Translation
- Mediatel launches MVNO
An alternative fixed-line operator, , has included mobile telephony services under the 'Telepin mobi' brand into its offer. The new virtual network operator (MVNO) is based on 's infrastructure. Mediatel plans to poach 20,000 customers by the end of the current year, which it hopes to gain mainly from Poland-resident citizens of the Ukraine, Russia and Vietnam. The company expects to generate PLN 0.5m (€150,000) revenue by the end of 2008 by offering cheap international calls via special access number to fixed-line networks in almost 60 countries at PLN 0.39 (€0.12) per minute. When this discount expires, the standard price of PLN 0.49 (€0.15) will be charged. The costs of domestic M2M calls and SMS messages are PLN 0.60 (€0.18) per minute and PLN 0.23 (€0.07), respectively. Mediatel is planning distribution abroad as well (e.g., in Vietnam) and it runs a website in six languages.
- CenterTelecom doubles planned capital investments for 2008
, the fixed-line, mobile telephony and broadband operator controlled by the telecom holding , intends to spend RUB 13.5bn (€364m) chiefly on traditional telephony and transmission lines by the end of 2008. Initially, the value of spending was expected to be RUB 6.6bn (€179m). CenterTelecom operates in the territory of the Central Federal district. It also provides translation of programmes on cable television in the area. Svyazinvest owns a 38.02% package of CenterTelecom's authorised capital.
- Mediatel to run MVNO for foreigners
, a fixed-line operator, plans to launch the first mobile virtual network operator based on the platform for Vietnamese and Ukrainians in Poland, reported. Marcin Kubit, the president of Mediatel said this is going to be the first MVNO in Poland to be directed specifically at the ethnic groups. He explained that the company intends to reach the group of 200,000 foreigners who have already used its ' Telepin VoIP service with a mobile telephony offer as well. These are mainly citizens of Vietnam and the Ukraine. Advertising, marketing and customer services will be in the target groups' languages.
- Napisy.org back?
The popular website offering free film subtitles in Polish, www.napisy.org, may be reactivated, according to . In May 2007, after an investigation launched at the request of distributors associated in Fundacja Ochrony Tworczosci Audiowizualnej (the Foundation for Protection of Audiovisual Works), the website was suspended and its creators questioned. Since then, however, no specific charges have been brought, and the Zabrze Regional Prosecutor doubts whether in this case the law has been broken at all. An expert assigned by the prosecutor is to state whether publishing unauthorised translations free of charge of works for which authorised translations are available is a violation of the law.
- Google develops its activity in Poland
announced its plans to enlarge the number of its staff in Europe by several times and to develop its Polish facilities in Krakow, Wroclaw and Warsaw. Wroclaw is already one of the key places for the company and after Dublin it may become the second operational center in Europe. The company is interested in employing 300 engineers but also some individuals who know the languages of neighbouring countries. The owner of the most popular internet browser in the world does not disclose its financial results from each respective country of Central Europe, nor its share in the market of advertisements on browsers. However, according to the latest research of Gemius, in Poland this share is around 86%. Poland is the market where Google has the strongest position in the region in terms of browsers' ads. IAB, a consulting company, estimates that the value of the Polish market for browsers' advertising in 2007 will amount to PLN 110m and according to its forecast it will top PLN 180m in 2008.
Economic
- PLN 2.6bn in privatisation revenues at the end of January
Gross revenues from privatisation amounted to PLN 2.56bn (approx. €629m) at the end of January, according to data from the Ministry of the Treasury. This represents a little over 10% of the yearly target, which is PLN 25bn (€6.1bn). The ambitious target is central to the government's objective to keep public debt below 55% of GDP in the coming years, amid growing fiscal pressures caused by the crisis. It envisages several hundred share sales, including e.g. the initial public offering of PZU, the insurance firm, and PGE, the power group; the sale to industry buyers of two chemical groups, two energy groups, and two lignite mining companies; and the sale of residual stakes (i.e. holdings below 10%) in 77 companies. The PLN 2.56bn raised in January came mainly from the sale of 10% of shares in KGHM, the copper mining group, and 10.8% of shares in Grupa Lotos, the oil group. By way of comparison, in 2009 receipts from privatisation totalled PLN 6.97bn (PLN 1.6bn).
- Detsky Mir launches discount shop
On 29 January the children's goods retailer , opened its first discount store, Retail Update Russia has learnt. The unit is located in Moscow. It occupies over 2,000 m2 and offers 30,000 SKUs from collections of previous seasons at prices discounted by up to 70%. Detsky Mir currently operates 128 outlets in 68 Russian cities. These account for a total combined trading area of over 210,000 m2.
- Camper to enter Russia
The Spanish footwear manufacturer and retailer plans to enter the Russian market. The company's sole distributor in the country will be , an entity set up by which, until the beginning of the 2010, had served as the distributor for the Italian footwear company . By the end of 2010, the company plans to have opened a total of 10 Camper stores in Moscow and St. Petersburg. These will occupy between 60 and 80 m2 and will be located in areas of high customer traffic, such as in St. Petersburg's Nevsky Prospekt. The value of the investment has not been disclosed. Camper operates over 150 stores in more than 70 countries worldwide.
- Media Markt plans three openings in Moscow
In 2010 the German consumer electronics retailer plans to open three new stores in Moscow. The units will be located in the Vegas, Retail Park and Viva shopping centres and will measure 6,700 m2, 5,700 m2 and 6,000 m2 respectively. Each store will stock around 45,000 SKUs. Media Markt currently operates 20 stores in Russia, of which seven are located in Moscow.
- Burger King launches first restaurant in Russia
On 21 January the American fast-food chain launched its first restaurant in Russia, in Moscow's Metropolis shopping centre. The company's franchise partner in the country, plans to open two more restaurants in the capital in the near future - one in the Yevropeysky shopping centre and the other in Mega Teply Stan retail centre. Burger King is also in discussions with other potential franchisees in Russia. Burger King was founded in 1960. Today, there are approximately 12,000 Burger King restaurants operating in 74 countries worldwide, 90% of which are run by franchisees.
