The debate over charging content providers for carrying their traffic raises concerns as digital minister Volker Wissing praises open internet. Telecoms argue network investment, but implications of potential service withdrawals remain undiscussed.
Italy’s Ministry of Enterprise proposes €1.5 billion in support for the nation’s telecom sector, including tax breaks and funding for fiber upgrades, potentially revitalizing the struggling industry and fostering a competitive environment.
Meta faces a record €1.2 billion GDPR fine for transferring European users’ data to the US, raising questions on compliance, data privacy regulations, and US surveillance laws. With Meta appealing the decision, the telecommunications industry watches closely.
EU regulators approve Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition, amid concerns raised by UK’s CMA and US’s FTC. Microsoft commits to a ten-year agreement addressing competition issues in cloud gaming distribution, yet the future remains uncertain as global regulators’ decisions vary.
Viasat’s acquisition of Inmarsat advances as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority grants unconditional approval, easing market competition concerns for in-flight Wi-Fi services amidst a rapidly evolving satellite communications sector.
The European Commission has given Orange Belgium permission to purchase 75% of the capital, less one share, of VOO SA. The decision, which was made public on March 21, allows Orange Belgium to proceed with the proposed acquisition and strengthens the business’s convergent multigigabit strategy on a national scale. Orange Belgium’s undertakings, according to the European Commission, completely resolve the competition issues discovered during the purchase process. On completion of the acquisition, Orange Belgium hopes to run a high-speed network across Wallonia and a portion of Brussels. The company’s ambitious investment strategy, along with the combined personnel talent and knowledge of VOO and Orange, is anticipated to raise the standard of services provided to clients and boost competition in the Walloon and Brussels areas. Xavier Pichon, Chief Executive Officer at Orange Belgium, expressed his satisfaction with the European Commission’s decision: “We are thrilled by the decision of…
Telinta and Skyetel to hold a webinar for ITSPs Cloud-based VoIP switching and billing solutions provider, Telinta, has partnered with VoIP services provider, Skyetel, to offer a webinar to Internet Telephony Service Providers (ITSPs). The webinar will address topics such as delivering popular VoIP services without establishing infrastructure and providing mobile VoIP services to both Android and Apple iOS consumers via brandable mobile softphones and other solutions. The webinar will also showcase unique deals available from both companies for new consumers. The event will take place on March 14, 2023, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time (GMT-5). Interested parties can register on Telinta’s website. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3a25kmv7 DT to lead development of European Quantum Communication Infrastructure The European Commission has chosen Deutsche Telekom (DT) to oversee the creation of a new high-security communications network, the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure (Euro QCI). The project intends to establish Europe as a leader…
BT partners with Kyndryl for cloud migration of legacy mainframe apps BT has collaborated with Kyndryl to migrate its mainframe applications that underpin its legacy copper business and broadband cloud offerings. BT Digital, the division in charge of the company’s digital transformation, estimates that by 2026, the transfer will have reduced mainframe operational costs and energy usage by 70%. This will result in estimated annual savings of $23 million. The company’s cloud move will allow it to serve a smaller number of clients who still utilize their copper network and will enable BT to extract more value from the data housed in its older applications. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/5t48r8hj Orange and Telenet wholesale deal gives hope of VOO acquisition approval Orange had planned to buy a 75% share in the Belgian operator VOO in 2021, but the company struggled to persuade authorities that the transaction would not hurt competition. A…
InterDigital, a technology research and development company, announced that it has been granted funding to support five Horizon Europe 6G Flagship research projects, each of which is distinctively devoted to empowering innovative technology advancement and exploratory infrastructures in 6G. InterDigital is one of the most well-known research and development specialists in mobile technology, so their involvement is not a huge surprise. It also gives us an idea of the kind of things Europe thinks are deserving components of the future generation of mobile technology, because being invited to contribute to no less than five projects was deemed a triumph worthy of a special announcement. The flagship projects entrusted to InterDigital are part of a portfolio of 35 research, innovation, and trial projects selected by the EU’s Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU). The SNS JU, co-led by the European Commission and the 6G-IA industry organization, is in…
According to the GSMA’s most recent report on the state of the mobile sector in Europe, challenging market circumstances will have a detrimental influence on 5G adoption, with Digital Decade targets endangered by slower 5G deployment compared to rival global markets. The GSMA noted that 34 European markets had 5G service available as of the end of June 2022, with 108 providers providing commercial services and a user adoption of about 6%. Norway has the highest rate of 5G adoption at 16%, although there is also growth in Switzerland (14%), Finland (13%), the UK (11%) and Germany (10%). According to the Association, average 5G penetration will reach 44% by 2025, with the United Kingdom and Germany predicted to lead with 61% and 59% respectively. Nevertheless, GSMA researchers observed that even these nations were likely to lag behind global counterparts such as South Korea, which is expected to have…
