Intelsat sold for $11bn

The Intelsat private equity deal dominated the international ICT world last week, while at home it was comparatively quiet. Telkom unveiled its WiMax services, and there is continuing speculation about the break-up of the link between Telkom and Vodacom.

* A consortium led by BC Partners, a European-based private equity company, acquired the fixed satellite services provider Intelsat for more than $11 billion (including debt).

* Excellent year-end figures from Alliance Data, with both revenue and profit up over 300%.
* Mediocre 12 month numbers from Celcom, with revenue up over 100% but profit down (year-end has moved to end-June and will report 15 month figures at that time).
* A positive trading update from Simeka BSG.
* A negative trading update from Celcom.
* The listing of TelePassport, a provider of telecomm solutions, through a reverse listing into Cenmag, currently trading on the JSE's development capital board.
* About IT purchased Computer Solution Services, a company that focuses on Sage Pastel products and network support.
* Compliant IT was selected as the southern African partner for US-based Codima Technologies, a software developer of network discovery and visual mapping tools.
* Bruce McGregor was appointed CEO of MB Technologies, following the injury suffered by Leo Baxter, who moves to the chairman role.
* The communications minister announced SA will set up its own undersea cable to meet future broadband demands.
* Telkom launched its WiMax services.
* Ingram Micro was appointed distributor for BenQ, and SecureData Content (previously SBi) was chosen as a distributor for Enterprise Document Delivery.

* Good year-end numbers from Safaricom, Kenya's leading mobile phone company, with profit up over 40%.
* The Kenyan government will buy the stake in Safaricom currently held by Telkom Kenya.
* Jim Ovia, MD of Zenith Bank, purchased Nigeria's Cellcom Communications.
* HP opened an office in Tunisia. This becomes the fifth office opened by HP in Africa, outside SA.
* Wellington Makamure, MD of TelOne, Zimbabwe's only fixed line service provider, resigned.
* According to Informa Telecoms & Media, West Africa's mobile growth rate will see more than 100 million subscriptions by 2011, fuelled by the mobile explosion in Nigeria.

There is continuing speculation about the break-up of the link between Telkom and Vodacom.

Paul Booth, MD, Global Research Partners

* France Telecom bought Austria's mobile phone company, One, for EUR1.4 billion.
* EMC acquired Indigo Stone, a UK-based software and services company.
* HP purchased SPI Dynamics, a provider of security solutions.

* The private equity buy-out of ECI Telecom.

I am in New York on business and my next column will appear on 9 July. As usual in these circumstances, it will cover a two-week period.