Leading mobile phone makers lose market share

The Galaxy S from Samsung (right)
and Apple's iPhone 3G,
being demonstrated in South Korea

The world's leading mobile phone makers are losing market share to non-brand manufacturers, according to research. Analysts at Gartner say smaller, Asian companies accounted for a third of worldwide handset sales in July, August and September. Nokia is still the biggest seller of mobiles, followed by Samsung and LG.

Meanwhile, Google's Android operating system has sharply increased its share and is now the second most popular mobile operating system after Symbian.

SRI LANKA CO-HOSTS ICC WORLD CUP 2011

In 2011 Sri Lanka will host the world’s most prestigious event in the cricket calendar, the International Cricket Council World Cup. The games played in February and March will take place in stadiums located in the colonial capital, Colombo, the Southern coastal city of Hambantota and the ancient capital, Kandy. Sri Lanka is currently 2nd in the world cup rankings, closely followed by England in 5th place. As potential favourites to go through to the Quarter and Semi Finals, the England cricket team may have the opportunity to play at one of these venues.

Airtel posts $370 Million 2Q profit but misses estimates

Bharti Airtel Ltd., India’s largest mobile-phone operator, reported profit fell 27 percent after the company cut calling rates to compete in the world’s second- largest wireless market.

Second-quarter net income dropped to 16.6 billion rupees ($374 million) in the three months ended Sept. 30, compared with 22.6 billion rupees a year earlier, New Delhi-based Bharti said today. That lagged behind the 17.8 billion rupee average of 27 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg.

Confusion over 5 SIMs or 25 SIMS per person?

Despite media reports that said Sri Lanka’s Defense Ministry had limited use of Mobile SIMS to 5 per person an official from country’s telecom regulator said that the rule has only restricted a person to have 5 SIMS per mobile operator in the country. 

India, Sri Lanka to sign agreement on ferry service soon

India and Sri Lanka would soon sign an agreement to commence ferry service between Tamil Nadu and the island nation, a step towards promoting tourism between the two countries.
"The proposal would go to the Cabinet soon for approval and after that Memorandum of Understanding can be signed for the same," a shipping ministry official told PTI.

Sri Lanka poised to legalise gambling

Sri Lanka's parliament is set to pass a controversial law to legalise gambling today, which the opposition opposes on the grounds that it will increase prostitution.
The government is rushing through legislation that will empower President Mahinda Rajapakse, who also acts as the minister of finance, to grant licences to set up gambling establishments in specified areas.
Casinos and horse-racing bookies have been operating in Sri Lanka for decades, exploiting loopholes in the law to avoid an official ban on gambling.

Sri Lanka move ahead of India in ODI rankings

With the countdown towards the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 reaching the 100-day mark, Sri Lanka have laid down a marker to the other 13 teams by claiming second place in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI championship after a confidence-boosting series win over table-topper Australia.