Where are the modern monopolies? Does the communications regulator have a role in regulating them? Our members address the challenges facing policy makers and regulators discussing questions such as 'should categories of broadcasting content on free to air television such as news and current affairs or local language content be sheltered, by whom and with what'? Competition investigations into alleged abuse of dominance are rife all over the world. Vertical as well as horizontal competition challenges abound, including those created by increasing consolidation. We regularly include speakers from specialist legal advisors in this field who have a wealth of sector and geographical experience to share with participants.
Greece gets broadband help from Europe The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, €300 million of public support for Greece's ultrafast broadband infrastructure scheme, which aims to provide broadband services to customers in areas with insufficient connectivity.
The organisations responsible for enforcing the Accessible Canada Act have announced the establishment of the Council of Federal Accessibility Agencies. The Accessible Canada Act, which became law in June 2019, requires member organisations of the council to work collaboratively to refer federal accessibility complaints to the right organisation and to foster complementary policies and practices.
The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, €300 million of public support for Greece's ultrafast broadband infrastructure scheme, which aims to provide broadband services to customers in areas with insufficient connectivity.
Attorneys generals for 50 US states and territories have announced an antitrust investigation of Google, embarking on a wide-ranging review of a tech giant that Democrats and Republicans said may threaten competition, consumers and the continued growth of the web, reports the Washington Post.
A US appeals court has upheld a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling that broadband markets can be competitive even when there is only one internet provider. The FCC can “rationally choose which evidence to believe among conflicting evidence”, the court ruling said.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published the final report of its communications sector market study, which includes 28 recommendations and actions on competition and consumer issues.
Google is under investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the country’s Privacy Commissioner following claims that it collects data from millions of Android smartphone users, who unwittingly pay their telecoms service providers for gigabytes consumed by the activity, reports Reuters.
The Australian Government has announced a joint initiative with the ten countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote digital trade and support inclusive economic growth in our region.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has started a public inquiry to determine whether declaration of the domestic transmission capacity service (DTCS) remains appropriate in light of changes to the market, including the growth of commercial alternatives available to service providers, new National Broadband Network (NBN) products for business customers, and industry consolidation.
The Australian Government has announced a review of the Australian Copyright Act 1968 following on from the Productivity Commission’s review and report on Australia’s Intellectual Property Arrangements.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published the final report of its communications sector market study, which includes 28 recommendations and actions on competition and consumer issues.
Does zero-rating harm competition? It’s a key question in the net neutrality debate. TIM HOGG takes a behavioural economics approach to finding the answer
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
To get the broadband infrastructure and consumer benefit that are needed, regulators have to abandon the short-term thinking that can stifle new entrants and investment, argue RICHARD CADMAN, JONATHAN KINGAN and GITA SORENSEN
April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1
Are digital technologies making politics impossible? It’s a question addressed by political scientist STEVEN MICHELS - who is not optimistic.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
How much does politics shape competition and regulation in the mobile industry? Quite a lot, as MARC BEISHON finds in a paper that takes a deep dive into the issue.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
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
The IIC’s first TMF of 2017 was held in Doha, with OTT and IoT issues to the fore, as CRISTINA MURRONI reports.
July 2017, Volume 45 Issue 2
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
Setting out a framework for coherent policy and regulation for the digital economy is our major challenge, especially for countries outside of the EU and US, writes RAINER SCHNEPFLEITNER.
April 2017, Volume 45 Issue 1
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
GEORG SERENTSCHY sets out the agenda for Europe in 2017, which looks likely to be critical in developing aspirations for the digital single market.
January 2017, Volume 44 Issue 4
Zero rating is a highly controversial aspect of the internet. AUGUSTO PRETA and PENG PENG provide a cost-benefit analysis amid the context of net neutrality.
July 2016, Volume 44 Issue 02
Peter Alexiadis concludes his tour of the trade-offs inherent in communications regulation.
July 2016, Volume 44 Issue 02
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
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
Should policymakers 'do what is right' and promote all-fibre broadband networks? Catherine Middleton weighs up the arguments
April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01
Jean-Pierre Blais reports from Canada on 'discoverability' and the paradox of finding good television content in an age of seeming abundance
April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01
Ian Hargreaves pieces together projects and evidence that are defining a crucial, technology driven sector of the economy.
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
The dust has finally begun to settle on the new US and European net neutrality laws. Richard Feasey compares and contrasts
April 2016, Volume 44 Issue 01
The rise of content and media intermediaries such as Google and Facebook as digital gatekeepers raises major policy and regulation concerns, writes Robin Mansell.
March 2015, Volume 43 Issue 01
Sumit Sharma extends the argument for using competition policy rather than regulation for convergent networks by looking at oligopoly models.
June 2015, Volume 43 Issue 02
Commissioner, Mexico’s IFT
January 2016, Volume 43 Issue 04
The pressure on terrestrial broadcasters to give spectrum to the mobile sector shows no sign of letting up. Roland Beutler, at Germany's Südwestrundfunk, a regional public broadcaster, puts his side of the debate.
September 2015, Volume 43 Issue 03
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
Countries are concentrating regulatory and competition law functions in a smaller number of agencies, including combining telecoms with other utility sectors. PETER ALEXIADIS examines the approaches in the first of a two part analysis.
April 2019, Volume 47 Issue 1
CHARLEY LEWIS presents part 2 of his discussion of spectrum allocation and auctions, including what lies ahead for South Africa.
December/January 2019, Volume 46 Issue 4
Regulation in Sub-Saharan Africa has hit a brick wall, write RUSSELL SOUTHWOOD and STEVE SONG. What changes are needed for a data-centric future?
Julyl 2019, Volume 47 Issue 2
April 2019, Volume 47 Issue 1
The technology giants have concentrated power in too few hands, writes SÉBASTIEN SORIANO, chairman of France’s regulator, Arcep. He proposes ‘Robin Hood’ style regulation to redistribute internet wealth to the many.
Julyl 2019, Volume 47 Issue 2
The UK has been a world leader in sector regulation but the current model is facing scrutiny. BT’s CATHRYN ROSS charts the challenges and finds reasons for optimism.
Julyl 2019, Volume 47 Issue 2
There are multiple reasons why technology markets are ‘winner takes all’ and why, once a tech company becomes dominant, it is almost impossible to displace, says PATRICK BARWISE
October 2018, Volume 46 Issue 3
Facebook has called on regulators and other experts to answer key questions to help it forge its strategy around protecting user privacy while meeting demand for increased data portability, notes Mobile World Live.
The organisations responsible for enforcing the Accessible Canada Act have announced the establishment of the Council of Federal Accessibility Agencies. The Accessible Canada Act, which became law in June 2019, requires member organisations of the council to work collaboratively to refer federal accessibility complaints to the right organisation and to foster complementary policies and practices.
The European Commission has approved, under EU state aid rules, €300 million of public support for Greece's ultrafast broadband infrastructure scheme, which aims to provide broadband services to customers in areas with insufficient connectivity.
Attorneys generals for 50 US states and territories have announced an antitrust investigation of Google, embarking on a wide-ranging review of a tech giant that Democrats and Republicans said may threaten competition, consumers and the continued growth of the web, reports the Washington Post.
A commission of experts on “competition law 4.0”, set up by Germany’s Peter Altmaier, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, and chaired by Martin Schallbruch, Heike Schweitzer and Achim Wambach, has presented its recommendations for a new competition framework for the digital economy to the minister.
Several French regulators – the competition authority, AMF, Arafer, Arcep, CNIL, CRE and CSA – have held a meeting to draw up a memorandum on data-driven regulation, which they say “creates the ability to make stakeholders more accountable, increases the regulator’s capacity for analysis and makes more information available to users and civil society”.
A 19 month project with over 190 expert missions to Georgia comprising Lithuanian, German and Polish experts has helped define secondary legislation and guidelines on communications in line with EU standards for the country.
Germany has completed the clearance of the 700 MHz band, which had previously been used by broadcasters, with operators now free to use the bandwidth to improve coverage, reports Mobile World Live.
Mauritania's small population and low economic output has limited the country’s ability to develop sustained growth, notes Developing Telecoms, citing a report by Research & Markets. “There are also practical challenges relating to transparency and tax burdens which have hindered foreign investment.
A 19 month project with over 190 expert missions to Georgia comprising Lithuanian, German and Polish experts has helped define secondary legislation and guidelines on communications in line with EU standards for the country.
The FCC in the US is taking steps to improve broadband deployment and competition in the nation’s apartment buildings, condominium complexes and office buildings (known as multiple tenant environments, or MTEs).
The Communications Service Proclamation has been adopted by the Ethiopian Parliament and introduces a number of major changes into the Ethiopian telecoms sector. Commentary from DLA Piper's telecoms team notes that the most important aspect of the proclamation is that it has liberalised the sector, which has been monopolised by the government for many decades.
Hadopi, the France’s copyright agency, and Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), France’s media regulator, have conducted a joint study on the connected speaker market, which is an issue for both institutions. These issues are also of interest to other regulatory authorities, including telecoms regulator, ARCEP, the competition authority, and CNIL, the data privacy agency, which contributed to the work.
The US House Judiciary Committee has launched an investigation into the market dominance of Silicon Valley’s biggest names, starting with a look at the impact of the tech giants’ platforms on news content, the media and the spread of misinformation online, reports Courthouse News.
The Cook Islands Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) has released a draft telecoms market competition policy for consultation. The Cook Islands has been serviced by a single operator, partly-owned by the government, under a legislated monopoly since 1989, with limited independent oversight.
The EU should be “ready to act” should social values such as “privacy, freedom and fairness” be under threat from expanding digital monopolies, the bloc’s competition chief, Margrethe Vestager, has said, reports EurActiv.
Despite a lengthy process that started way back in the spring of 2018, US mobile operators Sprint and T-Mobile have agreed to extend the deadline for their proposed merger another 2 months until 29 June, reports Gizmodo.
The Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE) has published “Market definition and market power in the platform economy”, which provides guidance on how to define markets and on how to assess market power when dealing with two-sided platforms.
The US Federal Trade Commission has testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce about its efforts to protect consumers and promote competition.
The US Federal Trade Commission has testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce about its efforts to protect consumers and promote competition.
The ITU has approved a recommendation addressing the relationship between network operators and providers of over the top (OTT) applications. It says recommendation ITU-T D.262 “provides parameters for the analysis of the new economic dynamics of the ICT ecosystem and how policy and regulatory frameworks could promote competition, consumer protection, consumer benefits, dynamic innovation, sustainable investment and infrastructure development, accessibility and affordability in relation to the global growth of OTTs”.
The GSMA has raised concerns about 5G spectrum auction design “artificially inflating prices, or inefficiently distributing already scarce spectrum resources, which risk harming consumers”. “Auctions can and do fail when poorly designed,” said Brett Tarnutzer, the GSMA’s head of spectrum.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has decided to oppose the proposed merger between TPG Telecom and Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA). The ACCC has concluded that it is likely to substantially lessen competition in the supply of mobile services because the merger would preclude TPG entering as the fourth mobile network operator in Australia.
The FTTH Council Europe has released a new study on copper switch-off and transition to fibre. It analyses the different stages of copper switch-off in 10 European Union member states and identifies benefits as well as enablers, incentives, challenges and barriers to switching from copper to fibre networks.
Tech giants have become increasingly dominant and ministers must open the market up to increase consumer choice and give people greater control over their data, an independent review for the UK government has advised.
Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has published a final determination in its review of competition in the wholesale mobile termination market, concluding that messaging termination services on mobile operators should no longer be subject to ex-ante regulation, while the wholesale market for call termination services remains under ex-ante regulation by TRA.
Citizens Advice, a UK charity, has called for an independent consumer champion for the mobile and broadband industries to stand up to practices that exploit customers.
The EU says it has reached a political deal on the first-ever rules aimed at creating “a fair, transparent and predictable business environment for businesses and traders when using online platforms”.
Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, South Africa’s communications minister, has withdrawn the contentious Electronic Communications Amendment Bill, reports TechCentral. “The draft legislation, which creates the framework for a wholesale open-access network has drawn severe criticism from Vodacom, MTN and others over, among other things, its proposal to force network operators to provide wholesale access to their infrastructure on a cost-orientated and open-access basis...
Responding to requests from Sunrise and Salt, the Switzerland’s Federal Communications Commission (ComCom) has reviewed the prices charged for the regulated telecoms services offered by the incumbent, Swisscom.
There will be more than 777 million global streaming video on demand (SVOD) subscriptions by 2023, more than double from 2017, according to Ooyala’s latest State of the Broadcast Industry 2019 report, which also found that the momentum only stands to increase.
A US federal appeals court has ruled not to delay oral arguments set for 1 February on the Trump administration’s decision to repeal the 2015 net neutrality rules governing internet providers, reports Reuters.
US politicians have pressed AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile US and Verizon for answers about their network prioritisation policies, after a study found the operators slowed speeds for certain data services but not others, reports Mobile World Live.
The UK Chancellor has requested an independent review and consultation from an expert panel on the state of competition in the digital economy, to consider what the opportunities and challenges are for policy, both in the UK and internationally.
The ITU has published a study, “The economic contribution of broadband, digitization and ICT regulation” which finds that an increase in both fixed and mobile broadband penetration has a positive impact on the economy.
It was only going to be a matter of time, but the telco industry is taking California to court over the decision to reinstate net neutrality rules, reports Telecoms.com.
Countries which have historically driven protectionist policies through tariff and other trade barriers are now extending their agenda into the digital world, according to research by law firm Gowling WLG.
It appears that three of the nation’s largest cable companies are not planning to bid on millimetre-wave spectrum licences in the FCC’s 5g spectrum auction, which starts on 14 November, reports Fierce Wireless.
Europe’s telecoms CEOs have issued their latest vision for Europe’s next policy agenda, via the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO), highlighting that with 5G and artificial intelligence (AI) at the doorstep, “the network and services landscape is about to be revolutionised.
A Malaysian government initiative designed to reduce fixed broadband prices while increasing speeds at the same time is on track, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), notes TeleGeography.
Google has announced changes to how it licenses the Android operating system to comply with the European Commission’s decision that its current agreements violate competition law, notes Telecompaper.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has decided to reduce the scope of consultation for the proposed regulatory framework for over the top (OTT) platforms such as WhatsApp and Skype, according to a report by Live Mint.
A report from the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE), “Liability of online hosting platforms: should exceptionalism end?”, explores whether online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube benefit from a “liability free pass”.
New Zealand’s Commerce Commission has released an issues paper calling for submissions on its initial assessment of the mobile market that is being carried out under Section 9A of the Telecommunications Act 2001.
The South African government is poised to liberalise radio frequency spectrum by allowing the free trading of spectrum assignments, subject to regulatory conditions, reports TechCentral.
Deutsche Telekom has outlined its demands for Germany’s upcoming 5G spectrum auction, rejecting calls for conditions to encourage a new operator or plans for regional licences, notes Telecompaper.
A US appeals court has upheld a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling that broadband markets can be competitive even when there is only one internet provider. The FCC can “rationally choose which evidence to believe among conflicting evidence”, the court ruling said.
Mozilla, the developer of the Firefox browser, has filed a legal brief against the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), accusing the telecoms regulator of abdicating its role, ignoring public comments and failing to understand how the internet actually works, notes the Register.
Germany, seeking to rein in internet giants like Google and Facebook, plans to bolster the powers of its competition watchdog to prevent such companies from becoming monopolies even before they achieve scale, reports Reuters.
Spooked by Netflix’s growing popularity among African viewers, the continent’s largest television operator wants the disruptor to be regulated, reports Quartz Africa. “This call for regulation is a common call from established monopolies who find their grip on a local market challenged by a tech disruptor, and MultiChoice is no different.
Three major internet service providers in the UK have said they would back a regulator to oversee rules for web giants – but warned lawmakers not to forget smaller firms or the bigger picture, reports the Register.
Romania's telecoms authority, Ancom, has opened a consultation on a draft decision for setting the maximum tariffs to be charged on operators exercising the right of access to state-owned public property, notes Telecompaper.
India’s regulator, TRAI, has released the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference regulation, which is aimed at cutting down the number of fraudulent and intrusive calls across the country, reports Firstpost.
Germany’s Monopolies Commission in its latest biennial report says that digital change requires legal adjustments regarding price algorithms and the media sector.
Germany’s Monopolies Commission in its latest biennial report says that digital change requires legal adjustments regarding price algorithms and the media sector.
Germany’s top telecoms regulator has set its sights on US technology groups such as Google and Facebook, insisting that providers of messaging and email services should be regulated just like ordinary telecoms companies, reports the Financial Times.
Eight months after India’s telecoms regulator came out swinging heavily in favour of the principle of net neutrality, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has finally agreed to adopt the same, reports the Wire.
A British thinktank has issued proposals for a radical overhaul of regulation of the technology sector, which it argues is “unfit for purpose, incentivises bad behaviour and has failed to address ethical questions about big data and its use”.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published the final report of its communications sector market study, which includes 28 recommendations and actions on competition and consumer issues.
AT&T has given up its years-long quest to hinder the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) authority to regulate broadband providers, reports Ars Technica.
Latest comment on agreement on the European Electronic Communications Code come from mobile industry body, the GSMA, which considers it “is a political compromise that fails to confront long term challenges for the European telecoms sector and could hinder deployment of 5G networks in Europe, weakening the region’s competitiveness and harming European citizens.”
Mergers reducing the number of mobile operators from four to three may push prices for end-users higher in the short to medium term, even with remedies such as MVNO access, according to a study published by EU regulator BEREC.
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has reduced local mobile data and internet charges after concluding a cost modelling exercise for telecommunication network services in the country covering mobile, fixed and internet access networks, reports AllAfrica.
RS Sharma, chair of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Johannes Gungl, chair of European regulators body, BEREC, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) under which they advocate for effective electronic communications regulation.
On the heels of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Europe is gearing up for its next big privacy push, this time taking aim at data collection within messaging apps. But critics contend the proposed law goes too far, potentially stifling innovation and hurting profits, according to an article in OWI Insight.
UK regulator, Ofcom, has issued two documents of wider interest. The first is an assessment of competition in wholesale broadband access markets, under which services in these markets are bought by telecoms providers to supply retail broadband services to residential and business consumers.
A European parliament committee has voted for legislation that internet pioneers fear will turn the web into “a tool for surveillance and control”, reports the Guardian.
Japan Communications says it has received Japan’s first regulatory certification under both the Radio Law and Telecommunications Business Law for an unlicensed LTE (u-LTE) base station – and JCI chairman Frank Seiji Sanda says, “u-LTE is the first step in the obsolescence of legacy mobile operators.”
Google is under investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the country’s Privacy Commissioner following claims that it collects data from millions of Android smartphone users, who unwittingly pay their telecoms service providers for gigabytes consumed by the activity, reports Reuters.
South Africa’s regulator, ICASA, has published end user and subscriber service charter regulations as the start of a three-pronged process to address concerns about the cost of data services.
Deployment of 4G is lagging in Central America and the region needs to up its game or risk putting its future economic development at risk, the GSMA has stated in a report.
Kosovo’s telecoms watchdog, the Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications (ARKEP), has approved new regulations that look to shore up consumers’ rights and update existing rules to ensure net neutrality, notes TeleGeography.
The European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA) has sent an open letter to the EU to share its concern that the EU’s vision for a connected digital single market “risks being stopped dead in its tracks before it can effectively take off”.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) National Assembly has adopted a new Telecommunications Act to update the nation’s aging legal framework for the sector, bring the rules in line with the country’s needs and to align with other relevant legislation, notes TeleGeography.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking to update the framework for licensing educational broadband service (EBS) spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band.
The US Senate has voted 52-47 to disapprove the FCC’s recent order replacing 2015’s net neutrality rules, “a pleasant surprise for internet advocates and consumers throughout the country”, reports TechCrunch.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published the final report of its communications sector market study, which includes 28 recommendations and actions on competition and consumer issues.
A paper published by Brookings looks at the importance of cross-border data flows, taking Asia as a model, and why they need regulating to stimulate the digital economy.
California is among the US states that could reintroduce net neutrality following the FCC’s overturning of the Open Internet Order.
The European Commission has launched an investigation to assess Apple’s proposed acquisition of music app Shazam, expressing concerns the deal could reduce choice for users of music streaming services, reports Mobile World Live.
The design of the UK's new universal service obligation (USO) for broadband has been specified in law, reports Out-Law.com. The UK government said the new USO would “ensure high speed broadband access for the whole of the UK by 2020”.
The telecoms regulator in Taiwan has warned that sparking a price war could impair how much operators are willing to invest in new services and networks, including 5G, reports Telecoms Tech.
South Africa’s regulator, ICASA is to hold public hearings to discuss “the review and development of the authority position on historically disadvantaged persons and broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE)”, notes ITWeb.
Europe’s antitrust chief, Margrethe Vestager, is looking to three academics to help her deal with anti-competitive practices in fast-moving technology markets, reports Reuters.
The Australian Government has announced a joint initiative with the ten countries of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote digital trade and support inclusive economic growth in our region.
ACMA has released draft complaints-handling rules designed to improve the experience of consumers moving to the National Broadband Network.
Gambling advertisements will be banned during the broadcast of live sports between 5am and 8:30pm on commercial free-to-air TV, radio and pay TV, ACMA has announced.
The Australian Government has announced a review of the Australian Copyright Act 1968 following on from the Productivity Commission’s review and report on Australia’s Intellectual Property Arrangements.
High wholesale prices impede competition in the broadband market, so the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA) is imposing price caps on fibre local loops provided by the three market leaders in Finland, and regulation on copper local loops will be scaled down.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has started a public inquiry to determine whether declaration of the domestic transmission capacity service (DTCS) remains appropriate in light of changes to the market, including the growth of commercial alternatives available to service providers, new National Broadband Network (NBN) products for business customers, and industry consolidation.
The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) has highlighted its focus areas for 2018 – with emphasis on a study on 5G, the latest data on international roaming, and a consultation paper on net neutrality.
Anacom, the Portuguese telecoms regulator, has accused the country’s main operators of violating European Union rules on net neutrality, reports Reuters.
Approval by the ACM (Dutch competition authority) of KPN’s acquisition of fibre operator Reggefiber was upheld by the Dutch Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal in February 2018 – and as a commentary in JD Supra says, in assessing the merger’s competitive effects, “the tribunal notably considered regulatory measures adopted pursuant to sector-specific telecoms regulation”.
India’s antitrust watchdog imposed a 1.36 billion rupees ($21.17 million) fine on Google for “search bias” and abuse of its dominant position, in the latest regulatory setback for the world’s most popular internet search engine, reports Reuters.
The European Commission has published the drafts of revised SMP (significant market power) guidelines and an accompanying explanatory note. Both documents were sent to the Body of Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) for its opinion, with a view to adopting the guidelines in the second quarter of this year.
The GSMA has issued a report, “Effective spectrum pricing in Latin America: policies to support better quality and more affordable mobile services”, highlighting that spectrum policies in Latin America are impacting the delivery of quality mobile services to consumers across the region.
The Dutch government says it will come out this year with a strategy to help entrepreneurs and people in the Netherlands to benefit from the digital economy, notes Telecompaper. Secretary of State Mona Keijzer stated in an opinion that digitisation is not only about economics, but also touches on relationships in society, on safety and on accessibility.
UKE, the Polish regulator, has closed a consolidation procedure on its draft proposals for the regulation of broadcasting services and television wholesale markets in Poland, notes Global Telecoms Business.
Benin’s Authority for Regulation of Electronic Communications and Post (ARCEP) signed a decision on 17 January 2018 reassigning all subscribers of Globacom Benin (Glo Mobile) to the network of Moov Benin, reports TeleGeography.
Researchers at the Berkman Klein Center in the US have found advantages for consumers in community fibre broadband compared with commercial offerings.
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