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.

RNS Number : 2649X

Vodafone Group Plc

13 February 2012

13 February 2012

RESPONSE TO PRESS SPECULATION

Vodafone notes the recent press speculation regarding Cable & Wireless Worldwide plc ("CWW").

Vodafone regularly reviews opportunities in the sector and confirms that it is in the very early stages of evaluating the merits of a potential offer for CWW. There is no certainty that an offer will be made nor as to the terms on which any offer might be made. Any offer, if made, will be in cash but Vodafone reserves the right to change the specie of consideration. A further announcement will be made in due course, if appropriate.

In accordance with Rule 2.6a of the Takeover Code, Vodafone is required to, by not later than 5pm on 13 March 2012, either announce a firm intention to make an offer in accordance with Rule 2.7 of the Takeover Code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the Takeover Code applies unless the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers has consented to an extension of this deadline.

- ends -

skin just added 14397 . for the div

VOD not very happy today - maybe the CW. situation is about to be resolved.

skin which way and how much?

I wouldn't/couldn't begin to guess and I maybe totally wrong!

Your instinct, Skinny?

Much like anyone else's - hopeful - especially as I hold both!

skin its either a win for CW.holders or its not, the question is whether the successful bidder is VODA or TATA.

halifax - I understand the nuances of the situation - I just am not an advisor in any capacity - ask my 3 grown up children :-)

thanks. I hold CW. from 17.5p, sold half at 31.5. rest is left for 50-60p.
I still hold my initial purchase at 75.5p!!! the same for cwc!!!

Good luck to us all then! :-)

If VOD drop much more, I may add some more for the yield.

today VODA lost almost £500,000 on their shares they bought back yesterday, glad their shareholders can afford it.

final div is 6.5p this is correct

Final dividend was 6.05p payment date Aug 5th 2011.

Followed by interim dividend 3.05p + special dividend 4.00p - payment date for both Feb 3rd 2012.

skin vod investers have told me 6.5p final div and will rise 7 % ever year for the next 3 years

since june VODA has bought back shares for nearly £3billion yet their sp has fallen, can anybody explain why share buybacks improve shareholder value?

They don't! Contributors to Shares Mag constantly berate the companies which try to convince shareholders that they are getting a good deal out of it. Nobody has yet come up with a good argument.

halifax - have a read and discuss! Stock Buyback can Benefit Shareholders

if the company is run badly then buying back stock will not help
looking at vod the directors are milking the company for there own ends
this company SP is the same as june 07 ,
that tells you the board are FAILURES BIG TIME .
and the directors should be ashamed but they are not there bank balance is still getting bigger on the backs of holders

VOD (blue) v FTSE (red) (not including dividends).