Showing posts with label Telefonica. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Telefonica. Show all posts

Monday, March 22, 2021

Week 11 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

  • KPN
  • VodafoneZiggo
    • 20Q4 final, Annual Report 2020
    • Moody's affirms Ba3 corporate family rating (CFR) & Ba3-PD probability of default rating (PDR)
  • Vodafone: Vodafone Business Investor Briefing ("Connecting people, places & things for a better future")  
  • Telefonica: Considers selling minority stake in submarine cable unit (part of Telxius), to be integrated in Telefonica Infra
  • Iliad: 20Q4; Iliad IT to add fixed-line services summer 2021
  • Elisa: Annual Report 2020
  • Rakuten: Rakuten sells equity (13% stake) for $2.2b to Japan Post (8.32%), Image Frame Investment (= Tencent) 3.65%, Walmart 0.92%, Mikitani
  • Spotify: Launches Loud & Clear website: guide to royalty payment system; >13k artists made >$50k in 2020, 870 made >$1m
  • Google: Cuts Google Play app store fees for developers to 15% from 210731 for first $1m earned per yr (above remains 30%)
  • Amazon: Expands Amazon Care telehealth service nationally for its employees and other companies summer 2021 [see 201216]
  • Snap: Acquires Fit Analytics (fitting tech for fashion e-commerce)
  • Microsoft: Acquires Marsden Group (industrial innovation)

Networks

  • FTTH
  • Nokia
    • Nokia partners with Google for cloud-based 5G radio solutions, combining RAN, Open RAN & Cloud RAN with Google's edge - Also with AWS (Amazon) for cloud-based 5G radio solutions, combined with AWS Outposts - And with Microsoft on cloud solutions for enterprises (Private 4G & 5G), combining Cloud RAN with Azure
    • Nokia to reset cost base by EUR 600m by end 2023 from 5-10k job cuts to 80-85k in 18-24 mo; to be redirected to R&D, innovation (5G, cloud, digital infra), salaries; restructuring costs EUR 600-700m (o/w 50% in 2021, 15% in 2022, 35% in 2023) by 2023; maintains outlook 2021 (incl EUR 500m cash out for previous restructuring); units to streamline portfolios [see 210311] 
    • Nokia to halve 5G base station power consumption by 2023
    • Nokia CMD: target oper margin 7-10% in 2021, 10-13% in 2023 (Mobile Networks 5-8%, Network Infra 9-12%, Cloud & Network 8-11%, Nokia Tech >75%)
    • Nokia launches midrange 5G smartphones A52, A72

Services

Regulatory

  • Spectrum
    • Ofcom (UK) raises GBP 1.36b from multiband auction (700 MHz & 3.6-3.8 GHz) Phase 1 (Phase 2 for assignments to follow); EE 2x10 MHz in 700 MHz band for GBP 280m, 20 MHz of supplementary downlink spectrum in 700 MHz band for GBP 4m, 40 MHz in 3.6-3.8 GHz band for GBP 168m; 3 UK 2x10 MHz in 700 MHz band for GBP 280m, Vodafone 40 MHz in 3.6-3.8 GHz band for GBP 176m; Telefonica O2 UK 2x10 MHz in 700 MHz band for GBP 280m and 40 MHz in 3.6-3.8 GHz band for GBP 168m
    • FCC plans 3.4 GHz band (100 MHz in 10 MHz blocks for Partial Economic Areas, total 4060 licenses) auction (110) Oct 2021, reserve price $14.7b
  • Ofcom (UK) publishes Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR) for 5 yr (April 2021 - March 2026) framework to promote fibre: entry level copper/fiber wholesale prices not reduced, top-end fiber unregulated, regulated fiber prices may be raised, no cost-based fiber regulation for at least 10 yr  - Virgin Media UK positive - BT confirms rol-out plan (20m FTTP premises by 2025-30, GBP 12b), Openreach may not give geographic discounts - TalkTalk negative: price increases on BB, FTTP may become too expensive for many - DCMS launches Project Gigabit, GBP 5b for >1m rural premises: targets 85% FTTP coverage by 2025
  • Platforms: BEREC supports EC's DMA [see 201215], publishes Opinion and Draft Report, adds proposals, consultation until 210504
  • EC adopts first Horizon Europe 2021-24 strategic plan (EUR 95.5b), to launch call for proposals spring 2021


at 9:45 am 0 comments
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Sunday, February 28, 2021

Week 8 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

  • TIM: 20Q4 & 2021-23 Plan Update Beyond Connectivity: 1. Unique commercial proposition, 2. Best technological infrastructure, 3. Further improve operational excellence, 4. Leaner organizational model; works with 5 factories: Noovle (cloud), Telsy (cyber security), Olivetti (integrated IoT), Sparkle (int wholesale), TIM Vision (content)
  • Proximus: 20Q4; guidance 2021: additional expenses (opex EUR 50m) for fiber migrations, IT transformation, cloudification, Mwingz (shared mobile network with Orange BE) roll-out (reducing capex), targets EBITDA EUR 1.750-1.775m, capex close to EUR 1.2b, to double fiber roll-out from 2020, net debt/EBITDA <1.6x, domestic rev close to 2020 level (EUR 4.285m), div 2021 and 2022 EUR 1.20 (floor); confirms #inspire2022 ambitions; opex redux CAGR 2020-22 1-2%, expands cost savings to EUR 400m over 2020-2025 (o/w half in 2020-22), targets domestic EBITDA to grow from 2022
  • Vodafone
    • Vodafone CZ plans strategic coop wit utility CEZ (70% state-owned)
    • Vantage Towers Intention to Float (ITF) in Frankfurt March 2021 of meaningful minority stake; rumored valuation: EUR 15b, to raise EUR 4b
  • Virgin Media UK (Liberty Global): CMA publishes responses from Sky & Vodafone regarding O2 merger; concerns on wholesale market for MVNOs and backhaul - O2 UK claims concerns addressed
  • Akamai: Investor Summit
    • 3-5 year Security targets: Application Security CAGR 20-25%, Network Security CAGR 20-25%, Security Services CAGR 10-15%, overall CAGR goal >20% (rev to more than double in 5 yr to $2.5b, addressable market $29b)
    • 3-5 year CDN targets: Edge Delivery CAGR 0-3%, Edge Applications >30%, Services CAGR 1-3%, overall CAGR goal 2-5% (addressable market $18b)
    • Financial targets Security: cash gross margin high 80s (2021: 86-87%), EBITDA margin high 40s (2021: 45-46%), oper margin mid 30s (2021: 34-35%), network capex low single digit (2021: 1-3%), R&D capex high single digit (2021: 8-10%)
    • Financial targets CDN: gross margin high 60s (2021: 68-69%), EBITDA margin mid 40s (2021: 42-43%), oper margin high 20s (2021: 26-27%), network capex low double digit (2021: 11-13%), R&D capex mid single digit (2021: 4-5%)
    • Total targets 3-5 yr: rev CAGR 6-10%, gross margin high 70s (2021: 76-77%), EBITDA margin mid 40s (2021: 44%), oper margin 30-32% (2021: 30%), capex mid teens of rev (2021: 16%)
  • Roblox: Plans IPO via direct listing 210310
  • Thomson Reuters: To invest $500-600m in AI, ML in 2 yr; to cut opex by $600m from eliminating duplicate functions, modernizing & consolidating technology, attrition, shrinking real estate footprint
  • Twitter: Analyst Day: Goals:
    • 1. Double development velocity by end 2023 (ie doubling the number of features shipped per employee)
    • 2. 315m mDAU (monetisable DAU; currently 85% from brand ads, 15% from performance ads; global digital brand + performance ads market $150b, Twitter market share 3%) 23Q4 (20Q4: 192m, implies CAGR 20%)
    • 3. more than double annual rev to $7.5b (2020: $3.7b) 
  • Snap: Investor Day: guidance: revenue CAGR 50%; Usage stats: 5b Snaps/day, Snap Map 250m MAU, advertising 90% self-serve, digital ad market US share 2% (reach <50% of smartphone uesrs), reach 13-24 year olds >90% (US, UK, Australia, FR, NL), reach 13-34 year olds >75% (US, UK, Australia, FR, NL)

Networks

  • Broadband Choices: report Internet Accessibility Index 2021 (based on speed & cost), ranking 169 countries: Denmark #1, Liechtenstein #2, US #3, NL #15
  • FTTH
    • Telefonica
      • Telefonica Chile sells 60% stake in fiber network to KKR (Global Infrastructure Investors III Fund), $1b, to close 21Q2; to establish OA wholesale company; to expand pops coverage from 2m to 3.5m by 2023 (FTTH, 40k FTTO lines, FTTS); reduces debt by EUR 400m
      • Telefonica Brazil plans fiber network spin-off to establish OA wholesale company FiBrasil, with investor (TBA 21Q1); Bloomberg: talks with Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec (CDPQ)
    • T-Mobile NL to add 1m HP by 2025 with #2 investment partner (not Primevest), TBA 21H1, to start in 10-15 areas
  • Mobile, 5G
    • Ericsson Mobility Report 20Q4 update: global mobile subscriptions (8b, penetration 102%, unique active subs 6b; net adds 19m), mobile BB subs 6.5b (net adds 100m), 5G subs 220m at 130 providers (net adds 70m), 4G subs 4.5b (net adds 90m); total global mobile data traffic 60 EB/mo (+51% yoy, +9% qoq)
    • EIB report Accelerating the 5G transition in Europe
    • Umlaut: T-Mobile NL best network worldwide (962 points), KPN (954) and VodafoneZiggo (945) also in Top 10    
    • Polsat Group sells 99.99% stake (2,069,656 shares) in Polkomtel Infrastruktura to Cellnex
    • Malaysia plans government-owned wholesale 5G network via special purpose vehicle ($4b in 10 yr; also: FTTH), to adminster spectrum for all MNOs (part of digital  transformation by 2030); Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Telekom Malaysia to build & manage hyper-scale data centres & cloud services
    • Google partners with Intel on cloud-native 5G; 3 main areas: 1. accelerating the ability of CSPs to deploy vRAN & ORAN solutions by providing next-gen infrastructure & hardware, 2. launching new lab environments to help CSPs innovate on cloud-native 5G, 3. making it easier for them to deliver business applications to the network edge; to develop reference architectures & integrated solutions for CSPs' for core network functions & edge network solutions
  • 6G
  • LEO

Services

  • Video
    • ViacomCBS: Streaming Event: Paramount+ to launch 210304
    • Walt Disney
      • Launches Star tab (75 series, 280 movies at launch) in Disney+ in Europe, ANZ, Canada, Singapore; content from content from ABC, Hulu, FX, Freeform, Disney Television Studios, FX, 20th Century Studios, 20th Television, more
      • Disney+ price increases from 7 to 9 EUR/mo, 6 to 8 GBP/mo
      • Release dates
      • Rumor: Disney+ subs 40% in N America (40m), 30% in India, 30% in Europe & Latam
    • Netflix: 10 Golden Globes (on 42 nominations)
  • Music
  • Smart city
    • Las Vegas ordered smart city solutions from Siemens Advanta & Bluetech Park Properties, $7.5b in 6 yr (net-zero carbon footprint buildings within its own insular mini-city, automated multi-functional designs, renewable energy sources, photovoltaic super trees, various other interconnected innovations)
    • Egypt (Administrative Capital for Urban Development) orders smart city ICT (datacenter, cloud services, to be operated by Orange Egypt) from Orange Business Services for new administrative capital (45km east of Cairo on a greenfield site, 700 km^2); 5 pillars: safety, connectivity, integration, digitalisation, replicability; to launch 21Q2
    • Toyota starts smart city Woven City construction near Mount Fuji, 175 hectares, hydrogen-based, solar, robotics, AI, smart homes; appointed Bjarke Ingels Group as architects
    • Stockholm ordered Univrses app to scan & map city streets from any car, transmitting & processing data in real-time to help create a more detailed picture of the state of the city’s streets, measuring everything from road damage to congestion, the location of streetlights to the state of road signage


at 11:41 pm 0 comments
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Saturday, February 06, 2021

Week 5 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

  • Telefonica: Moody's rates Telefonica Europe's hybrid debt (deeply subordinated, guaranteed fixed rate reset securities, fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Telefonica on a subordinated basis) Ba2, outlook stable - Issues first green hybrid bond, raises EUR 1b
  • Rumor: Vodafone ES plans InfraCo with Orange ES to pool towers (as alternative to MasMovil merger) - Rumor: MasMovil plans merger - To include ES & PT
  • Altice Europe: To sell 50.01% Hivory (10500 towers) stake to Cellnex at EV 100% EUR 5.2b; to add 2500 sites over 8 yr for EUR 900m [build-to-suit]; to close 21H2; SFR to remain anchor tenant under 18 yr lease (renewable in 5 yr periods); Starlight Holdco (49.01%) also sells stake to Cellnex; Cellnex total portfolio up to 120k sites in Europe
  • Delta Fiber (= EQT; currently 800k premises, target 1m end 2021) acquires Rekam (>50k lines), excludes RekamGlasDraad JV (Rekam & GlasDraad (= TINC, Mabin))
  • Shell Energy: Acquires 450k BB subs from Post Office
  • Box: Acquires SignRequest (NL), $55m: cloud-based electronic signature tool, can be integrated with many enterprise tools, to be relaunched as Box Sign summer 2021
  • Vivino: Raises $155m
  • RTL: Sells SpotX to Magnite, $1.17b (EUR 977m EV) in cash ($560m = EUR 468m) & stock (14.0m shares); to close 21Q2l acquired SpotX in 2014 (65% for EUR 107m) & 2017 (35% for EUR 123m); to focus on European ad tech via Smartclip and Yospace
  • BBC: Publishes report BBC Value for Audiences: funding freeze since 2010 reduced effective real-terms income by 30%, average 5m users at any given moment, 45m DAU

Earnings

  • BT: 20/21Q3; maintains outlook 20/21: EBITDA GBP 7.3-7.5b, FCF GBP 1.3-1.5b (narrowed); 5G reaches 125 towns, 790k FTTP subs; Strategic Pillars: 1. build the strongest foundations , 2. create standout customer experiences, 3. lead the way to a bright, sustainable future; Ultrafast BB (>100 Mb/s) reaches 6.88m premises o/w 4.05m FTTP, current FTTP rate 42k premises/week
  • Swisscom: 20Q4; plans cost savings 2021 CHF 100m (on operational business), 2022 CHF 100m (on digital transformation); outlook 2021: rev flat CHF 11.1b (8.5 in CH, 2.4 in IT), EBITDA slightly down CHF 4.3b (3.4 in CH, 0.8 in IT), capex slightly up CHF 2.3b (1.6 in CH, 0.6 in IT), div CHF 22; broadband coverage targets: 80 Mb/s for 90%, 10 Gb/s for 39% YE 2021; 300-500 Mb/s for 90%, 10 Gb/s for 60% YE 2025; 5G coverage targets: 99% YE 2021 (with 5G+ forced expansion), 99% YE 2025 (with nationwide 5G+)
  • Orange BE: 20Q4, div 50c; outlook 2021: rev growth LSD, EBITDA AL EUR 320-340m, capex 200-220m
  • Vodafone: 20/21Q3; maintains 20/21 guidance
  • Telenor: 20Q4
  • DNA: 20Q4
  • Tele2: 20Q4
  • Alphabet: 20Q4; to extend useful life of equipment (servers from 3 to 4 yr, network equipment from 3 to 5 yr) from 2021, positive impact oper result 2021 $2.1b
  • Amazon: 20Q4; guidance 21Q1: net rev $100.0-106.0b (growth 33-40%), oper income $3.0-6.5b (incl $2.0b corona virus related costs); CEO Jeff Bezos to step down to and become Executive Chair 21Q3, Andy Jassy (AWS) to become CEO, Bezos to focus on Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The Washington Post; to invest $2.5b in HQ2 in Arlington (Virgoinia) over 10 yr for 25k employees
  • Snap: 20Q4, Spotlight reached >100m MAU; guidance 21Q1: rev $720-740m, adj EBITDA loss 50-70m
  • Pinterest: 20Q4; guidance 21Q1: rev growth low 70s'priorities for 2021: the Pinner experience, advertiser success, shopping; plans int expansion
  • Spotify: 20Q4 - ESOP (31.9m shares at $322.11 = $10.3m) - CEO Daniel Ek 32,773,691 votes = 17.2% (same for DGE Holding, DGE Investments) -  Martin Lorentzon 21,176,660 votes = 11.1% - Holds 282,830,698 shares = 21.1% of Tencent Music Entertainment

Networks

  • FTTH
  • 5G
    • Lufthansa deploys 2 Private SA 5G networks at Hamburg site (3.7-3.8 GHz): 1 from Vodafone DE, 1 from Nokia; latency 7ms and 16 ms; Lufthansa manages both
    • NTT, AIS, Fujitsu, NEC, Activio, AGC, Exeo Asia, Loxley, Mobile Innovation establish 5G Global Enterprise Solution Consortium (5GEC) for APAC (first for Thailand): Private 5G (mgt services)
    • Chuan Chih develops terminal simulation systems & 5G vertical applications to help companies accelerate efforts to develop, build, operate & maintain 5G private networks
    • Cyta (Cytamobile-Vodafone) launches 5G with 70% pops coverage (target 98% in 12 mo), no extra cost
    • DISH orders access to towers, rooftops, utility transmission structures, billboards, convenience stores & other sites used for wireless infrastructure deployment from Vertical Bridge REIT
    • PwC report (Powering Your Tomorrow): 5G adoption to boost global economy by USD 1.3t by 2030
    • BCG for CTIA report: 5G to add $1.5t to GDP and 4.5m jobs in US over 10 yr
  • FWA
    • Voneus (Macquarie) launches FWA in Ouston and Perkinsville (County Durham), 30-50 Mb/s
  • LEO
    • Starlink (SpaceX) plans phone service; reaches 10k users of beta BB service

Services

  • B2B
  • Smart City
  • Video
    • Netflix: Raises prices in Japan, Basic/Standard/Premium from 880/1320/1980 to 990/1490/1980 JPY/mo Rumor: BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 plan AVOD service for live & catch-up TV
    • NAACP Image Awards nominations (winners 210327)L Netflix 14, Amazon 3
    • Golden Globes 2021 nominations (winners 210228): Netflix 20, Amazon 3 in TV; Netflix 22, Amazon 7 in movies
    • Writers Guild 2021 nominations: Netflix 10, Amazon 3
    • Screen Actors Guild Awards 2021 nominations (winners 210404)

  • Music
    • Sony: SME acquires AWAL(recorded music) & Kobalt Neighbouring Rights from Kobalt, $430m [Kobalt Music Group continues Kobalt Music Publishing, publishing collection society AMRA and Kobalt Capital]
    • Round Hill: Acquires 18k songs from Round Hill Fund One, $282m (incl The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Otis Redding, John Lee Hooker, Pat Boone, Ricky Nelson etc); to acquire 29% stake in set of 100k songs formerly of Carlin
    • Hipgnosis: Raises GBP 75m equity from Morgan Stanley & existing shareholders
    • The Music Acquisition Corp: IPO on NYSE, ticker TMAC.U, IPO rpice $10, via SPAC
    • SoundCloud: Rumor: plans service allowing users to pay creators directly; currently 175m MAU

  • Hardware
    • Apple: Rumor: to partner with Hyundai and PSA on electric cars - Rumor: to order Kia (= Hyuandai) to produce electric cars, $3.6b, to produce 100k EV cars/yr in Georgia by 2024 - Hyundai denies
    • Google: Partners with Ford, 6 yr from 2023: GCP, Android (incl apps: Assistant, Maps, etc) to be built into cars, establish Team Upshift to transform Ford
    • Xiaomi launches smartphone with 'quad-curved waterfall display'

Regulatory

  • CRC (Bulgaria) plans 3.6 GHz auction 210303, 3 blocks of 100 MHz; valid 20 yr, starting price $2.5m, submission by 210225
  • Ofcom (UK) proposes one-touch process for switching ISP
  • EC: nat roaming prices from Telefonica DE for 1&1 Drillisch not compliant with E-Plus acquisition conditions; Telefonica DE submits new rates, to be accepted by 1&1 Drillisch by 210219 (to increase earnings by EUR 30m in 2020)


at 11:35 pm 0 comments
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Sunday, January 24, 2021

Week 3 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

General

  • Telefonica DE: CMD: Strategy update; confirms outlook 2020; raises div to 18c over 2020, sets 18c as floor for 2021-23; 3 growth pillars: 1. Mobile growth: grow market share in rural areas & reinfoice urban, 2. Smart bundling (fixed & mobile, incl FMS) based on tech agnostic approach, 3. Attack in B2B (esp SME) opportunity; takes 10% stake in FTTH venture Unsere Grüne Glasfaser, to invest EUR 100m in FibreCo; target full 5G coverage (>100 Mb/s) by 2025, to sunset 3G 2020-21; to add 1500 built-to-suit (BTS) mobile sites (via Telxius) by 2025; guidance 2020-22: cum rev growth >= 5%, margin higher, capex/rev 17-18% in 2020-21, normalising from 2022; to be climate neutral by 2025
  • Deutsche Telekom: Merges T Infra NL (3150 towers & rooftops; rev EUR 60m, EBITDA AL 30m, plus EUR 250m loan) with Cellnex NL (984 towers acquired 2016-17 for EUR 492m) for 38% stake to be held by newly established DIV, total 4314 sites (incl 180 build-to-suit sites), DT to deconsolidate, Cellnex expects rev contribution EUR 63m, FCF to increase EUR 30m, T-Mobile NL to lease for 15 yr (automatic renewal 10 yr); establishes Digital Infrastructure Vehicle (DIV, independent mgt, focus on European digital infra (fiber, tower, datacenters, open to institutional investors, DT to hold 25%), DT contributes EUR 400m, Cellnex EUR 200m, with dealflow agreement for future transactions in European towers (Cellnex to co-invest for 51% stake) `
  • Orange: Establishes Orange Concessions, 50/50 with consortium of La Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts), CNP Assurances, EDF Invest, call option for Orange to take control & consolidate, to close end 2021; co-control; 23 PIN networks, 4.5m FTTH lines (plugs) (built or to-be-built), valuation EUR 2.675b [ie sells 50% stake for EUR 1.33b]; roll-out & maintenance by Orange - To decide on towers 210218
  • Elisa: Establishes JV with Lounea (western Finland, #4 operator) to create nationwide FTTP network
  • VOO (= Nethys (= Enodia), Brutele): Rumor: Brutele (owned by 30 munis) to sell to Enodia
Results
  • Telia: 20Q4
  • ProSieben: 20Q4 prelim; Mediaset Spain raised stake by 3.43% to 13.18%
  • Netflix: 20Q4    
Other
  • Sunrise UPC: Integration leads to reorganisation and job cuts (significantly less than 30%) (Sunrise had 1763 FTE, UPC CH 1500)
  • Amazon: CIRP: Amazon Prime reaches 142m subs in US YE 2020 o/w 52% on annual tier
  • Iliad: Targets carbon neutrality by 2035, 10 pledges
  • Tele2: Launches new sustainability strategy, 4 focus areas: 1. Advance circular economy to combat climate change, 2. Maximize potential through an inclusive and diverse workplace, 3. Boost innovation for sustainability, 4. Protect children in a connected society

Networks

Fixed

  • Finder (Australia): 85% of users stream online o/w 36% experience buffering weekly, 16% daily
  • France gvt allocated EUR 570m for FTTP rural expansion (total EUR 3.57b)
  • Ookla Speedtest Global Index (Dec 20): global average FBB 96/52 Mb/s, MBB 47/13 Mb/s; FBB: Thai #1 (308), Sing #2 (245 Mb/s), HK #3 (227), RO #4 (191), CH #5 (189), NL #26 (136); MBB: Qatar #1 (178), UAE #2 (178), S Korea #3 (169), China #4 (156), Australia #5 (113), NL #9 (101)
  • EC approves public funding for FTTI (12k schools) in Italy, EUR 325m
  • FTTH

Wireless

  • Telekom DE and Telefonica DE to share several hundred sites (incl active network) for 4G (800 band) in grey areas in 2021 - Also between Vodafone DE and Telefonica DE
  • Agcom (IT): average data consumption 20Q3: 9.2 GB/mo (+48%)
  • 5G
    • Inventec and Affirm (Microsoft) partner to develop smart industry solutions
    • Salt Home (FWA over 5G & 4G; with Gigabox: outdoor antenna, WiFi 6 router) coverage reaches 2m pops (>50%); max 400 Mb/s over 4G, 1 Gb/s over 5G
    • Mobily (KSA) demos network slicing (RAN, Core & transport; separates critical traffic from general internet traffic) for FWA (over 5G and 4G) in Riyadh, with Nokia; enables prioritising customers (service tiers for consumer or enterprise) and premium services (voice, data, gaming, home office apps etc)
    • SmarTone (HK) launches 5G SmarTransport Safety Monitoring System, with Route 3: provides video footage from tunnels and highways to control room (motion-detection cameras, ML/AI analytics
  • LEO

Services

Video

  • Youfone: To expand to BE on Proximus networks (fixed & mobile), to launch April 2021
  • Pluto TV (= ViacomCBS): Expands to FR 210208, 40 channels; next to expand to IT, end 2021
  • Lionsgate: Expands Lionsgate Play to Indonesia
  • Newsplayer+: Launches in UK; live news channels, 2.50 GBP/mo; channels: Al Jazeera, Bloomberg TV, Bloomberg’s Quicktake, Euronews, Newsmax, Africanews, Germany’s DW-TV, France 24, China’s CGTN, India’s NDTV 24×7, Israel’s i24, Russia’s RT, Australia’s Ticker, Turkey’s TRT, US network NewsNet
  • Critics’ Choice Awards TV nominations: Netflix 26 (6 for The Crown, 6 for Ozark), HBO 22

Smart city

  • Turk Telecom launches smart city platform (50 services: next-generation transportation, energy, environment, health, life, security) in 9 cities

Regulatory

Spectrum

  • Subtel (Chile) plans 5G auction 210208: 700 MHz (2x10 MHz), AWS = 1800 & 2100 MHz (2x15 MHz), 3.5 GHz (150 MHz), 26 GHz (400 MHz), valid 30 yr; Claro, Entel, WOM interested, to be awarded 26 GHz spectrum without tender
  • PTS (Sweden) raises SEK 2.32b from auction (2.3 & 3.5 GHz, valid 25 yr until 451231); Telia SEK 760m for 120 MHz in 3.5 GHz band, Net4Mobility (= Te;e2, Telenor) SEK 666m for 100 MHz in 3.5 GHz band, 3 Sweden SEK 491m for 100 MHz in 3.5 GHz band, teracom SEK 400m for 80 MHz in 2.3 GHz band

Platforms


at 10:12 pm 0 comments
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Sunday, December 20, 2020

Week 51 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

Networks

General

  • Eur Council & EP approve EC's Horizon Europe fund, EUR 95.5b until 2027 (follow-up to Horizon 2020)
  • Ookla Speedtest Global Index (Nov 20)
    • global average FBB 92/49 Mb/s, MBB 46/13 Mb/s
    • FBB: Sing #1 (241 Mb/s), HK #2 (223), Thailiand #3 (213), Monaco #4 (207), NL #26 (134)
    • MBB: UAE #1 (170), SK #2 (167), Qatar #3 (160), China #4 (148), Australia #5 (113), NL #7 (100)

FTTH

5G
  • Environmental
    • Haut Conceil pour le Climat (FR) report (Maitriser l’impact carbone de la 5G): 5G to lead to sharp increase in power consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; additional carbon emissions from data centres and device manufacturing
  • Security
  • Technology
    • 3GPP delays Release 17 (SA NR 5G, ultra-low latency, MIMO support, RAN slicing, integrated access & backhaul, MBS positioning, multicast & broadcast, multi-SIM support, etc) by 6 mo to mid 2022: stage 2 functional freeze June 2021, stage 3 protocol freeze March 2022, coding freeze June 2022; to decide on Release 18 roadmap by end 2022  
    • Samsung demos 305 Gb/s over 5G SA Core per server, with Intel  
    • Swisscom trials CA and VoNR on SA 5G, with Ericsson, OPPO, over SA 5G  
  • Launches
    • Free (Iliad) launches 5G in 700 MHz & 3.5 GHz bands (70 MHz) with smartphones at 5255 sites (pops coverage <40%; all sites for 700 band, 220 for 3.5 band) in FR, no extra cost for Free Mobile Plan subs; Free Unlimited 5G 10 EUR/mo for Freebox Pop subs, 16 for other Freebox subs; extra SIM 150 GB/mo for 20 EUR/mo for mobile-only subs; uses mainly European equipment  
    • Linkem launches 5G FWA (coop with Fastweb) in 3 towns (Modugno, Grottaglie, Avellino), target 50 YE 2020, 500 YE 2021, 2000 YE 2023; max 1 Gb/s  
    • Fastweb (Swisscom) launches 5G (26 GHz) in 50 cities (part of NeXXt Generation 2025 plan) as UltraFWA network, max 1 Gb/s, no caps; target 500 cities by 2021, 2000 by 2024; total coverage 2024E 8m HP in grey areas, 4m in white areasl CPE based on Qualcomm X55; to launch mobile 5G service 201227 in Milan, Bologna, Rome, Naples, target 90% pops coverage 2025 (to be included FWA at no extra cost)  
    • Vidéotron launches 5G (600, 700 MHz; 2.6 GHz) in Montreal, with Samsung (RAN)  
    • 3 Denmark (= Hi3G Access = 3 Group Europe = CK Hutchison 60%; Investor AB 40%) launches 5G in Copenhagen & Roskilde (425k covered subs o/w 15k have 5G smartphone), with 14 smartphones; no price premium; real speeds 25-345 Mb/s down, 23-38 Mb/s up; targets nationwide coverage summer 2022  
    • Wind Hellas launches 5G in Athens, Thessaloniki; target 60% pops coverage after 3 yr 
    • Cosmote launches 5G in Athens, Thessaloniki, other cities, with Ericsson; no price premium
    • Proximus launches 5G in 3.6-3.8 GHz band (based on temporary license)  
  • Applications
    • Vodafone DE trials 5G for broadcast pre-production at football stadium, with Sky DE  
    • AT&T demos 3D AR concert over 5G, with Ericsson, Songland (= NBC); spectators place 3D version at home and interact  
    • Telia FI launches FWA over 5G; max 400 Mb/s for 40 EUR/mo, max 1 Gb/s for 45 EUR/mo, installation fee EUR 500  
    • Aerospace & Saab launch Private 5G at plant in Linköping (SE), with Combitech, Vinnergi (SI), Nokia; spectrum subleased from Edzkom (formerly Ukkoverkot) & 3 Sweden (50 MHz in 2.6 GHz band)  
    • Chunghwa Telecom launches Private 5G at AES Group factory in Kaohsiung (to add 7 factories in 2021)  
LEO
  • Project Kuiper (Amazon; LEO) demos user terminal prototype (phased array antenna), smaller & cheaper than standard sat equipment; 400 Mb/s and 4K video with GEO  
  • SpaceX to raise funds  
  • AST SpaceMobile plans equatorial sat network (no expensive specialized satellite phones or ground antenna systems required, 4G and 5G phones suffice; to serve 49 countries, 1.6b pops), 1.6b covered pops; plans first launch of 20 sats, target 100 after 2 yr, 233 by 2027; targets 9m subs YE 2023, ARPU for SpaceMobile ~$1; targets 2023: rev $181m, EBITDA $130m; targets 2027: rev $9.7b, EBITDA $9.6b; supported by Vodafone/Vodacom and AT&T as wholesale customers (50/50 rev share); plans IPO via SPAC (symbol ASTS)  
  • OneWeb launches 36 sats; to raise $400m; target total 650 LEO sats 

Services

Retail, hardware
  • Sunrise: Launches XPLORA X5 Play eSIM: smartwatch for kids (voice calls, voice messages, SOS button, GPS for tracking, no internet), CHF 12.25 for We Connect subs (17.25 CHF/mo in 24 mo contract)
  • Telenet Business launches Tellie platform for care institutions: video calling from TV
Wholesale
Music
Video
Web services

Regulation

Telecoms

  • AGCom (IT) starts antitrust investigation against Sky IT
  • Spectrum
    • EETT (GR) launches multiband (700 MHz, 2 GHz, 3-4-3.8 GHz, 26 GHz) auction 201216, expected to raise EUR 367m - Raises EUR 372m after 6 rounds; Cosmote 123m for 2 700MHz blocks (51m), 4 2GHz blocks (35m), 15 3.5GHz blocks (31m), 2 26GHz blocks (6.5m); Vodafone 130m for 2 700MHz blocks (51m), 4 2GHz blocks (35m), 14 3.5GHz blocks (38m), 2 26GHz blocks (6.5m); Wind 119m for 2 700MHz blocks (50m), 4 2GHz blocks (35m), 10 3.5GHz blocks (30m), 1 26GHz block (3.3m)  
    • Appeals Court Sweden allows PTS to conduct auction - To start 210119  
    • MinEZK (NL) plans 3.5 GHz (3450-3750) auction 22Q1, to be available 220901, consultation 21Q1; goals: realistic chances for all candidates, realistic proceeds, simple & transparent auction model; auction model to be proposed by DotEcon; auction rules to be published 21H1, applications from 21H2 

Google

  • DoJ antitrust trial to start 230912, next staus hearing 210121 [see 200827]
  • 10 US state AGs (all Republican, led by Texas AG) start antitrust lawsuit against Google (colluding with Facebook) over monopoly in Search (redesign disadvantaged specialised (vertical) search engines, such as Amazon, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Angie's List; as Google prioritises own results) & online ads, co-conspired with Facebook to rig ad auctions and fix prices - Google denies, points to falling ad and ad-tech prices
  • Antitrust lawsuit by AGs (bipartisan) from 35 US states, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico related to Search & Search Advertising (violating Sherman Act, self-reinforcing, limiting consumer options), requires design changes - Google opposes (redesign 'to prominently feature online middlemen in place of direct connections to businesses')
  • Rejects ACCC's News Media & Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code as unworkable ("Google to pay to show links in an unprecedented intervention that would fundamentally break how search engines work", no website or search engine paid to connect people to other websites), proposes News Showcase as alternative
  • 4 Private publishers file 2 antitrust lawsuits (1 by Sweepstakes Today, 1 by Genius Media Group, The Nation, The Progressive) over digital ad sales 
Platforms
  • FTC orders Amazon, Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Discord, ByteDance, Reddit, Snap, Twitter to reveal data collection policies, to respond in 45 days [in relation to tracking, personal info, privacy, kids, ads]
  • EC launches
    • DSA (Digital Services Act; e-commerce; remove illegal goods, transparency on algorithms & other recommendation engines; each acuisition to be reported; max fines 6% of annual global turnover)
    • DMA (Digital Markets Act; gatekeepers based on size (active in >= 3 states, annual rev >$6.5b, market value >EUR 65b, >45m MAU, >10k annual business customers), role, duration; may not use data from 3rd-party sellers, may not block users & businesses from using competitors, may not favor own services in rankings; fines max 10% of global turnover; systematic non-compliance may result in behavioral orders, forced divestments or breakups); national Digital Services Coordinator to monitor every 6 mo; to be negotiated with member states & EP - BEREC supports (ex-ante regulatory framework)
  • Facebook opposes Apple's iOS 14 (to show App Tracking Transparency (ATT) prompt from early 2021, limits data sharing, requires users' consent, reuqires opt-in for tracking), prepares advertisers
  • Facebook supports Epic Games in complaint against Apple's App Store policies - Judge orders Tim Cook & Craig Federighi (both Apple) to testify

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