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.

Nomura, one of a few brokers downgrading their forecasts:
"We pre-empt cautious margin guidance post weak sector results.
Consensus margin assumptions (flat for FY12) still need to moderate downwards and will lead to near-term EPS pressure. We now forecast margin contraction of 120bp for FY11 and 50bp for FY12. We cut FY12E EPS by 3%, post notably weak sector results and Italian MTR cuts last week. However, we think that this move is largely understood and that Vodafone still offers secure progressive growth in yield (at least 7%), with the potential for a substantial dividend uplift on VZW resolution. With Vodafone defending its patch better than in recent years, we believe that sentiment towards management will improve further. Moreover, in our view, at an in-line sector valuation (5.4x forward EBITDA), investors should build positions ahead of U.S. value crystallisation at year-end. Our DCF-based valuation target moves down 2% to 210p."

charts are rubbish if you follow them then we lose money . a share goes up on good results and good news and falls on the opposit . if you bought on charts in oil companys you would be broke . the only way to make money is follow the news and make your decision

take a look at the banking sector the charts are like the lady of the night

cynic back to work . my top tips for the next 8 months are barc . vod. tw

No YELL, HMV, DXNS, GAME

off subject why is david laws not going jail like the others .he is a thief stealing my taxes .

clegg on tv saying he is a very clever man . so why did he steal tax payers money .
he is no different than a benefit fraud

i quite like TW as well, as you will see from the thread about it .... despite the general housing market, i liked their re-aligned stance away from cheapo-cheapo and that they have benefitted from same ..... but you're welcome to VOD and BARC

for myself, i have held BLNX for quite a while now, but i suspect that still has plenty of mileage in it, and also hold WPP in that sector

others in my portfolio that i also like and expect to keep holding are AIE and AFR

cynic barc will hit 400p in next 8 months

My best porfolio share over the last 12 months is BLNX, with Booker a good second.

final div 7p

vod to annouce 60 percent rise in profits .

If that lifts the sp 25% I'd be happy:))

why do you think i have been buying and told every one to buy .
in 12 months these will be 250p cert

tanks .... i wish you wouldn't spoil your posts (recommendations) by citing some totally unknowable (preposterous some would say) level that will be reached in 6/12 months

cynic my info is always good and he says 250p plus .
and told me this 4 weeks ago and you will see he is correct .
i am now looking for the next move .

i think some of your stock choices are very good, though i confess i cannot enthuse about VOD, but that's just me ...... however, predicting some massive price increase smehwre far too far out, smacks of wishful thinking at best

btw, any joy finding out the divi info you were seeking?

cynic no i have had a busy weekend . vod to raise div by 50 percent over the next 18 months so will hold on to them . it is over 5 percent now . cynic they are cash rich and more good news to come over the next 6 months

always remember funds only buy at the top that is why never put money into a pension fund SILLY THEY ARE USELESS MANAGERS look at the pru totaly useless

it is over 5 percent now ...... what is? ..... from memory, you bought at 169 and sp is a tad below that .... other than that, i cannot disagree other than the "guaranteed" price increase