The European Commission has launched a consultation to determine how to better work together at EU level to get the most from the DSO opportunity. The consultation will run until 4 September 2009. “The digital dividend comes at a critical moment when we want to connect all parts of Europe to high-speed broadband, ensure high […]

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) has announced that the mission of its IPTV Interoperability Forum (IIF) will be expanded to include the standardised delivery of Internet-sourced content over an IPTV network. Until this time, the IIF has concentrated on delivery of a TV service over a managed IP network. The IIF is a […]

The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) has announced a new direction in the battle against pay-TV piracy in the Philippines. A breakthrough settlement by Turtle Cable, an infringing cable operator in Camarines Sur, is underpinned by a legally binding undertaking to refrain from broadcasting unauthorised TV programming and exclusively distribute legally authorised […]

Senators have voted through the 'Hadopi 2' law, which will allow judges to impose punishments on those found to have made illegal downloads. The law is a complement to the Hadopi (the internet watchdog) 1 law, setting up a new body for Internet piracy. It was originally proposed that this law would allow for the […]

From David Del Valle in Madrid The two largest pay-TV groups in Spain, Sogecable (more than 2 million subscribers) and Ono (over 1 million subs) have issued appeals against the Government’s Royal Decree bill that will allow pay TV services through digital terrestrial TV. Both argue that it breaks competition rules. For Ono, the bill […]

European media commissioner Viviane Reding has set out her vision for a "Digital Europe", with four key points including a plea to resolve the legislative impasse caused by opposition to "three strikes" plans. On speeding the DSO she says: "The United States as a whole switched to digital TV last month. I call therefore on […]

Plans to merge the three former Deutsche Telekom cable nets in Germany are shelved admits Kabel Deutschland CEO Adrian von Hammerstein. The German monopoly commission Bundeskartellamt has outlawed the proposal. Kabel Deutschland will turn its attention to buying Level 4 operators that are distributors for the KDG product. The operator has also expressed interest in […]

From Colin Mann in London David Cameron, leader of the Conservative opposition party in the UK, has suggested that the role of comms regulator Ofcom be considerably slimmed down. Cameron, who hopes to lead his party to power in the General Election likely in 2010, has suggested that a number of quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations […]

The European Commission has adopted a new Communication on state aid for the funding of public service broadcasters. The new Communication replaces the Commission's 2001 Broadcasting Communication. The main changes include an increased focus on accountability and effective control at the national level, including a transparent evaluation of the overall impact of publicly-funded new media […]

Trading blows over Ofcom's plan to regulate pay-TV market prices has started. Mike Darcey, the chief operating officer at BSkyB, has accused public service broadcasters, industry regulators and politicians of breeding a “culture of dependency” that has failed to allow the UK TV industry to explore new business models. Darcey told the Institute of Economic […]