Crisis ahead for European mobile operators: data growth dangerously slow

Crisis ahead for European mobile operators: data growth dangerously slow, and network costs unhealthily low - Insight - News | Analysys Mason Group: "In our recently published Wireless network traffic worldwide: forecasts and analysis 2012–2017, Western Europe has the lowest growth rate in mobile data out of eight global regions. We forecast that mobile data in Western Europe will grow at a CAGR of just 29% from 2012 to 2017, equivalent to a growth multiple of 3.6. At a global level, we predict that mobile data will grow by a multiple of 5.5, equivalent to 41% CAGR, a little ahead of what we predict for Internet traffic as a whole." 'via Blog this'

Fixed broadband quarterly metrics 2Q 2012

Fixed broadband quarterly metrics 2Q 2012 - Data sets and trackers - Content | Analysys Mason Group: "Figure 1: Fixed broadband lines in service, by region, September 2001–June 2012 [Source: Analysys Mason, 2012] 'via Blog this'

EC asks Finnish telecoms regulator to improve access conditions to fibre network

Europe's Newsroom - Commission asks Finnish telecoms regulator to improve access conditions to fibre network: "The European Commission has called on the Finnish telecoms regulator (FICORA) to amend or withdraw its proposal on regulated access to dominant operators' broadband networks. If implemented, FICORA's plans would damage competition and hamper investment in competitive broadband services. This could limit current and future offers available to consumers and businesses. This is the third time that the Commission has issued a formal recommendation under Article 7a of the Telecoms Directive." 'via Blog this'

EC public consultation on revision of recommendation on relevant markets

FICORA - European Commission launched a public consultation on the revision of the recommendation on relevant markets: "On 16 October 2012, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the revision of the recommendation on relevant markets which was last updated in 2007.
The recommendation identifies the markets which are relevant for significant market power and which the National Regulatory Authorities regularly have to review. Relevant markets are markets which are susceptible to ex ante regulation and crucial for Europe's competitiveness.
Consultations are particularly sought from public authorities, Member States, the electronic communications industry, research institutions and universities, and consumer advocacy groups. Other interested parties are also invited to submit their contributions.
The public consultation is open until 8 January 2013. Further information about the consultation and how to submit contributions is available in English on the Commission website." 'via Blog this'

US supreme court finalizes gift of spying immunity to the telecom giants

US supreme court finalizes gift of immunity to the telecom giants | Glenn Greenwald | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk: "When civil liberties groups sued the telecoms on behalf of their customers whose communications had been illegally accessed by the government, federal courts began ruling against the telecoms, holding that the immunity they already had under the law would be unavailable to them, because the allegations against them amounted to knowing, deliberate violations of the law. As one federal judge put it in refusing to dismiss a lawsuit against AT&T: "AT&T cannot seriously contend that a reasonable entity in its position could have believed that the alleged domestic dragnet was legal."" 'via Blog this'

Net neutrality in Europe: Response to European further network neutrality co...

Net neutrality in Europe: Response to European further network neutrality co...: Dear sirs I am writing to reply to your “On-line public consultation on "specific aspects of transparency, traffic management and switch...

Regulatory Asymmetry? The Competition Between Telcos and Other ICT Players

Regulatory Asymmetry? The Competition Between Telecommunication Operators and Other ICT Players: "Jnl of Euro Competition Law & Practice Volume 3, Issue 5, Pp. 452-464. Laurent De Muyter*: "Under EU law, telecommunication operators must open their main resources (networks) to service providers including other ICT providers under far reaching and sometimes conceptually inconsistent conditions. But they have limited access to the resources operated by the latter (content, data, handset, software). This distorts competition, hampers network related investments, and makes high bids less plausible in future spectrum auctions." 'via Blog this'

Recent Uk competition cases in telecoms

"The Application of Competition Law in the Communications and Media Sector: A Survey of 2010 Cases: Journal of European Competition Law & Practice first published online May 15, 2011"
'via Blog this'Recent UK competition cae

ETNO's WCIT proposals are not as bad as some say, they're worse

ENDitorial: The ETNO's WCIT proposals are not as bad as some say | EDRI: " ETNO's proposals would squeeze every ounce of innovation and competition out of global Internet networks. Goodbye Internet, hello Minitel.
The concept sounds quite friendly and just a little esoteric: “Sending party pays” (SPP). That sounds fair, until you realise that the sending party already pays. It sounds fair until you realise that SPP has always been the principle in the mobile world, and the result of this principle is tens of billions of Euro wasted by citizens on untransparent, unjustified and, frequently, unjustifiable charges. Years of regulatory action has finally led to the most egregious of these problems finally being solved in Europe." 'via Blog this'

British Telecom could be overcharging taxpayer £100ms for rural broadband

British Telecom could be overcharging taxpayer hundreds of millions of pounds - Telegraph: "according to a leaked Whitehall briefing, officials at the Culture, Media and Sport department have been told the broadcasting giant is charging a mark up of up to 80 per cent to introduce faster broadband in rural parts of the country. The document, compiled in the summer by a consultant who was working with the department, accuses BT of using “pseudo wholesale” figures to justify its costs. Experts said that if the forecasts are correct, BT's subsidy could be cut by £400million and £500million and still produce the same result. Experts say it could mean that home owners in rural parts of the country have to overpay through their council tax bills for the faster broadband.
Last night Margaret Hodge MP, the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said she was shocked by The Telegraph’s disclosures and said her committee would examine the claims as part of a new inquiry." 'via Blog this'