LONDON (Thomson Financial) - The telecoms regulator on Thursday fined the Greek unit of UK mobile giant Vodafone 19.1 mln eur for violating network regulations in a wire-tapping scandal that rocked the country last year.

The fine is the second handed to Vodafone Hellas over the case after a 76 mln eur penalty levelled by Greece's communication privacy watchdog last December.

Some 100 Vodafone cellphones in February 2006 were found to have been compromised by an illicit network that tapped sets used by Greek Premier Costas Karamanlis, his wife and several ministers from June 2004 to March 2005.

The tapping used software slipped into Vodafone's network by unknown perpetrators to illegally activate an Ericsson-made module permitting call interception.

On Thursday, the national telecommunications regulator EETT accused Vodafone of breaching regulations on the protection of telecommunications privacy, network maintenance and quality, and consumer protection.

The company rejected last December's fine as 'illegal, unfair and baseless.'

A Greek parliament committee collecting evidence on the case last November noted the involvement of three employees of telecoms giants Ericsson Hellas and Vodafone Greece, identified only by their initials.

'The whole system could not operate without Ericsson know-how and without access from within (Vodafone),' the report said.

The Greek branch of Swedish telecom equipment giant Ericsson has also been fined 7.36 mln eur over the case.

The parliamentary committee did not rule out the involvement of other people operating outside Greece.

The Greek justice department has opened an investigation into the case but nobody has yet been charged.

Days before the affair came to light, a senior Vodafone expert was found hanged inside his home.

The death of Costas Tsalikidis, manager of Vodafone Greece's network planning section, was linked to the case and his family suspects he was murdered.

you lost money then even with div.,. can't win um all.

TANKER - 10 Jun 2011 09:22 - 192 of 194
baler i sold at 163.010p on the 20th


TANKER - 27 May 2011 09:11 - 145 of 194
have just added 20145 at 169095p

Surely some mistake?

Think the big money is all talk skinny.,.

yes it was correct i bought 20145 back and sold them 5 mins later .
i was ment to buy which i did lgen and it cost me 238 pounds
i was to quick on the keys old age

i have only been back home 10 mins what the hell is happening to drop like this again glad i did not put a buy in for sbry was going to buy at 325p now 322 .will wait

see wall street and it's obvious

cynic been out since 10 30 glad i did i was going to buy sbry,
but will keep a close eye on them

the states will never recover till that barmy obama is gone .

2012 he will be history. Love or hate Bush he was no pussy.

..Search for share prices
Search for share prices
.Fri 1 Jul 2011 17:51 - UK Markets are closed
..Vodafone buys Essar out of Indian JV for $5.46bn

tweet0Print..Companies:HUTCHISON WHAMPOAVODAFONE GRPTopics:Mergers & AcquisitionsInternationalAsia.Related Quotes
Symbol Price Change
0013.HK 84.00 +1.60

VOD.L 164.30 -1.00


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{"s" : "0013.HK,VOD.L","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Katherine Rushton, 18:23, Friday 1 July 2011

Vodafone (LSE: VOD.L - news) has sealed a deal to buy Essar out of their Indian joint venture for $5.46bn (3.4bn), finally putting an end to their turbulent four-year relationship.

The British telecoms giant has agreed to buy Essar's 33pc stake in Vodafone Essar after months of wrangling over the terms of the deal, giving it flexibility to operate more independently in the territory.

Vodafone and Essar initially went into business together in 2007, when Vodafone purchased a 67pc stake in Hutchison Whampoa (HKSE: 0013.HK - news) 's Indian telecoms business, in which Essar already had a stake.

The deal allowed Vodafone to enter the Indian market for the first time.

However, Vodafone and Essar clashed repeatedly, with Essar claiming Vodafone was trying to force them out of the joint venture and Vodafone criticising Essar's plans to restructure its telecoms business.

Under the terms of the initial deal, Essar retained a "put option" to sell its entire 33pc stake for $5bn by May 2011 and Vodafone said in March that it would buy Essar out of the joint venture.

Today's deal is $460m above Essar's put option, but $880m will be withheld for tax, which Essar believes it can later recover.

It sees a total severing of ties between the two companies, and Vodafone said in a statement that all outstanding claims between them have been terminated.

Interim Management Statement.

Group service revenue +1.5%(*), excluding mobile termination rate cuts +3.9%(*)

Strong service revenue growth in India +16.8%(*), Turkey +32.1%(*) and Vodacom +7.8%(*); resilient performance from Germany +0.2%(*) and UK +1.7%(*)

Conditions in southern Europe remain challenging: Italy -1.5%(*), Spain deteriorating to -9.9%(*) due to price reductions

Group data revenue +24.5%(*) at 1.5 billion; Europe smartphone penetration 19.5% (Q1 FY11: 13.6%)

1.3 billion free cash flow after continued capital investment, supports dividend target

Net debt reduced to 23.1 billion following receipt of 6.8 billion SFR disposal proceeds; 4.0 billion share buyback started, 10% complete (1)

Polkomtel sale announced; agreed terms to buy a further 33% stake in Vodafone Essar Limited

Full year outlook confirmed

RNS Number : 3274L

Vodafone Group Plc

28 July 2011

29 July 2011

VODAFONE TO RECEIVE GBP2.8 BILLION DIVIDEND FROM VERIZON WIRELESS IN JANUARY 2012

Vodafone today announces that the Board of Verizon Wireless has approved the payment of a $10 billion (GBP6.1 billion) dividend. As a 45% shareholder in Verizon Wireless, Vodafone's share of the dividend will be $4.5 billion (GBP2.8 billion). The dividend is due to be paid on 31 January 2012.

The Board of Vodafone therefore intends to pay a special dividend of GBP2.0 billion, equivalent to 4.0 pence per share, to Vodafone shareholders in February 2012. Details of the dividend timetable will be communicated with Vodafone's interim results on 8 November 2011. The balance of the proceeds will be retained to reduce net debt.

Vittorio Colao, Chief Executive of Vodafone, commented:

"Our long term partnership in Verizon's strong and successful wireless business has seen the value of our investment increase significantly over recent years. The dividend from Verizon Wireless allows us not only to reward our own shareholders with an immediate and sizeable cash return, but also to continue to reinvest in our business to improve our customers' experience, further strengthen our competitive position and create additional value for shareholders."

ENDS

IF Verizon continues to pay the same annual dividend what will the yield be on Vodaphone shares, wake up market?

8% 'ish.

Just closed a cheeky short +3. They are definitely a good buy at some point - but that can be said for quite a few good yielders today - every cloud ...........

I had a cheeky short on AU. yesterday nice 52 points profit on close today.

in what have been consistently vile markets, and it's disturbing to see this morning's gains already comfortably lost, VOD has been performing very well ...... chart below shows sp has now broken north through 200 dma, which can be no bad thing

Added a few @155.95.

don't forget Verizon Wireless workers are on strike in the US which may impact on their bottom line.

RNS Number : 1392M

Vodafone Group Plc

10 August 2011

10 August 2011

PIRAMAL HEALTHCARE TO ACQUIRE 5.5% STAKE IN VODAFONE ESSAR

Vodafone Group ("Vodafone") and Piramal Healthcare ("Piramal") today announced that Piramal has agreed to purchase approximately 5.5% of the issued equity share capital of Vodafone Essar Limited ("VEL") from ETHL Communications Holdings Limited ("Essar") for cash consideration of approximately US$640 million (GBP400 million(1) ).

The transaction follows the settlement between Vodafone and Essar over the sale of Essar's approximately 33% stake in VEL, announced on 1 July 2011.

The transaction contemplates various exit mechanisms for Piramal, including both participation in a potential initial public offering of VEL and a sale of its stake to Vodafone(2) .

- ends -