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.

Half Yearly Report

Highlights

· H1 Group revenue up 8.9% to £20.8 billion; organic service revenue down 2.8%* to £19.1 billon
· Q2 Group organic service revenue down 1.5%* compared to -4.2%* in Q1 due to improved commercial performance and reduced impact of mobile termination rate ('MTR') cuts
· Improved service revenue performance in all key markets in Q2: Germany -3.4%*, Italy -9.7%*; UK -3.0%*, Spain -9.3%*, India 13.2%*; and Vodacom 0.3%*
· H1 EBITDA down 10%* to £5.9 billion; organic EBITDA margin down 2.1* percentage points; reported margin 28.4%
· Free cash flow2 break even (£0.0 billion) reflecting Project Spring investments; total capex £3.9 billion, up £1.6 billion year-on-year
· Full year guidance: EBITDA now £11.6 billion to £11.9 billion, free cash flow remains positive. Guidance excludes Ono
· Additional £5.5 billion deferred tax assets recognised
· Net debt of £21.8 billion (or £18.6 billion including Verizon loan notes) including £5.8 billion in relation to Ono
· Interim dividend per share of 3.60 pence, up 2.0%

JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 219.05 219.05 260.00 265.00 Reiterates

is it going to climb today????

With the recent VOD strength its good to see VZ striving for recent highs.

Glad I'm hold these at the mo with div in hand and now a nice profit..... has vod reached it's top for now skinners ??

Well the "experts" view :-

13 Nov 14 Vodafone Group PLC Espirito Santo Execution Noble Sell 225.70 168.00 168.00 Retains
12 Nov 14 Vodafone Group PLC Morgan Stanley Overweight 225.70 - - Reiterates
12 Nov 14 Vodafone Group PLC Credit Suisse Outperform 225.70 220.00 220.00 Reiterates
12 Nov 14 Vodafone Group PLC Barclays Capital Overweight 225.70 235.00 245.00 Reiterates
12 Nov 14 Vodafone Group PLC Nomura Reduce 225.70 180.00 180.00 Reiterates
12 Nov 14 Vodafone Group PLC Deutsche Bank Buy 225.70 - 230.00 Reiterates
12 Nov 14 Vodafone Group PLC JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 225.70 260.00 265.00 Reiterate

I'd sooner have your expert view.... lol. Chart wise it may have reached it's first resting point, tomorrow could see a little more or maybe a fall back at the end of trading.....

">

Also volume tailing off back to norm, macd possibly saying there might be one more step.
Thats my take on it, from someone who hasn't gotta clue..... ;))

Looks a tad overbought at mo BB but wtfdik, 240.0 looks a good targe ev en tu ally :0)

I put in a target of 230p last night and a trailing stop.,.

FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT-AFRIMAX IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Your in the money now skinny, wish I had held on now.,.

Credit Suisse Outperform 224.53 233.95 220.00 250.00 Reiterates

JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 224.53 233.95 265.00 265.00 Reiterates

Citigroup Buy 224.53 233.95 250.00 250.00 Retains

Down 11p today.,.

Interim Management Statement

Interim management statement for the quarter ended 31 December 2014
5 February 2015

Highlights

· Q3 Group organic service revenue declined 0.4%*; Europe -2.7%*, AMAP 5.9%*
· Steady recovery in Europe, return to growth in UK: Germany -1.0%*, UK 0.9%*, Italy -7.4%*, Spain -8.9%*
· Continued momentum in AMAP despite tougher conditions in South Africa: India 15.0%*, Vodacom -3.9%*, Turkey 11.8%*
· Strong progress on Project Spring: mobile build 50% complete, European 4G coverage 65%
· 4G now available in 18 markets, with 13.7 million 4G customers across the Group
· Integration of KDG and Ono on track, with synergies in line with expectations
· Full year guidance confirmed, EBITDA £11.6 billion to £11.9 billion, free cash flow positive after all capex. Guidance excludes Ono

5 Feb JP Morgan... 265.00 Overweight
5 Feb Espirito... 180.00 Sell
4 Feb Espirito... 180.00 Sell
4 Feb Credit Suisse 250.00 Outperform
4 Feb Citigroup 250.00 Buy
3 Feb Berenberg 214.00 Hold
2 Feb Morgan Stanley 250.00 Overweight
2 Feb Berenberg 214.00 Hold
2 Feb Nomura N/A Reduce
28 Jan Credit Suisse N/A Outperform

AGREEMENT WITH VISA & CARTA RE VODAFONE WALLET

Final Results

Highlights

· Group revenue up 10.1% to £42.2 billion; full year organic service revenue declined 1.6%*
· Return to growth in Q4: organic service revenue up 0.1%*; Europe -2.4%*, AMAP 6.0%*
· EBITDA down 6.9%* at £11.9 billion; H2 EBITDA down 3.6%*
· EBITDA on a guidance basis £11.7 billion, in line with £11.6 - £11.9 billion guidance range
· Free cash flow £1.1 billion; capital expenditure £9.2 billion, up 45.7% year-on-year
· £5.5 billion deferred tax assets recognised and reported in H1
· Net debt of £22.3 billion, or £18.7 billion including $5.2 billion Verizon loan notes
· Final dividend per share of 7.62 pence, up 2.0%, giving total dividends per share of 11.22 pence

Steady!

Beaufort Securities Buy 226.60 - - Retains

Barclays Capital Overweight 226.60 260.00 260.00 Reiterates

Deutsche Bank Buy 226.60 250.00 250.00 Reiterates

JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 226.60 270.00 270.00 Reiterates

Citigroup Buy 240.60 250.00 265.00 Reiterates