<span style='font-size:11pt;line-height:100%'>Slovenian Network Buys Rival</span>

Mobilkom Austria Slovenian subsidiary Si.Mobil has paid US$26 million to buy struggling rival GSM operator, Vega. Si.mobil reached an agreement with Western Wireless International, the owner of Vega, which is going to exit Slovenian market. Si.mobil will acquire 135 base stations and belonging sites. Si.mobil examined the offer of WWI precisely and among 326 sites, chose the ones that would improve the existing coverage. Si.mobil currently ensures 99.6% coverage of Slovene population with GSM/GPRS signal and 80% coverage with EDGE technology.

Si.mobil, which is operating under the Si.mobil-Vodafone brand, expressed great interest for existing users of third mobile operator Vega. Special offer is adjusted to existing users of Vega. Users of Vega will also have the possibility to port the number into Si.mobil - Vodafone network, which was not possible till now.

The Mobile World database reported that Vega ended last year with just 35,000 subscribers - representing less than 2% of the market. Si.Mobil itself has just under 20% of the market, with some 360,000 subscribers.

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/6344/vega0cv.jpg

This is yet another step taken by Alltel which acquired Western Wireless and Western Wireless International last year. They have already sold off their Irish network, Meteor. The only thing still outstanding in their European portfolio is tele.ring which is almost part of T-Mobile Austria.

Yes, Telering has already written its epitaph and it's going to merge in T-Mobile... :(
Who bought Meteor?

Oh yes, Meteor still survives, bought by Eircom, which had the actual Vodafone network in the past, if I'm not wrong...

Yep, EirCom bought Meteor. They did own Eircell until 2000 when Eircom decided to spin off its wireless division. Vodafone made a bid for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eircell