In today's EMEA roundup: NSN says it cannot be held responsible for 'abuses' of spy software; Ericsson closes M2M deal
Nokia Networks ,Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC) and Etisalat get a namecheck in today's trot through the EMEA telecom headlines.
Responding to a lengthy Bloomberg article published on Tuesday, which accused Nokia Siemens Networks of being implicated in torture in Bahrain through the supply of surveillance software, the company has issued a statement distancing itself from the Trovicor software in question and stressing its human rights policy. The statement concludes: "While Nokia Siemens Networks recognizes the risks of abuse and its responsibility to take steps to reduce the potential for abuse, it strongly believes that, on balance, individuals -- including those who live under repressive regimes -- are better off for having access to telecommunications." (See NSN Stresses Human Rights Policy.)
Ericsson has closed the acquisition of Telenor Group (Nasdaq: TELN)'s M2M (machine-to-machine) platform, for an undisclosed sum. The Swedish vendor hopes that the purchase will beef up its existing M2M offering, the Device Connection Platform, which helps operators set up tailored M2M services for enterprise customers. (See Ericsson Closes Purchase of M2M Platform, Ericsson's M2M Ambitions and Ericsson to Buy Telenor's M2M Platform .)
Etisalat, the UAE's largest carrier, has appointed Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar to the new role of group chief executive. The group has faced increased competition in its domestic market and its chief financial officer, Salem Al Sharhan, resigned in April for personal reasons. (See Etisalat Posts Q2, Preps LTE Launch.)
Iraqi operator Asiacell Telecommunications Co. Ltd. is rolling out mobile connectivity to remote areas across the country using lite-site, a satellite-backhauled, solar-powered 2G/3G offering from Irish vendor Altobridge Ltd. (See Asiacell Goes Remote With Altobridge and Altobridge Sets Up in Indonesia.)
The British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) has published a map of the U.K.'s 3G coverage that it has created with the help of testing firm Epitiro and the input of around 40,000 smartphone users, who were urged to download an app that could assess the strength or otherwise of their 3G and/or 2G signal. The conclusion seems to be that around 75 percent of the country has decent 3G coverage, though some surprising "notspots" remain, not least in the center of Cardiff, the supposedly go-ahead capital of Wales.
It's common knowledge that K9 is Doctor Who's dog, K2 is a dirty great mountain in search of a decent moniker, but maybe not a lot of people know that K6 is the official name of BT Group plc (NYSE: BT; London: BTA)'s famous red telephone box, which celebrates its 75th birthday this year. To mark the occasion BT has donated a K6 kiosk to London's Design Museum for its permanent collection. Let's hope they gave it a good scrub first, because they are notoriously stinky. (See Euronews: Sept. 30.)
Elsewhere in EMEA:Gulf Subsea Network Boasts 100G
Mobily Deploys Accanto OSS
— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading
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