Some months ago we carried a press release from Nokia which extolled the virtues of a Nokia handset whose design was said to be inspired by Alice in Wonderland. The press release was so brilliant we carried it unedited. Now, Nokia has released its Nokia 8600 Luna, 'a definitive design statement with a touch of glass.' We thought those of you dealing with telecoms in rural wastelands, or building up tele-density in urban squalor, or installing disaster management systems might just be interested in what Nokia has to say. Take it away, Nokia Luna...

Iridium Satellite has become an official supplier to Connect Africa, a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to introduce mobile communication and public service facilities for rural communities across Africa. Iridium will supply satellite voice and data services...

Last year Telrad Networks completed a rapid deployment of voice, data and IPTV services for NewNet, the second largest telecommunications provider in Georgia , launching 28 IP-based sites within less than a year. Rebecca Rachmany, Director of Marketing, Telrad Networks reviews her company's progress...

One of the most important subjects Developing Telecoms reports on regularly is Disaster Management. We were therefore pleasantly surprised to find that the Economist had recently published an article with the above title. Subtitled "You don't have to be big to make a difference" it is reproduced here, to reach a wider audience...

Image Share is a service allowing a mobile customer to share images with the person he or she is speaking to. Several companies have just carried out trials of Image Share with the help of China Mobile's laboratory in Beijing ...

Qtel is leveraging its strong balance sheet resulting from its monopoly of telecommunications in its home market to expand regionally and globally...

United Arab Emirates is the most connected country in the Arab World according to the Arab Advisors Group's annually released Total Country Connectivity Measure (TCCM)...

Anam Mobile, a leading provider of revenue generating SMS applications, has announced a new service that will allow global money transfers via SMS...

China Telecom has selected a Voice and Data Portal Solution based on the from IP Unity Glenayre for a unified communications pilot scheme...

Telrad Networks has announced that its Commatch 6004 platform, which allows voice over WiMAX through existing TDM switches, has been deployed on two live networks in Poland. The deployments are in turn part of a deployment of Alvarion’s WiMAX solution. Commatch 6004 is intended to allow WiMAX VoIP over existing TDM switches with seamless interoperability...

Teles, the German fixed and mobile solutions-provider, has launched 'Do Not Call List' blocking which conforms to recent recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India...

Brasil Telecom GlobeNet has selected Alcatel-Lucent to upgrade its 22,000 km submarine network running across the Americas...

Modern telcos are faced with operational challenges: convergence, consolidation lower voice revenues and pressure for quick launch are some that come to mind. Clarity, founded 14 years ago, is one company with solutions to offer - and recent experience in Sri Lanka ...

Maxis Communications and Irish remote communications specialist Altobridge, have announced an agreement to deploy remote GSM wireless communication systems to communities and enterprises cut off from standard telecommunications...

The world’s first wind and solar commercial network GSM cell site has been deployed combining the technology and commercial expertise of Motorola, the GSMA and MTC Namibia...

The world’s first wind and solar commercial network GSM cell site has been deployed combining the technology and commercial expertise of Motorola, the GSMA and MTC Namibia...

Infineon Technologies has announced that its ULC2 (second generation ultra-low cost) platform, based on the single-chip E-GOLD voice solution has been selected by ZTE Corporation, a leading China-based telecommunication equipment manufacturer...

Vodafone has unveiled its first branded ultra-low cost consumer handsets, the Vodafone 125 and Vodafone 225, aimed at providing millions of people in emerging and developing markets the opportunity to access to the benefits of mobile technology for the very first time...

Grameen Foundation recently announced a new online assistance center to help microfinance institutions bring the benefits of telecommunications to poor communities around the world...

The UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean recently published a report pointing out that foreign investment in Latin America and the Caribbean increased in 2006. Whether the increase matches expectations or not is another matter. According to one leading critic it does not and many companies, particualry in the ICT sector appear to be voting with their feet...

Veraz Networks has announced an IMS over WiMAX deployment that is one of the first such commercial installations in the Americas. The company's ControlSwitch has been chosen by Onemax as an IMS core to offer wireless broadband applications...

Following its successful conference this February, the Women of Uganda Network is leading a drive both for greater female involvement in ICT and also for women to set up more businesses. We look at an all-too-rare initiative...

Several recent stories reported by Developing Telecoms have revealed the rise in importance of ICT and telephony to Nigeria. One more example of this trend is UK-based Gateway Communications' purchase of GS Telecom. Gateway gains a foothold in Nigeria, not to mention greater subscriber numbers throughout Africa...

North America and Western Europe's positions as digital leaders are being challenged by the Central European markets according to research carried out by computer giant IBM and the British-based Economist Intelligence Unit. Star performers? Hungary, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Slovenia.

Ghana 's Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Papa Owusu Ankomah, has announced that his country's government will introduce universal ICT education into Ghana 's core educational system in September.

Saudi Arabia has just awarded its third mobile licence, in this case to MTC. Here, we discuss the implications for MTC's business portfolio in the Middle East and Africa .

Nokia Siemens Networks has now introduced its new Village Connection, a solution aimed at providing affordable rural connectivity and coverage in new growth markets. Village Connection is based on an easy concept: build rural connectivity village by village, exploiting a franchise-based business model between operator and local village entrepreneur...

Jordan Telecom Group, a subsidiary of France Telecom, has acquired a majority stake in Lightspeed Communications, Bahrain 's first alternative fixed-line telecommunications operator...

The 2007 Guide to Romanian Telecommunications is the most comprehensive survey ever produced of the Romanian telecommunications Industry. It offers a strategic overview of the developments and trends in all areas of the telecommunications market in Romania, following the country’s accession to the European Union...

The Polish telecoms market is highly deregulated. Internet and telephone lines, for example, can now be offered independently. Dialog Telecom is Poland 's first operator to offer independent Internet connection without the need to pay a telephone bill or line rental costs...

Kasenna Portal TV ushers in third generation IPTV Middleware - and gains number 2 spot for VOD server software...