telecommunications — english language news service
15.05.2008« [telecommunications — телекоммуникация — telekommunikation]
guinea-bissau — government takes control of guine telecom
The government of Guinea-Bissau in West Africa has taken management control of national fixed line operator Guine Telecom and its mobile arm Guinetel, amid accusations that Portugal Telecom (PT) has effectively walked away from the two companies. In a statement the government said: ‘with the prolonged absence of PT and its refusal to call together the governing bodies of Guine Telecom and Guinetel, abandonment has been confirmed.’ It went on to say that it had rejected a call from the Portuguese firm to sell its stake in the GSM operator to a buyer of its own choice. The Prime Minister, Martinho N’Dafa Cabi, has now instructed the Transport and Communication Ministry and the Ministry for Economy to find potential buyers for both telcos. Guine Telecom and Guinetel are both majority-owned by the Guinean government and are experiencing serious technical and financial difficulties. Portugal Telecom Internacional (PTI) bought a stake in Guine Telecom 1989, but its decision to leave the country in June 1998, at the outbreak of the civil war forced the state to retake control of the operator, leaving the Portuguese company's assets in limbo. As it stands, the government is understood to control 50% of the operator, PTI has 40% and the remaining 10% is held by employees.
Source: TeleGeography's CommsUpdate
guiné telecom
With head office in the city of Bissau, Guiné Telecom’s main activity is to provide fixed line services. Guiné Telecom (Companhia de Telecomunicações da Guiné-Bissau) was created in March 1989. At the time, it gained the exclusive right to provide telecommunication services in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. The initial shareholding structure counted with Marconi (holding 51% of the share capital) and the State of Guinea (holding 49%).
portugal telecom
Portugal Telecom, SGPS, SA is a holding company that, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in providing a range of telecommunications and multimedia services in Portugal and other countries, including Brazil. The Company provides wireline services, which include fixed-line telephone services for residential and non-residential customers, leased lines, unbundled local loop access and wholesale line rental, interconnection, Internet access, data and business solutions, portal and e-commerce services through its subsidiaries, in particular PT Comunicacoes, S.A.. It offers mobile telecommunications services, such as voice, data and Internet-related services in Portugal through its subsidiary, TMN-Telecomunicacoes Movies Nacionais, S.A. (TMN) and in Brazil through its 50%-owned joint venture, Vivo Participacoes S.A. (Vivo). It operates through three business segments: Wireline (including Retail, Wholesale and Data and Corporate), Domestic Mobile (TMN) and Brazilian Mobile (Vivo).
See also:
