network, Partner and Hot will lay off up to 55

maintenance employees.

Orange franchisee Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) today signed an agreement with its employees, allowing it to implement its network merging agreement with HOT Mobile Ltd.. Sources inform “Globes” that as part of the agreement, dozens of employees will be fired by Partner and Hot Mobile. The joint venture will be managed by Partner VP engineering Eyal Iluz. The Histadrut (General Federation of Labor in Israel) was a party to the agreement.

Partner has 115 employees maintaining its cellular network of whom 35 will be fired and the remainder will be employed by the joint venture. Hot Mobile has 70 employees maintaining its network of whom 10-20 will be let go with 50 joining the new venture.

and a second line for NIS 29.90.

Hot Mobile Ltd. today announced a new offer to mark its second anniversary: between May 14 and May 18, it will offer an unlimited calls plan for NIS 49.90 per month for one year and a second line for NIS 29.90 per month, for a total fee of NIS 79.80 per month for one year. The plan includes home 100 Mbps home Internet access via HotNet and international calls to 31 destinations.

Hot Mobile maintained its recruitment lead in March.

HOT Mobile Ltd. edged out Golan Telecom Ltd. in the mobile mobility sweepstakes in March 2014. The two carriers are neck and neck and the only carriers with positive mobility in the market, but they are paying a heavy price for gaining subscribers, because the large discounts they are offering make it very hard to earn a profit in the long run, while financing the establishment of their networks.

does include ISP service.

The reform in the landline communications market has not impacted competition in the mobile market, which is continuing full-force. HOT Mobile Ltd. is offering mobile packages at NIS 59/month, with the price fixed for twelve months.

This is a trial offer that follows on from the previous plan of NIS 69/month, which included international calls and home Internet service (ISP). The new plan does not include international calls, but does include ISP service.

Hot Mobile was the first to launch a plan in which the rate was reduced for twelve months, and the entire industry has followed suit. A source close to the company said that this is a trial offer, and is intended to gauge the public’s interest in a service without international calls.

are still losing subscribers.

HOT Mobile Ltd. had a better month in November in terms of recruiting new subscirbers and was neck and neck with the other new operator Golan Telecom Ltd..

During November Hot Mobile gained 26,905 new subscribers but lost 15,339 for a net gain of 11,566, while Golan Telecom gained 19,817 new subscribers but lost 8,557 for a net gain of 11,260.

The veteran operators continue to lose subscribers. Cellcom Israel Ltd.(NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) gained 36,611 new subscribers but lost 44,730 for a net loss of 8,119, while Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE:PTNR) gained 33,230 subscribers but lost 41,289 for a net loss of 8,059.Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) unit Pelephone Communications Ltd. gained 40,280 new subscribers but lost 48,143 for a net loss of 7,863 subscribers.

Among the MVNOs – mobile virtual network operators. Alon Group unit You moved forward in November recruiting 4,472 new subscribers but losing 2,755 for a net gain, while Rami Levy Chain Stores Hashikma Marketing 2006 Ltd.(TASE:RMLI) unit Rami Levy Communications gained only 924 new subscribers but lost 2,069 for a net loss of 1,145. Home Cellular gained 770 subscribers and lost 502 for a net gain of 268.

The carriers will set up a subsidiary that they will own in equal

shares, which will operate and develop a cellular network.

On Friday, Orange franchisee Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) announced a network sharing agreement with Hot Mobile Ltd.As “Globes” reported, under the agreement and subject to regulatory approval, the carriers will set up a subsidiary that they will own in equal shares, which will operate and develop a cellular network by pooling their radio access network infrastructures to create a single radio access network. Each company will retain and operate its own core network and will be responsible for providing cellular telecommunication services to its own customers, including customer service, value-added services, marketing and sales. The agreement is due to come into effect by the end of 2014. >p>Under the long-term 15-year agreement, Partner and Hot Mobile have signed an interim rights of use agreement, under which Partner will grant Hot Mobile, when possible, rights of use of its cellular network in order to supplement Hot Mobile’s network coverage.

Since it began operations, Hot Mobile has been hosted on Pelephone Communications Ltd.’s network, and the announcement of the network sharing agreement between Hot Mobile and Partner has important consequences for Pelephone. Pelephone has earned tens of millions of shekels per quarter from hosting Hot Mobile, and these profits will now go to Partner.

Minister of Communications Gilad Erdan said in response, “I welcome this agreement. It will reduce the number of antennas nationwide. There is no justification for the deployment of five separate networks in a small country like Israel. Together with the development of telecommunications infrastructures in Israel, other considerations should be taken into account relating to people’s quality of life and the character of public space. The network sharing agreement will optimally foster competition, enable full exploitation of the spectrum, and save money to the benefit of consumers. The Ministry of Communications under my leadership will continue to encourage competition and promote the deployment of advanced telecommunications infrastructures.”

Hot Mobile chairman Herzel Ozer said, “I welcome the agreement between Hot Mobile and Partner, which is an important milestone in the mobile market, and is in line with Minister of Communications Gilad Erdan’s policy on sharing sites and frequencies. This step will enable us to move forward and launch 4G services and will position Israel alongside the most advanced countries in the world. We intend to continue investing in the development of infrastructures, while keeping the best prices for our customers.”

Partner CEO Haim Romano said, “We are heeding the call of Minister of Communications Gilad Erdan for cooperation between the operators in order to reduce the number of network sites and to combine, as much as possible, the cellular operators’ infrastructures, taking into account environmental protection considerations and public opinion regarding network sites. This cooperation, the first of its kind in Israel, will increase competition in a manner that will benefit the consumer, will develop advanced cellular infrastructures and enable maximal utilization of the existing spectrum for the benefit of launching the fourth generation services. In addition, the cooperation will address the surging demand for mobile data services, will significantly improve the customer’s experience and will enable him to enjoy the most advanced services in Israel.”

Pelephone said in response, “Pelephone and Hot have an exclusive nationwide roaming agreement through the end of 2014, and we expect Hot to honor the agreement.”