VIEW: Mobile News in Iranian Mass Media, Monday, April 07, 2008

• Irancell Call, SMS and GPRS rates drop in spring nights
• MMS Code not yet ratified
• Foreign companies eye on third mobile operator auction
• Municipality welcomes Hamrah Aval Micro BTS installation project
• Iran’s mobile, landline phone numbers hit 59m
• No definite time set up to offer 5% TCI Shares to Bourse
• Irancell, Taliya talk with Mobile Development Consortium
• “A puzzle with a missed piece”
• Irancell Gift Credit scheme launched
• “Still waiting for third operator’s birth”
• “Hamrah Aval’s gift to debtor subscribers”
• “New barriers to TCI privatization”
• “New SMS rates notified”
• “Iran’s share of world’s mobile”
• A subscriber’s criticism
Articles Digest:
• “Subscribers to Irancell, the second mobile operator in Iran, sent 139 million successfully-delivered text messages during the first four days of the New Iranian Year”, said an informed source at Irancell in an interview with Fars news agency. This was the major mobile news item published today in the Iranian mass media, including Iran, Arman, Poul, Jahan-e Eghtesad, Fanavran and Khabar dailies.
• In an interview with MOBNA, an informed source at Radio Communications & Regulatory Organization (RCRO) deemed the project of third mobile operator impossible to be implemented this year. This was published today in Jahan-e Eghtesad, Sobh-e Eghtesad, Sarmayeh and Ebtekar dailies.
• Following public announcement of incentive so-called Color Tariff schemes and Irancell Gift Credit scheme, Public Relations of Irancell said about special discounts on voice call, SMS and GPRS rates within the spring nights. This was published today Asr-e Eghtesad, Kaenat and Poul dailies and Moj, Mehr, ISNA and HAMNA news agencies.
• “MMS Code has not yet met with final approval of the respective authorities”, said Head of RCRO in an interview with MOBNA. This was published today in Donya-ye Eghtesad and Asr-e Eghtesad dailies. This was published yesterday in five other dailies.
• “Some foreign companies has unofficially announced they are willing to attend the third mobile operator’s auction” , said General Manager of International Affairs Office at Communications Ministry. This was published today in Sarmayeh and Abrar-e Eghtesadi dailies.
• “Tehran Municipality is too eager to providing Micro BTS sites for mobile operators, and welcomes Hamrah Aval’s project on installing Micro BTS sites”, said CEO of Ertebate Moshtarake Shahr Company (literally means City Common Communications). This was published today in Sobh-e Eghtesad and Eghtesad-e Pouya dailies.
• On the sideline of New Year’s meeting with the Ministry’s management and personnel, Communications Minister said the number of landline and mobile phone numbers in the country reached 59 million by the end of last Iranian year. This was published today in Hamshahri and Donya-ye Eghtesad dailies. This was published yesterday in six dailies.
• According to Public Relations of Irancell, the company offers its postpaid, prepaid and SMS subscribers gifts on the basis of Gift Credit scheme from April 8 to 19. This was published today in Jahan-e Sanat daily. This was published yesterday in 12 written media.
• A leading member of Mobile Communications Development Consortium said in an interview with MOBNA that they had negotiations with Taliya and Irancell mobile operators on providing their mobile network equipments.
• MOBNA yesterday published an article titled “A puzzle with a missed piece!”, written by Kourosh Shams, that discusses in detail development of mobile phone industry and subscribers’ share in the market.
• Eghtesad-e Pouya daily today published an article titled “Still waiting for third operator’s birth”, written by Marjan Mohammadi, that discusses in detail starting operation of third mobile operator this year.
• Abrar-e Eghtesadi daily today published an article titled “Hamrah Aval’s gift to debtor subscribers” that disucsses in detail Hamrah Avval’s official promises to debtor subscribers.
• Fanavaran daily today published an article about new barriers to TCI privatization.
• Fanavaran daily today published a news item titled “SMS new tariff notifies”, indicating the cabinet has approved and notified the new Persian and English SMS rates.
• Hamshahri daily today published an article titled “Iran’s share of world’s mobile” that discusses in detail the status of mobile communications in the country.
• Khorasan daily today published a subscriber’s criticism about problems of setting SMS rates.
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