Maurice, Given your comments about oil, the big dipper, and the Q! striving for attention in New Orleans, I've attach this news to mark the next rung in the ladder.
Three NB speculations.
1) 500 Million dollars infrastructure deal.
2) Russian's manufacturing CDMA equipment.
3) CDMA deal in Europe forthcoming.
If only it all comes true!!! nuff
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Svyazinvest to boost telephone networks in Russia. January 28, 1999
Itar - Tass via NewsEdge Corporation : MOSCOW, January 27 (Itar-Tass) - The programme for the development of telephone networks in Russia "is now the most promising one, and this should be taken advantage of," Nail Ismailov, the Director-General of the Russian telephone holding Svyazinvest, said on Wednesday.
Ismailov took part in an extended board meeting of the Russian State Committee for Communications and Informatization. The meeting focus on two basic issues - the development of pay- phone network and expanding wireless subscriber access.
Touching on the problems of investments in the development of wireless access networks (CDMA), Ismailov recalled that his company "has signed a memorandum on cooperation with Itar-Tass, which provides for attracting of approximately 500 million U.S. dollars to the development of this area, and it is necessary to develop this sphere." In his words, the market currently is promising wide development prospects, since there are at least three million potential subscribers.
At the end of 1998, Svyazinvest and Itar-Tass signed a memorandum of cooperation providing for the creation of regional telephone networks whose subscribers will be hooked up through the wireless access technology, avoiding the use of ordinary telephone cables. This project is being implemented by the company Metrosvyaz. Such wireless access networks will be constructed and maintained by operator companies to be set up on terms of equal participation of Svyazinvest's regional telephone companies and Metrosvyaz. The first such company was already established in Saratov last August.
"We are already implementing the first pilot project in Saratov," Ismailov told Itar-Tass. "We have elaborated the details and the document is in principle ready for signing -- today or tomorrow are likely to sign it concerning the share: 50 percent will be owned by the regional company, one percent - by Itar-Tass as a state-run enterprise, and the remaining 49 percent will be used for attracting investments. This pattern, we think, is quite reliable and will yield certain success."
"This project will obviously ensure investment influx," Ismailov went on to say. "Earlier, before the August 17, 1998 crisis, we had had a somewhat different policy, we had planned to do it at our own expense. But the current situation is forcing us to look for investments."
In his words, Svyazinvest has long-standing contacts with the investor, Metrosvyaz. "We have been working with this company for long, we have been sounding each other. Now we will be willing to cooperate for the development of this type of services. And, naturally, with Itar-Tass," he said.
For his part, Oleg Korolkov, director of the Saratov-based Elektrosvyaz company which works on the implementation of the pilot project, noted that his company had already received the necessary equipment and if things went right the "result" would show up already in the first six months of this year.
"I assess this project only from a positive angle, there is no other way out in conditions when investments are lacking," Valery Ukhov, a representative from the Rostovelektrosvyaz company, said commenting on the project with Metrosvyaz. "Russian operators will only benefit from this. " He described the cooperation with Metrosvyaz as the "right direction and a normal thing."
"Obviously we are pleased with the agreement with Svyazinvest," Anthony Georgious, the Chairman of the Metrosvyaz and Tiller Group, told Itar-Tass. "This is the result of very close cooperation since September 1996, when a protocol was signed. A lot of work has been done and this could not have become possible without Russian Government, State Committee for Communications and Informatization, Svyazinvest and Itar-Tass. Close working relations between Tiller Group and Itar-Tass has made it possible to secure the initial 500 million U.S. dollars in investment which will ensure the success of the project. It is important that total value of the project in 10 years is in excess of 5 billion U.S. dollars. Metrosvyaz is currently deciding which other equipment manufacturer will be allowed into the project. It should be noted that there is an especially reassuring CDMA development in Europe spearheaded by Russia and Russia will become an exporter of telecom systems. "
ras/
[Copyright 1999, Comtex]
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Code-division multiple access networks to be developed. January 28, 1999
Itar - Tass via NewsEdge Corporation : MOSCOW, January 27 (Itar-Tass) - Regional communications companies will be setting up enterprises to develop phone-booth networks and code-division multiple access (CDMA) networks in 1999, Nail Ismailov, director-general of Svyazinvest Ltd., told PRIME-Tass.
He said Inkom closed joint-stock company and regional companies are now engaged in preparatory work to set up joint enterprises for establishing phone-booth networks in regions.
Ismailov believes phone-booth equipment should mainly be supplied by Russian producers to the market in Russia. Some 4,000 coin-box telephones were installed in 1998. Svyazinvest plans a conference with regional companies on the problem in March 1999.
Companies to create CDMA networks are being set up in regions, Ismailov said. In 1998, Svyazinvest signed an agreement with the Itar-Tass news agency and with Metrosvyaz Ltd to introduce CDMA networks to a total sum of 500 million dollars.
Under Syazinvest recommendations the controlling interest of enterprises (no less than 51 percent) in joint enterprises must belong to the state. In the above-mentioned project, shares will be distributed in the following way: 50 percent to Svyainzvezt, one percent to Itar-Tass and 49 percent to Metrosvyaz Ltd., which acts as an investor.
The agreement with Saratovelectrosvyaz firm was signed in 1998 to set up such an enterprise, and CDMA equipment began to be supplied. Equipment for 15-20 thousand numbers will be delivered at the initial stage. Preliminary work is underway to set up joint ventures in Rostov-on-Don and in Novgorod.
saf/
[Copyright 1999, Comtex]
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Following text from Qualcomm Q398 link the Q! to this deal.
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QUALCOMMTel
During October 1997, QUALCOMM formed QUALCOMM Telecommunications Limited, ("QUALCOMMTel"), a Cayman Islands corporation. QUALCOMM holds a 70% ownership interest in QUALCOMMTel. The minority 30% interest is held by Tiller International Limited ("Tiller"), a private investment company. QUALCOMMTel is intended to be an intermediate holding company to facilitate the Company's business prospects in the Russian Federation.
In February 1998, QUALCOMMTel entered into an agreement with a Russian company, providing for their participation, subject to terms and conditions, in the development of wireless communications networks in the Russian Federation. Pursuant to the agreement and subject to terms and conditions, QUALCOMMTel and the Russian company will become 50/50 joint venture partners in Metrosvyaz Limited ("Metrosvyaz"), a Cyprus corporation, which intends to invest in joint ventures with local Russian telecommunications operators for the formation, development, financing and operation of CDMA based wireless networks.
Additionally, QUALCOMM and QUALCOMMTel will commit, subject to terms and conditions, up to a total of $500 million in joint funding which may be in the form of debt or equity, to Metrosvyaz to support its business plan. QUALCOMM shall, at Tiller's option, fund Tiller's share of capital calls by QUALCOMMTel and such funding shall give rise to a limited recourse interest bearing loan. However, no decisions relating to the relative funding by QUALCOMM and QUALCOMMTel have been finalized.
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