International Institute of Communications

Shaping the policy agenda: TELECOMMUNICATIONS • MEDIA • TECHNOLOGY
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Innovation & Investment

IIC members discuss sustainable investment models, public private partnerships, progress with broadband plans and multi-sector, intelligent coordination. Debate continues around the best way to incentivise innovation and investment whilst delivering audience protection and plurality in a world where converged communications are changing the rules.

Key speakers on Innovation & Investment

Adriana Labardini Inzunza

Adriana Labardini Inzunza

Alan Knott-Craig Jr.

Alan Knott-Craig Jr.

Alejandra de Iturriaga Gandini

Alejandra de Iturriaga Gandini

Alejandro Cantú Jiménez

Alejandro Cantú Jiménez

Alison Gillwald (PhD)

Alison Gillwald (PhD)

Alphonzo Samuels

Alphonzo Samuels

Talks on Innovation & Investment

More InterMedia articles on Innovation & Investment

  • The Sky Is A Limit

    The growing interest in using pilotless drone aircraft is bringing new regulatory challenges, writes Leonidas Kanellos.
    June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02

  • Smartphones: Liberation or limits?

    As more people, especially the less well off, have only a smartphone to access
    the internet, there are signs that a new type of digital divide could develop.
    Ofcom’s Alison Preston describes new research carried out in the UK

    July 2016, Volume 44 Issue 02

  • A TMT Agenda

    H Sama Nwana makes a passionate case for promoting TMT and not just telecoms in Africa – a case that could benefit all developing nations.
    June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02

  • Friendly foes

    How can network operators and service providers settle value for their wares in a converged world, where services are network agnostic? sumit sharma presents a bargaining framework that could unite all players in a ‘game’
    April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01

  • Q&A Ulf Pehrsson

    With ulf pehrsson, Ericsson's head of government and industry relations
    April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01

  • Stand and deliver

    As the OECD prepares for a ministerial meeting on the digital economy, Jørgen Abild Andersen argues that the highest level of coordination among many government departments is needed to deliver its aims


    April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01

  • Dealing with Disruption

    As regulators start to fundamentally review their remits, Chris Chapman, the incoming president of the IIC and chair of Australia’s ACMA, details the extent of digital disruption and possible regulatory response, in this two-part article.
    January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04

  • Shedding Light on 5G Policy

    In part two of his discussion of the ‘myth of 5G’, WILLIAM WEBB examines regulatory factors, spectrum issues and whether fixed-wireless access will be more than a promise - plus scenarios for the next few years

    July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2

  • Dark Clouds?

    Are regulations being applied to cloud computing in a way that stimulates innovation, asks Kuan Hon.
    January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04

  • How the internet got Donald Trump elected

    The factors that combined to help elect the new US president have  the internet as a common denominator, reckons Eli Noam - and these  factors are now inherent in an internet-based economy.

    January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4

  • Moral Fibre

    Should policymakers 'do what is right' and promote all-fibre broadband networks? Catherine Middleton weighs up the arguments

    April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01

  • Principles for Policymakers

    Today’s media and communications world needs a fundamental set of principles to help policymakers determine public value. ROBERT PICARD and VICTOR PICKARD have just such a global set to hand.

    July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2

  • Video’s Demands

    Trends in internet video services are becoming apparent, and regulatory and competition agencies need to respond, as Augusto preta reports.
    June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02

  • Africa's Digital Future

    Digital transformation poses great challenges for developing inclusive, affordable services for all Africans - with regulators now under considerable pressure, reports RUSSELL SOUTHWOOD.

    July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2

  • High-flown ideas

    Should we be striving for the ‘level playing field’ with regulation of innovative, next-generation communications? Brian Williamson makes a strong case for setting them free.
    October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03

  • Impact of the Sharing Economy

    The modern sharing economy is small but growing - and enabled by the internet. John Ure discusses its possible impact and where regulation may be heading, with particular reference to Asia.
    March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01

  • A Tipping Point For Regulation

    With the rise of OTT there's no doubt we are in the midst of transition in telecoms markets - but how best to respond, asks Brian Williamson.
    September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03

  • Business as usual? Not any more!

    The US FCC is proposing a new name and a new regulatory framework for ‘special access’ services, as JONATHAN JACOB NADLER explains.
    October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03

     

  • Challenges for Audiovisual Regulation

    How is media policy and regulation developing in a world moving from broadcasting to audiovisual content on many platforms? Joan Barata presents the agenda.
    October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03

  • Competition and Big Data

    The legal highlights of a joint report by the French and German competition authorities on the use of data are discussed by Tim Cowen.
    July 2016, Volume 44 Issue 02

  • Digital Asia

    The goal of promoting digital infrastructure is seeing economic and social progress. peter lovelock takes stock of Asian developments.
    September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03

  • Economic Catalyst

    Jerry Power says regulation must change to promote digital ecosystems.
    September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03

  • Europe's New Code for OTT

    There are few issues more fraught than how to deal with over the top services. ANDREAS GRÜNWALD and CHRISTOPH NÜSSING examine Europe’s draft code.

    January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4

  • Facilitating Innovation

    We shouldn’t be complacent that the regulatory approaches of today will be enough to support innovators in the era of the internet of things, says JEREMY GODFREY.

    January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4

  • Facilitation vs Regulation

    Should governments be putting more emphasis on industrial policy and developmental approaches in ICT, ask Morten Falch and Anders Henten.
    September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03

  • Five questions for zero rating

    As a complement to our article in the last issue, Bronwyn Howell and Roslyn Layton pose five key questions to assess each case for zero rating.
    October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03

  • Focusing ICT On The New UN Development Goals

    How can ICT best be deployed to advance the new Sustainable Development Goals? M-H Carolyn Nguyen and Paul Mitchell review the history and current position.
    January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04

  • How Things Work

    In part one of this briefing, Ian Brown sets the scene for the regulatory issues that are rapidly arriving for the internet of things.
    September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03

  • Include Fibre in Housing Policy

    With so much equity tied up in the world’s housing stock it makes sense to direct a proportion towards stalled fibre broadband rollouts, argues RICHARD FEASEY.

    April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1

  • Making the Right Moves

    Behavioural economics is becoming popular because it promises to improve competition and consumer outcomes. But asTIM HOGG asks, is it a paradigm shift, a passing fad - or somewhere in between?

    April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1

  • Platform or Publisher?

    The US election has brought the debate about whether social media firms such as Facebook are really media players, not technology platforms, into sharp relief, as and discuss.

    January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4

  • Playing Fair

    Traditional audiovisual providers are increasingly concerned about the lack of a level playing field. Grupo Televisa's JAVIER TEJADO-DONDÉ gives his view.

    July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2

  • Pricing and Policy in a 5G World

    In future, the revenue per MHz of spectrum used will decline dramatically as we move to 5G, writes STEFAN ZEHLE.

    July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2

  • Q&A With Mauricio Ramos

    CEO of telecoms and media firm, Millicom
    January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04

  • Seamingly Successful

    Rene Arnold and Anna Schneider explore the level playing field debate on OTT services from a consumer perspective.
    October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03

  • Shedding Light on Universal Broadband

    Canada has embarked on an ambitious universal broadband policy that could be a model for other countries, as HEATHER HUDSON details.

    April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1

  • Solving the Online Platform Puzzle

    How can policymakers make sense of the impact of online platforms? CHRISTIAN HILDEBRANDT and RENÉ ARNOLD put forward a model that covers the complex dimensions.

    April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1

  • Taking the Wi-Fi Route

    Most of the visions for 5G are not based on what we really need, says WILLIAM WEBB. Here he examines what problems we are trying to solve and why Wi-Fi is as important as cellular networks.

    April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1

  • Things to Regulate

    In part two of this briefing on the internet of things, Ian Brownn discusses the regulatory actions that could be necessary in this diverse technology sector.
    January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04

  • TV in a mobile world

    Can broadcasting make the step into an increasingly mobile world? Roland Beutler discusses technology and business models in the context of public service remits, mobile network operators and the new world of 5G.
    October 2016, Volume 44 Issue 03

  • Understanding AI

    Applications of artificial intelligence have profound implications for societies. The US government and academics have been taking a close look.

    January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4

  • Uphill Road Ahead for Autonomous Vehicles

    Connected and autonomous vehicles will be leading users of the internet of things and 5G technologies. But almost all of today’s societal and regulatory issues will converge on road transport, as Julian McGougan reports.

    January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4

  • Virtual Networks

    Telecoms operators have missed the platforms boat but hope to regain ground with network virtualisation. RICHARD FEASEY discusses the technology and regulatory implications of a powerful but potentially double-edged movement.

    January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4

  • Vital Signs

    Stuart Brotman puts forward an index that captures the ‘vitality’ of broadband internet ecosystems in five countries, and which could be a benchmarking model.
    June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02

  • Tax Policy

    Building certainty and incentives to promote investment and drive universal service and connectivity. Read
    Tax Policy

Regulatory Watch articles on Innovation & Investment

  • Voice calling apps in India may no longer be an issue

    A boost in data usage from the use of voice calling apps may mean the long-running debate into their regulation in India may turn out to be a “non-issue”, a source at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) told The Economic Times.

  • Thailand should focus on digital economy, says Internet Society director

    Thailand needs to upgrade the National Broadcasting and Telecom Commission (NBTC) to focus more on coordinating various elements of the digital economy and society, says Rajnesh Singh, director for Asia-Pacific of the Internet Society, as the Nation reports.

  • South African draft mobile data regs could have unintended effects

    The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa's (ICASA’s) recent draft regulations on mobile data expiry and changes to out-of-bundle billing practices for telecoms operators could unintentionally raise data prices, reports ITWeb.

  • Germany paves the way for cross-border IoT

    Germany’s regulator, Bundesnetzagentur, has published rules for the cross-border marketing of mobile numbers which will further facilitate the global sale of machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. “We're encouraging a future market. Connected cars and smart home applications can now be even better marketed worldwide.

  • US politicians unite on self-driving car regulation

    The US House Energy and Commerce Committee has unanimously passed the Self Drive Act, which makes it easier for NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an arm of the federal Department of Transportation) to regulate what a self-driving car will look like...

  • New Zealand introduces updated telecoms act

    New Zealand’s Communications Minister Simon Bridges has introduced a bill to update the country’s telecoms act with a focus on increasing regulatory oversight and improving service quality, reports Mobile World Live.

  • GSMA finds fault in wholesale access networks

    The GSMA has brought out a report, “Wholesale open access networks”, which examines the performance of the wholesale open access network (WOAN) model (also known as single wholesale network, SWN) in five markets: Kenya, Mexico, Russia, Rwanda and South Africa.

  • Finland kicks off broadband strategy

    Finland’s Ministry of Transport and Communications is to prepare a national broadband strategy that aims to define the country’s broadband targets for the years 2025 and 2030.

  • Bahrain regulates critical telecoms infrastructure

    Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has issued a resolution on a regulation on critical telecoms infrastructure risk management.

  • Regulation a ‘risk’ for operators, but not the highest

    Global telecoms operators are increasingly concerned about the risk posed by regulatory constraints including EU roaming rules and net neutrality, consultancy network BDO International has said.

  • Australia sets out telecoms reform for broadband

    Australia’s government has introduced into parliament a comprehensive telecoms reform package “that will ensure all Australians can access sustainably funded high-speed broadband services, regardless of where they live”.

  • African fixed internet connections still way behind

    About 20 million households and businesses in Africa will have wired internet connections by 2022, compared with 11 million in 2016, predicts TMT market research firm Dataxis. “Nonetheless, although wired broadband is on the rise with the progressive introduction of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) in most developed countries,...

  • UK department goes digital; launches infrastructure fund

    The UK government has added the word ‘digital’ to one of its departments – it is now the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, but will continue to be referred to as DCMS. “DCMS celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and it is fitting now to include digital in the name.

  • Kenya’s mobile money market boosts telecoms

    The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has said the telecoms sector is now a critical element in the country’s economy, as it revealed strong figures relating to mobile payments for goods and services, notes Mobile World Live.

  • Potential clash in Italy over broadband rollout

    Telecom Italia will go ahead with plans to roll out an ultrafast broadband network in rural or sparely populated areas of Italy despite objections from the government, the phone group's chief executive has said.

  • European interest groups continue to lobby the Commission on new code

    ETNO, the European Telecommunications Network Operators Association, and others including GSMA Europe, have issued a joint statement on “saving Europe’s 5G ambition”, urging lawmakers to put 5G at the heart of telecoms reforms.

  • Sweden’s regulator recommends local and national broadband split

    Swedish regulator PTS said it is seeking operators’ comments by 1 September on recommendations on dividing the broadband market into local and central network access areas, notes Telecompaper.

  • US doing well in broadband – despite net neutrality

    The US cable industry’s top lobbying group has consistently claimed that the current net neutrality rules harm network investment and raise costs for consumers, reports Ars Technica.

  • BEREC issues a document set on proposed European communications code

    In December 2016, BEREC, the body of European regulators, published a high-level opinion providing its initial evaluation of the European Commission’s proposals for the European electronic communications code and a draft BEREC regulation.

  • Sudan limits mobile money exchanges amid possible terrorism concerns

    Sudanese people transferring money via telephone could be money laundering in support of terrorism, so the practice has to be restricted and regulated, Middle Easy Monitor reports a bank’s executive as saying...

  • Study on universal funds finds gaps in Africa

    Universal service and access funds (USAFs) can help close the digital divide, and the growing digital gender gap, by supporting public access initiatives, device subsidies, and digital skills training for women and other marginalised populations, notes the Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI).

  • Europe consults on internet futures

    The EU is launching an ‘unprecedented’ public consultation to find out what Europeans fear most about the future of the internet, reports the Guardian.

  • Germany’s regulator steps up pressure on ISP performance

    German regulator, Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency), has outlined plans to hold ISPs accountable for when customers should be compensated for not receiving promised broadband speeds, reports Telecoms.com.

  • Thailand looks at unifying telecoms and broadcasting

    Thailand’s telecoms regulator is floating the idea of revamping the regulatory framework governing the provisions of telecoms and broadcasting services in Thailand with a unified licensing regime, notes the Bangkok Post.

  • Sweden goes for 1 Gbps and universal connections

    Sweden is to become ‘completely connected’ by 2025, according to the government’s latest broadband strategy.

  • Europe’s competition chief warns on algorithms

    Europe’s competition commissioner, Margrethe Vestager, has warned companies against using algorithms to block rivals or form cartels, saying she may slap heftier fines on them if they use such software to commit wrongdoing, Reuters reports.

  • World Bank deems mobile money a success in Tanzania

    In less than eight years, there has been extraordinary progress in bringing the majority of Tanzanians into the mobile money revolution, mostly by adopting an efficient, low-cost mobile money transfer system.

  • Mobile money market going strong

    The GSMA has released its sixth ‘State of the industry report on mobile money’, which looks back across the decade since the pioneering launch of M-Pesa in Kenya,...

  • India fast-tracking spectrum policy

    The Indian government has announced that it is fast-tracking a policy on the usage of high frequency spectrum bands to ensure that the regulations are in place in time for the nation’s operators to use the airwaves for 5G technology, writes TeleGeography.

  • FCC chair calls for ‘regulatory humility’

    Ajit Pai, chairman of the FC, has called for a greater degree of “regulatory humility” to open the door to greater investment in 5G and fibre networks, reports the Financial Times.

  • Nigeria’s year of the telecoms consumer

    Nigeria has declared 2017 as the “year of the telecoms consumer”, making the announcement recently on World Consumer Rights Day.

  • Reaping digital dividends in Europe and Central Asia

    A new World Bank regional report, ‘Reaping digital dividends’  argues that digital dividends have the potential to be the driving force of poverty reduction and shared prosperity in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region.

  • Europe signs off on UHF band for mobile

    The European Parliament has approved plans for coordination of the 700 MHz band for wireless broadband services across the EU by 2020, notes Mobile World Live. The vote covers the use of the UHF (470MHz to 790MHz) band across the economic bloc...

  • UK report on connected and autonomous vehicles

    The UK science and technology committee in the Lords has issued a report on connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV). It says the government is too focused on highly-automated private road vehicles (“driverless cars”),...

  • Germany aims to boost gigabit internet

    Germany’s federal government plans to help invest 100 billion euro over eight years to roll-out gigabit internet across Germany, reports Deutsche Welle.

  • Slovakia cuts fees to boost investment in ‘white spots’

    Slovak regulator, RU, is decreasing by 75% the fee for using radio frequencies in municipalities designated as white spots within its broadband programme, notes Telecompaper. “An operator which decides to cover such a municipality will save on costs associated with operation of a transmitter.

  • Nigerian regulator hires consultant for interconnect review

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has hired consultants PwC to carry out an impact assessment on the interconnect regime, reports Biztech Africa. The NCC’s chair, Umar Danbatta, speaking at a stakeholder forum, said the review had become necessary in view of the changes in the sector.

  • New net neutrality law in the US ‘in three months’

    The US Congress could be discussing net neutrality legislation within three months, replacing controversial FCC-created regulations, according to an academic with the ear of the administration, reports the Register.

  • Austria to decide on broadband expansion framework

    Austria’s Telecom Control Commission (TKK) has published a draft decision on developing the regulatory framework for broadband expansion across the country, notes TeleGeography. “The regulator’s proposed decision has a particular focus on the framework for vectoring technology,...

  • South Africa makes progress in wholesale network discussions

    South Africa’s Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services believes it has won widespread support from ICT sector for its wholesale open-access network proposal for radio spectrum and that the emphasis has shifted to how the policy will be implemented, reports Business Day.

  • France’s regulator warns that convergence harms investment

    The head of the French telecoms regulator has warned that the growing trend for mobile operators to offer bundles of telecoms and TV services across Europe risks harming investment in their networks, reports the Financial Times.

  • UK calls for infrastructure evidence

    The UK’s National Infrastructure Commission has launched a call for evidence to shape the development of a study to identify which new technologies have the greatest potential for improving the productivity of infrastructure, and what steps government should take to support the deployment of these technologies.

  • Global mobile user trends; digital dividend in Kenya

    Almost half of mobile phone users worldwide still only use their devices to make voice calls and send SMS, according to consumer research by GSMA Intelligence. Its new Global Mobile Engagement Index (GMEI) measures the level of engagement of mobile phone users across a wide array of use cases and services,...

  • Transferring government services to 4G

    Elisa and Nokia are the first in the Nordics to test the prioritisation of government services in a commercial 4G network. The test simulated the functionality of critical communication services of public authorities during mobile network congestion.

  • FCC’s Ajit Pai – early moves

    New US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Ajit Pai has formally closed investigations into zero-rated services offered by mobile giants AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless, notes TeleGeography. “The two telcos stood accused of violating the FCC’s net neutrality rules..."

  • Content and mobile roaming in Europe

    Europeans will soon be able to fully use their online subscriptions to films, sports events, e-books, video games or music services when travelling within the EU, according to an agreement reached by negotiators of the European Parliament, the member states and the European Commission.

  • Iran sets out new plan for telecoms

    The obligations of Iran’s ministry of communications and information technology have been set out as part of a five-year economic, social and cultural development plan (2016-2021), reports the Financial Tribune, an Iranian economic newspaper.

  • Australia’s national broadband network reaches half-way stage

    The company building and operating Australia’s broadband network – known as nbn – is aiming for it to be almost 50% complete by 30 June 2017, when it will target a total of 5.4 million homes and businesses.

  • UK body urges competitive mobile landscape

    Make The Air Fair, an initiative established to urge UK regulator Ofcom to curb BT’s dominance of the mobile industry, has received support from more than 100,000 people for a proposed cap on the amount of spectrum operators can own, repots Mobile World Live.

  • Europe’s smaller operators stress that regulation must not favour incumbents

    The European Commission has adopted the “Building the European data economy" package consisting of a communication and a staff working document, policy documents that aim to inform stakeholders on a consultation on the European data economy.

  • Switzerland reports on net neutrality

    Switzerland set up its Network Neutrality Arbitration Board in 2015 and has now published an annual report for 2015/16, which details seven requests and two recommendations.

  • Canada declares broadband as a basic telecoms service

    The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has declared that broadband internet service is now considered a basic telecoms service for all Canadians,...

  • US agency releases report on Tesla crash

    Drivers need to pay attention while driving, even as technology gradually takes over the task” – that’s the message US safety regulators have delivered after closing an investigation into a fatal Tesla crash in Florida last year involving the vehicle’s Autopilot system, reports the Los Angeles Times.

  • Argentina targets convergence in telecoms market

    Argentina’s National Entity for Communications (ENACOM) has signed a decree that establishes guidelines aimed at improving convergence within the Argentinian telecoms market,...

  • China aims to boost telecoms investment

    The Chinese government has renewed calls for private investment in the country's telecoms firms as it encourages them to cut fees and other costs and become more competitive in offering internet-related services, reports Reuters.

  • India consults again on net neutrality

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has published another consultation paper on net neutrality, inviting stakeholders to provide their views on issues relating to the establishment of a comprehensive framework for non-discriminatory access to the internet, notes TeleGeography.

  • Peru implements net neutrality

    Peruvian regulator, Osiptel, has implemented net neutrality regulations, guaranteeing equity and transparency in the conditions of access and use of data, reports TeleGeography.

  • Rules for connected cars in Europe are coming

    The European Commission wants car companies to make sure new models have a slew of digital technologies that can cut fuel use and be safer on roads, as part of an EU strategy on internet-connected vehicles, report EurActiv.

  • Court decision on Uber expected in March

    A legal decision which has potential ramifications for Uber, technology firms, the digital economy and many thousands of taxi drivers is expected no sooner than March at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), reports Ars Technica,...

  • Arcep goes forward with crowdsourcing data for regulation in France

    France’s regulator, Arcep, says it is taking another step towards crowdsourcing to reflect users’ experience as accurately as possible, as part of a data-centric approach to regulation. It says it has decided to bring changes to its scoreboards...

  • EU Council of Ministers agrees on digital development policy aims

    The EU’s Council of Ministers has issued conclusions on mainstreaming digital solutions and technologies in EU development policy, as adopted by the Council at a meeting held on 28 November. It says the exponential spread and scale-up of information and communication technologies (ICT), including the internet, have “profound global implications”,...

  • Public WiFi plan in Europe takes shape

    EU member states have given their backing for the WiFi4EU initiative, which aims to bring WiFi to public areas. At a meeting of the Telecoms Council, EU ministers approved a partial general approach on the European Commission's proposal...

  • Ofcom’s plans for the wholesale market

    Ofcom says it is proceeding to force a legal separation of Openreach from BT, “after BT failed to offer voluntary proposals that address our competition concerns”. Openreach is the division of BT Group that develops and maintains the UK’s main telecoms network.

  • Oman to open market to third mobile operator

    Oman’s telecoms regulator has invited operators to apply for the sultanate’s third mobile licence, notes Global Telecoms Business. The winner will complete against state-owned Omantel and Qatar-based Ooredoo.

  • European Commission approves France’s state aid for broadband

    The European Commission has found the French national broadband scheme to be in line with EU state aid rules. The scheme involves investments of 13 billion euro and aims to bring very high speed broadband everywhere in France without unduly distorting competition.

  • Germany plans ‘gigabit society’ infrastructure

    The German government has laid out a plan to roll out infrastructure for 1 Gbps download speeds in the country by 2025, reports Telecompaper.

  • GSMA makes policy recommendations on 5G

    Mobile industry body, the GSMA, has called on governments and regulators to commit to supporting the needs of 5G in the lead-up to the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2019 (WRC-19). “Although the mobile industry, academic institutions and international standards-making bodies are developing the technologies central to 5G, success will depend heavily on affordable access to the necessary amount of spectrum,” says John Giusti, chief regulatory officer, GSMA.

  • Two mobile operators vie to be become Singapore’s number four

    Singapore fibre start-up MyRepublic and Australian telco TPG Telecom have been given the nod to proceed to the auction phase of the upcoming race to become Singapore’s fourth mobile network operator (MNO), reports TeleGeography.

  • US debates need for new regulation for IoT

    Confronting the dangers posed by the internet of things – as demonstrated by the 21 October Mirai DDoS attack – members of the US House of Representatives' Energy and Commerce Committee have held a hearing that examined the feasibility of regulating IoT devices, reports SC Media.

  • Singapore kicks off Li-Fi light-based trials

    Singapore’s regulator, IMDA, is waiving frequency fees associated with Li-Fi (light fidelity) trials to encourage technical trials of this technology. Li-Fi is a light-based communication technology “that has the potential to provide a new layer of wireless connectivity...

  • Nigeria pitches for ICT investment

    Nigeria’s government and private sectors have made a pitch to foreign investors at the 2016 ITU’s conference, Telecoms World, where they presented the country’s developments in ICT opportunities for future investment, reports Naija247 News.

  • China clamps down on internet freedom

    China has passed a sweeping law tightening restrictions on internet freedoms, a move that foreign businesses say threatens to shut them out of one of the world’s biggest technology markets, reports the Financial Times.

  • White House issues report on artificial intelligence

    The Obama White House has released a report on future directions and considerations for artificial intelligence (AI), called ‘Preparing for the future of artificial intelligence’. The report surveys the current state of AI, its existing and potential applications, and the questions that progress in AI raise for society and public policy.

  • Singapore’s converged regulator is now a reality

    Singapore's new converged telecoms and media regulator, the Infocomm and Media Development Authority (IMDA), has now been launched, reports Telecom Asia. “The new agency has been tasked with helping Singapore seize opportunities in the converging telecoms and media sectors ...”

  • Over the top could be regulated in Paraguay

    Paraguay is preparing a new law to regulate the country’s growing internet-based TV services, specifically targeting the taxation of over the top (OTT) operators, Rapid TV News reported recently.

  • South Africa’s ICT paper makes waves with national wireless infrastructure plan

    The South African government has approved its ICT Policy white paper, which has been in development since 2012, with the document outlining the establishment of a wireless open access network (OAN), reports TeleGeography.

  • Much to digest in Europe’s telecoms reform

    The European Commission’s substantive review and recasting of telecoms regulation, announced in September, is still being digested. Law firm Latham & Watkins has one of the best digests on the web. As the authors say: “The new regulations are meant to support several of the Commission’s far-reaching strategic connectivity objectives...

  • No ‘killer’ apps for gigabit networks – yet

    A few dozen cities in America have next-generation broadband networks that offer speeds of 1 gigabit per second – about 50 times faster than a typical connection, an article in Vox notes. “These super-fast connections were supposed to revolutionise Americans’ experience of the internet and rev up the country’s non-competitive broadband market.

  • Europe’s audit of cybersecurity incidents

    The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA), the cybersecurity body, has issued a report on the root causes of incidents and an aggregated level at which services and network assets are impacted. Incidents are reported on an annual basis by telecom regulators under Article 13a of the Framework Directive (2009/140/EC) to ENISA and the European Commission.

  • WiFi and LTE agree to move ahead without regulation

    A ‘minor miracle’ occurred recently when the Wifi Alliance announced a testing plan for coexistence between WiFi and LTE over unlicensed spectrum, writes Roslyn Layton in Forbes. “The episode illustrates that competing parties can find a mutual agreement without litigation or regulation, even in instances of sharing fiercely loved resources such as unlicensed spectrum.

  • Committee is critical on geo-blocking and roaming progress in Europe

    The EU has not delivered on its promise to abolish obstacles to the free movement of goods and services for consumers, says the European Economic and Social Committee, ‘Europe's voice for civil society’, in three opinions on geo-blocking, roaming and parcel delivery – and concludes that Europe ‘can do better’ in making the single market a reality for consumers.

  • US issue proposed rules on business data services

    The US FCC has issued proposed rules on business data services (BDS), sometimes referred to as ‘special access’, which are enterprise data services that are a fundamental part of the US economy.

  • Much to digest in Europe’s telecoms reform (Copy)

    The European Commission’s substantive review and recasting of telecoms regulation, announced in September, is still being digested. Law firm Latham & Watkins has one of the best digests on the web. As the authors say: “The new regulations are meant to support several of the Commission’s far-reaching strategic connectivity objectives...

  • Much to digest in Europe’s telecoms reform (Copy) (Copy)

    The European Commission’s substantive review and recasting of telecoms regulation, announced in September, is still being digested. Law firm Latham & Watkins has one of the best digests on the web. As the authors say: “The new regulations are meant to support several of the Commission’s far-reaching strategic connectivity objectives...

  • IoT gets news standards release

    The potential of the internet of things (IoT) is said to have ‘advanced significantly’ as oneM2M, the global standards initiative for machine-to-machine (M2M) communications and the IoT, has published a new set of specifications, Release 2.

  • ACMA Research - Digital lives of older Australians

    The ACMA has released research that aims to explore the levels of online engagement of older Australians (those aged 65 and over). 

  • Cryptocurrencies: not disruptive but opening up new uses

    TA report from Citi Research does not view cryptocurrencies as a disruptive threat to banks or card networks, noting that centralised domestic payment systems provide a relatively good experience.

  • FCC receives zero-rating complaints; BEREC is lobbied

    The FCC has received more than 100,000 complaints from Americans calling on the regulator to take strong enforcement action if and when companies violate the FCC's Open Internet Order with zero-rating schemes. 

  • OECD ministerial meeting is launchpad for ‘One Internet’ report

    One Internet, the final report and recommendations of the Global Commission on Internet Governance, was released at the OECD ministerial meeting on the digital economy in Cancún, Mexico, in June.

  • Top nations pull ahead in ICT clout

    The Global Information Technology Report 2016 from the World Economic Forum (WEF) has found that Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Israel, Singapore, the Netherlands and the US are leading the world when it comes to generating economic impact from investments in ICT.

  • 5G manifesto calls for relaxation in net neutrality

    In a 5G manifesto, a group of European telecoms service providers and equipment manufacturers have called for a relaxation of net neutrality rules, reports TeleGeography.

  • Italian regulator looks at OTT services; broadband plan approved

    Italian telecoms regulator Agcom has published the results of a study into electronic communications services, and in particular over the top (OTT) social messaging tools such as WhatsApp, Skype, iMessage and Facebook Messenger, notes TeleGeography.

  • Much to digest in Europe’s telecoms reform

    The European Commission’s substantive review and recasting of telecoms regulation, announced in September, is still being digested. Law firm Latham & Watkins has one of the best digests on the web.

  • Commission’s leak reveals faster broadband target

    The European Commission wants internet download speeds to reach 100 Mbits/s by 2025 and is calling for more public funds to build faster networks, according to a leaked document obtained by EurActiv.com.

  • US net neutrality opponents lose in court

    A US federal appeals court has voted to uphold the FCC's net neutrality rules, reports the Washington Post.

  • Tanzania closes digital money tax loophole

    Mobile operators will now pay excise duty on all M-Pesa commissions in Tanzania, reports AllAfrica. "Unveiling his 2016/2017 national budget, finance and planning minister, Philip Mpango, said a new 10% excise duty on mobile money transactions will apply for both sending and receiving transactions.

  • Thailand drafts a progressive universal service fund rule for TV operators

    Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has approved the draft of a new universal service obligation (USO) fund rule, which will charge TV operators a progressive rate based on actual revenue, reports the Bangkok Post.

  • French regulator makes digital economy contributions

    France's communications regulator, Arcep, has contributed to the work being done by France Stratégie, which is weighing up the challenges the country will face over the next ten years, and especially the digital challenges that affect businesses, public authorities and society as a whole.

  • A joint paper by the French and the German Competition Authority

    A joint paper by the French Competition Authority (Autorité de la concurrence) and the German Competition Authority (Bundeskartellamt) on data and competition, provides background on the approach to data likely to be taken by two of the most active competition authorities in the EU, a blog at Bird & Bird notes.

  • ITU publishes reports on digital financial services

    The ITU focus group on digital financial services (DFS) has published the first of a series of thematic reports.

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