Agilent Arranges $1.5 Billion Refinancing through Llyods

Lloyds TSB Bank plc agreed to refinance the current $1.5 billion repurchase obligation of Agilent Technologies World Trade Inc. Under the deal, Lloyds will, subject to specified conditions, purchase the preferred stock of an Agilent subsidiary with an aggregate liquidation preference of $1.5 billion from its current owner and to extend until Jan. 27, 2011 the date on which Agilent Technologies World Trade is required to repurchase that preferred stock. Under the new terms, Agilent will be obligated to make quarterly payments to Lloyds TSB at a...

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TeliaSonera Acquires Controlling Stakes in Mobile Operators in Nepal and Cambodia

TeliaSonera has acquired controlling interests in two mobile operators, Spice Nepal Private Limited in Nepal and Applifone Co Limited in Cambodia. Specifically, TeliaSonera will acquire 51 percent of the shares and votes in TeliaSonera Asia Holding B.V. from Visor Group that will remain owner of the other 49 percent. TeliaSonera Asia Holding B.V. owns 80 percent of the shares and votes in Spice Nepal, the second largest mobile operator in Nepal, and 100 percent of the shares and votes in Applifone, a start-up mobile operator in Cambodia. The total...

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USDA Announces $342 Million in Rural Broadband, Telecommunications Loans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that broadband and telecommunications loans totaling more than $342 million are being awarded to 18 communications firms serving 22 states. The funds will help bring new and improved telecommunications services to rural residents and businesses. The loans are being made through the Rural Development Broadband Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, which provides low-interest loans to deploy broadband and telecommunications...

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AT&T Appoints TelMex's Jaime Chico Pardo to its Board

Jaime Chico Pardo has been appointed to AT&T's board of directors. He will serve on the AT&T board's audit committee.Mr. Chico is chairman of Teléfonos de México, S.A.B. de C.V. (Telmex). He was appointed to his current position in 2006 as chairman of Telmex and co-chairman of IDEAL, a publicly listed company that invests and manages infrastructure assets in Latin America. Before then, he was vice chairman and CEO of Telmex, a position...

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Singapore Chooses OpenNet for Next Gen Fiber Project

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) has selected the OpenNet consortium as its successful Network Company (NetCo).OpenNet will be contracted to provide passive fibre grid services for Singapore's Next Generation National Broadband Network (NGNBN). OpenNet will be making use of existing ducts and other underlying infrastructure, thereby minimizing disruption to the public and enabling the network to reach homes and buildings nationwide...

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SingTel and Chunghwa to Launch ST-2 satellite in 2010

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) and Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom have formed a joint venture to build and launch an ST-2 satellite. This satellite is targeted to be delivered in 2010 and will replace the ST-1 satellite, which will be retired in 2011.SingTel will have approximately 62% share in the joint venture. Chunghwa Telecom will own the remaining 38%.Mr Bill Chang, SingTel's Executive Vice President for Business, said: "The ST-2 satellite will offer significantly greater capacity than ST-1 and wider coverage to also include emerging...

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Nanoradio Supplies WiFi for 3G UMA Mobile Phone

Nanoradio AB has supplied its "Always On WiFi" silicon for Samsung's first 3G UMA phone. The same "Always On WiFi" solution was also recently launched in a 2.5G UMA phone. The two phones, P250 and P270, will both be released by Samsung in multiple countries in Europe, opening up a new world of multimedia services to the UMA operator customer base. The P270 is the first device on the market that combines UMA and 3G network technology.Nanoradio said its NRX700/2 Wi-Fi chipset offers fully tested 802.11b/g functionality, featuring ultra-low power...

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AT&T and DIRECTV Re-Sign Satellite TV Resale Agreement

AT&T and DIRECTV announced a deal under which AT&T will market and sell DIRECTV's service as a co-branded satellite television service after January 31, 2009.AT&T | DIRECTV will become part of the AT&T Advanced TV video portfolio, alongside AT&T U-verse TV, after the expiration of AT&T's current satellite agreement with DISH Network, which it will fully honor. AT&T will offer, market and sell co-branded AT&T | DISH Network services through Jan. 31, 2009. After that date, existing AT&T | DISH Network customers...

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