Friday Network News: January 4

Huawei is claiming to have deployed the first intelligent optical distribution network (iODN) in Russia for Rostelecom. The network, which was deployed in Kraj, is designed to provide super service experience to broadband subscribers. Huawei said that Rostelecom was planning to maintain its competitive advantage through a FTTH roll-out but was concerned over the efficiency and operations and maintenance of fibre network infrastructure. The vendor’s solution is designed to address these issues through improved resource management.

Omantel has extended the reach of its LTE network in the Sultanate of Oman using 1.8GHz spectrum. The carrier said it had decided to use the 1.8GHz band for LTE after monitoring trends in the market and began rolling out new sites as soon as the country’s regulator had allocated the spectrum for use. More mobile sites were added in Sultan Qaboos University Campus, Al Mawaleh, Al Khaudh, Al Khuwair, Al Ghubrah North, Madinat Sultan Qaboos, Al Sarooj, Al Azaiba, Wadi Kabir and Ruwi in Muscat Governorate, Sohar City in North Al Batinah Governorate, Sur in North Al Sharqiya Governorate, Nizwa in Al Dhakliya Governorate and Duqm in Al Wusta Governorate. The carrier plans to cover all major cities in Oman by the first quarter of 2013.

Finnish telco Elisa is to acquire the telecoms and IT businesses of fixed network operator Osuuskunta PPO for €101 million. The transaction includes 100% of PPO-Yhtiot Oy, and PPO’s 46% stake in Kymen Puhelin Oy and 67% stake in Telekarelia Oy. The deal will also grant Elisa mobile network masts and a fibre backbone network complementary to its existing infrastructure.

Guinea has reportedly secured a $350 million loan from China for the construction of a 4,000km fibre-optic backbone covering the whole of the country’s telecoms network. Guinea Conakry Info reports that Huawei was selected for the contract having made the lowest bid at $238 million. The government is also reportedly in the process of hiring two consultants to restructure state-owned operator Société des Télécommunications de Guinée.

TeliaSonera has completed its acquisition of Kazakh company Alem Communication’s WiMAX operations. The deal includes WiMAX networks in six cities and spectrum in the 2.5 and 2.6GHz bands compatible with mobile data transmission technologies like LTE. TeliaSonera intends to transfer the WiMAX operaitons to its subsidiary Kcell, as well as an indirect minority investment in backbone provider KazTransCom through the purchase of shares from Altau LLP. The carrier said that the transactions will secure frequencies and further backbone capacity at competitive prices for Kcell in the years to come.

BT’s Openreach subsidiary is to begin a technical trial of its 220/20Mbps Generic Ethernet Access (GEA) FTTP service in four of its telephone exchange areas in the UK. The trial will run throughout February in Bradwell Abbey, Chester South, Exeter and York. Once the trial has been completed BT will run a pilot from March until the end of May expanding the services area of the product to the rest of its GEA FTTP footprint in the country. BT customers will not be charged during the trial and pilot for product rental will still have to pay other costs including connection and managed installations.

Sri Lanka Telecom unit Mobitel is reportedly set to expand its base stations by 1,800 to 3,500 boosting coverage to 100% of the country’s population. Lanka Business Online reports that the firm has invested more than $500 million in infrastucture and its network now covers the north and eastern areas of the country which were gripped by war until 2009.

Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has restructured to combine its Middle Eastern and African business regions. NSN said that combining its operations will allow it to strengthen its quality of delivery for all customers in MEA and allow the company to provide more integrated services to multi-country operators including Bharti Airtel, Etisalat, Qtel, Saudi Telecom Company, Vodacom and Zain. Igor Leprince, who lead the company’s business in the Middle East until the end of last year has been appointed head of MEA.

China Telecom has completed its acquisition of CDMA network assets from its parent China Telecom Corporation for $13.3 billion. The deal is designed to reduce the company’s costs over time as mobile subscriber numbers increase and will give it direct control over future network investment decisions. It will also be crucial as the company looks to gain market share through users migrating from 2G to 3G services in the country.

Brazilian trade body Camex has cut import duty charged on 4G LTE equipment entering the country to 2%. Local reports are claiming the tax is valid until 30 June 2014, and comes with immediate effect. The tax applies to all LTE equipment in the 2500MHz band, which was sold by regulator Anatel in June last year. It will also apply for the 700MHz band, which is due to be auctioned by the regulator for mobile telephony services.

Canada’s Cogeco Cable has announced plans to acquire Vancouver-based infrastructure company PEER 1 Network Enterprises for approximately $533 million. The company said that acquiring PEER 1 would increase the scale and reach of its IT hosting business and enhance its data centre capabilities. PEER 1’s assets include 19 data centres and 21 PoPs throughout North America and Europe.