Radio astronomers have raised concerns after a new study revealed that SpaceX’s global network of Starlink broadband satellites, which form part of a mega constellation in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), were found to be leaking “unintended” electromagnetic radiation that overlaps with the protected radio frequencies used for astronomical observations. At present Starlink has 4,430 LEO […]

Cisco-backed global delivery network Qwilt has today signed an extended partnership with Vodafone, which will see them deploy a new Content Delivery Network (CDN) to increase the quality and capacity of the operator’s streaming delivery to its mobile and broadband ISP customers across Europe (inc. UK) and Africa. Content delivery networks typically function by moving […]

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The trial will see Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone test the EU’s digital identity wallets during SIM activation, in anticipation of broader usage 

This week, Germany’s three mobile network operators have announced their participation in a new EU trial seeking to further the development of mobile wallets for digital identities. 

The scheme is being carried out by the EU consortium ‘POTENTIAL’, the largest of four consortia currently operating pilot programmes aiming to provide each EU citizen with control over their online data through a secure digital identity, which can be used throughout the bloc. 

The consortium’s 148 partners are trialing various digital ID projects in 19 countries, including using the IDs for opening bank accounts and obtaining digital drivers licenses. Testing for online citizen services and electronic signatures are reportedly ongoing. 

For the trio of mobile network operators involved, their own pilot project will involve enabling consumers to use their digital IDs to activate SIM cards. This, they say, will both serve as a proof of concept and theoretically help to reduce digital identity fraud. 

The testing will take place in Germany, France, Austria, Poland, Netherlands, Greece, and Ukraine. 

The current methods of online self-identification are often criticised for being too costly and insecure. As a result, the EU is beginning to introduce new technical conditions to ensure digital identities are secure based on new Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS) regulations which recently came into effect. 

“Every time a website asks us to create a new digital identity or conveniently log in via a large platform, we actually have no idea what is happening with our data. This is why the Commission will soon propose a secure European digital identity. One that we trust, and that citizens everywhere in Europe can use to do everything from pay taxes to rent a bike. A technology with which we ourselves can control what data is used and how,” said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission. 

“A digital identity can only bring value when people actually use it. And they will do so when they can trust the application and it is made easy to use. This is what we are supporting with our participation in the EU project ‘POTENTIAL’. So that digitalisation becomes accessible everywhere and for everyone. Whether at home, on vacation or on business trips,” added Michael Jungwirth, Director Public Policy & External Affairs at Vodafone Germany. 

‘POTENTIAL’ is expected to report on the results of the various trials in September, which will then be used to develop a roadmap to see the digital IDs rolled out throughout the EU by 2025.  

Join in the conversation about digital security at this year’s Total Telecom Congress live from Amsterdam 

Also in the news:
Nokia and Proximus team up for Europe’s first hybrid quantum encryption key trial
EU fines Meta €1.2bn over transfer of data to US
Samsung bans staff from using generative AI after data leak 

 

 

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The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) says its analysis of the broadband market found it to be competitive with no dominant players

Having concluded a lengthy investigation into the Dutch broadband market, this week the ACM has ruled that it will leave the wholesale broadband market unregulated.

The regulator’s investigation, which began in mid-2020, segregated the country into five geographical regions, based on these areas’ access to wholesale networks delivered by incumbent operator KPN and by Glaspoort, KPN’s fibre network joint venture with pension fund APG.

Currently, KPN and Glaspoort are the only two network operators to offer wholesale access to their network and do so on a voluntary basis.

In each of these five regions, the ACM sought to ascertain whether there was currently a dominant market player or whether one would emerge in the next five years based on retail market data.

The results suggested that market competition was healthy in each of the regions and that open access networks should expand to cover the entirety of the country within three years, ensuring a competitive future.

As such, the regulator said that no intervention would be necessary.

The ACM also ruled against Dutch ISP YouCa, which was separately seeking access to VodafoneZiggo’s network on a wholesale basis.

The preliminary decision is open for public comment until 4 September and will require approval from the European Commission.

The question as to whether the Dutch wholesale market should be regulated or not dates back to 2018, when the regulator announced its intention to impose itself on the market for the first time.

Until that point, only the incumbent operator KPN was offering its fixed broadband network to alternative ISPs on a wholesale basis. However, the ACM argued that VodafoneZiggo had grown to enjoy a comparably dominant market position to KPN and therefore should also open up its network to other providers.

Both VodafoneZiggo and KPN complained about the decision, arguing that the highly competitive Dutch market was functioning perfectly well without regulatory intervention.

The duo subsequently appealed against the ACM’s ruling, with a corporate appeals court finally overturning the regulator’s decision in 2020. The court’s ruling was largely based on the fact that the joint dominance of KPN and VodafoneZiggo had not been sufficiently established by the ACM in their market analysis.

How is the wholesale landscape changing in 2023? Join the operators in discussion at this year’s Total Telecom Congress in Amsterdam

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The companies, both owned by Charlie Ergen, have reportedly hired advisors to detail how the merger could play out 

EchoStar Communications, once a distributor of satellite television equipment, was founded by Ergen in 1980. In 2008, the company was renamed Dish Network after its consumer arm, and its satellite assets were carved out as a separate unit that retained the name Echostar. After some reorganisation over the past decade, today Dish Network controls the broadcast satellite services and the company’s growing 5G network, while Echostar is the satellite communications provider. 

Now, according to a recent report from Semafor, the two companies are considering recombining their operations, with both engaging financial advisors to explore the possibility.

According to the report, Dish debt stands at a staggering $22 billion, while EchoStar is relatively financially healthy. Therefore, it would appear that the motivations behind the rumoured merger are financial in nature, helping to reinforce Dish’s shaky cashflow.

There have been no official comments from either company, or Ergen himself. 

Dish is currently facing a decline in consumers, losing over half a million pay TV subscribers in the first quarter of this year. On top of that, they are spending $10 billion on the rollout of their Open RAN-based 5G network. 

The company recently hit the target of 70% population coverage (240 million people) set by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC); however, much of their traffic is still carried over T-Mobile and AT&T’s networks as part of their Mobile Virtual Network Operator agreements.  

Another FCC deadline is looming, requiring the company’s network to reach 75% of the US population by 2025, for which another $2–3 billion will be needed. 

You can hear more about US mergers at next year’s Connected America – secure your place here 

Also in the news:
Vodafone warns of investment cuts if Three merger is blocked
TIM to enter exclusivity negotiations with KKR
Viasat completes Inmarsat merger deal  

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Reports suggest that both companies are exploring bids for a 45% stake in the state-run telco, hoping to capitalise on of Africa’s most rapidly growing markets

Anonymous sources speaking to Bloomberg suggest that both Orange and e& have been separately consulting with advisors to consider taking a stake in Ethiopia’s incumbent operator, Ethio Telecom.

According to the sources, discussions are at an early stage and no decisions have yet been made.

“We are looking closely at Ethio Telecom in particular to see under what conditions the Ethiopian authorities might allow a partner to take a stake in the operator,” explained a spokesperson for Orange.

e& could not be reached for comment.

The Ethiopian government has been in the process of liberalising its telecoms sector for a number of years now, but progress has been sluggish. The first of two new telecoms licences made available by the regulator was granted to what is now known as Safaricom Ethiopia back in May 2021, but the second licence proved harder to sell, with a bid from MTN being deemed too low for consideration.

Since then, the Ethiopian government has been struggling to restart the liberalisation process effectively, delaying the relaunch of the tender for the second telco licence as well as a plan to sell 45% stake in Ethio Telecom, largely due to unrest in the country’s Tigray region. However, after a peace treaty was signed late last year, these processes have gradually begun to restart.

Nonetheless, as of today there is still no fixed timeline for either sale.

Orange and e& have both demonstrated interest in the Ethiopian market for some time. With the second largest population in Africa and, until recently, one of the last remaining telecoms monopolies in the world, Ethiopia is viewed as something of an untapped goldmine for telcos, with huge potential for growth.

For Orange, which already has a major African footprint in 18 African countries, securing a significant interest in Ethiopia would further solidify their position on the continent, a key part of the company’s strategic plan for 2030.

e&, similarly, currently operates in 13 African markets, largely under the Moov brand and has been eyeing up international expansions in recent months. Earlier this year, the operator group increased its stake in Vodafone to 14.6% as a way to expand its international portfolio. More recently, the company has notably entered discussions with PPF Group over a potential strategic partnership.

PPF Group owns and operates five telecoms companies in Central Europe.

How is improved connectivity transforming the African continent? Join the operators in discussion at this year’s Total Telecom Congress in Amsterdam

Also in the news:
Netomnia passes half a million premises with full fibre
Telefónica sells majority share of Peruvian fibre network to KKR
5G NTN-mobile market revenue to hit $18bn by 2031

A new “independent report” from policy institute Curia, which was commissioned by rural UK ISP Wildanet, has claimed that the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband across Devon (England) could generate £1.125 billion of new business gross value added (GVA) for the county by 2030. The report was designed to assess the potential impact of gigabit-capable broadband […]

Customers of UK ISP Sky Broadband may like to know that the latest release of the provider’s ‘My Sky‘ app for iOS users appears to have officially confirmed the existence of both their new “WiFi Max” (mesh system) home coverage guarantee and a Wi-Fi 6 capable router for consumers. At present, we still don’t know […]

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Vodafone CEO Ahmed Essam has warned that if the Vodafone–Three merger is stopped by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), vital investments in digital UK infrastructure will be prevented

This week, the head of Vodafone UK has stressed to regulators that the planned merger between Vodafone and Three will be critical to achieving the government’s 5G rollout targets. CEO Ahmed Essam told The Times that if the deal is blocked the group “won’t be able to invest as much, and we won’t be able to deliver the 5G ambition that’s coming in the wireless infrastructure strategy from the government.”   

The government’s Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, published in April, set out a plan for the UK to bring world-class digital infrastructure to the entire UK, aiming to provide nationwide coverage of standalone 5G to all populated areas by 2030 

Vodafone and Three signed a formal £15 billion merger agreement last month, a deal that will see the newly combined company majority-owned (51%) by Vodafone, with Three UK’s parent company, CK Hutchison taking the remaining 49%. No cash will be exchanged under the agreement. 

If approved, the newly merged group will become the largest mobile network operator in the UK, surpassing both Virgin Media O2 and EE, with more than 27 million customers. 

The deal will see the two companies invest £11 billion in UK mobile infrastructure. This includes promises to reach 99% of the UK with their newest 5G standalone network by 2034 and offering fixed wireless access to 82% of UK households by 2030. 

“As a country, the UK will benefit from the creation of a sustainable, strongly competitive third scaled operator – with a clear £11bn network investment plan – driving growth, employment and innovation,” said Vodafone Group Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle. 

“The combination of Three UK and Vodafone UK will bring the advantages of 5G to every business and household in the UK, enabling the UK to deliver its ambitions for digital and economic growth and fully supporting the UK Government’s objectives for a world-leading digital economy,” added Three UK CEO Robert Finnegan. 

However, critics have warned against the monopolistic nature of the merger, which they argue will lead to higher prices and job cuts. They point to similar mergers in other markets, such as Vodafone Hutchison’s combination with TPG in Australia in 2020, which saw prices increase for customers and investment in the sector decrease, according to research from trade union Unite. 

As a result, the CMA and other regulators are expected to take a largely skeptical view of the deal and are likely to impose stringent conditions on the duo before agreeing to give the deal the green light. These conditions could involve anything from forbidding the company from hiking prices for a number of years to divesting of spectrum – a commodity in which the newly merged entity will hold a major advantage over rivals.  

How will the merger play out? It is sure to be a hot topic for discussion at Connected Britain this September – get your ticket today! 

Also in the news:
Voda – Three – well that’s just great…
Orange facing bumpy regulatory road to Masmovil merger
Orange-MásMóvil merger may reduce competition in Spain, says European Commission 

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Succession planning is already underway, with Jansen expected to step down from the role of CEO in the next 12 months

Today, BT has confirmed media reports from the past weekend, announcing that they are currently preparing for Group CEO Philip Jansen to leave the role over the next year.

According to BT, planning to replace Jansen is already underway, with candidates already being considered for the position.

“The succession process to replace Philip is something that the Board was well prepared for,” said BT Group’s Chairman, Adam Crozier. “All appropriate candidates are being considered and we expect to be able to update the market on progress over the course of the summer. In the meantime, it is business as usual, and we are focused on executing our plans and delivering for all our stakeholders.”

The news should come as little surprise to those following BT’s activities in recent months, with reports suggesting that BT has been mulling the potential replacements for Jansen since at least March this year.

Jansen’s four-year tenure with BT has been turbulent to say the least. He joined the company in 2019, replacing previous CEO Gavin Peterson, at a time when the company was already attempting significant cost-saving measures to improve its performance. Since then, Jansen has expanded these plans significantly, now seeking to generate £3 billion in savings by 2025 through a variety of measures, including accelerated digitalisation and job cuts.

Indeed, the company said earlier this year it will aim to cut around 55,000 jobs – roughly 40% of its total workforce – by 2030, suggesting the business would increasingly simplify its structure and adopt new streamlining technologies, such as AI. Just last week, the company said it was restructuring its workforce of almost 3,000 people at its Adastral Park site in Ipswich, though insists that this is not part of its wider job cutting operation.

But despite these efforts to increase efficiency, expensive infrastructure rollouts with low returns, coupled with a punishing global economic climate, have seen BT’s share price has fallen by around 45% under Jansen’s tenure so far.

“Mr Jansen had been looking on increasingly shaky ground at BT. The company’s shares have almost halved since he took over in early 2019, while recent inflammatory comments about the role of fibre altnets drew concern from Ofcom,” commented Kester Mann, Director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insights, referencing Jansen’s comments that the UK broadband race would “end in tears” for BT’s competitors.

BT’s depressed share price has attracted opportunistic investment from major players outside of the UK in recent years.

Over the past year, Altice UK, backed by French-Israeli billionaire Patrick Drahi, has gradually increased its stake in the operator to 24.5%, though he continues to deny that his company is is interested in staging a full takeover of the UK operator. Meanwhile, recent rumours suggest that BT could soon face a takeover attempt from Deutsche Telekom, which currently owns a 12% stake in BT.

All told, BT appears quite vulnerable right now, leaving Jansen’s replacement with numerous challenges going forward.

“The CEO has endured a rollercoaster ride at BT. He presided over the operator’s impressive response to the pandemic; embarked on a massive cost-saving drive; oversaw a major acceleration in the deployment of full fibre; witnessed Patrick Drahi take a near-25% stake in the company; and watched thousands of staff strike over pay,” said Mann, summing up Jansen’s time as CEO.

As to who will succeed Jansen in the CEO role, speculation is rife. While no clear frontrunner has been suggested, sources suggest that both Mark Allera, CEO of EE and BT’s consumer business, and Allison Kirkby, president and CEO of Telia, have both been suggested as possible candidates.

How is the UK telecoms landscape evolving in 2023? Join the operators in discussion at this year’s Connected Britain event

Also in the news:
Netomnia passes half a million premises with full fibre
Telefónica sells majority share of Peruvian fibre network to KKR
5G NTN-mobile market revenue to hit $18bn by 2031