Thuraya-SoftBank sign deal
THURAYA Telecom, a top mobile satellite services operator, and SoftBank Mobile, a telecom leader in Japan, have signed an agreement to bring mobile satellite communication services for Japanese subscribers across Thuraya’s satellite network.

SoftBank Mobile has applied and successfully received approval from the Japanese regulator to provide Thuraya’s satellite network services in Japan.

Starting from next month, Thuraya’s handsets and airtime services will be sold to customers from Softbank Mobile’s distribution channels.

Turk Telekom to sell stake
TURKEY will sell a stake of around 7 per cent in its biggest telecoms company, Turk Telekom, through a secondary public offering next month, sources close to the matter said.

Work on selling part of the state’s 32 per cent stake intensified after the government successfully raised 4.5 billion lira ($2.5 billion) from selling part of state-controlled lender Halkbank recently, the sources said.

Bahrain deadline announced
THE Bahrain Telecommunications Affairs Ministry and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) have announced the timeline for licensing Post 3G Services in the kingdom, said a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The timeline will ensure that all activities related to the licensing process are completed prior to the Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix in April.

Details of the timeline include extending the deadline to January 10 for responses to the public consultation document entitled Award of Individual Licenses and Associated Frequency Licenses for the delivery of mobile telecommunications services in the 900, 1800, 1900, 2100 and 2600MHz frequency bands in Bahrain.

HP offers payment solution 
HP now offers customers a card payment solution across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to boost the cost-effectiveness of the card operations of banks, retailers and telecom operators, said a top official.