Sanjoy Mukerji, Chief Commercial Officer, Vodafone India, said:
“We, at Vodafone, believe in offering services that add value to the lives of our customers through constant focus on meeting their needs. With the introduction of these plans, we aim at establishing a foundation for providing a 3G data plan for everyone, making it affordable to the masses in the country. Also, users who shy away from trying 3G services due to prohibitive costs can now experience services without the fear of a bill shock. The 2p/10kb PAYG & no additional charges for roaming are the first of its kind in the Indian market. We expect this offer to be well received by the customers as it will act as a strong value proposition for data users.”
Guns N' Roses ban fans from wearing Slash t-shirts to their UK gigs - NME
June 1, 2012 16:39
Security tell NME that they were instructed to turn away anyone with a Slash t-shirt
Photo: PA
The division between Guns N' Roses' current line-up and their former members is well documented, with the fallout between singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash particularly infamous.
However, the current line-up's management team have taken extreme steps to distance themselves from their classic version, by banning anyone coming to their UK tour from wearing a Slash t-shirt.
The source then asked security if this was the case and was told by a member of the venue's team: "We were told by the management not to allow anyone into the O2 Arena who is wearing a Slash T-shirt and we are asking anyone who is to remove it and if they refuse they will be turned away."
Then asked what about the people sitting at the back who cannot be seen from the stage, the security guard replied: "This is what we were told."
Speaking to NME today (June 1) about his ordeal, Revell described what had happened. He said: "I felt very angry because I was looking after my little brotther at the time and felt as though my freedom to wear what I want had been taken away from me, however i did not react angrily as I didn't want to spoil the show for him."
Revell then spoke of his anger about the request and revealed that the band were also so late onstage that he only saw three songs.
He added: "I have never experienced anything as insulting as that at a concert before and I had to sit there in my little brothers jumper and wait for Axl to turn up well over an hour late, which we could only stay to watch 3 songs as we had to catch a train back. I think that Axl Rose doesn't appreciate his fans or anyone for that matter, he needs to grow up and stop acting like a child."
As well as this, the band have been roundly criticised on their UK tour for their late starts, even taking to the stage at 11.15pm in Manchester on Tuesday (May 29).
Guns N' Roses end their UK tour tonight (June 1) with a second show at London's O2 Arena.
Guns N' Roses fan James Revell in the offending t-shirt
Video: Guns N' Roses At Reading Festival - The Fans' Reaction
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Vodafone Turns Top Dividend Payer - Analyst Blog - NASDAQ
British mobile phone giant Vodafone Group Plc ( VOD ) rewarded its shareholders with the largest ever dividend amid the ongoing weakness and uncertainties in Europe. The company has also become the top dividend payer in the FTSE 100.
Vodafone has been distributing exceptional dividends to its shareholders. In February, the company paid a special and interim dividend of £0.0705 per share, including the £0.04 per share dividend of Verizon Wireless, its joint venture with Verizon Communications Inc. ( VZ ).
In addition, Vodafone is expected to pay a final dividend of £0.0647 per share on August 1, to shareholders of record as of June 8. This dividend represents a 7.0% increment year over year, marking the company's target of minimum 7% dividend growth per annum by March 2013.
Cumulatively, total dividend per share in fiscal 2012 increased more than 50% compared with last year despite the loss of dividends from China Mobile Limited ( CHL ) and SFR. Vodafone continues to expect total dividend per share to be at least £0.1018 for fiscal 2013.
As part of the strategy to exit minority holdings,Vodafone realized about £15 billion from the sale of stakes in China Mobile, Softbank Corporation, SFR and Polkomtel over the last two years. The company decided to return part of the proceeds (£6.8 billion) to shareholders in the form of share buybacks. The company expects its share buyback plan to be completed in the near term.
Over the last four years, the company returned almost £26 billion to shareholders, which represents 30% of the market capitalization at the end of fiscal 2012.
The divestiture of minority holdings has also strengthened the company's balance sheet position. Vodafone's net debt reduced to £24.42 billion at the end of fiscal 2012 from £29.86 billion last year. The company generated free cash flow of £6.1 billion, down 13.4% year over year but within the guidance range of £6.0-£6.5 billion.
Free cash flow is expected to remain stable in the range of £5.3 billion to £5.3 billion for fiscal 2013, excluding any dividend received from Verizon Wireless.
We are currently maintaining our long-term Neutral recommendation on Vodafone. For the short term (1-3 months), the stock retains a Zacks #3 (Hold) Rank.
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T-Mobile’s Cell-Tower Sale Is Said to Attract Bidders - Bloomberg
T-Mobile USA Inc. received a second round of bids for its cellular towers, attracting offers from companies such as American Tower Corp. (AMT) and Crown Castle International Corp. (CCI), a person with knowledge of the deal said.
The unit of Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE), which owns about 7,000 antenna towers in the U.S., has also received bids from private- equity firms, said the person, who asked not to be named because the discussions aren’t public. Selling the assets could raise about $2 billion, according to Kevin Smithen, an analyst with Macquarie Capital in New York.
Deutsche Telekom set out to sell T-Mobile USA’s towers after a failed takeover of the carrier by AT&T Inc. last year. The deal would help the company raise money for wireless spectrum and network enhancements, while allowing T-Mobile to rent back antenna space on the towers. The new owner could then use the assets to provide service to other carriers as well.
“I expect they will announce a winner in July and probably close the deal by September,” Smithen said.
Deutsche Telekom appointed the New York boutique bank TAP Advisors LLC to search for a tower buyer and raise cash, Bloomberg reported in March.
Cara Walker, a T-Mobile spokeswoman, and Philipp Kornstaedt, a Deutsche Telekom spokesman, declined to comment. American Tower and Crown Castle, two of the largest U.S. cellular-tower operators, didn’t respond to requests for comment.
AT&T Deal
AT&T (T)’s $39 billion bid for T-Mobile collapsed in December because of regulatory opposition. Even as it aims to offload the towers, T-Mobile’s German parent is stepping up investments in the division. Deutsche Telekom plans to boost U.S. network spending by $1.4 billion over two years in a race to upgrade equipment and bring faster connections to smartphones.
T-Mobile, based in Bellevue, Washington, is the only large U.S. carrier that doesn’t offer Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone. That’s put it at a disadvantage to its three larger rivals, Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint Nextel Corp. (S)
T-Mobile lost 1.65 million contract customers last year, a slump that’s prompting it to make cutbacks. The company said last month that it plans to trim 900 jobs. It’s also eliminating 1,900 jobs by closing seven call centers.
Even so, T-Mobile benefited from a breakup agreement with AT&T following the merger’s collapse. The company received $3 billion in cash; wireless frequencies in cities such as Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Washington and San Francisco; and lower fees for calls into AT&T’s network.
To contact the reporters on this story: Scott Moritz in New York at smoritz6@bloomberg.net; Serena Saitto in New York at ssaitto@bloomberg.net; Cornelius Rahn in Frankfurt at crahn2@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Turner at nturner7@bloomberg.net
Vodafone Group plc : Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Network Available in More Than 300 Markets Across the United States - 4-traders (press release)
BASKING RIDGE, N.J., June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon Wireless, owner of the nation's largest 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, today announced that its 4G LTE network will be available in 46 new markets and expand in 22 additional markets across the United States on June 21. Just in time for the summer travel season, the company will bring its 4G LTE network to a total of 304 markets, enabling 4G LTE speeds in vacation destinations throughout the country.
With the new and expanded markets, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network continues to expand its reach with 4G LTE speeds available to more than two-thirds of the U.S. population, and more 4G LTE coverage than all other networks combined.
"Time and time again, third-party surveys affirm that the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network keeps its promise to provide customers with consistently reliable responsiveness, download and upload speeds, and greater availability in more places throughout the country than any competing network," said Nicola Palmer, chief technical officer of Verizon Wireless. "Our aggressive 4G LTE network build-out is on track, providing our customers with the largest 4G LTE network in the United States - and the world - today. We are committed to cover more than 400 markets by the end of 2012. We will continue to expand and strengthen our 4G LTE network and plan to offer full nationwide coverage everywhere we have 3G coverage today, by the end of 2013."
New and Expanded Markets
On Thursday, June 21, the company will introduce its 4G LTE network in 46 new markets: Florence, Ala.; Harrison, Ark.; Yuba City/Marysville, Calif.; Panama City, Fla.; Carrolton, Gainesville and Newnan, Ga.; Blackfoot, Idaho; Decatur/Effingham, Kankakee/Bradley-Bourbonnais and La Salle/Peru/Ottawa, Ill.; Columbus and Michigan City/La Porte, Ind.; Greater Portland, Maine; Greenville/Greenwood, Jackson and Tunica, Miss.; Houghton and Traverse City, Mich.; Jefferson City, Lake of the Ozarks and West Plains, Mo.; Binghamton, Elmira/Corning/Hornell and Oneonta, N.Y.; Burlington, Hickory/Lenoir, Jacksonville and New Bern, N.C.; Bedford and Sharon/Farrell/Hermitage, Pa.; Anderson, Florence and Greenwood, S.C.; Lufkin/Nacogdoches, Midland, San Angelo and Waco, Texas; Danville, Va.; Ashland, Ky./Huntington, W.Va. and Logan, W.Va.; Fond du Lac, Janesville/Beloit and Sheboygan, Wis.; and Gillette, Wyo. The Lihue, Hawaii market launched June 11.
The company will also expand its 4G LTE network in 22 markets where Verizon Wireless 4G LTE was already available: Denver and Fort Collins/Loveland, Colo.; Philadelphia., Pa./Wilmington, Del.; Daytona Beach, Gainesville and West Palm Beach, Fla.; Hilo, Hawaii; Boise/Nampa, Idaho; Chicagoland, Ill.; Lafayette, Ind.; Hammond, La.; Springfield, Mo.; Glens Falls and New York, N.Y.; Charlotte/Gastonia and Greenville/Washington, N.C.; Indiana, Pa. and Hagerstown, Md./Chambersburg, Pa.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va.; Seattle, Wash.; Appleton/Oshkosh, Wis.
4G LTE Devices, Plans and Speed
Verizon Wireless offers 24 4G LTE devices, the largest selection of 4G LTE devices offered by any carrier. Devices range from tablets and mobile hotspots to the latest smartphones and more, including the Samsung Galaxy S() III, currently available online for pre-order, and the soon-to-be available DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC. Details on available devices can be found at www.verizonwireless.com/4GLTE and information on plans and pricing is available at www.verizonwireless.com/plans.
Verizon Wireless also offers a variety of smart accessories, including the FitBit Ultra Wireless Activity Tracker and the Withings WiFi Scale, for customers to use with their 4G LTE devices. A full list of smart accessories can be found at www.verizonwireless.com/smartaccessories.
In real-world, fully loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. When customers travel outside of 4G LTE coverage areas, devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless' 3G network, where available, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast.
Verizon Wireless' 3G network is the most reliable high-speed data network in the country and allows customers in 3G coverage areas who purchase 4G LTE devices today to take advantage of 4G LTE speeds when the faster network becomes available in their area or when they travel to areas already covered by Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network.
On June 21, the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network will be available in 304 markets across the United States. Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for a full list of 4G LTE markets and additional information on the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network. For street-level detail of coverage and more, please visit www.verizonwireless.com/4GLTE.
About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 93.0 million retail customers, including 88.0 million retail postpaid customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 80,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.
SOURCE Verizon Wireless
T-Mobile to start Tango updates for Lumia 710 today - neowin.net
The "Tango" update for Windows Phone 7 devices may finally be rolling out in the US, at least for one of the products. WPCentral.com received a leaked T-Mobile memo indicating that the wireless carrier will begin the process of updating its Nokia Lumia 710 smartphones with the Tango update.
The upgrade is scheduled to start today but owners of the Lumia 710 in the US may not see the Tango update notification immediately. The process is scheduled to be completed by July 31. Lumia 710 users will get a notice from either their Zune software or over the air when the Tango upgrade is available for them.
The update will include enabling a hotspot feature for the Lumia 710, as well as a fix for the Windows Phone "disappearing keyboard" bug. It will also contain improvements to other Windows Phone features. T-Mobile said in the memo that Microsoft is in charge of the update and that customers who ask about having their Lumia 710 updated immediately should be told that it is out of T-Mobile's hands.
There's no word yet when other Windows Phone devices, including AT&T's Lumia 900, will get the Tango update in the US. Microsoft recently listed the Tango upgrades in its official Windows Phone update history list.
Source: WPCentral.com
Vodafone cuts 3G tariffs by up to 80 percent - thinkdigit.com
Vodafone has intensified the price war in the 3G space by slashing its tariffs by up to 80 percent. After the price revision, the second in less than a month, Vodafone's entry-level 3G data plan now start at Rs. 25 for 25MB, and goes up to Rs. 1,599 for 12GB data usages. Usage beyond the stipulated data usage on each plan will be charged at 2 paise/10KB.
Under the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) plan, available for prepaid customers, the rate has been slashed to 2 paise per 10 KB from earlier 10paise per 10KB. Vodafone claims that PAYG is now the cheapest 3G tariff plan in the market right now.
Vodafone is also allowing its 3G subscribers to use data from their bundled package while on net-roaming across any location in the country without any extra charge. Apart from the Rs. 25 and Rs. 1,599 data plans, there are also Rs. 45 and Rs. 100 data plans that offer 150MB (for seven days) and 300MB (for 30 days) of 3G data respectively. Also, users have a Rs. 200 plan, which offers 500MB of data for 30 days, while Rs 250 will provide 1GB of data for 30 days.
The operator is also offering 1.5GB of 3G data for Rs. 375, 2GB of data for Rs. 450, 3GB for Rs. 650, 4 GB for Rs. 750, 5 GB for Rs. 850, 8 GB for Rs. 1,250, 10 GB for Rs. 1,500, and 12 GB for Rs. 1,599 respectively. All these plans come with 30 days of validity.
Over the last month, all major telecom operators such Airtel, Idea and Reliance have cut their 3G prices to increase revenues, and popularise 3G services in the country. The price war was triggered after Airtel launched its 4G services in the country and later slashed its 3G tariffs by up to 70 percent.
Experts, however, suggest telcos should raise rates instead of lowering 3G tariffs, as most of them are reeling under hefty debts after buying 3G licence. Moreover, after cancellation of 2G licences allocated in a scam-tainted 2008 auction, telcos need to up their revenues for fresh bids.
It's notable that the expansion of 3G has been slower than expected in the country, especially because of the high tariff rates. According to an estimate, the number of 3G users in the country is around 20 million, which is less than 2 percent of the 900 million-plus GSM user base in the country. However, with the arrival of low-cost 3G smartphones, 3G coverage might increase in the coming years.
For more, read More 3G for less: Which plans make sense for you?
Also read,
- Aircel cuts 3G tariffs, offers 1GB of data at Rs. 198
- Vodafone revises 3G tariffs; offers 1GB data at Rs. 251
- RCom cuts 3G tariffs; data plans now start Rs. 250/1GB
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