Telecoms talks cause much speculation

The failure by Microsoft to obtain approval for its new OpenXML format, and a couple of acquisitions by Oracle, dominated the international ICT markets.

At home, the cautionary announcements from MTN and Telkom SA stole much of the local headline ICT space.

* SecureData Holdings acquired New Generation Solutions, an information leak management company.
* Lereko Consortium invested in Cisco Systems, which says it is the first US-based hi-tech company to sell shares in its business to local black investors.
* Telkom issued a cautionary announcement stating it is in talks with the Vodafone Group (which owns 50% of Vodacom) and MTN Group. The talks could have a material impact on its share price, it warned. MTN also issued a cautionary, stating the talks "may or may not result in a transaction involving certain assets of Telkom".

* Lord Simon Cairns was appointed chairman of MTC subsidiary, Celtel International; and Jonathan Somen was appointed chairman of the Telecommunications Service Providers Association of Kenya.
* Jose Ferreira, MD of MTC Namibia; and Mo Ibrahim, founder and chairman of Celtel International, resigned.

According to Forrester Research, the records management market will grow to $1.6 billion by year-end, from $709 million last year.

Paul Booth, MD, Global Research Partners

* Microsoft failed to win approval by the International Organisation for Standardisation for its OpenXML file format.
* Business Objects acquired German-based Fuzzy Informatik, a data quality company. This deal complements the purchase of data quality company, Firstlogic, made last year.
* Cognos bought Applix, a developer of online analytical processing and performance management software, for $339 million.
* A $5.3 billion merger has been proposed between MetroPCS Communications, a prepaid wireless operator, and Leap Wireless International, one of the former's closest rivals. The deal would create the fifth largest national wireless carrier in the US.
* Oracle purchased Bridgestream, a provider of Enterprise Role Management Software, a key component of identity management deployments; and, Netsure Telecom, a provider of network intelligence, analytics and network data integrity software.
* Yahoo bought BlueLithium for $300 million. BlueLithium is an online global ads network that offers a range of direct response products and capabilities for advertisers and publishers.
* Hideki Komiyama, chairman of Sony Electronics, has been appointed president of Sony Ericsson.
* Miles Flint, president of Sony Ericsson, resigned.

* A possible buy-out of Research in Motion (BlackBerry) by Microsoft. As RIM's market capitalisation is about $47 billion, I think the deal is highly unlikely, despite the rumours.
* The buy-out of MarketRX, a US-based provider of analytics services for the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, by either Infosys or Wipro, two of India's largest IT services groups.

* According to Forrester Research, the records management market will grow to $1.6 billion by year-end, from $709 million last year. In addition, e-discovery technology spend will grow from $1.4 billion in 2006 to $4.8 billion in 2011.
* Worldwide external disk storage systems revenue grew to $4.3 billion in Q207, up 6.25% from last year, according to IDC. EMC still retains the number one slot, followed by HP and IBM.

* JSE All share index: Down 1.1%
* Nasdaq: Down 1.2%
* Top SA share movements: Ansys (+18.2%), Celcom (+40%), Cyberhost (+21.4%), Dialogue (-10.5%), FoneWorx (+15.2%), Jasco (+10.8%), Labat Africa (-31%), MICROmega (+10%), Simeka BSG (-12.2%), Stella Vista (+50%) and TeleMasters (-15.6%)

The latest issue of Fortune magazine has published its China 100 listing. From an ICT perspective, China Mobile is at number three, with revenue of almost $38 billion. China Telecom is at number eight, Lenovo Group at 11, China United Communications at 13, China Netcom Group at 14, Foxconn International Holdings (Hon Hai) at 16 and TPV Technology (an IT company) at 22.