Expressing concern that former incumbent telco BT still holds a network monopoly position 30 years after privatisation, and ten years after the formation of regulator Ofcom, the UK Competitive Telecommunications Association (UKCTA) has called on the watchdog to review the market and reassess its priorities for the next ten years to ensure the UK communications […]
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has admitted that major cable and telecoms industry players are likely to sue the Commission whatever rules it proposes following its consultation on net neutrality. Speaking after the FCC’s meeting November 21st, Wheeler said: “The big dogs are gonna sue regardless of what comes out. We want to come out with […]
UK telco BT has responded to recent press speculation relating to a potential transaction involving cellco Telefónica UK (O2) in the UK, the business it sold to the Spanish telco in 2005 for £18 billion (€22bn). Such a move would make BT a full quad-play operator, restoring mobile to its voice, broadband and TV operations. […]
UK comms regulator Ofcom has announced it is to make valuable airwaves available for mobile broadband services, suggesting it is also securing the future of digital terrestrial TV. The decision allows mobile network operators to deliver mobile broadband using some of the frequencies currently used for digital terrestrial TV services, such as Freeview, and wireless […]
TalkTalk has struck an MVNO deal with Telefónica UK to launch mobile services over its network as it plans a quad play package. Dido Harding, chief executive, told the FT: “We see the market genuinely moving to quad play. This will accelerate that business rapidly.” TalkTalk and Telefónica are expected to announce the deal this […]
Private equity firms Apax Partners and Bain Capital have made a €7.075 billion offer for the Portuguese assets of Oi, the Brazilian telecoms group, rivalling the €7.025 billion bid from Altice, the European cable group and the bid from Isabel dos Santos. Oi, the largest landline carrier in Brazil, said that the joint offer included […]
BT is launching a new package that brings together BT Infinity, Netflix, BT TV and a free YouView box, for a monthly fee of £5.99 (€7.63) for the first 6 months. Customers signing up to Netflix with BT TV will see Netflix integrated into their BT bill, a first for Netflix in the UK, enabling […]
Republican politicians are seeking to carry out a major overhaul of the rules governing the US phone, TV and Internet sectors after winning control of Congress in the midterm elections. Updating the Communications Act is understood to be a key priority for Senator John Thune who is expected to take the reins of the influential […]
Isabel dos Santos, the daughter of long-serving Angolan president José Eduardo dos Santos, and a major shareholder in Portuguese pay-TV service provider Nos, has bid €1.211 billion for Portugal Telecom SGPS, the holding company that owns a minority stake in the merged Oi-Portugal Telecom. The bid follows Numericable-owner Altice’s €7 billion bid for the Portuguese […]
Telecoms operators can be sure to keep only about half of their existing customer base over the next 12 months, according to Ovum’s major global survey, 2014 Telecoms Customer Insights. About a quarter of all users globally say they will definitely change providers, with another quarter indicating they may do so. “The research provides one […]