Retail News CRM

Author: Mei Ling Tan

  • Malaysian firm to buy stake in five solar farms in Vietnam

    Malaysian firm to buy stake in five solar farms in Vietnam

    A subsidiary of Malaysia’s largest power utility, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, plans to acquire a 39 percent stake in five Vietnamese solar power projects from Singapore’s Sunseap Group.

    The farms were built last December in southern Vietnam and have a total capacity of 21.6 MW.

    After selling 39 percent to TNB Renewables, likely this month, Sunseap will own a 51 percent stake in them.

    President and CEO of TNB, Datuk Bahrain Din, said the deal would mark TNB’s entry into Vietnam’s fast-growing renewable energy and utility market.

    Sunseap Group owns projects in Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, China, Taiwan, and Cambodia.

    In 2019, it completed the $150-million solar farm, the solar power plant CMX Renewable Energy Vietnam, one of the country’s largest in central Ninh Thuan Province.

    TNB has projects in the UK, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, and Indonesia, and expects to have 8.3 GW of renewable energy by 2025.

    Of the foreign investors in Vietnam’s renewables sector, the majority are from Thailand.

    In 2020 Thailand’s Super Energy Corporation Public Company invested $456.7 million to build four solar plants in southern Vietnam, Loc Ninh 1, 2, 3, and 4.

    Gulf Group increased its ownership of two solar farms in the southern province of Tay Ninh from 49 percent to 90 percent in the second quarter of last year.

    In 2019, AC Energy, a subsidiary of the Philippines’ Ayala company, and Vietnam’s BIM Group established BIM/AC Renewables to develop projects in the central Ninh Thuan Province.

  • Nokia partners QTnet to launch local 5G network in Kyushu

    Nokia partners QTnet to launch local 5G network in Kyushu

    QTnet, which provides broadband and related services to customers, will now be able to launch new services using Nokia’s local 5G technology, thus creating a sizeable business opportunity. The private wireless network will be based on the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud, a high-performance, private wireless networking and edge computing platform that will power digital transformation across the Kyushu region.

    Together, Nokia and QTnet will also join forces with the Kyushu Institute of Technology to provide new local 5G-enabled services on the Institute’s university campus. This will be the first industry-academia collaboration in Japan to create a local 5G environment in a university campus setting. Services include self-operating stores, walking support for the visually impaired, cafeteria crowd monitoring, and new trials with partners and research labs.

    Sadao Mouri, Director and Senior Managing Executive Officer at QTnet, said: “Local 5G has the potential to enable new applications and business models while dramatically improving users’ quality of life. By deploying robust local 5G private wireless networks in Kyushu, we will enable anchor institutions like education, healthcare, and first responders to reach new levels of efficiency and productivity. Nokia’s track record in providing reliable local 5G networks will be an important milestone in creating new businesses.”

    Donny Janssens, Head of Nokia Enterprise Japan, said: “We are excited to work with QTnet on this 5G initiative, which is the first of its kind in Kyushu. With a high-performance 5G network, Kyushu institutions can take advantage of innovative new services and applications which will transform the way they operate. We look forward to expanding the local 5G private wireless ecosystem while delivering compelling 5G experiences.”

    Lees ook:

  • Singapore offers best mobile experience in South East Asia

    Singapore offers best mobile experience in South East Asia

    At a country-level, Singapore won in all metrics tested, with the most important win being the highest Excellent Consistent Quality in South East Asia, with 84.5% of connections having a network experience suitable for use-cases like 1080p video streaming, real-time mobile gaming and HD video calling. Singapore also had the highest Core Consistent Quality in the region at 94.4%.

    Consistent Quality is a set of metrics that Tutela has developed to objectively evaluate when connections are (or are not) enabling users to do the things they want to on their mobile devices. There are two sets of thresholds, Excellent and Core. A connection that hits the Excellent threshold is sufficient for use-cases like 1080p video streaming, HD video calling, and multiplayer gaming, while a Core connection should be sufficient to stream standard-definition video or handle day-to-day activities like web browsing or uploading photos to social media. The percentages seen in this report represent the percentage of tests for subscribers on a given operator that was above the Excellent or Core thresholds.

    Singapore also had the fastest download speed at 26.2 Mbps, the fastest upload speed at 14.7 Mbps, and the most responsive network with a latency result of 9.0 ms. However, Vietnam was always very close behind, with second-place winnings for both Excellent Consistent Quality (72.3%) and Core Consistent Quality (86.1%).

    The report was released by Tutela Technologies, a global crowdsourced mobile data company, and evaluated over 55 million speed and latency tests, conducted on the smartphones of real-world users of national mobile operators within Common Coverage Areas, between August 1st and January 31st, 2021.

    Per country findings were as follows:

    Singapore:

    • By operator in Singapore, StarHub dominated in four of the seven metrics tested, including the highest Excellent Consistent Quality with 87.3% of users having a network experience suitable for 1080p video streaming or HD group video calling.
    • StarHub also had the highest Core Consistent Quality, Tutela’s measure of whether a connection is good enough for everyday uses, like email, social media, and SD video streaming, the fastest download speeds, and the most responsive network in the country.

    Indonesia:

    • Telkomsel won six out of the seven metrics tested, with Indosat Ooredoo being the only other operator to make it onto the leaderboard in Indonesia with the fastest median upload speed.
    • Telkomsel was in first place for Excellent Consistent Quality with 65.0%, and also in first for Core Consistent Quality with 83.5%. However, there was only a 3% difference between the operator and second-place Indosat Ooredoo.

    Malaysia:

    • In Malaysia, the leaderboard was shared by at least four operators, with U Mobile offering its users the best mobile experience in the country. The operator won the highest Excellent and Core Consistent Quality, and fastest upload speed.
    • Digi had the fastest median download speed in Common Coverage Areas across Malaysia with 10.6 Mbps but came third in the upload speed test with 6.2 Mbps. Maxis had the most responsive network in the country, while Celcom had both the best 5G/4G coverage and total coverage.

    Thailand:

    • By operator in Thailand, AIS won in four of the seven categories tested, including the highest Excellent Consistent Quality and most responsive network. However, TrueMove was also on the leaderboard in three of the seven categories including the highest Core Consistent Quality and both the fastest download and upload speeds.
    • With only two operators in the Philippines to compare, Smart outperformed Globe in six out of the seven categories tested, with Globe taking out one category with the best total coverage.

    Vietnam:

    • Viettel Mobile in Vietnam offered the best mobile experience to its users, winning in five categories and tying for first place with Vinaphone for fastest median download speeds.
    • MobiFone was on the leaderboard in one category with the highest Core Consistent Quality.
  • Gap mulls sale of China business

    Gap mulls sale of China business

    Apparel retailer Gap is weighing options including a potential sale of its China business, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

    The report said the Old Navy parent was working with an adviser to explore its options and has contacted prospective suitors. It added there was a possibility that Gap could also keep the business.

    The company, owner of Banana Republic and Athleta brands, said it does not comment on rumors when contacted by Reuters.

    Gap entered the Chinese market about a decade ago, betting on rising incomes in the world’s second-largest economy to boost its sales. However, it stopped selling Old Navy apparel in the country last year to sharpen its focus on North America.

    Gap’s Asian market accounts for about 5 percent of its overall net sales, according to its latest regulatory filing. The company does not break out country-specific sales.

    Shares of Gap, up 43 percent this year, rose about 1 percent in extended trading after the report.

  • Fashion giant H&M pauses placing new orders in Myanmar

    Fashion giant H&M pauses placing new orders in Myanmar

    Sweden’s H&M, the world’s second-biggest fashion retailer, said on Monday it was shocked by the use of deadly force against protesters in Myanmar and that it had paused placing orders in the country.

    Police and military have killed more than 50 people to quell daily demonstrations and strikes against a Feb. 1 military coup, according to the United Nations last week.

    H&M has around 45 direct suppliers in Myanmar, it said on its website, and has sourced in the country for seven years.

    “Although we refrain from taking any immediate action regarding our long-term presence in the country, we have at this point paused placing new orders with our suppliers,” Serkan Tanka, Country Manager Myanmar, said in an email.

    “This is due to practical difficulties and an unpredictable situation limiting our ability to operate in the country, including challenges related to manufacturing and infrastructure, raw material imports, and transport of finished goods.”

    Two protesters were killed by gunshot wounds to the head in Myanmar on Monday, witnesses said, while shops, factories and banks were closed in the main city Yangon as part of the uprising against the country’s military rulers.

    Tanka said H&M was extremely concerned about the situation in the country and that it was in dialogue with UN agencies, diplomatic representatives, human rights experts, trade unions, and other multinational companies.

    “These consultations will guide us in any future decision in relation to how we as a company can best contribute to positive developments in accordance with the will of the people in Myanmar,” he said.

    Myanmar’s garment industry is smaller than that of neighboring countries Bangladesh, China and Thailand. However, its around 600 factories are significant employers, providing jobs for around 450,000 workers in 2020, according to the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association.

    Lees ook:

  • Hong Kong furniture retailer launches online food range

    Hong Kong furniture retailer launches online food range

    Hong Kong furniture retailer Pricerite has introduced its first online food range, Pricerite Food, fronted by Hong Kong rising star, actor Liu Junqian.

    According to the company, Pricerite Food’s philosophy is to promote a “slow living” lifestyle amid the influence of “fast-food culture”. The range is split into three categories: quality exclusive, traditional taste and Asian taste.

    “Our philosophy is to promote food culture and gradually change the life attitude of urban people,” the company said in a statement translated from Chinese.

    The range will be launched simultaneously in Pricerite’s online store and at nine physical outlets, including stores in Mong Kok Chong Hing, Kowloon Bay, North Point, and Yuen Long.

    As part of its launch campaign, Pricerite Food has introduced a video advertisement featuring actor Liu Junqian, who is also appointed as the brand spokesperson.

    The brand also rolled out ‘Pricerite Food Virtual Store’ at Hong Kong station, with selected ingredients printed on the top of the poster. Customers can shop directly by scanning the QR Code next to the product they want to order to enter the online store for self-service shopping.

    Lees ook:

  • Reliance Jio increases spectrum footprint by 55% in India

    Reliance Jio increases spectrum footprint by 55% in India

    Through this acquisition, RJIL’s total owned spectrum footprint has increased significantly, by 55%, to 1,717 MHz (uplink+ downlink). RJIL has the highest amount of sub-GHz spectrum with 2X10 MHz contiguous spectrum in most circles. It also has at least 2X10 MHz in 1800 MHz band and 40 MHz in 2300 MHz band in each of the 22 circles. RJIL has achieved complete spectrum derisking, with an average life of owned spectrum of 15.5 years. RJIL’s spectrum has been acquired in the most cost-efficient manner with an effective cost of Rs 60.8 crore per MHz.

    With the enhanced spectrum footprint, especially contiguous spectrum, and pan-India infrastructure deployed, RJIL has enhanced network capacity to service its existing users as well as hundreds of millions of more subscribers on its network.

    The acquired spectrum can be utilized for the transition to 5G services at the appropriate time, where Jio has developed its own 5G stack.

    Sh. Mukesh D Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Industries, said, “Jio has revolutionized the digital landscape of India with the country becoming the fastest adopter of Digital Life. We want to ensure that we keep on enhancing experiences, not only for our existing customers, but also for the next 300 million users that will move to digital services. With our increased spectrum footprint, we are ready to further expand the digital footprint in India as well as get ourselves ready for the imminent 5G rollout.”

  • Nokia chosen by Globe Telecom for 5G rollout in the Philippines

    Nokia chosen by Globe Telecom for 5G rollout in the Philippines

    Under the terms of the agreement, Nokia will provide equipment and services from its comprehensive 5G AirScale portfolio to build out the Radio Access Network (RAN), including base stations and other radio access products. Globe Telecom will also use Nokia’s high-capacity AirScale massive MIMO Adaptive Antenna solution, which utilizes the latest 64TR radios, to boost coverage and performance.

    Utilizing the new 3.5GHz spectrum band for dense urban coverage, Globe Telecom will be able to provide end-users with high peak speeds typical on 5G network. The deal will also see the expansion of the existing FDD/TDD LTE network infrastructure. These solutions will enable Globe Telecom to roll out 5G services across the two major islands of the Philippines and offer customers superior speeds, capacity, and lower latencies while reducing complexity.

    Nokia will provide its NetAct solution for network management and seamless daily network operations as well as deliver digital design and deployment and optimization and technical support services.

    Nokia is an existing partner of Globe Telecom and provides a wide range of solutions including wireless, IP, optical, and fixed network products, and services.

    Ernest Cu, President and CEO, Globe Telecom, said:“We’re pleased to continue our partnership with Nokia to deliver compelling 5G experiences to our customers. We are going full steam ahead in delivering 5G in more areas, as this technology brings us closer to our goal of providing #1stWorldNetwork in the Philippines.”

    Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks, Nokia, commented: “It’s exciting to be part of this project to deliver 5G services to citizens across the Philippines and see our industry-leading 5G RAN solutions underpin the network. The expanded and upgraded 5G network will deliver exciting new solutions to even more people and businesses and our technology will play a fundamental role in delivering these compelling connectivity experiences.”

  • Pay Hikes and Promotions to Resume at UOB

    Pay Hikes and Promotions to Resume at UOB

    The bank has announced that it will launch in June a round of pay increases and promotions, excluding senior employees, that will cover up to 98 percent of its employees.

    UOB said it is confident in a sustained economic recovery in 2021, and wants to recognize the efforts made by its 26,000-strong workforce in helping the bank navigate and emerge stronger from the crisis, according to a statement on Tuesday.

    The bank will award high-performing employees above-market average salary increases and grant mid-year promotions to staff with widened job scopes and who exceeded performance expectations over the last 12 months, the announcement said.

    With the green shoots of recovery appearing late last year and showing growth well into the new year, UOB has remained resilient. This is in large part because of the sense of purpose, strong team spirit and determination of our people, Dean Tong, UOB head of group human resources, said.

    UOB recently posted its annual earnings – S$2.92 billion ($2.21 billion) for the full year 2020, or 33 percent lower than 2019’s record earnings, citing lower margins and reduced customer activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    In its annual report, UOB said it was optimistic about improved economic conditions, given ASEAN’s improved connectivity with Greater China and the region’s growing affluence, and would be rebalancing its business to focus on wealth and connectivity-related products and services that bring more value to customers and drive higher fee income.

  • StanChart Eyes Nearly 1,000 New GBA Jobs

    StanChart Eyes Nearly 1,000 New GBA Jobs

    Standard Chartered unveiled growth targets for its Greater Bay Area business, including the addition of nearly 1,000 new jobs.

    The Asia-focused British lender will grow its Greater Bay Area (GBA) headcount from 1,4000 now to 2,500 in 2023, according to its chief for the 11-city cluster Anthony Lin.

    The expansion includes a $40 million investment in a Guangzhou-based center that will house more than 1,600 employees by 2023, Lin said during a recent online media briefing.

    The headcount expansion will help Standard Chartered meet its aims to double its income from the GBA business over the next five years.

    Areas of focus include retail banking, corporate banking and, most notably, wealth management.

    Major lenders in Hong Kong are readying to make their inroads into the GBA market with the Wealth Management Connect being the most notable upcoming cross-border scheme.

    Lees ook:

  • The EU comes after Apple with list of antitrust charges

    The EU comes after Apple with list of antitrust charges

    Apple is taking hit after hit in its continued struggle against antitrust accusations, as only last week Arizona passed a bill forcing the App Store to allow third-party payment systems within apps to circumvent the 30% commission fee.

    Reuters has revealed that EU antitrust regulators are currently finalizing a list of charges against Apple for violating antitrust laws. Apparently, Spotify, the Swedish music streaming service, had jumpstarted a set of four cases against Apple when it filed a report against the tech giant two years ago.

    Spotify had initially complained to the European Commission that Apple was giving an unfair advantage to Apple Music by restricting alternative platforms to keep them in its shadow. This has since galvanized further complaints against Apple’s 30% commission fee imposed on all apps without allowing alternative payment systems or other app stores onto the iOS.

    If Apple loses to these charges, it could spell the end of its App Store monopoly. In the US, Apple is waiting to go on trial in only two months to face Epic Games in a lawsuit for antitrust practices, which was launched last August. It looks like a freer mobile app publishing platform may loom on the horizon after all, which would be fortunate for smaller developers and businesses who have been impacted the most by this monopoly.

    Reuters states that the document listing the charges is set to be delivered to Apple sometime before this summer.

  • World Bank okays $86 mln for energy efficiency in Vietnam

    World Bank okays $86 mln for energy efficiency in Vietnam

    The World Bank will provide Vietnam with $86.3 million to support the development of a commercial financing market for investing in industrial energy efficiency.

    The provision includes a $8.3 million grant used to build private sector capacity to execute energy efficiency projects, the bank said in a statement.

    It will also provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Industry and Trade and relevant authorities to strengthen policy frameworks on energy efficiency.

    The remaining amount will be used to establish a risk-sharing facility to provide credit guarantees to support local banks in providing loans for energy efficiency projects.

    By reducing lending risks, the facility is expected to mobilize around $250 million of commercial financing to be provided to industrial enterprises and energy service companies at competitive terms and with low collateral requirements.

    “Scaling up energy efficiency is the single best and lowest cost option to achieve multiple goals at once: meeting energy demand, preventing pollution and reducing greenhouses emission while also increasing industry competitiveness,” said World Bank country director for Vietnam, Carolyn Turk.

    The World Bank estimates that Vietnam could save up to 11 gigawatts of new generation capacity by 2030 if comprehensive demand-side energy efficiency investments are carried out.

    The energy efficiency investment need for key industries in Vietnam has been estimated at around $3.6 billion.

  • Snapdragon 888’s successor may feature Leica technology

    Snapdragon 888’s successor may feature Leica technology

    Qualcomm appears to be gearing up to release a toned-down version of the Snapdragon 888 (SM8350) chip. The news comes from leaker Roland Quandt, who says that unlike the flagship Snapdragon 888, the stripped-down variant will not have an integrated 5G modem.

    The new chip (SM8325) will apparently power budget flagship phones and it is not clear how it would differ from the Snapdragon 870. Since it’s been billed as a lower-specced version of the Snapdragon 888, it’s likely that it will be based on the 5nm process. The SoC might be meant for developing markets where 5G networks have not been rolled out yet.

    Quandt has also learned that Qualcomm has started testing early samples of the Snapdragon 888 successor. The chip is apparently internally known as ‘Waipio’ and its model number is SM8450. It will likely be unveiled towards the end of 2021, as is the norm.

    The company is currently testing samples that are compatible with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of storage. The next-generation chip’s camera capabilities are also expected to get a major boost and it seems that Qualcomm has teamed up with optics specialist Leica for this purpose. Current testing is apparently centered on a module internally known as “Leica1.”

    The Snapdragon 888 was made by Samsung and the recently announced 5G modems (Snapdragon X62 and Snapdragon X65) are based on the chaebol’s 4nm process. It’s not known if Snapdragon 888’s successor will also be built on a new process node.

    A recent report says that Qualcomm will stick with Samsung’s 5nm tech for this year and go back to TSMC in 2022 for a 4nm flagship SoC.

    Quandt has also revealed the existence of a mid-tier chip. The SM7325 apparently features one core running at 2.7GHz, three cores with clock speeds of 2.4 GHz, and four cores with frequencies up to 1.8 GHz. The test platform supports up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage. The final product may support up to 16GB of RAM.

    A 5nm upper-midrange chip called Snapdragon 775 (SM7350) is also reportedly in the pipeline.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Kia Teases Its First Dedicated Electric Vehicle The EV6

    Kia Teases Its First Dedicated Electric Vehicle The EV6

    Kia has revealed the first official images of the EV6 – its first dedicated battery electric vehicle. Now, we have to tell you here that it’s not the company’s first EV, because if you remember, it already has the e-Niro and the Soul EV in its all-electric portfolio. The EV6, however, is built on a platform that has been developed specifically for electric vehicles. The new platform Electric-Global Modular Platform, or E-GMP, will see Kia build next-generation electric cars under a new design philosophy that embodies Kia’s shifting focus towards electrification.

    The teaser images give us an idea of what to expect in terms of design. It is sleek and the coupe-like roofline integrates well into the rear spoiler. The silhouette also points out at a slight ducktail too. The front end is sleek and modern and it looks like the EV6 has a short overhang. The headlights are slim and the LED pattern gives it a unique look.

    Karim Habib, Senior Vice President and Head of Kia Global Design Centre said, “EV6 is the embodiment of both our brand purpose, ‘Movement that inspires’, and our new design philosophy. It has been designed to inspire every journey by offering an instinctive and natural experience that improves the daily lives of our customers, and provide user ownership that is simple, intuitive, and integrated.”

    As part of the company’s brand transition, Kia’s new dedicated battery electric vehicles will be named according to a new naming strategy. All of Kia’s new dedicated BEVs will start with the prefix ‘EV’ which makes it easy for consumers to understand which of Kia’s products are fully electric. This is followed by a number that corresponds to the car’s position in the line-up.

  • Vietjet to sell 17.7 mln treasury shares

    Vietjet to sell 17.7 mln treasury shares

    The board of budget carrier Vietjet has approved a proposal to sell 17.7 million treasury shares equivalent to 3.28 percent of its charter capital.

    It would help fund expansion and preparations for recovery after the pandemic this year, the airline said.

    Vietjet’s VJC shares closed at VND136,000 ($5.89) on March 8, and at this price the carrier will earn over VND2.4 trillion from the deal.

    It plans to complete the transaction in the first half of this year.

    Vietjet had bought the shares in August 2019 for VND132,063 each. In June 2020, the carrier announced it was seeking to sell them to a strategic investor.

    Vietjet was among the few airlines to make a profit and not fire any employee amid the Covid-19 pandemic last year. It recorded a consolidated after-tax profit of VND70 billion in 2020.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: