Dutch cable television operators will be forced to allow rivals to resell TV subscriptions under a draft decision by telecoms regulator OPTA. At the same time, OPTA plans to free the former telecoms monopoly KPN from some restrictions in the consumer market for telephony, saying competition was sufficient.KPN has long complained that it has to […]

Google has struck a deal to protect the personal data of millions of YouTube users in the $1 billion copyright court case brought against the video-sharing website by Viacom. Under the deal, Google will make user information and IP addresses from its YouTube subsidiary anonymous before handing over the data to Viacom in the US […]

The Broadband Forum, formerly the DSL Forum, has announced the latest Broadband and IPTV statistics. The report shows that IPTV subscribers have more than doubled for the second year running with an increase of 53.14 per cent in the 12 months to 31 March 2008. The statistics also show that worldwide broadband subscribers have reached […]

The Indian government has made it mandatory for all broadcasters — representing about 350-plus television channels that are currently allowed to be beamed on cable and direct-to-home (DTH) platforms — to share their feed with Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS), IPTV and Mobile TV, the new cable distribution platforms that have emerged recently.A clarification issued by the Ministry […]

Set-top box manufacturer Pace has maintained progress across all of its global markets in the first half of 2008. Due to a beneficial US Dollar/Euro exchange rate, the Pace France business, which was initially expected to be loss making for 2008, is now profitable and the board expects that the group’s out-turn for the year […]

Set-top box manufacturer Pace has maintained progress across all of its global markets in the first half of 2008. Due to a beneficial US Dollar/Euro exchange rate, the Pace France business, which was initially expected to be loss making for 2008, is now profitable and the board expects that the group’s out-turn for the year […]

Ofcom has re-affirmed its intention to offer a 'new framework for investment' in Britain's broadband networks. The media regulator has challenged the industry to back the proposed rollout of super-fast broadband networks across the UK. Ed Richards, Ofcom chief executive, outlined the proposals and stressed that a regulatory framework would be put in place that […]

Virgin Media has sent out warning letters to 800 of its customers in an attempt to crack down on illegal downloading. The letters are part of a 10-week pilot programme run in conjunction with the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) – the body that represents record companies in the UK. The BPI has been calling on […]

Europe's mobile industry is cutting back spending on new networks and services as a growing regulatory burden from the European Union puts profitability under pressure, according to GSMA, the global trade body for the mobile industry. To justify the imposition of retail price caps, the European Commission has claimed that mobile operators are making excessive […]

In a surprise move News Corp has made a deal to become the minority shareholder in its conditional access subsidiary NDS. Two newcos backed by private equity house Permira will take the business private. The plan is the Permira newcos will own 51 per cent while News will keep 49 per cent. The deal has […]