Singtel

Singapore’s SingTel reported a tiny increase in net profit for the fourth-quarter as costs related to its investment in India’s Bharti weighed on good performances at its wholly-owned subsidiaries in Singapore and Australia (Optus).

SingTel has paid SG$39 million (US$30.2 million) to increase its holding in Bharti Airtel to 32.15 percent, from 32.04 percent.

Next-generation network growth in APAC to be led by China and Japan, says new Wireless Intelligence study.

SingTel reported a 6.7 percent decline in net profit for the third quarter as it was hit by Indian partner Bharti’s expansion drive into Africa.

SingTel trumpeted that its group mobile customer base had reached 368 million at the end of September 2010, although this figure is based on an aggregate total which counts 100 percent of subscribers of subsidiaries and joint ventures as its own.

NEC says it has completed a “phase 1” field trial of LTE in the Philippines with Globe Telecom, a subsidiary of SingTel Group.

Wireless Intelligence forecasts that LTE will account for 10-15% of connections by 2015 in two of Southeast Asia's most advanced mobile markets