Owner: Communications Breakdown URL:http://telcommunicator.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2006 01:42:44 -0500 Rating:1 Site Description: Tracking trends in telecoms, internet and media businesses. It´s for investors, but I do not give recommendations. Typical subjects are wireless technologies such as WiMAX; issues around competition and regulation; internet search technology and click fra Site statistics:Click here
Some short-term triggers 2007-03-21 13:10:00 Here are some possible triggers for short-term movement, before the new reporting season starts:
Telefonica: to decide on the sale of its 75% Endemol stake (late March). Mediaset and John de Mol are candidates.OTE: Greek state to sell 20% stake (late March). This could be the chance for Telefonica or DT to step in.Vodafone: investor day on UK and Germany in London (March 30). Time for bullish
More corporate action to trigger the telco sector 2007-03-23 10:50:00 Continuing on this post, I dug up some more ongoing business dealings.
Operators for sale:
AlltelPipex (and C&W?) in the UK; possibly Lycos Germany, Jazztel (Spain), and PT's PT Multimedia unitFastWeb (Italy) could attract a counterbid (next to Swisscom's).Telefonica not only has Endemol up for sale (late March), but Airwave (UK) as well.Deutsche Telekom is shopping Ya.com (Spain) and Club Read more:corporate
, trigger
, telco
, sector
StarHub trials pfingo, a WiFi service 2007-03-22 14:12:00 TeleGeography reports StarHub, the #2 telco and #3 mobile operator in Singapore, is trialing a new platform, dubbed pfingo, among 30 users for 3 months.
Pfingo is open to subs from SingTel and MobileOne as well and works on any handset. Users receive a new number and for a fixed monthly fee are allowed unlimited on-net voice minutes (pfingoTALK), as well as pfingoACTIVE (not sure what that is) Read more:WiFi
NextWave adds IPWireless to its portfolio 2007-04-10 10:17:00 NextWave Wireless, the opportunistic wireless operator of yore, has acquired 4G contender IPWireless, known for both its 4G technology (TD CDMA or UMTS TDD) and its mobile TV technology (TDtv). Telephony Online has a good piece addressing NextWave's strategy.
It is interesting for two reasons: instead of focusing on WiMAX, NextWave it is building a much broader portfolio; and instead of opting
Telecom Italia starts SLU trial in the Netherlands 2007-04-11 10:42:00 Telecompaper reports that bbned, the Dutch wholesale internetprovider owned by Telecom Italia
, is starting a VDSL trial in three Dutch towns in the Amsterdam area. For now, it appears to be a technical trial.
The infrastructure exists of fiber connected street cabinets, in which bbned installed VDSL gear. In other words, it uses SLU (sub-loop unbundling), instead of the more traditional LLU ( Read more:Telecom
, Netherlands
Another free paper - but bringing quality content 2007-04-16 11:56:00 The freesheet industry is getting an interesting twist in the Netherlands. Free newspaper
s aren't new, but 'De Pers' (yes, this would be 'the press' in English) adds something new. It bills itself as a 'quality' newspaper.
The paper launched in January and since doubled circulation (to 500k) and added a news website. It distinguishes from the usual free fare with its expanded distribution - not
WiFi gearing up 2007-04-16 11:35:00 This article contains the timeline for 802.11r, the WiFi
standard enabling handover and thus mobility. The IEEE targets certification early 2008.
The interesting thing to me is that by adding mobility, WiFi could take away even more traffic from cellular networks. Wireless operators embracing WiFi could use this to stave off potential competition from WiMAX networks. Read more:gearing
Separation round-up 2007-04-27 14:29:00 In March, the Dutch NRA (OPTA) declined to separate network and services at incumbent KPN. OPTA said it didn't have the power to do so. It added that cable competition, as well as open access to the KPN network (be it wholesale, LLU or bitstream) were sufficient to guarantee a competitive market.
However, Viviane Reding seems to be on collision course, aiming for a European effort at separating Read more:Separation
, round
Does anybody want to compete in the Netherlands? 2007-04-27 13:48:00 As I've written before, LLU is coming to and end in the Netherlands
. France Telecom yesterday in a way referred to this, meandering on its strategy regarding Orange NL.
The consequences of the next stage in copper-based competion:
KPN thinks it's so clever, forcing the competition out of the market. Only a player like KPN can afford to build a FTTC + VDSL network ('All-IP'). However, the plans
Reed Elsevier and Thomson Corp could carve up Reuters 2007-05-04 12:03:00 Reuters has received a takeover approach. The Reuters (!) news service mentions Thomson
Corp and News Corp as possible suitors.
I am surprised Reed Elsevier isn't mentioned. They are selling Harcourt (the education unit), reducing the company to a 3-trick pony. Thomson could be interested in the news business (avoiding FCC/FTC scrutiny, which would almost certainly result from combining Reuters Read more:Reuters
Google helps value shift to B2B media 2007-05-04 10:38:00 The Voelspriet site (and Dutch language alert service) pointed me to a wonderful presentation by Hans Rosling, co-founder of Swedish Gapminder (from the 'Mind the Gap' phrase). It is titled 'Debunking third-world myths with the best stats you’ve ever seen' and is definitely worth the 20 minute view.
The content is compelling as it is, but the reason for being linked to on this site is the second Read more:Google
, media
Enhancing cablemodem broadband 2007-05-03 14:58:00 Broadband over cable benefits from the upcoming DOCSIS 3.0 standard. It enhances the user experience by expanding the downstream bandwidth to 160 Mbps. Approaching the bandwidth issue from the other side, namely the ISP's (i.e. dealing with efficiency), there are several options: fiber node splits, switched digital video technology, digital simulcasts, plant upgrades to 1 GHz spectrum, MPEG-4. Read more:broadband
How Terry and Meg are marrying off Yahoo! and eBay 2007-05-10 11:42:00 It is interesting to see what happened at Yahoo
!, six months after Brad Garlinghouse’s ‘Peanut Butter Manifesto’ was leaked to the Wall Street Journal. In general, he called for focus and job cuts.
It looks to me like Yahoo! is quietly implementing Brad’s underlying recommendations. Focus is in fact increasing (but as a content aggregator Yahoo!’s coverage remains naturally wide). Job cuts could Read more:Terry
, marrying
Buying Joost would fit Comcast's strategy 2007-05-14 14:15:00 Comcast is looking at all possible means to enhance its high-speed data offering, but so far P2P technology apparently hasn't come into play. Hence, Joost
(as well as Bablegum) could be a takeover target.
Let's first step back a little bit. Cablecos and telcos are trying to leapfrog each other in the broadband game. Telcos have xDSL technology to upgrade copper, cablecos have DOCSIS. Almost as Read more:Buying
, Comcast
Australia and Sweden may lead the way 2007-05-22 08:45:00 Alternative operators and ISPs have a hard time fighting the incumbent. Why not get together?
Now, Australia
and Sweden
could pull the industry into a new phase:
The Australian G9 consortium has proposed to build a FTTN network with Telstra.Telenor is trying to convince Telia, as well as Tele2, to cooperate on a VDSL2 network.Somehow, market participants and regulators must come to balance the
FTTH Update - growing in the Netherlands, Denmark (and Italy) 2007-05-23 05:24:00 More exciting FTTH developments. My cyberbuddy in Italy
, Stefano Quintarelli, is making waves with his 'Fibra che ride' ('Fiber that laughs') initiative through his blog. He is an industry insider pushing the economic importance of FTTH.
In the Netherlands
, it's Reggefiber again that is making waves - on actual deployments. In the towns of Geldrop-Mierlo, where 16k homes were connected, Read more:Update
, Denmark
Cool new hardware 2007-05-30 07:43:00 Here is a number of very interesting hardware technology developments worth checking out.
First, Jim Marggraff's LiveScribe 'paper-based computing', using a pen stuffed with technology. The New York Times has some pretty amazing details:Instead of forcing users to write with a stylus on a computer's slippery
display, Livescribe put the computer inside a plump ballpoint pen that is used
on paper
More FTTH 2007-05-30 06:21:00 Dirk 'Citynet' van der Woude informs me that the Geldrop project actually has yet to be built out. In other words, the 56% 'take' rate so far could end up at Nuenen levels of around 80%.
Further, Cisco's Francisco Feuntes spoke at a FTTH seminar in Singapore last week, giving a short overview of the current state of affairs. He aired a 'telco 2.0' theme:
According to Feuntes, open access is a
Network sharing versus intramodal competition 2007-06-07 04:58:00 As always, the TMT markets are moving rapidly. The interesting thing is that several seemingly unrelated deals can quite easily be connected. Let me set out on this small journey by starting with an Australian newspaper group and ending in the very same country.
The WSJ proves its value
The Wall Street Journal once more proves its value, this time at a very convenient moment. The Bancrofts may Read more:versus
, competition
Come and meet me in Maarssen (NL) 2007-06-11 08:45:00 Those wanting to meet the writer of this humble blog, all you have to do is become a Tiscali Wholesale customer in the Netherlands (now a KPN subsidiary). Next Thursday, June 14, I was asked to provide a sector view at Tiscali's annual 'partner' meeting.
More about this after the meeting.
Vodafone launches WiMAX service 2007-06-11 07:43:00 The Vodafone
group adds a another technology, aimed at being a 'Total Communications' provider. Apart from owning a DSL-operator (Germany) or reselling one (UK, Italy, etc.), the company (i.e. MTC-Vodafone) is launching WiMAX
service in Bahrain.
It is the fixed-wireless version (16d), in other words the DSL-replacement.
FTTH round-up 2007-06-11 05:27:00 Since my last post updating the FTTH market, relatively many deals were announced:
Hafslund, a Norwegian utility, will build a network in Ostlandet. Dirk van der Woude points me to the fact that this part of Norway, which includes Oslo, actually contains almost 50% of the entire population. Hafslund is controlled by the city of Oslo.More utilities and municipalities at work: the tiny town of Read more:round
Reggefiber expanding in Brabant 2007-06-19 07:15:00 Recently, I reported on Dick Wessels' Reggefiber FTTH group launching in the Dutch Brabant region. It targeted 50-80k subs in a number of towns in 2 years time. Now, it looks like we can add the nearby town of Helmond to the list.
Assuming that the numbers are alright, the population covered would grow by 86k v. 155k in the original 5 towns, or by over 50%. Read more:expanding
Australia plans ADSL2+/WiMAX network 2007-06-19 05:42:00 Australia has awarded AUD 958m to the OPEL Networks joint venture of Optus and Elders, to build a combined ADSL2+/WiMAXnetwork
. It is part of the government's Australia Connected initiative.
The network will consist of 15k km of fiber backhaul, 426 exchanges (to cover 3m households with ADSL2+) and WiMAX (for regional areas).
End-user pricing should come in the range of 35-60 AUD/mo, depending Read more:Australia
, plans
Regulation 2.0 in the Netherlands delayed 2007-06-19 03:16:00 KPN and its competitors have asked OPTA for a delay of 1 month; now they have to come up with a 'Full Alternative' to LLU by July 15. Subsequently, OPTA will publish its new ruling by the end of the year.
Should the parties involved fail to reach an agreement, then OPTA has set itself a deadline for publishing a market analysis and proposed rulings by October 15.
I've written many times before Read more:Regulation
, Netherlands
, delayed
Web 2.0 award winners: all the usual suspects 2007-06-19 01:14:00 Check out CNET's 'WebWare 100' award winners, even though the list isn't very distinctive in that it contains just about all the usual suspects
.
Notable absentees include many of the big virtual reality sites (Second Life et al). Only the MMORPG Gaia made it to the list.
Other sites conspicuously missing include NYT's About.com and Yahoo! Answers; mash-up engine Yahoo! Pipes; social shopping
Admire Sling 2007-06-19 00:53:00 You have to admire Sling
Media, not just for their basic Sling Box, that I wrote about long ago, but for their continous product developement. Yesterday they added HomePlug PLC connectivity for in-home networking. Check out this year's harvest:
070106: Plans launch of SlingCatcher (box) + SlingProjector (software)
summer 2007, < $200 (internet/PC-to-TV)070109: Launches Clip+Sling: share content
Silicon Valley business model in the Netherlands: be bought by KPN 2007-06-18 08:41:00 The KPN takeover was looming large over the Tiscali Wholesale Annual Partner (ISP customer) Day I was invited to speak at, last Thursday. OPTA (the Dutch NRA) has spoken supportively of NMa’s (the Dutch competition watchdog) approval of KPN buying Tiscali NL. Closing is expected this month.
I suppose KPN’s plans could be anywhere between fully dismantling Tiscali NL and maintaining it as a Read more:Netherlands
, Silicon
, Valley
, model
, Silicon Valley
, business model
Network operators give limited clarity 2007-06-21 06:09:00 Network separation as well as sharing are gaining momentum, but several operators provide limited
clarity on their long-term strategies.
Sprint Nextel: having several networks (iDEN for P2T, CDMA for voice and data) already, it is ready to add WiMAX (for 4G) to the mix. The iDEN networks needs investments for maintaining a certain quality level, while the CDMA network is being upgraded
Turmoil in Yahoo!/Semel aftermath keeps eBay merger option alive 2007-06-21 05:08:00 I believe all the turmoil around Yahoo
!, after CEO Terry Semel quit, fortifies the case for a merger with eBay, which I defended before.
Keep in mind that Google is the perennial enemy to both. Microsoft on the other hand is carefully treated as an equally beleaguered colleague, rather than as a competitor.
The recent animosities by no means endanger a Yahoo!/eBay merger:
Google was ready to Read more:Turmoil
, keeps
, option
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