Operators

TeleGeography notes that UAE-based telecoms operator Etisalat has announced its results for the nine months ended 30 September 2009, reporting revenue of AED22.107 billion (US$6.02 billion), up from AED20.805 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Vodafone is launching a Wi-Fi hotspot application that will enable users to connect up to five devices to the same mobile broadband connection, reports Cellular News.

India's Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved Norwegian telecom operator Telenor's proposal to increase its stake in new operator Unitech Wireless to 74 percent. At present, Telenor has a 67.25 percent stake in Unitech.

Analysts have been quick to highlight the potential damage Vodafone could suffer from the effects of the planned merger of the UK units of T-Mobile and Orange, announced earlier this week.

Number two US operator AT&T Wireless yesterday unveiled specific plans to upgrade its mobile networks, a move clearly aimed at derailing rival Verizon's momentum with LTE technology

The Wall Street Journal reports that Indian operator Bharti is considering the acquisition of the Sri Lankan operations of Luxemburg-based Millicom International in a deal which could be worth US$100 million to US$120 million.

Reuters reports that China Mobile, the world's largest mobile operator by subscribers, said today it hopes to soon have lower-cost handsets for its 3G service, as it tries to popularise the service based on homegrown standard TD-SCDMA.