Telecom Lead Europe: Despite uncertainty over economic
climate in Greece, three main mobile operators have gained in Q3 2011.
These operators gained subscribers for the second
consecutive quarter, according to Research and Markets.
According to these data, the entire market gained 270,000
net additions in the third quarter of the year.
The research firm stated that Greece’s telecommunications
sector is struggling against the backdrop of an uncertain economic climate.
In November 2011, the government announced the results of
a spectrum auction, with Cosmote and Vodafone Greece picking up blocks of
spectrum in the 900MHz bandwidth and 1,800MHz bandwidth, and WIND Hellas
gaining spectrum in the 900MHz bandwidth.
The report revealed that the government of Greece raised
EUR 380.5 million in the sale – over and above the EUR360mn it expected to
pocket – which is good news for the government as it works to lower its debt.
However, speculation still hangs over whether or not
Vodafone Greece and WIND Hellas will merge – a move that some analysts suspect
will be confirmed in 2012 – although any merger would be subjected to EU
regulatory approval.
In other developments, at the end of December 2011, OTE
signed a share purchase agreement with Telecom Serbia, whereby the latter will
purchase OTE’s 20 percent stake in Telecom Serbia for EUR 380 million, a deal
that will see OTE pocket an additional EUR 17 million as a minimum dividend
from 2011. The transaction should be completed by the end of Q112.
The Q2 2012 update to BMI’s Greece Telecommunications
Report provides revised forecasts through to 2016 for the mobile, ARPU,
fixed-line and broadband markets.
This is based on data issued by the regulator, the EETT,
covering the period up to the end of September 2011, as well as operator data
from incumbent OTE, Vodafone and wireline operators Forthnet and Hellas Online.
