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 India & Idea - Sale of Standalone Towers

American Tower to acquire the standalone tower businesses of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular

London, United Kingdom, Mumbai India - November 13, 2017



· Vodafone India and Idea Cellular Limited ("Idea")[1] have separately agreed to sell their respective standalone tower businesses in India to ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited ("ATC TIPL", formerly Viom)[2] for an aggregate enterprise value of INR78.5 billion (US$1.2 billion)[3].

· The standalone tower businesses of Vodafone India and Idea are pan-Indian passive telecommunication infrastructure businesses, comprising a combined portfolio of approximately 20,000 towers with a combined tenancy ratio of 1.65x as at 30 June 2017.

· Idea will sell its entire stake in ICISL and Vodafone India will sell a business undertaking to ATC TIPL.

· Both Vodafone India and Idea as customers, and ATC TIPL as a mobile network infrastructure provider, have agreed to treat each other as long-term preferred partners, subject to existing arrangements. The parties will work together to further the expansion of high speed mobile networks in India.

· After Vodafone India and Idea have completed their merger, ~6,300 co-located tenancies of the two operators on the combined standalone tower businesses will collapse into single tenancies over a period of two years without the payment of exit penalties[4].

· This transaction follows the Vodafone India / Idea merger announcement of 20 March 2017 whereby the parties announced their intention to sell their individual standalone tower businesses to strengthen the balance sheet of the combined business.

· In the event that the completion of the sale of the standalone tower businesses precedes the completion of the proposed merger of Vodafone India and Idea, Vodafone India will receive INR38.5 billion (US$592 million) and Idea will receive INR40.0 billion (US$615 million)[5]. The receipt of these proceeds prior to completion was anticipated and provided for in the merger agreement and hence would not affect the agreed terms of the Vodafone India and Idea merger, including the amount of debt which Vodafone will contribute to the combined company at completion[6].

· Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, and is expected to take place during the first half of calendar year 2018.



- ends -

Half-year Report

Vodafone announces results for the six months ended 30 September 2017
14 November 2017

Highlights
· Group total revenue down 4.1% to €23.1 billion, primarily due to the deconsolidation of Vodafone Netherlands and FX movements; operating profit up 32.5% to €2.0 billion; profit for the financial period of €1.2 billion
· Organic service revenue up 1.7%*; Q2 up 1.3%* (Europe 0.8%*, AMAP 6.2%*)
· Organic adjusted EBITDA up 13.0%* to €7.4 billion (9.3%* ex roaming, UK handset financing and regulatory settlements1)
· Free cash flow (pre-spectrum) improved to €1.3 billion vs. a €0.1 billion outflow in the prior year. Free cash flow was €0.4 billion vs. a €0.4 billion outflow in the prior year
· Raising full-year guidance for organic adjusted EBITDA growth to around 10% (previously 4-8%), implying a range of €14.75-€14.95 billion at guidance FX rates; FCF pre-spectrum to exceed €5 billion (previously 'around €5 billion')
· Vodafone India service revenues down 15.8%*, adjusted EBITDA down 39.2%*; merger with Idea Cellular progressing well
· Interim dividend per share of 4.84 eurocents, up 2.1%


more.....

Goldman Sachs Conviction Buy 230.25 300.00 305.00 Reiterates

Deutsche Bank Buy 230.25 300.00 300.00 Reiterates

JP Morgan Cazenove Overweight 230.25 275.00 300.00 Reiterates

HSBC Hold 230.25 230.00 230.00

VODAFONE ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING MEDIA SPECULATION

Vodafone Group plc ("Vodafone") notes the recent press speculation regarding a potential transaction with Liberty Global plc ("Liberty Global").

Vodafone confirms that it is in early stage discussions with Liberty Global regarding the potential acquisition of certain overlapping continental European assets owned by Liberty Global.

There is no certainty that any transaction will be agreed, nor as to the terms, timing or form of any transaction.

Vodafone is not in discussion with Liberty Global regarding a combination of both companies.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU regulation 596/2014.

Twice normal volume today---Vod buy some Liberty assets----Liberty bid for ITV---that would be good.

RBC Capital Markets Outperform 212.45 270.00 270.00 Reiterates

Numis Buy 212.45 270.00 270.00 Raise

Deutsche Bank Buy 212.45 315.00 315.00 Reiterates

Just had a few of these for the SIPP.

Nice divi even if it only moves sideways.

Ditto Dil, also bought some more BP. as well after the good results. Good divi too. H

Right then , 300p by xmas here we come :-)

divi cut coming avoid, above 180p BB

Another look at £2.

Trading update for the quarter ended 30 June 2018

Not a pretty chart.

Bouncing nicely away from the long term support.

Chart of the week: Here's when to buy Vodafone shares

Vodafone jumps on report of Elliott interest

Just a reminder - Vodafone 5G in the UK

There is no denying that the chart is looking absolutely horrendous for VOD at the moment. But, taking the 30 year chart the SP seems to be on the point of support, hence my decision to add a few shares this morning to a general account.

On the positive side, the company has more than 19 years of dividend growth and has not hinted of a cut. And nowadays, it is, after all a utility company at or close to saturation in Europe. Very few people can claim not to have received a telephone call from a VOD account holder. For my own part, VOD provides the fallover Internet facility for my company.

Your hope is the dividend.


(And mine.)