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.

Vodafone Europe, it seems. (though AT&T possibly also looking at EE.)

Vodafone shares jumped on reports that AT&T is planning to invest in the telecoms giant in early 2014

all woolly rumour so likely to have questionable validity

But........what happened to 'Buy on rumour, sell on fact?' This has got to be the best example ever!

never ever buy on t/o rumour

Half Yearly Report

· Q2 Group organic service revenue on a management basis1 declined 4.9%*; N. & C. Europe down 4.9%*; S. Europe down 15.5%*; AMAP up 5.7%*

· H1 EBITDA2 on a management basis1 down 4.1%* to £6.6 billion, now reported excluding restructuring and significant one-off items of £228 million in H1

· Adjusted operating profit2 on a management basis1 £5.7 billion, free cash flow on a management basis1 £2.0 billion

· Full year guidance3 confirmed: adjusted operating profit2 around £5.0 billion; free cash flow £4.5 - £5.0 billion

· Interim dividend per share of 3.53 pence, up 8.0%; intention to pay full year dividends per share of 11 pence

· US$130 billion sale of US Group announced, US$84 billion expected return to shareholders

· Completion of Kabel Deutschland acquisition in October 2013 advances unified communications strategy

· Additional deferred tax assets of £17.7 billion recognised in relation to the Group's historical tax losses; £3.0 billion tax charge recognised in relation to the sale of the US Group

Vodafone to invest £7 billion as trading slumps

(Reuters) - Britain's Vodafone plans to spend 7 billion pounds on its networks following the sale of its U.S. business, ramping up investment after it posted a record fall in quarterly organic service revenue.

The world's second-largest mobile operator, which agreed a deal in September to sell its U.S. arm to Verizon Communications for $130 billion, said it would spend 7 billion pounds ($11.2 billion) by March 2016 to improve its networks in a bid to set it apart from rivals.

The group announced the details of its "Project Spring" spending programme as it reported first-half results showing the pressures across the group.

New high @233.75p

A new high @234.35p

Deutsche Bank Buy 234.38 234.35 246.00 258.00 Reiterates

Does anyone ever listen to the idiots skinny ?

They all had them as a sell at a quid !

ah well, that was yesterday :-)

the "easy chart" below shows sp just teasing below 25 dma, so if you're looking to buy, perhaps just wait for any market consolidation to complete

Interesting to see that the price fall is (marginally) less than the dividend atm.

Link copied.

Traders Purchase High Volume of Call Options on Vodafone (VOD)

Telecoms giant Vodafone (VOD) today announced the launch of its mobile wallet service which will enable customers to make a wide range of transactions with a wave or touch of their smartphone. The service will launch in Spain today, Germany in mid-December and the Netherlands, UK and Italy in spring 2014. The update prompted Deutsche Bank to maintain its "buy" recommendation and 258p target price. The shares dipped by 0.9p to 229.5p.

Verizon Reaffirms Bright Future Through Third Quarter Earnings Release

Nomura Buy 226.80 226.80 235.00 250.00 Reiterates

UPDATE ON VZW TRANSACTION - FCC APPROVAL RECEIVED

UPDATE ON VERIZON WIRELESS TRANSACTION

FCC APPROVAL RECEIVED

Vodafone today confirms that on 4 December 2013, in connection with the disposal of its US group whose principal asset is its 45% interest in Verizon Wireless to Verizon, Verizon received the required approval from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"). Vodafone welcomes the FCC's timely consideration of this matter.

The Transactions and the Return of Value remain subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of Vodafone's and Verizon's shareholders. The Transactions and the Return of Value are expected to complete in Q1 2014.

In other words... Boots about to be filled.