مجموعة الاتصلات » Pelephone

Pelephone confirms streamlining layoffs

ola — Thu, 06 Nov 2014 07:48:15 +0000

The mobile operator is offering early retirement for an estimated

200 employees.

Mobile phone network operator Pelephone Communications Ltd.confirmed this morning that it is planning layoffs as part of a streamlining process to meet the changing and more competitive conditions in the market. Yesterday, the Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) unit’s recently formed workers committee said that it was beginning a campaign to oppose management’s plans to fire 200 employees.

Pelephone’s management said that it is offering a voluntary retirement program that does not contradict the collective agreement that it signed with the workers committee.

Management said that employees who have been with the company for more than three years can take advantage of the offer and enjoy improved conditions if they retire. Pelephone says that following a similar offer in November 2013, 180 employees took voluntary retirement.

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Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 4, 2014

Pelephone picks Ericsson as sole 4G vendor

ola — Wed, 17 Sep 2014 06:57:09 +0000

Pelephone rejected bids by Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Networks.

Pelephone Communications Ltd. is waiving the option of including another supplier for the establishment of a 4G network, and will work with Ericsson as its sole vendor for three years. Ericsson won the contract several months ago for setting up the first stage of Pelephone’s 4G network, but Pelephone immediately announced it was considering bringing in another vendor.

Pelephone conducted a pricing procedure between the bids by Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Networks, and in the final stage only between a bid by Ericsson and the Nokia bid. Pelephone and Ericsson announced today that Ericsson would be the sole vendor for Pelephone’s network. The agreement constitutes an extension of the agreement signed in April this year for deploying the first stage of the network.

Pelephone’s decision to consider another vendor came after it realized that it could obtain more attractive bids from Ericsson, following aggressive pricing by competing vendors. Ericsson’s prices in the final stages of the 4G tender were high, leading Pelephone to compare those prices to those of its competitors even at the price of giving up on Pelephone as a vendor, should it not agree to the selection of a competing vendor. Ericsson eventually became more flexible, lowering its prices to the level Pelephone wanted and avoiding the need to introduce another vendor.

The equipment that Ericsson will supply will also support advanced LTE technology, which is just getting started around the world, and will enable Pelephone to achieve theoretical surfing speeds of 450 mbps in downloading data, provided that it has enough frequencies.

Pelephone CEO Gil Sharon said today, “Pelephone is in the advanced stages of deploying its 4G network. We decided to continue with Ericsson as our sole vendor for the 4G network, too, as we did with 3G. This strategy proved itself when we set up the fastest and highest quality network in Israel, and that’s also our goal now.” Ericsson Israel CEO Alon Berman said today, “We thank Pelephone for deepening our connection of many years standing.”

Pelephone follows Cellcom, Partner with 4G network

ola — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 07:01:03 +0000

Pelephone is using frequencies borrowed from the

Ministry of Communications.

Pelephone Communications Ltd. launched its 4G network today after receiving approval for limited operation from the Ministry of Communications. Pelephone joins Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL), which launched its network today after receiving approval to do so last week.

Pelephone operates its network on two frequencies that it received on loan from the Ministry of Communications, unlike Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) and Cellcom, which operate their 4G networks on frequencies they own. The frequencies that were temporarily granted to Pelephone are contingent upon the results of the 4G-frequency tender which will be held by the end of the year.

Pelephone CEO Gil Sharon said yesterday: “Five years ago, we already set new standards for the customer speed experience. With 4G too, we will strive to provide our customers with the fastest speed and the best surfing experience.”

The company stated that, similar to its competitors, joining the service will be free of charge and gradual, such that hundreds of thousands of owners of devices that support the technology who use the Pelephone network will be able to enjoy advanced data services, in accordsance with the coverage zones. Owners of 4G-compatible devices can join Pelephone’s High Speed 4G at no additional charge, via the company’s website.

Sharon noted that the deployment of the network was underway, and said that the service would operate first in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Beersheva, Herzliya, Rishon Lezion, Netanya, Kfar Sava, and Ramle, and soon also in Haifa, Petah Tikva, and other areas.

Cellcom, Pelephone in talks on network sharing

ola — Mon, 19 May 2014 06:43:01 +0000

The new agreement will be based on the

Communications Ministry’s policy statement.

The ink is not yet dry on Friday’s policy statement by the Ministry of Communications, and mobile carriers Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) and Pelephone Communications Ltd. have opened talks on a new network sharing agreement that will be submitted to the ministry and the Antitrust Authority for approval.

The new agreement will be based on the Ministry of Communications’ policy statement, which states that it is prepared to consider full network sharing between the carriers, except for sharing frequencies. Network sharing does not distinguish between 2G, 3G, and 4G, and therefore creates an opportunity for major restructuring in the mobile industry.

Sources inform ”Globes” that, shortly after the policy statement was published, Pelephone and Cellcom initiated contact on a new agreement that they will submit for approval. The policy statement basically confirmed what was already known – that the Ministry of Communications plans to go for the model of three networks, and that there was no chance of permitting Cellcom and Pelephone to share frequencies. The document clarified the degree of sharing allowed, except for the frequencies.

The policy statement explicitly states that the carriers can share all network components except for frequencies. This means that they can greatly reduce the number of sites for all technologies, not just 4G, theoretically saving hundreds or even thousands of antennas nationwide, something that is personally important for Minister of Communications Gilad Erdan.

The policy statement allows many areas of sharing by the carriers. In general, they can divide Israel into two, promising each other roaming. Alternatively, they can optimize antennas and make new plans for deploying antennas and sharing costs.

Most importantly, the ministry has given the carriers an opportunity for huge savings. The only question is whether the Antitrust Authority sees eye to eye with the Ministry of Communications about this policy. The Antitrust Authority has always been less enthusiastic about network sharing, and if it thinks that the Ministry of Communications has gone too far, then the ministry’s position statement is irrelevant because the Antitrust Authority, as an independent agency, has its own considerations.

Pelephone to deploy 250 4G sites immediately

ola — Sun, 04 May 2014 08:04:19 +0000

Pelephone and Ericsson today signed the contract to

establish the 4G network.

Pelephone Communications Ltd. and its equipment vendor Ericsson AS (NYSE; OMX: ERIC) have begun installing the carrier’s 4G network: 250 antennas are already in the country and will be installed soon. Pelephone required the bidders in its tender to bring to the country 250 antennas to demonstrate their seriousness, and this condition has made it possible for the carrier to begin deployment immediately, with the goal of setting up hundreds of antennas nationwide by the end of the year.

Pelephone and Ericsson today signed the contract to establish the 4G network. Ericsson will be the exclusive supplier in the initial stage, but Pelephone reserves the right to add another supplier in the future.

Pelephone is establishing a 4G network even though it has not yet received the frequencies, and is in the worst position of all the carriers in this regard. The carriers hopes that the frequencies will be released soon, so that it can starting offering services and easing the huge load on its 3G network and meet customer demand for faster and better Internet access.

Pelephone set to declare Ericsson as 4G vendor

ola — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 06:36:06 +0000

Pelephone will close an agreement with Ericsson to build

the carrier’s 4G network.

Unless there is a last-minute hitch, Pelephone Communications Ltd.will close an agreement with Ericsson AS (NYSE; OMX: ERIC) to build the carrier’s 4G network. Following the Passover holiday, the parties resumed negotiations on a contract, in which Ericsson will be declared the exclusive vendor for the first of Pelephone’s 4G network, which includes 440 sites and upgrades of its core network.

Pelephone’s tender for selecting a 4G equipment vendor has lasted for several months. Ericsson was the favorite to win the tender, as it supplied Pelephone’s 3G network, but its high asking prices combined with aggressive pricing by Nokia Solutions and Networks and Alcatel-Lucent SA (NYSE; Euronext: ALU) caused Ericsson to match their prices.

Pelephone reopens 4G equipment tender

ola — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 07:40:47 +0000

Pelephone reopened the tender, won by Ericsson, after

rivals lowered prices

Pelephone Communications Ltd. has reopened its 4G equipment tender, won by Ericsson AB (NYSE; OMX: ERIC), after rivals lowered prices

A 4G network comprises switches, which are the core, and radio antennas. The radio section is the largest part of the tender because of constantly growing use. Networks are rarely replaced, but Pelephone is now considering a replacement because of the low bids. It is possible to estimate that the first stage of the tender is now less than $70 million.

Two weeks ago, Pelephone CEO Gil Sharon held what were supposed to be the final meetings with the bidders, before deciding on the winner in the tender. The first meeting was with Ericsson, which matched the bids by Alcatel Lucent and Nokia Siemens Networks. Pelephone told Ericsson that it won the tender and the parties shook hands.

In subsequent meetings, Sharon told representatives of Nokia Siemens and Alcatel Lucent that Ericsson won the tender. Alcatel Lucent countered with a new offer, and Pelephone, realizing that the last word had not yet been said, decided to continue the pricing, even though Ericsson thought it had won the tender.

The question now is whether Pelephone will decide to replace the switches with Ericsson as the supplier, and to work with two vendors for the antennas. Pelephone says that everything is open as far as it is concerned, and, though unlikely, there may be competition for the switches.

In the tender, Pelephone has been able to get lower prices than it ever imagined possible, and the pricing is not yet over, even for the switches.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 26, 2014

Pelephone bounces back

ola — Mon, 03 Mar 2014 07:36:06 +0000

For the first time in months, Pelephone reported a net

recruitment of subscribers.

For the first time in months, Pelephone Communications Ltd. reported a net recruitment of subscribers in February 2013, while Partner Communications Ltd. (Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) and Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) continued to lose subscribers. At the same time, HOT Mobile Ltd. beat Golan Telecom Ltd. recruiting twice as many new subscribers.

Pelephone recruited a net 3,500 new subscribers in February (although another source says that the figure was 2,500 subscribers). The success was partly achieved through aggressive sales campaigns and television commercials since the beginning of the year. The carrier still suffers with a high churn rate, losing 17,400 subscribers in February. Golan Telecom lost 14,800 subscribers

Among the mobile virtual network operators (MVNO), Rami Levy Communications beat YouPhone, recruiting a net 2,700 subscribers to 1,300. Both carriers are offering discounts to customers.

Notwithstanding expectations that prices in the mobile market would stabilize, the market is still at boiling point and prices are not cooling down.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com – on March 2, 2014

Cellcom, Pelephone talks on shared 4G network progress

ola — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 07:47:05 +0000

The mobile carriers have agreed in principle on the main items

in an agreement to set up a shared 4G network.

Sources inform ”Globes” that mobile carriers Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE:CEL; TASE:CEL) and Pelephone Communications Ltd. have agreed in principle on the main items in an agreement to set up a shared 4G network. Although there are still open issues, the carriers will reportedly soon be able to submit an agreement to their boards of directors for approval, after which they will sign it and submit to the Antitrust Authority and the Ministry of Communications for approval.

Golan Telecom Ltd. is not currently part of these negotiations, but the door is open if it wants to become a partner in the venture, just as it has been invited to participate in the shared 4G network of Partner Communications Ltd.(Nasdaq: PTNR; TASE: PTNR) and HOT Mobile Ltd..

Cellcom and Pelephone will equally share the cost of establishing a shared network, giving the carriers substantial savings. Each carrier will own 50% of the network, but they need to agree to equally sharing the costs for hooking up to antennas. This is because Cellcom’s independent transmission network connects 90% of its sites, while Pelephone uses the fiber optic network of its parent company, Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ).

One idea mooted is to divide Israel into north and south, which each carrier providing the transmission to sites in each region. This has little significance because the parties will figure out their own offsetting mechanisms. In this context, Bezeq is establishing a new designated network for 4G carriers, which will allow carriers to independently manage data transmission between antennas and the network core.

The prior and close relations between Pelephone CEO Gil Sharon and Cellcom CEO Nir Sztern has greatly helped in moving the negotiations forward. Sztern served as Sharon’s deputy at Pelephone before his appointment as CEO of 013 NetVision Ltd. and later of Cellcom following the two companies’ merger.

Cellcom and Pelephone have decided not to seek a preruling from theAntitrust Authority, but to submit a final agreement to it for approval, in order to avoid dragging out the approval process.

Pelephone workers committee agrees early retirement plan

ola — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 08:29:10 +0000

Employees who submit an application for voluntary retirement

that is approved by the company will receive a retirement grant

of up to 20 salaries as well as severance pay.

After protracted discussions, Pelephone Communications Ltd. management and workers committee have agreed an early retirement plan. As part of the plan, employees agreeing to retire will receive preferential conditions thought to be relatively generous by sources in the sector.According to the agreement, employees who submit an application for voluntary retirement that is approved by the company will receive a retirement grant of up to 20 salaries as well as severance pay.

An employee who has been with the company for 10 years will receive a retirement grant of 9 salaries and one month’s notice. The agreement comes due to restructuring and streamlining.