MaSSSoftech

Hong Kong, Aug 17, 2009 - (ACN Newswire) - The following is an Asian excerpt from IRG's TMT Weekly Market Review Aug 10 - Aug 16. IRG is a financial advisory and investment firm focused on the core growth sectors in Asia with particular focus on the telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) sectors.



- Global sales of smartphones rise in the second quarter as some users sought more features for their money, but the overall mobile phone market declined year-on-year for the third consecutive quarter and the fall in average selling prices is accelerating. Consumers who would usually buy mid-range phones were either now purchasing smartphones or were trading down to less-expensive handsets. An increasing proportion of sales from emerging markets is hurting average selling prices,because several cheap but feature-rich phones have been launched on these markets, giving consumers little reason to trade up. Around 286 million handsets were sold in the three months to end-June. The drop follows a 9.4 percent decline on the yearin the first quarter.



Japan

- NTT DoCoMo Inc. replaced Softbank Corp. as Japan's No. 1 mobile-phone operator by user additions last month, regaining the top ranking for the first time in three years. DoCoMo added 143,600 users in July, 6,000 more than Softbank's 137,600 new subscribers in the period. Softbank, which released Apple's latest iPhone handset in June, dropped to second place after leading the ranking for 26 straight months. KDDI Corp. led in terms of new subscribers for the nine months preceding that. DoCoMo rose 1.2 percent to close, while Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average added 0.2 percent. Softbank fell 0.9 percent and KDDI gained 0.2 percent. The Aquos Shot handsets made by Sharp Corp. for DoCoMo users sold themost in July, followed by Apple's new iPhone for Softbank users.

- NEC Corp. hired Morgan Stanley and Daiwa Securities SMBC Co. to sell as much as 200 billion yen (US$2.1 billion) in stock and bonds. NEC may offer new shares to Japanese and global investors as early as September. The company is planning to sell securities like subordinated debt. The sale may help NEC repay its debt and finance investments in businesses such as renewable energy as the global recession caused the company's biggest annual loss in seven years. The company lacks growth engines and faces further risks that losses at its semiconductor unit will persist. NEC is looking forward to generate profit of 10 billion yen (US$105.4 million) in the 12 months ending March 2010 after posting a loss of 296.7 billion yen (US$3.1 billion) last fiscal year. To help increase its revenue, the company last year agreed to create a rechargeable-battery factory with Nissan Motor Co. to meet demand from electric and gasoline- electric hybrid automobiles.

- Elpida Memory, Inc. has entered into an agreement with Development Bank of Japan to raise 30,000 million yen (US$314.85 million) through the issue of its Series 1 and Series 2 preferred shares. The proceeds from the offering will be used by Elpida to implement its business restructuring plan, which includes investment in research and development and in capital expenditure.

- Trend Micro posted consolidated net sales of 24,244 million yen (US$249 million), operating income of 7,229 million yen (US$74 million) and net income of 4,028 million yen (US$41 million) for the quarter. The Japan region experienced flat consumer sales, and reduced enterprise sales. In North America, consumer sales increased even though appreciation of the yen against the dollar affected this region. EMEA sales revenues were down slightly along with its local currency, in addition to the strength of the yen, total sales substantially decreased when compared to the same period last year.


- Nintendo Beefing Up Overseas Download Lineup For DSi Portable. Nintendo will make a wider array of software titles available in the U.S. and Europe for downloading to its DSi hand-held game system.

- Kaneka Corp. has broadened its solar cell-related business by taking a controlling interest in Sanvic Inc., a leading maker of solar cell sealing materials. Kaneka recently boosted its stake in Sanvic from 49.5% to 50.2% and turned the company into a consolidated subsidiary.

Korea

- KT Corp.'s second-quarter results were generally in line with our expectations, and are maintaining its fair value estimate. Sales declined 2.7 percent year over year. Fixed-line voice revenue fell more than 8 percent versus the year-ago quarter because of the service terminations and decreasing usage. Heightening competition in the Internet access business resulted in a 6 percent decline in this segment over the same period. Performance was also weak in the wireless segment this quarter, despite 4 percent year-over-year customer growth, as results were dragged down by poor handset sales and lower average revenue per user, which declined 4 percent because of lower voice revenue. The EBITDA margin improved from the same year-ago quarter, from 23 percent to 25 percent.

- LG Telecom will combine its music service, MusicOn, with content from local entertainment company MNet Media which will offer a catalogue of 1.3 million songs and more than 80,000 music videos. With the newmobile music portal, LG will compete with KT's Dosirak and SK Telecom's Melon services.

- Samsung Group' former Chairman Lee Kun Hee was found guilty of breach-of-duty for his role in causing losses at Samsung SDS Co. The Seoul High Court handed Lee a three-year prison sentence because he knew SDS illegally sold convertible bonds to his son Lee Jae Yong in 1999 to transfer control of the group. The sentence is suspended for five years, meaning the former chairman will continue to be free. Leehas one week to appeal the verdict. The judge opted not to imprison Lee, partly because of his role in helping the company' sales and profit grow. Suspending the jail term highlights the tendency by South Korean courts to offer clemency to heads ofthe nation's family-run business groups for white-collar crimes.

- uth Korea will set up an advanced data centre in Vietnam that aims to enhance the overall competitiveness of the Southeast Asian country. Government Information Data Centre is being developed to improve the performance of the government and facilitate regional and international cooperation that is vital for sustained growth and administrative efficiency. A new memorandum of understand (MOU) was signed which would expand cooperative ties. The MOU reached in Vietnam is a follow-up to a deal iron out in May, and outlines cooperation in information technology-related consulting, exchange of personnel, effective control of data and joint efforts to help related companies. A joint South Korea-Vietnam information communication technology committee will be convened early next year at the latest, which can allow more detailed working-level talks to begin.

Singapore

- Singapore Telecommunications' regional mobile subscriber base grew 33 percent from a year earlier to 262.2 million during the fiscal first quarter ended June 30. Indian mobile associate Bharti Airtel added 33 million customers from a year earlier and ended the quarter with 102.4 million subscribers. Indonesian associate PT Telkomsel's customer base grew by 23.6 million to 76 million. The firm's subscriber base in Singapore grew by 238,000 to 2.99 million. SingTel's Australian unit, Optus, saw its subscriber base rose by around 764,000 customers toabout 8 million.

Cambodia

- Millicom International Cellular SA has agreed to sell its Cambodian operations for US$346 million in cash to The Royal Group, its partner in the country. The transaction comprises Millicom's 58.4 percent holdings ineach of CamGSM, Royal Telecam International and Cambodia Broadcasting Services. It values the Cambodian operations at an enterprise value of US$605 million, representing an estimated 7.1 times 2009 EBITDA. Millicom earlier this year decided to divest its Asian operations and focus on Africa and Latin America. The units in Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Laos will be classified as assets held for sale and that it had received expressions of interest from a number of parties.

Australia

- HutchisonTelecommunications (Australia) Ltd. swung to a first half net profit of A$552.0 million (US$465 million), boosted by the sale of its "3" business into a new mobile phone joint venture with Vodafone Australia. The group recorded a A$587.3 million (US$495 million) profit on the sale, which was completed in early June. Excluding the proceeds of the sale, the group's loss for the half ended June 30 narrowed to A$35.3 million (US$29.7 million) from a net loss of A$85.4 million (US$72 million) a yearearlier. Hutchison Australia and Vodafone agreed to merge their mobile phone units into a new entity. Vodafone Hutchison Australia giving them more power to take on Australia's mobile phone market leader Telstra and SingTel's Optus unit.

Indonesia

- PT Excelcomindo Pratama's first-half net profit was up 12 percent on year to 706.38 billion rupees (US$14.6 billion) because of the gains from telecommunication equipment leasing transactions. Operating revenue was raised to 7 percent. The slight increase in operating revenue, however, was offset by higher operating costs, which rose 19 percent. Its operating profit decreased 41 percent. Gains from leasing telecommunication equipment of 463.90 billion rupees (US$9.6 billion), compared withzero in the previous year drove net profit higher.

India

- Bharti Airtel Ltd. is running on a revised offer in its proposed merger with South Africa's MTN Group Ltd., possibly entailing a higher cash outgoing and additional debt to fund the deal. Bharti is working out the revised terms on an MTN share price increase and a rise in the cash component of the deal. The outgoings are likely to be higher than the US$4 billion originally estimated. Bharti will seek more bank loans to fund the transaction.

- India's investigation of the fraud at Satyam Computer Services Ltd. has nearly ended. The government has filed charges against seven people in the case. Satyam Computer Services has been at the center of India's biggest corporate fraud probe after former Chairman Ramalinga Raju overstated the company's assets by more than US$1 billion, triggering a drop in stock. A government-appointed board sold a controlling stake in Satyam to smaller rival Tech Mahindra Ltd. in April to prevent an exodus of clients and employees. Tax and finance ministry officials were continuing investigations into the draining off of funds.

- Bharti Airtel Ltd. plans to outsource the management and maintenance of its 80,000 kilometer-plus intercityoptic fiber cable network in a deal worth an estimated US$500 million over five years. Bharti has spoken to several telecom equipment companies and a contract will be issued shortly, the Web site quoted an executive privy to the development as saying.

- Dialog Telecom has launched a mobile phone network in Sri Lanka's former war zone, becoming the first international company to operate in the area. Dialog Telekom, a unit of Malaysia's Axiata Group Bhd. and Sri Lanka's biggest mobile operatorhas set up base stations in northern areas previously held by the rebel Tigers. The northern expansion drive is part of Dialog's network plans to install 60 base stations in the war-torn areas at a cost of up to US$10 million this year. The government declared the end of fighting with Tamil rebels after crushing the guerrilla leadership in mid-May following a decades-long ethnic conflict.

About IRG

IRG is a financial advisory and investment firm focused on the core growth sectors in Asia with particular emphasis on the telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) sectors. IRG's Financial Advisory business is underpinned by the decades of experience in Asia of IRG's professionals, resulting in a unique network of relationships with global and Asian corporations, government institutions, and public and private equity investors. IRG has developed and structured many of the largest and most innovative transactions in the key growth sectors in Asia over the last decade. IRG's Investment business is supported by its corporate finance experience in Asia with over US$13 billion in completed public and private markets transactions executed by IRG professionals over their respective careers in Asia. IRG's platform covers Greater China (Hong Kong, China and Taiwan), Japan, Korea, Singapore, Southeast Asia, and Australia. For more information, please contact Juliette Chow at Tel: +852 2237 6000 or E-mail: juliette@irg.biz



Source: IRG Copyright 2009 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved.
JCN Newswire

After playing a major role in elevating health information technology (HIT) into a leadership issue that is widely recognized as fundamental to achieving such national and organizational imperatives as world-class patient care and lower health care costs, the National Alliance for Health Information Technology is ceasing operation on September 30.

"In a few short years, NAHIT has accomplished its mission: HIT has moved front and center in efforts to reinvent and reinvigorate the U. S. health system," says Jane Horowitz, NAHIT chief operating officer. "Going forward, the action is shifting from NAHIT's focus on educating, advocating and building common ground to planning, implementing and using HIT to improving care, safety and efficiency."

"Other organizations are better positioned to help providers with implementation," says Horowitz. "In particular, the American Hospital Association (AHA) has close ties with hospital chief executive officers while the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is the leading industry association for chief information officers. These organizations, both ongoing supporters of NAHIT, understand the tremendous value and need for HIT. They are devoting substantial resources for helping their members realize the potential of HIT and ensuring HIT is embedded in health care reform initiatives. We know that the AHA and CHIME will continue to advance the adoption of HIT."

The picture for HIT was entirely different in 2002, when NAHIT was founded by leaders in all sectors, from providers and insurers to pharmaceutical companies and industry organizations. At the time, IT was a minor player in health care, and there was little to no momentum to harness technology to transform the industry. NAHIT, then, was created to forge consensus and accelerate progress on the use of IT to create the most effective, safe, unified, and inclusive health system possible.

With the expertise and efforts of its members, NAHIT tackled hot-button issues and built a solid track record of leading change. Its accomplishments include:

- Co-founding the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT.)

- Organizing a groundbreaking initiative to identify and coordinate the adoption of standards in the healthcare supply chain by creating the Healthcare Supply Chain Standards Coalition, which it merged with GS1 Healthcare US.

- Developing a consensus-driven definition of interoperability that has been adopted industry-wide and used in proposed legislative language

- Distilling and sharing HIT proven HIT best practices through its web sites, Idea Exchanges, Virtual Idea Exchanges, books, and host of other venues, and publishing Best Practices for Management and Board Collaboration in Health IT Adoption and Rules of Engagement: Proven Paths for Instilling, then Installing CPOE.

- Creating and maintaining the first directory of health IT standards, which it made public, and then donating the directory content to the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

- Leading a successful effort to gain industry consensus on the use of bar codes for identifying medication, which shaped the final regulations from the Food and Drug Administration.

- Spearheading for the Office of National Coordinator development of consensus-based definitions for key healthcare information technology terms with the goal of furthering healthcare information technology adoption and the exchange of health information.

- Advocating for a voluntary and flexible system of unique patient identifiers.

Source
The National Alliance for Health Information Technology

Aug 18, 2009 (AsiaPulse via COMTEX) -- TMHAF | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- An executive briefing on information technology for Aug 18, 2009, prepared by Asia Pulse (http://www.asiapulse.com), the real-time, Asia-based wire with exclusive news, commercial intelligence and business opportunities.
TECH MAHINDRA INDIA'S TOP TELECOM SOFTWARE PROVIDER: SURVEY

NEW DELHI - India's fifth largest software exporter Tech Mahindra (BSE:532755) has been ranked the country's top telecom software service provider by Voice & Data, a trade magazine.

Tech Mahindra said in a statement that according to the 14th V&D 100 Annual Survey, it has been named the number one telecom software provider.

CHINA MOBILE LAUNCHES ONLINE STORE

BEIJING - China Mobile (SEHK:0941) launched its online software and application store on Monday, said Tuesday's China Daily.

It was the first such store to be run by a telecom carrier and a major move by the world's biggest mobile phone operator to create new revenue streams as competition intensifies, said the newspaper.

SONY'S NEW SYSTEM TRIGGERS PC SOFTWARE VIA FELICA TECHNOLOGY

TOKYO - Sony Corp. (TSE:6758) has developed a system that uses its FeliCa smart card technology to automatically run software loaded on a personal computer.

Dubbed FeliCa Launcher, the new system will broaden applications for FeliCa-compatible PCs, which are growing in number but until now have only been able to use noncontact technology for depositing electronic money. FeliCa Launcher scans card data via a reader built into the PC and causes certain Web sites to be displayed or triggers specific software based on that information.

AUST HEALTH I.T. CO ISOFT SEES HIGHER SALES, PROFITS IN 2009/10

MELBOURNE - Australian health information technology company iSOFT Group Ltd (ASX:ISF) expects to generate higher sales and profits in 2009/10.

ISOFT, formerly IBA Health, builds software applications to enable healthcare providers such as hospitals to manage information on patients.

CICT PROMOTES DAVAO CITY AS HOUSEHOLD NAME IN IT INDUSTRY

DAVAO CITY - The Philippines Commission on Information and Communication Technology (CICT) has taken the lead in promoting Davao City as a household name in the IT industry.

Secretary Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua III said at the ICT Summit held last Tuesday that Davao had a strong potential and the presence of major Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) operators helped build the credibility of the city.

RICHMOND

Virginia technology secretary Len Pomata will soon resign as the state's interim chief information officer now that a permanent replacement has been found, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine confirmed Monday.

News of the planned resignation comes after a legal opinion by Attorney General Bill Mims that it is improper for Pomata to serve jointly as technology secretary and as CIO of the Virginia Information Technology Agency.

Pomata took the job without pay following the removal of former CIO Lemuel Stewart Jr. in June.

Stewart had suggested the state withhold $14 million in technology service payments to Northrop Grumman Corp., which has a 10-year, $2.3 billion contract to overhaul state government computer systems. The deal has come under scrutiny in recent months as the company missed key deadlines and state agencies criticized the quality of service.

Pomata may vacate the CIO job as early as Thursday, when the state's Information Technology Investment Board, of which he is a member, is scheduled to meet.

"I have been informed that that search is now over and it is likely that the ITIB will, by formal action, appoint the new CIO within the next few days," Kaine told reporters.

Legislative investigations of the technology deal have been initiated in recent months and several Republican lawmakers have been vocal critics of the VITA. Chesterfield County Republican Del. Sam Nixon asked the attorney general for an opinion on Pomata's multiple roles in the state technology sector.

On Monday, Nixon and other Republicans called on Pomata to resign immediately.

"The attorney general's opinion could not be more clear in its finding that Mr. Pomata's capacity to serve simultaneously in both offices of the Secretary of Technology and CIO 'legally are incompatible,' " said Nixon, who sponsored the 2003 bill that established the CIO position.

Kaine called the recent legal opinion "kind of theoretical."

"By the point at which the opinion was issued, we're on the verge of appointing a new CIO," he said.

"I'm thrilled that Len, in an unpaid capacity, has been willing to take that on. It saves us from having to hire somebody and pay them to be an interim," Kaine added. "And he has done really good work in the interim capacity for two months in terms of starting to deal with some of the VITA management issues that are so important. "

The technology transformation has been behind schedule and so far failed to produce the cost savings expected when the deal began in 2005.

Northrop Grumman has said that it may need to exceed the $236 million annual payment cap it agreed to in order to continue providing technology services.

Company officials have told state officials they are working to complete the technology upgrades and resolve lingering problems. The company has until Aug. 30 to present a plan to fulfill contract terms under a deadline imposed by the state.

An analysis of the deal by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission is expected to be completed by October.

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com

This one is pure fun.

Thanks to Al Gore and the miracle of the Internet, I can listen to radio stations around the world from my home base in The Original Las Vegas, N.M., including BBC Radio 3, which is in the midst of its "Proms" season -- probably the best live classical music festival in the world.

While offering some really serious music -- the Proms this summer is heavy on Stravinsky -- BBC Radio 3 also offers some rather whimsical concerts, the best of which features the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain in a concert at 5 p.m. EDT (10 p.m. London time) on Aug. 18.

There are no little grass shacks or other evocations of Hawaii in this live performance from London's Royal Albert Hall. The program includes the Ukulele Orchestra playing Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, music from the classic British WWI movie "The Dam Busters" and "unorthodox arrangements of songs by The Who and the Sex Pistols."

The ukulele concert concludes with "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, and the audience, which will gather in Royal Albert Hall, is encouraged to bring their own ukuleles to join in for a "mass rendition: of the piece." Ahh, one hopes there will always be an England.

You can listen to this concert live by clicking the music player button on the right hand top of the BBC 3 Web page or at a time of your choice for seven days after the broadcast on the Proms iPlayer page.

Various news reports highlight information technology as a central tool in reforming the health care system.

Baltimore Sun offers a primer on the major issues surrounding technology and health care: "Health information technology is the new rage for politicians and many health-care providers.... Proponents say it will lower health-care costs and improve quality of care. Others aren't so sure. But computerized record-keeping and communication has the potential to change hospital care and procedures dramatically" (Worth, 8/14).

Boston Globe reports: "Dartmouth College has received a $3 million federal grant to develop secure computing systems for health care facilities. The grant from the National Science Foundation is part of the federal stimulus bill. It will be used for a three-year project in which researchers will develop new secure, efficient systems to allow doctors to monitor patients through mobile phone and wearable wireless medical sensors. The team will be exploring the challenges of protecting the security of patient information while ensuring that health care providers can access the information they need" (8/15).

Kentucky Post reports: In step with national efforts to advance the application of health information technology, Gov. Steve Beshear, D-Ky., announced Friday the creation of the Governor's Office of Electronic Health Information within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. "President Barack Obama's administration is calling for universal adoption of electronic health records by 2014. To access stimulus funds to support HIT, states are required to have the technology and other infrastructure in place to support electronic health records and HIT." The governor's office will be "the single point of contact with federal and state agencies involved with HIT" (Noll, 8/14).

ASHBURN, Va., Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Intelligent Decisions, Inc. (ID), a premier global technology solutions provider specializing in Information Technology capabilities announces that it has advanced from Associate-level to Principal-level status in the Sun Partner Advantage program by completing all of the necessary Sun certifications and meeting revenue requirements set by Sun.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090128/PH63489LOGO )

ID has made a significant investment towards training across Sun's product platforms and met distinctive revenue requirements that helped earn this new status. As a Sun partner, ID has access to many benefits and discounts that can be passed on to their customers, in addition to providing an enhanced level of knowledgeable customer service, training resources and access to both Sun Solution Centers and Partner Solutions Labs.

"We are pleased to award Intelligent Decisions the Sun Partner Advantage level of Principal based on their level of commitment and investment to Sun Microsystems," said Randy Zewe, Sun Federal Channel Regional Executive. "The Sun Partner Advantage Program for Channel Partners is the foundation on which all Sun Partner types are able to build and grow their business with Sun and we are confident that ID will succeed based on their decades of IT experience and knowledge of Sun's products and solutions."

"ID is extremely proud to have been awarded this new partner level status with Sun Microsystems," said Intelligent Decisions' President and Chief Executive Officer, Harry I. Martin, Jr. "Sun Microsystems is a global leader in network computing, so to be awarded this partner status upgrade means that we now have access to Sun's innovative solutions, technology roadmaps and can offer our clients deeper discounts and product insight."

About Intelligent Decisions, Inc.

Headquartered in Ashburn, VA, Intelligent Decisions (ID), a premier global systems integrator, provides a broad range of innovative, IT professional services, software, hardware and manufacturing solutions to Federal, State and Local governments and Fortune 1000 customers. Ranked on the VARBusiness 500 and CRN's Fast Growth 100, ID offers best-value pricing and helps clients meet their strategic goals and mission objectives.

For more information, visit www.intelligent.net or call toll-free 800-929-8331.

Contact
Brady Kavulic
Intelligent Decisions
Senior Marketing Manager
p)703.554.1619
bkavulic@intelligent.net


SOURCE Intelligent Decisions, Inc.