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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.

Cross-border data flows examined in Asian study

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.

  • Thursday, 26 April 2018

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

  • Reviewing the Layered Model

    More than 10 years ago, as the move to digital took off, there was much debate about using a layered regulatory model to mirror the new world. Now, write IVOR KING and DEREK WILDING, it’s making a comeback in Australia. But does it have merit? 

    April 2018, Volume 46 Issue 1

  • Dark Clouds?

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

  • Fibre: Taking the Right Steps

    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

  • 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

  • Is it time to regulate AI?

    Thanks to big increases in computing power, artificial intelligence has now become a legal and regulatory concern. MARC BEISHON weighs up the evidence for intervention.

    January 2018, Volume 45 Issue 4

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • Going for an Asia-Pacific agenda

    How should we define the digital economy and what are its policy implications? MARI PANGESTU and PETER LOVELOCK provide an Asia-Pacific perspective.

    January 2018, Volume 45 Issue 4

  • 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

  • Signals for Latin America

    ANTONIO GARCIA ZABALLOS of the Inter-American Development Bank discusses shortcomings in Latin America and the Caribbean that could hold up investment.

    January 2018, Volume 45 Issue 4

  • 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

  • The Outlook for Auctions

    Einstein said, ‘Make things as simple as possible, but not simpler.’ As MARTIN
    BICHLER and JACOB K. GOEREE discuss, it’s an axiom made for spectrum auctions

    April 2018, Volume 46 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

  • Q&A Ulf Pehrsson

    With Ulf Pehrsson, Ericsson's Head of Government and industry relations Read
    Q&A Ulf Pehrsson

Regulatory Watch articles on Innovation & Investment

  • Chaos of Mother’s Day sale investigated by Taiwan’s regulator

    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.”

  • South Africa’s regulator responds to call for data price cuts

    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.

  • GSMA finds mobile development lagging in Central America

    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.

  • ECTA joins in with warnings about European Electronic Communications Code

    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”.

  • Japan Communications has go-ahead for unlicensed LTE base station

    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.”

  • FCC approves satellite broadband launch

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved a plan by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to build a global broadband network using satellites, reports Reuters.

  • US agencies band together for radar consolidation

    Four agencies looking to band together to create a combined radar system want more information from commercial spectrum users and the public on their plan for the project, notes FWC.

  • Australia’s ACCC issues final market report

    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.

  • Cross-border data flows examined in Asian study

    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.

  • Europe makes triple play on artificial intelligence

    The European Commission is proposing “a three-pronged approach to increase public and private investment in artificial intelligence (AI), prepare for socioeconomic changes, and ensure an appropriate ethical and legal framework.”

  • UK’s lays out universal service law

    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”.

  • Taiwan’s regulator warns on impact of price war

    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.

  • 5G forecast show Europe ‘further adrift’

    CCS Insight, a market researcher, has raised its near-term forecast for global 5G connections following “impressive progress” made by the industry over the past six months.

  • GSMA weighs in on Colombia’s regulatory regime

    The GSMA has put forward a series of regulatory and public policy proposals to boost Colombia’s digital economy ahead of next month’s presidential elections, reports Telecompaper.

  • South Africa consults on ICT ownership

    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.

  • Togo aims to build internet access

    The government of Togo, in an effort to ensure the provision of universal electronic communications services in the country, has adopted a draft decree that defines the rules applying to such services, notes TeleGeography.

  • Myanmar starts universal service fund

    Myanmar will collect tax on telecoms operators to extend the telecoms network to remote areas of the country, reports the Myanmar Times.

  • Operators say European reform will not deliver on ambition and investment Heads of European telecoms operators appear to have lost patience with the EU’s strategy despite having been “vocal supporters of the ambitions outlined in the digital single market (DSM) strategy”.
  • FCC sets out 5G spectrum auction plans

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comment on proposed application and bidding procedures for the auctions of the 28 GHz and 24 GHz spectrum bands to promote the development of 5G technology, the internet of things, and other advanced spectrum-based services.

  • EU antitrust chief turns to academics to help tackle tech challenges

    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 impact of the GDPR

    On 25 May the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force for the 28 member states, but the impact is already far wider as the regulation affects any organisation that keeps data on an EU citizen, which includes all the global internet giants.

  • Q&A Ieva Martinkenaite

    This month Policy World interviews Ieva Martinkenaite, PhD, Vice President, Telenor Research, Head of Telenor-NTNU AI-Lab / Start IoT

  • Canada readies emergency alert system on smartphones

    A system to alert Canadians to natural disasters and other public safety emergencies via their smartphones is another step closer to reality, reports the Financial Post.

  • Metadata processing under scrutiny in Europe

    An item in the law blog, Out-Law.com, notes that EU law makers are scrutinising the issue of metadata processing in the context of new EU laws on privacy and electronic communications (the e-privacy regulation). The Bulgarian presidency of the Council of Ministers has published a document that has highlighted that there are different views across national governments in the EU on the rules that should apply to metadata processing.

  • Finland’s regulator imposes price caps to boost broadband competition

    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.

  • International tax system changes could target tech giants

    The OECD says more than 110 countries and jurisdictions have agreed to review two key concepts of the international tax system, responding to a mandate from the G20 finance ministers to work on the implications of digitisation for taxation.

  • Indian regulator aims for public Wi-Fi rollout using payments model

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is aiming to develop a framework similar to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to aid the rollout of public Wi-Fi hotspots in the country, notes Live Mint.

  • Dutch agency notes vulnerability of digitisation of the power supply

    The digitisation of the power supply will make it vulnerable due to the increasing risk of error in the software, and not only as a result of cyberattacks, reports Telecom Paper, noting a report by the Dutch Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (Rli).

  • European regulators body sets out priorities, including 5G and net neutrality

    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.

  • Susan Crawford says the US must do more in communications infrastructure

    Susan Crawford, the Harvard law professor and proponent of public telecoms investment, has used her latest column in Wired to attack privatisation of public assets.

  • Portuguese regulator gets tough 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.

  • India relaxes spectrum rules in favour of investment

    India has approved relief measures for the telecoms sector, revising limits on spectrum holdings and allowing operators longer to pay for airwaves won at auction, with a view to freeing up funds for investment, improving ease of doing business and allowing for consolidation in the sector, reports TeleGeography.

  • Thailand talks digital transformation, space and satellite

    IIC Thailand Chapter is committed to facilitate discussions on digital ecosystem and digital transformation to the country and Southeast Asian region.

  • Q&A Magnus Ewerbring

    We asked Magnus Ewerbring, CTO of Ericsson in APAC, for his views on the future of 5G, its relevance for consumers and how networks will be ‘sliced’ to support different applications in the future.

  • Dutch agency investigates wireless using light

    The Dutch radiocommunications agency, Agentschap Telecom, has published research on the use of “Li-Fi” – light fidelity – which uses light for wireless communication.

  • GSMA criticises Latin American spectrum policies

    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.

  • Tunisia updates regulatory priorities

    The Tunisian telecom authority INT (Instance Nationale des Telecommunications) has published a summary of its main priorities for 2018, which include a number of new initiatives alongside its ongoing activities in the areas of consumer protection, quality of service, and regulation of wholesale broadband offers, notes Telecompaper.

  • France’s regulator urges internet freedom in IoT devices

    French communications regulator, Arcep, has urged Europe-wide action to force manufacturers to reverse policies on handsets, tablets and smart speakers perceived to be limiting internet freedom, reports Mobile World Live.

  • Social media companies need to do more to comply with EU consumer rules

    The European Commission says social media companies need to do more to respond to the requests, made last March by the Commission and member states’ consumer authorities, to comply with EU consumer rules.

  • OECD releases latest figures on mobile and broadband trends

    Mobile termination rates – the rates operators charge each other to connect calls – dropped by an average of 42% in OECD countries between 2014 and 2017 as a result of increased regulation and competition, according to new data released by the OECD.

  • Proposal for a federal 5G network in the US

    Telecoms and law professor Rob Frieden has written about a US National Security Council initiative that identifies the security and public safety benefits in having a government owned 5G wireless network leased by commercial ventures.

  • Cyril Ramaphosa mentions technology in state of nation address

    Cyril Ramaphosa, the new president of South Africa, included the following in his state of the nation address: “Our prosperity as a nation depends on our ability to take full advantage rapid technological change. This means that we urgently need to develop our capabilities in the areas of science, technology and innovation.

  • European operators say status quo is better than bad reform

    The European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association (ETNO) has warned that the current negotiations on the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC) may “result in a worsened climate for digital growth”...

  • Expert report on AI warns of malicious use

    Experts on the security implications of emerging technologies have written a report that sounds the alarm about the potential malicious use of artificial intelligence (AI) by rogue states, criminals, and terrorists.

  • Netherlands pronounces on the digital economy

    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.

  • New Zealand resumes backhaul study

    New Zealand’s Commerce Commission has resumed a study into backhaul services, which was put on hold in February 2017 while the government proceeded with its review of the Telecommunications Act.

  • Ofcom’s review of regulatory trends

    UK regulator, Ofcom, has issued its “International communications market report 2017”, which includes a section on regulatory context.

  • India consults on new telecoms policy

    TRAI, India’s telecoms regulator, has consulted on a new telecoms policy being formulated by the government to attract $100 billion worth of investment in a sector that's going through consolidation amid intense competition, notes Economic Times.

  • Q&A with Yasmin Mahmood

    Datuk Yasmin Mahmood, CEO, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)

  • ACMA introduces new regulations to support intelligent transport systems

    The Australian Communications and Media Authority have introduced new regulations permitting the use of intelligent transport systems (ITS)...

  • 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.

  • Q&A with Rob Strayer

    Rob Strayer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Cyber and International Communications and Information Policy, US State Department

  • FCC pairs with health body in rural cancer support

    The US Federal Communications Commission’s Connect2Health Task Force (C2HFCC) has announced that the FCC and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have joined forces, signing a memorandum of understanding that will focus on how increasing broadband access and adoption in rural areas can improve the lives of rural cancer patients.

  • France’s regulator sets out framework for fibre rollout

    Arcep has set the regulatory framework that will govern how the incumbent, Orange, will roll out fibre services and access, notes Global Telecoms Business.

  • Kenya to force mobile money competition

    he Communications Authority of Kenya will force mobile phone operators to share money transfer infrastructure, reports The Standard.

  • Bulgaria to prioritise European Communications Code in Council presidency; full EU spectrum reform in doubt

    Bulgaria will focus its attention on speeding up negotiations on the European Communications Code when it takes over the 6 month rotating presidency of the Council of Ministers in January, notes EurActiv.

  • UNICEF and European Commission release reports on children

    Despite children’s massive online presence – 1 in 3 internet users worldwide is a child – too little is done to protect them from the perils of the digital world and to increase their access to safe online content, UNICEF said in its annual flagship report.

  • Germany weighs up regulatory reform to speed fibre deployment

    Germany’s telecoms industry should accelerate the build-out of the country’s high-speed broadband network, its regulator said, adding it was considering easier regulation on fibre internet to speed the process, noted Reuters.

  • China sends out digital economy signals

    China is willing to deepen global cooperation in the digital economy to gain new momentum and expand global economic growth, the head of the country’s internet regulatory body has said.

  • Q&A with Dr Robert Pepper

    Dr Robert Pepper, Head, Global Connectivity Policy and Planning, Facebook

  • FCC goes ahead with media ownership changes

    As expected, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has loosened media ownership regulations in the US after a 3-2 vote by its executive which, while an expected development under the Trump administration, has drawn a mixed reaction, notes Rapid TV News.

  • Telcos battle carmakers over communications approach

    A fierce debate has gripped Europe’s automobile industry that will shape the future of all cars sold across the region: how to get internet-connected vehicles to “talk” to each other while travelling on the road, reports the Financial Times.

  • FCC enacts next-gen network reforms; announces millimetre wave spectrum

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has enacted reforms that it says will better enable providers to invest in next-generation networks. The FCC is also seeking comment on additional reforms, including how the FCC can expedite rebuilding and repairing broadband infrastructure after natural disasters.

  • Italy joins in digital taxation plans

    Italy is putting forward plans for a digital sales levy as a European crackdown on how large US internet groups pay tax gathers momentum, reports the Financial Times.

  • Africa’s taxes are ‘holding up connectivity’

    African taxmen pick on phone companies because they make lots of money and keep excellent records in a continent where both these things are rare, writes the Economist.

  • Australia’s chief scientists calls for AI regulatory framework; ACCC keeping tabs

    Australia's chief scientist, Alan Finkel, has called on governments and businesses across the world to consider developing a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence devices, ranging from the likes of Apple's Siri to weaponised drones, reports the Australian Financial Review.

  • US stock markets converge on telecoms

    US equities indices are poised for a revamp to keep up with the evolving nature of communications, reports the Financial Times.

  • OECDs’ digital economy report

    The OECD Digital Economy Outlook 2017 reports that progress is uneven across countries, businesses and within societies. Broadening access to digital opportunities and helping those lagging behind to catch up would increase the benefits of the digital transformation...

  • European operators warn of risks to infrastructure under reform plans

    ETNO, the European Telecommunications Network Operators' Association, has issued a strong warning about the direction of the European Electronic Communications Code. It says it is “no ordinary legislation. This is a once-in-a-decade opportunity to unlock investment in world-class infrastructure, which is the core of a successful society and economy.

  • Estonian presidency pushes ahead with European reform

    The European Council has granted the Estonian presidency a mandate to begin negotiations with the European Parliament on the new European Electronic Communications Code. “Our future is digital, and these rules are key to creating a gigabit society throughout the EU,” said Urve Palo, Estonia's Minister for Entrepreneurship and Information Technology.

  • Slovenia successfully tests emergency call system from cars

    The system that makes emergency calls from car, eCall, has been successfully tested at an event in Slovenia.

  • Momentum increases in Latin American roaming

    Bolivia's telecommunications regulation authority, ATT, and the ITU have issued a statement confirming that they will work together to promote the goal of ending international roaming charges between countries in the Andean community, reports Telecompaper.

  • UK report on AI holds back on regulation

    Nine months after the UK government commissioned an independent review into artificial intelligence (AI), the authors have revealed their findings, reports Wired.

  • Economics of Australia’s national broadband network in doubt

    The CEO of Australia’s National Broadband Network (NBN) company, Bill Morrow, has confirmed what the industry has been saying for years: that the network builder’s economic model is broken and that – under current conditions – it may never turn a profit, report IT News.

  • UK’s Ofcom warned on investment strategy

    A proposal by UK regulator, Ofcom, to force the wholesale network operator, Openreach, into significantly cutting the wholesale price of its 40 Mbps fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) product for internet service providers (ISPs) has “been dealt a blow” after the government warned it would “disincentivise investment” in new “full fibre” (FTTP/H) networks.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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 to regulate what a self-driving car will look like.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Q&A with Antonio Garcia Zaballos

    Antonio Garcia Zaballos, Leader of the Broadband Programme, Inter-American Development Bank

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