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STUDY ABROAD OPTIONS
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 INTELSAT TO REVIEW ITS TARRIFF STRUCTURE Communications satellite company Intelsat will review its tariff structure to ensure customers, such as Telkom, are charged market-related prices, says Intelsat CEO Conny Kullman.Intelsat is a co-operative of 145 member countries, each of which has a representative company (like Telkom) with a say in the firm’s operational activities. However, Intelsat is due to be privatised on July 18 with a listing before the end of next year, resulting in several changes to the way the company’s operational activities are conducted.Telkom owns 1,2% of Intelsat, contributing 2,5% to the international revenues of the firm, making Telkom one of the top 20 shareholders in the company. After the privatisation of Intelsat, Telkom will hold 1,2% of Intelsat’s shares with less say in how the company operates. The reason for the change was to separate investments from operating activities, as prices charged by Intelsat were determined by its customers, Kullman said, describing the present structure as an "incestuous relationship. In future we will see market prices and contract terms," he said. Prices would be determined on the company’s regional presence and the type of services offered. He would not speculate on whether Telkom could end up paying more for services as there were several contracts, ranging from one to 15 years, that were still in place. He said lapsed contracts, however, would have to be adjusted.A second national telecoms operator, to compete with Telkom would be considered as a potential SA partner, Kullman said. State-owned satellite signal distributor Sentech has been granted an international telephony licence, while government expects to license another fixed-line operator by 2005, Kullinan said. The opening of the telecoms markets will boost growth in the sector, which presently accounts for about 4% of the country’s gross domestic product. "When markets are liberalised, it stimulates growth and although it may be difficult on the incumbent it will also be good for the firm. Competition will stimulate the market and it will definitely grow handsomely afterwards," he said. (source: Business Day via DigAfrica ) ALGERIA’S ISP GECOS GOES LOOKING FOR A PARTNER FOR GSM Algerian ISP, GECOS, hopes to strike a partnership deal with the foreign telecoms operator that secures the country’s first GSM licence. The company put out feelers at the May 22 meeting between the telecoms ministry, the regulatory watchdog and corporations interested in the mobile phone market.CEO, Youns Grar, adds that now the names of the four shortlisted operators are known - France Tlcom unit, Orange, Portugal Telecom, Spain’s Telefonica and Egypt’s Orascom - GECOS will be targeting them. Why would a company the size of Orange SA or Telefonica need the services of an Algerian access provider? Younes Grar replies that all the companies he has spoken to believe it would be an asset to have an Algerian partner to advise on the tricky business of putting in place a GSM network in Algeria. (source: Algeria Interface via DigAfrica) UK’S BARNES LOOKS FOR RETURNS FROM PRIMEDIA Mark Barnes is a man who attracts adjectives. Since he was appointed as an adviser to UK fund manager Active Value in its attempt to force some action out of SA media company Primedia, he has been portrayed as some sort of pinstriped pillaging machine, the Attila of the EGM. http://www.fm.co.za/01/0601/leispeop/peop.htm
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This page last updated on January 28 2004.
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