecom service provider, has been testing and implementing various options for the last two-three years. The e-bill initiative is estimated to save as many as 24,000 trees a year, the company’s internal newsletter said. Bharti Airtel sends around two million bills by email every month, avoiding paper.
Bharti Infratel, also of the Bharti group and one of the largest tower companies in India, generates as much as 5 million units of solar power every year. The company’s Green Towers P7 project, launched in 2007, aims to reduce diesel consumption by around 58 million litres per year through a comprehensive energy management plan. Under the project, Infratel has so far deployed renewable sources of energy at around 1,250 tower sites leading to annual savings of 6.9 million litres of diesel and around Rs 28 crore.
“Alternative energy sources like solar etc. are clean energy solutions and have today proven their case as a strong alternate to conventional sources of energy. These, however, are still expensive options to procure and deploy,” the newsletter said.
Under the P7 project, Infratel has employed an integrated power management system and variable speed DC generators at 3,500 sites reducing annual diesel consumption by 1.2 million litres and almost Rs 5 crore. Infratel also has installed free cooling units, instead of air conditioners, at 5,200 tower sites, leading to annual savings of 4.1 million litres of diesel.
shauvik.g@livemint.com
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