Week 24: main events in Telecoms, Internet, Media

SERVICES

Proximus

Partners with Belfius for cross-selling  (exclusive digital banking for Proximus subs, Proximus services tailored for Belfius subs), to launch early 2021

KPN

KPN adds TV to KPN EEN MKB, from 13.50 EUR/mo/screen

YouTube

Expands YouTube Music & Premium to 14 new regions (total 95)

Blendl

Blendl to expand in podcasts

OTT video

Reelgood report US market: Netflix #1 in subs, Amazon #1 in content (films, series, high-quality films), Netflix #1 in content (high-quality series), HBO Max most expensive, Apple cheapest

Amazon

Bans US Police for 1 yr of using facial recognition tech Rekognition, awaiting stronger regulations to govern ethical use of facial recognition tech; IBM and Microsoft also stop selling facila recognition tech to US police

Facebook

Launches Facebook News (section) in US on mobile [see 191018]

Launches Messenger Kids app (video chat and messaging) in Sub-Saharan Africa

Snap

Snap Partner Summit: for developers: launches new developer products & partnerships across Snap Kit, Snap Games, Bitmoji ecosystems; launches Snap Minis (for developers to deliver experiences through Snapchat); launches new camera & AR experience for developers, Creators & Snapchatters; adds SnapML to Lens Studio desktop app (allows developers to bring their own ML models); for Snapchatters: launches Local Lenses (decorate surrounding buildings in VR space based on AR); adds partners for Scan (PlantSnap, Yuka, others); partners with Headspace (access to meditations); plans new Snap Originals: Coach Kev (Kevin Hart); content deals for Discover section with Disney, ESPN, NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS, NBA, NFL; launches Happening Now (breaking news section, content from WaPo, Bloomberg, Reuters, NBC News, ESPN, NowThis, E! News, BuzzFeed News etc); launches Here For You To Help (access all information related to emotional & physical well-being.) - Expands e-commerce to FR

NGN

FTTH

Telekom Slovenije trials 10 Gb/s over FTTH (345k HP)

Gigaclear increases plan for Herefordshire and Gloucestershire  (with Fastershire) from 70 to 110k premises

Swish Fibre adds 22 towns (total 33) to target list

CityFibre to add 10k jobs in 3 yr ; recent roll-out starts in Leicester, Derby, Portsmouth, Inverness

KPN plans FTTH in Terneuzen;  target 50k premises (= 30% of total) in Zeeland YE 2021

HFC

CableLabs releases Docsis 4.0 specs:  10/6 Gb/s, 1.8 GHz of spectrum, enhanced security, low latency, Full Duplex DOCSIS (FDX), Extended Spectrum DOCSIS (ESD, max 1.8 GHz) - VodafoneZiggo plans no upgrade to Docsis 4.0 within 5 yr

Wireless

Traficom (FI) awards 26 GHz (5G) licenses  until 331231for mainland (excl Aland) to Telia, Elisa, DNA: EUR 7m each for 800 MHz each; 24.25–25.10 GHz band reserved for local operators - Elisa's 5G reaches >1m covered pops in 25 cities

Canada postpones 3.5 GHz auction to 210615

Arcep (FR) plans 5G auction 200920-200930 for launches end 2020;   110 MHz available in 11 blocks in 3.5 GHz band; coverage requirements for 2023 & 2028; 4G requirement: 240 Mb/s at 75% of footprint YE 2022

4 MNOs Vietnam (Viettel, VNPT-Vinaphone, MobiFone, GTel Mobile) to share 1200 5G base stations

5G

T-Mobile PL launches 5G service 200609  in Warsaw, Lodz, Krakow, Poznan, Wroclaw, Lock, Opole, Czestochowa, Rzeszow, Bielsko-Biala, Kielce, Upper Silesian Industrial District, 1600 base stations, 6m covered pops

Far EasTone plans smart plant for Delta Electronics in Taoyuan (Taiwan), with Microsoft -  Receives 5G license, to launch service 200701

Nevion survey of global broadcasters:  65% consider 5G for remote production, 61% for distribution (to replace DTT, satellite, cable), 33% for OTT, 29% for contribution

Vodafone DE expands 5G  to 500 antennae (700 MHz & 3.5 GHz), total 160 locations Elisa expands 5G to Salo (city #26)

Cellnex plans edge computing solutions  (based on Intel tech) for MNOs, with Lenovo & Nearby Computing

Bell Canada launches 5G  in Montreal, the Greater Toronto Area, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, with Ericsson & Nokia; with smartphones; 5G access add-on 10 CAD/mo (promo: free until 210331 - Plans campus network with Western University in London (Ontario)

DTT

Canal+ FR reconsiders DTT (TNT) platform (400k subs)

M&A

Telefonica DE

Closes sale of 10100 towers  (excl RAN; sale & lease-back) to Telxius (Telefonica 50.01%), EUR 1.5b

AT&T

Rumor: plans selling Warner Bros gaming division, $4b; Take-Two, EA, Activision interested

Liberty Global

Sells IT-unit Austria (70 employees)  to Kapsch

CORPORATE

Orange

Changes Executive Committee, incl Michaël Trabbia (CEO Orange BE) to become group Chief Technology & Innovation Officer

Sunrise

Fitch: BBB-, outlook stable

Iliad

Closes bond issue: EUR 650m,  6 yr (mature 260617), 2.375%, demand for EUR 2b, supports Odysée 2024 Plan

BT

Auditor KPMG issues adverse opinion on internal financial reporting controls

Liberty Global

Proxy adviser Glass Lewis opposes CEO Mike Fries pay package  (up to $123m over next 5 yr); to vote against 2 directors: JC Sparkman (due to compensation policy concerns) & J David Wargo (for being on too many audit committees)

YouTube

Establishes $100m fund to amplify the voices of black creators

Airbnb

Reconsiders IPO

Palantir

Reuters: plans IPO; current valuation $10-12b; rev 2020E $1b (+38%), 2021E $1.5b; backlog YE 2019: $2.2b

REGULATION

Amazon

WSJ: EU plans antitrust investigation over treatment of 3rd-party sellers (scooping up data from 3rd-party sellers and using that information to compete against them); fine max 10% of global rev ; California and Washington state also

Twitter

Plans new verifiction system

To add warnings to posts linking 5G to corona virus

Removed 30k Chinese, Russian, Turkish accounts linked to government propaganda - Deleted 170k Chinese state-backed accounts pushing propaganda

OTHER

Deutsche Telekom

Launches Smart Speaker Mini, 2 EUR/mo

EU

DESI

Telecoms, Internet, Media - The news of week 21

Telecoms - COVID-19 related

• Apple and Google are making their COVID-19 exposure tech available to public health agencies, which means you'll soon have access to contact tracing apps
• TalkTalk reports 50% increase in landline calls during lockdown
• Iliad reopens Italian stores with new security protocols

Telecoms - Earnings reports

• Luxembourg's Post Telecom sees 3% revenue growth in 2019
• Telecom Italia shares slump on revenue miss
• eir claims 'consistent, solid' nine-month results
• Rostelecom revenues up 10% in Q1 after Tele2 takeover
• Tele Columbus reports stable revenues, EBITDA in Q1, confirms forecasts for 2020
• Altice France's EBITDA growth slows to 1.6% in Q1

Telecoms - 5G

• Telekom DE (DT) plans 5G-3600 (to add 700) expansion to 14 new cities, target 20 YE 2020 (<1500 sites, coverage 50%) - Expands 5G-3600 to Bayern Munchen Stadium (11 antennas)
• Telekom Slovenije trials smart factory applications on 5G test network at Iskratel’s production plant in Kranj (Slovenia)
• Rakuten Mobile trials Massive MIMO 5G over vRAN (O-RAN), with Altiostar, NEC
• Open SIgnal report Quantifying the global 5G experience across ten operators
• Verizon expands to San Diego (total 35 cities), adds uploading (30% faster than 4G)
• National Advertising Review Board finds AT&T advertising LTE-A as 5GE misleading
• China Broadcasting Network (CBN; licenses for 700 MHz and 4.9 GHz bands) plans #4 network in China, with China Mobile
• Tele2 SE launches 5G (80 MHz in C-band (4-8 GHz)) in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö (commercial from 200624, free access for Unlimited subs), max 1 Gb/s
• Telia SE launches 5G in Stockholm 200525, 15 base stations (to add >60 in July 2020), to expand to Gothenburg and Malmö 2020 and 10 more cities; with Ericsson; free for existing subs
  

Telecoms - Other

• Salt, Sunrise to start joint venture to roll out fibre broadband in Switzerland
• KPN neemt FTTH-netwerk Giessenlanden over
• Liberty Global, Zouk Capital partner for UK on-street EV charging point network
• Shares sold in Poland’s Play

Media/Internet - COVID-19 related

• Amazon, Netflix Prepare to Restart Shoots in France
• WPP CEO Read Shares The Holding Company's Reopening Strategy
• Disney Springs Reopens As Entertainment Giant’s U.S. Theme Parks Inch Back Into Business
• Comcast's Universal Studios Orlando park to reopen on June 5
• HBO to Donate $1 Million to COVID-19 Relief in Lieu of Emmy Party and FYC Events

Media/Internet - Earnings reports

• Take-Two hits record financials, with in-game revenues up 34%
• Lionsgate Takes $50.5 Million COVID-19 Charge in Q4

Internet - Platforms

• Facebook CEO Zuckerberg proposes EU style platform regulation
• ACCC proposes Google, Facebook pay for content (news snippets) possibly through collective boycot by media; consultation until 200605
• Instagram launches Guides feature: curate content on specific subject
• Facebook launches Facebook Shops and Instagram Shop (summer 2020): free, turn Facebook & Instagram pages into digital storefronts
• Competition Bureau (Canada) fines Facebook CAD 9m over misleading claims about personal information
• Twitter trials feature allowing users to limit those who may answer

Media/Internet - Other

Sony Poised To Buy Finance Unit for $3.7 Billion

Axel Springer among bidders for eBay’s classifieds business

Sunrise & Salt establish FTTP Joint Venture in Switzerland

Sunrise and Salt are establishing an FTTP joint venture in Switzerland. Presentation available.

• Name: Swiss Open Fiber
• Equal shareholdings, with prospective equity partner for minority stake
• Chairman Marc Furrer (formerly ComCom)
• Target 1.5m HP with FTTP (10 Gb/s) in 5-7 yr (by 2027), from 20Q4
• Max CHF 3b
• Focus on underserved & non-urban areas (sub-urban, medium dense), 30-35% of all HH
• Sunrise and Salt anchor tenants, open for all RSPs
• To cooperate with Swiss Fiber Net (SFN) for platform (for delivery & commercialisation)
• Expects agreements with partners (equity, debt, wholesale) in 3-4 mo

Telecoms, Internet, Media - The news of week 20

Curated selection of the major news in Telecoms (mainly Europe), Media & Internet (global), as well as the main news from the Netherlands in telecoms and media.

Our main story this week was published on the Telecompaper website (in Dutch, an English translation may follow). It is a reflection on the state of broadband competition in the Netherlands, now that the market has been deregulated. There are two central themes:

1. KPN should stick to its original FTTP technology choice (point-to-point active ethernet), rather than switching to the somewhat cheaper PON-based variants next year. Sources tell us that T-Mobile filed an injunction against the change, but this fruitless in the deregulated market. The p2p technology allows for ODF access services, enabling wholesale customers to build their own nationwide active layer. Only this will guarantee equal competition between KPN Wholesale customers (lowering their opex considerably, but forced to make sizeable capex investments) and KPN Retail. At the same time, this would test challengers' true commitment to the market.
2. In exchange, KPN could allow co-investment by inviting T-Mobile's network investments partner(s) (currently Primevest) to buy into its network in exchange for a minority stake. This ties nicely into last night's Financial Times article, claiming that BT Openreach is looking for co-investors.

Telecoms - COVID-19 related - retail

• Telenet, Orange re-open shops, some staff return to office
• French telecom operators start re-opening retail stores
• Orange gradually reopens its stores in France
• UPC Poland re-opens shops
• Telia Estonia re-opens all its shops
• Vodafone to reopen offices and retail stores in New Zealand

Telecoms - COVID-10 related - traffic

• UK broadband networks are standing up to coronavirus pressures – Ofcom
• The lockdown live-streaming numbers are out, and they’re huge

Telecoms - COVID-19 related - metadata

• ETSI starts industry group on Covid-19 tracing app standards
• EU issues guidelines on interopeable tracing apps to support international travel

Telecoms - Q1 earnings reports

• Vodacom Group FY revenue rises 5%, subscriber base up by 6 mln
• Vodafone maintains div on underlying FY growth, sees lower EBITDA in new year
• QSC record small progress in revenues, EBITDA in Q1
• 1&1 Drillisch grows revenues in Q1, confirms outlook for 2020
• United Internet sees revenues grow, stable EBITDA in Q1
• Ceconomy posts Q2 loss as revenues hit by store closures
• Deutsche Telekom maintains FY growth outlook as Q1 sales grow 2%
• Magyar Telekom revenues stable at HUF 159 bln in Q1
• OTE grows revenues, EBITDA 4% in Q1
• Sunrise grows revenues in Q1 sees decline in EBITDA, net income
• Iliad posts 7% revenue growth in Q1 on slower equipment sales, service revenue up 10%
• Bouygues Telecom's EBITDA growth stalls in Q1, service revenues up 10%
• Inwit revenues up 8.5% to EUR 103 mln in Q1, EBITDA up 6%
• Retelit Q1 revenues double to EUR 34 mln following PA Group merger
• Eutelsat's underlying revenues down 1.6% in March quarter
• P4 lifts revenues 4% in Q1
• Cyfrowy Polsat Group revenues up in Q1 on wholesale expansion
• A3 says Q1 results show relative resilience to virus but businesses delay IT service projects
• Ice reaches positive adjusted EBITDA in Q1, foresees H2 EBITDA breakeven
• Masmovil adds 373,000 customers in Q1, confirms full-year guidance
• Turk Telekom revenues increase 17% to TRY 6.3 bln in Q1
• Telekom Slovenije Group improves margins on sales up 1% in Q1

Telecoms - capital markets

• Equinix starts USD 1.25 bln share offering to help pay for potential acquisition
• Equinix prices 2.25 mln shares offering at USD 665 per unit
• Siminn announces ISK 500 mln share buy-back
• Vodafone shows no interest in rival bid for Virgin Media
• Intelsat files for Chapter 11 protection to restructure debt
• WEL, Waipa sell Ultrafast Fibre stakes for NZD 854 million
• BT in talks to sell stake in Openreach - report
• BT denies reports of talks to sell multi-million pound stake in Openreach

Telecoms - 5G

• T-Mobile US 5G-600 network reaches 49 states (6k cities, 215m covered pops), to add Alaska May 2020
• Vodafone ES expands 5G-3500 to 6 cities, total 21
• RWTH Aachen Univ launches campus network, with Ericsson, for 5G research
• Sunrise 5G-3500 coverage reaches 535 cities; target 5G-700 coverage 90% 20Q3
• DNA (= Telenor) expands 5G to Rauma, Nummi, Paroalho etc (Satakunta), Pori (Hanhiluoto, Karjaranta, Kirjurinluoto etc); plans expansion to Lahti, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Vaasa, Hämeenlinna, Seinäjoki, Heinola, Pirkkala, Lempäälä
• NZ cancels 5G auction (3.5 GHz band) over corona virus; awards spectrum to Dense Air (40 MHz), Spark (60), 2degrees (60); NZD 250k per 10 MHz

Media - COVID-19 related - events

• U.K. Cinemas Won’t Reopen Sooner Than July 4, Government Confirms
• U.S. Theatrical Releasing Slowly Returning With 200 Locations Open
• Disney reopens its Shanghai theme park, with many restrictions
• Broadway Shutdown Extended Through Labor Day
• Hollywood Bowl Officially Cancels 2020 Summer Season
• Publicis Groupe Reveals Phased-In Office Reopening Strategy
• Omnicom's Three-Phase Return To Office Plan

Media & Internet - Q1 earnings

• Tencent Music Drops After-Hours on Disappointing Revenue
• Tencent lifts revenues in Q1 but profit growth slows amid pandemic
• Meredith Corp. Delays Release Of Earnings Report Amid 'Challenging' Environment
• Sony FY results down after weak Q4 due to Covid-19 disruptions
• Mediaset Q1 sales down 5% to EUR 682 mln, profit plunges 47%

Media & Internet - other

• Could Amazon be about to take over your local cinema? With Odeon's owner in trouble, deal could help tech giant shoot ahead in movie wars
• Telstra announces AUD 300 million Foxtel impairment following News Corp write down
• KKR buys 5.21% stake in ProSiebenSat.1
• Studiocanal Buys 100% of Tandem Productions, Rola Bauer Steps Down
• Facebook to buy Giphy for $400 million
• Justice Department, State Attorneys General Likely to Bring Antitrust Lawsuits Against Google
• Walt Disney Co. Plans Another Large Debt Sale To Further Boost Financial Position Amidst COVID-19
• Walt Disney Raises $11 Billion From Bond Sale to Bolster Finances

Internet - platforms

• Waymo raises $750m from T Rowe Price, Perry Creek Capital, Fidelity Management & Research etc
• AWS: order from TC Energy
• Launches Fire HD 8 tablet series (Fire HD 8, Fire HD 8 Plus, Fire HD 8 Kids Edition)
• Facebook settles over PTSD suffering for 11,250 moderators, to pay total $52m
• Facebook helped establish political advocacy group American Edge (non-profit)
• Facebook  Community Standards Enforcement Report
• Facebook ends Instagram Lite app
• Facebook's Libra Ass attracts new backers: Temasek (Singapore), Paradigm, Slow Ventures
• Twitter to label fake news tweets, first with corona virus misinformation
• Twitter acquires CrossInstall (interactive mobile ads, 70 employees)

Netherlands - telecoms & media

• Omzet Eurofiber groeit naar EUR 166 miljoen in 2019
• FOX over Ziggo-onderhandelingen: ACM wil zelfde voorwaarden voor alle providers
• T-Mobile claimt opnieuw status beste mobiele netwerk van Nederland
• T-Mobile Q1: 67.000 postpaid- en 14.000 breedbandklanten erbij, 3,3 procent omzetgroei
• Ziggo to raise prices 200701, average 3.4% (o/w 2.6% for inflation); basic cable rises to 19.95 EUR/mo (from 18.70)
• Online (= M7 = Canal+ = Vivendi) to raise prices 200701 (BB EUR 2; BB+TV EUR 2.50; 3P EUR 5) on inflation, data & content costs

Telecoms, Internet, Media - The news of week 19

Telecoms - earnings reports

• Freenet grows Q1 revenues and subscribers, confirms outlook for 2020
• Telefonica Germany grows revenues, OIBDA in Q1, confirms outlook for 2020
• Telefonica says limited impact from Covid-19 as Q1 organic revenues fall 1%
• Nos posts Q1 loss as Covid-19 hurts sports income
• BT increases fibre network build target, suspends dividends on Covid-19 impact
• Liberty Global posts small drop in organic revenues, cash flow in Q1
• SES posts 2% fall in underlying revenues, 3% EBITDA drop in Q1
• Equinix lifts profit, revenues in Q1 but still sees uncertainty ahead 
• Veon withdraws guidance as results turn lower in April
• Netia revenue falls 1% in Q1, EBITDA holds steady
• Intred revenues up 17% in Q1, adds another 300km of fibre
• Cellnex sales up 49% to EUR 358 mln in Q1 following asset acquisitions
• Digital Realty delivers virtually flat revenues, EBITDA in Q1

5G - commercial launches

• Telia Norway plans official 5G network launch on 12 May
• Plus launches the first and only commercial 5G network in Poland

Telecoms - M&A and other news

• Millicom withdraws from USD 570 mln acquisition of Telefonica Costa Rica
• Telefonica, TIM to move ahead with Brazil M&A plans despite COVID-19
• Liberty Global, Telefonica to merge O2, Virgin Media in 50-50 joint venture in UK
• More than just broadband: how Saatchi & Saatchi helped BT find its mojo
• Open RAN Policy Coalition forms to lobby governments on 5G security plans
• Vestager urges EU member states not to backtrack on 5G

Media & Internet - earnings reports

• AMC Networks' Q1 Ad Revenue Sinks 11%
• Discovery: Q1 Advertising Flat, Q3 Options, Cancellations 'Too Early' To Call
• Fox Corp. Gets Earnings Boost From Super Bowl and Political Advertising
• ViacomCBS Q1 Profit Slumps On Decline In Ad Revenue
• Disney streaming losses swell on expansion costs, skips dividend
• Disney says it now has 54.5 million Disney+ subscribers
• ESPN+ subscribers plateau as live sports stay on hold
• Disney Says More Movie Releases Could Skip Theaters, Sees “Some Changes” To Release Strategy During And After COVID-19
• ITV sees advertising revenue fall by 42% in April on Covid-19 impact
• ITV reveals another $37m in cuts & confirms 800 staff furloughed as ads slump
• Videogame Makers Electronic Arts, Activision Get Boost From Coronavirus Shutdowns
• Pinterest drops after reporting slowing user growth in first quarter results
• The New York Times' Records Largest Quarter For Subscriptions
• Live Nation Posts First Coronavirus-Era Earnings: Revenue Down 20%, but Fans Are Keeping Tickets
• Roku Q1 revenue up 55% on customer gains, ARPU growth

Media & Internet - other news

• ARNAUD LAGARDÈRE WINS HIS SHOWDOWN AGAINST AMBER CAPITAL
• NENT and Canal Digital name their pay-TV venture Allente
• Sinclair Agrees to Pay Record $48 Million FCC Fine
• Alphabet vets raise $400 million to remake America’s infrastructure

Coronavirus T.I.M. News Hub - week 19

Telecom traffic

Traffic levels are up due to the lock-downs in most countries. As a result, speeds come down. Verizon reports a leveling off, even a drop, week-on-week. Of note is the Sandvine report.

• Research: Brits’ Zoom, Houseparty usage soaring
• Data: UK lockdown drives TV to mobile usage levels
• Report: Global streaming up 57% YOY
• Telenet sees network traffic peaks of up to 70% during lockdown
• AMS-IX: piek dataverkeer in Caraibisch gebied
• Enea says Disney+ already uses 1-2% of mobile traffic in North America and Europe vs 7-15% for Netflix
• Verizon reports weekly drop in network traffic, plans to reopen more stores
• Italian download speeds fall up to 14% during lockdown - study
• Sandvine finds global internet traffic increased 38% in 2.5 months
• Belgian internet traffic up 40 percent since lockdown
• Epic data traffic up over 30% in April vs March
• Slovenian operators see up to 50% increase in data traffic during epidemic
• BEREC internet capacity reports now with broader scope

Telecom demand & supply

Operators, in response to the higher traffic levels, adjust their offerings.

• Telefonica offers free online training, discounts for Spanish SMEs
• TIM prolongs 'GigaCorona' unlimited data offer
• Spain's Pepephone renews free 5GB lockdown bundle
• Vodafone Greece offers free 20GB, 1,000 minutes to all mobile customers
• Orange Belgium to give free 4 GB mobile package to all fixed customers
• AT&T joins global Covid-19 fight
• The 5 Least Secure Video-Calling Apps, Reports Researcher

Telecom impact

Retail stores and offices were closed, but are now starting to reopen.

• Fastweb to partially reopen offices from 11 May, extend employee smart working
• IDC continues customer support programme, re-opens shops, expands network
• Orange Poland re-opens shops in commercial centres
• Play re-opens shops in commercial centres
• Ucom re-opens all its shops
• Algerie Telecom reopens all retail stores, undertakes not to disconnect customers during lockdown

Media events

Cinemas, theme parks and football competitions are about to be reopened or restarted.

• Hong Kong Cinemas Allowed To Reopen as Coronavirus Recedes
• U.K. Cinemas Proposing Late-June Reopening to Government
• Disneyland Shanghai to Reopen on May 11, Says CEO Bob Chapek
• Bundesliga given approval for mid-May resumption
• Chinese Authorities Say Cinemas May Now Reopen, as Cinephiles Rejoice

Media & Internet impact

Job and salary cuts.

• Music Piracy Is Going Old School in the Age of COVID-19
• Eleven Sports reduces staff in Portugal by 25%
• DAZN Spain waives subscription charges for 4 months - report
• F1 close to agreement on $145m budget cap
• NBCUniversal Senior Leaders to Take 20% Salary Cut Amid Coronavirus Crisis
• NBCU Cuts Top Exec Salaries By 20%, Rolls Back Some Other Salaries By 3%
• Sky TV makes top box sets available to all customers to ReWatch
• Coronavirus May Force Disney to Reevaluate Streaming Strategy
• Brits spend 3+ hours a day watching VoD services during lockdown - research
• Uber to lay off 3,700 employees, about 14% of workforce

Telecom relief funds

Some companies are receiving state aid, but others are creating relief funds or free services for others.

• Applications open for new EUR 2 mlm Covid-19 online retail scheme in Ireland
• Ceconomy receives approval for state financial aid
• Vodafone to provide EUR 100,000 to Portuguese musicians
• Operatoren leveren gratis diensten aan Belgisch corona-callcenter
• Telefonica staff donate EUR 600,000 in food vouchers to food banks
• AKAMAI FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES GLOBAL COVID-19 CHARITABLE GIVING
• Telenor, PPF donate protective equipment to fight Covid-19 in Montenegro
• Digi donates medical equipment worth EUR 1.6 mln to hospitals
• Wind Hellas provides free communication, equipment to 500 mobile health units
• Telefonica to pay EUR 650 bonus to critical workers in May
• Verizon donates USD 1 mln to New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund

Media & Internet relief funds

Funds are created to support the sector or the healthcare business.

• Naspers delivers equipment for healthcare workers in South Africa
• Sky announces SME100, a £1 million AdSmart SME Support Scheme
• Google.org doubles COVID-19 donations to $100 million

Metadata

There is no shortage of apps in development to track the spread of the virus.

• Apple and Google prohibit location tracking in new contact tracing guidelines
• UK’s COVID-19 contact tracing app – will it work?
• UK finds itself almost alone with centralized virus contact-tracing app that probably won't work well, asks for your location, may be illegal
• UK considers changing Covid-19 app to Apple/Google model as privacy concerns mount
• Deutsche Telekom, SAP develop coronavirus tracing app with backing from non-profit tech start-up alliance
• A city in India is ordering all of its residents to download the government's controversial COVID-19 contact tracing app or face jail time
• COVID contact tracing for the workplace without smartphones, via LoRaWAN

Coronavirus T.I.M. News Hub - week 18

Telecom traffic

• Openreach reports 20% increase in broadband traffic across North East
• Telenor Myanmar sees 27% data traffic increase amid COVID-19 lockdown
• Telenor Norway says videoconferencing up 350% since outbreak, mobility creeping up since Easter
• Microsoft Teams passes 75 million daily active users
• Hrvatski Telekom sees 25% increase in data traffic in April
• OECD countries see 60% increase in internet traffic during Covid-19 crisis - study (OECD)
• Internet traffic in Europe continues to stabilize (BEREC)

Telecoms demand & supply

• Bouygues Telecom offers daily hour of zero-rated video messaging app use
• Comcast waives data cap until at least June 30 in response to pandemic
• Telstra increases data allowances for mobile broadband customers
• Orange Spain, Zurich offer free internet to 4,400 families in need
• Masmovil, Yoigo adds free legal and e-learning services to lockdown offer
• Nos launches distance learning project with RTP
• Play offers customers who stay at home free data
• A1 Bulgaria donates respirators to hospitals
• YouSee offers free domestic mobile data from May to September
• Google’s Meet teleconferencing service now adding about 3 million users per day
• Telecom Italia offers another 100GB bonus to FWA subscribers

Telecoms impact

• Verizon takes three-pronged strategy to handling COVID-19 crisis
• Romania's smartphone sales plunge 50% in April
• How COVID-19 Is Starting to Expose Cracks in Public Clouds
• Magenta Telekom to reopen all shops from 02 May

Media events & impact

• Formule 1 krijgt kapitaalinjectie van 1,4 miljard dollar
• Austria lined up for F1 restart as French GP cancelled
• Canal Plus and BeIN Sports settle dispute over rights payment with French football league
• French football season ends due to Covid-19
• Canal Plus will pay Top 14 rights fee ‘if clubs’ liquidity threatened’
• Altice suspends TV rights payments to Portuguese clubs
• Dentsu Postpones Release Of First-Quarter Earnings
• Movie Theater Owners Ponder How, When to Reopen Safely
• Embattled AMC Entertainment to Delay Financial Reports Due to Coronavirus Pandemic
• Karlovy Vary Film Festival Canceled, but Plans Select Screenings and Online Industry Section
• Beijing International Film Festival Moves Online With Streamer iQIYI
• Locarno Film Festival Cancels 73rd Edition, Launches Indie Cinema Support Initiative
• Oscars Will Consider Films That Didn’t Play in Theaters as Part of New Academy Rules
• AMC Theatres Won’t Play Universal Movies in Wake of ‘Trolls World Tour’ Dispute
• Regal Owner Cineworld Also Refuses to Play Universal Movies Amid ‘Trolls World Tour’ Dispute
• NBCUniversal Chief Says Premium VOD for Some Movies Will Be ‘Complementary’ to Theatrical Distribution
• Tripadvisor is laying off 25% of its workforce as shutdowns continue to crush the travel industry
• Deliveroo to axe over 300 staff as virus hits demand
• ITV to return to live studio shows

Media demand & supply

• Sky reveals streaming surge & ‘box-set effect’ of Covid-19 lockdown
• YouTube to Host Free Virtual Film Festival With 20 Partners Including Cannes, Tribeca, Sundance
• Data: Lockdown drives increase in digital piracy
• Muso data shows increase in UK traffic to TV/film piracy sites during lockdown
• BBC Drama Boss: Shortage of Scripted Shows Will Mean More Global Co-Productions
• Telefonica launches home cooking app with chef Ferran Adria

Metadata

• Australia launches mobile app to track coronavirus contact
• The StopCovid project-team and the ecosystem of contributors are working together to develop a mobile contact tracing app for France.
• Apple, Google update specifications for Covid-19 tracing apps
• German govt plans voluntary app to track Covid-19 infections based on decentralised software architecture
• EDPB confirms data protection guidance during Covid-19 epidemic
• French data protection agency gives green light to govt's StopCovid tracing app
• ORG calls for NHSX to release protocols, code for Covid-19 contact tracing app
• NHS rejects Apple-Google coronavirus app plan
• Apple and Google release first seed of COVID-19 exposure notification API for contact tracing app developers
• Twitter to release real-time filtered stream of tweets to covid-19 researchers

Telecom relief funds

• MTN donates to Covid-19 fight in Uganda
• NetOne and TelOne donate ZWD 10 mln for Covid-19 response
• OTE provides EUR 1.6 mln in bonuses to retail staff, field workers

Other corona

• Dutch spell out green ideas for EU recovery fund
• Coronavirus survives longer airborne and travels further in these public spaces
• Vaccine Could Potentially Be Available Later This Year, Coalition Says
• Fitch cuts virus-hit Italy’s credit rating to just above junk
• De ware impact van corona
• Coronavirus Treatment: Fauci Says Remdesivir Has 'Clear-Cut, Significant Positive Effect' On Patients
• Gilead expects to spend up to $1 billion on coronavirus drug this year, will donate 1.5 million vials
• Coronavirus Update: WHO Praises Sweden For Resisting Lockdown Despite Growing COVID-19 Cases And Deaths
• Moderna Announces IND Submitted to U.S. FDA for Phase 2 Study of mRNA Vaccine (mRNA-1273) Against Novel Coronavirus

Telecoms non-corona

• Forthnet confirms United Group's acquisition offer
• Forthnet revenues fall 8% in 2019, customer base down over 1%
• Pension fund invests in Digi
• Tiscali posts EUR 16.5 mln net loss in 2019, approves 3-year turnaround plan
• Telenor forecasts slower growth ahead after solid Q1 results
• Europe Fiber Network Operators Shrug Off Pandemic to Seek Buyers
• Cyfrowy Polsat agrees acquisition of Interia
• Telefonica seeks to merge Britain's O2 and Virgin Media: sources
• Turkcell revenues up 17% to TRY 6.7 bln in Q1
• A1 grows revenues and EBITDA in Q1, suspends outlook for 2020 due to Covid-19 crisis
• Siminn lifts Q1 revenue 4%, EBITDA by over 15%
• Orange Poland lifts revenues, EBITDAaL but widens net loss in Q1
• Orange maintains revenue growth of 1% in Q1, outlook unchanged
• Crnogorski Telekom Q1 revenues down 5% to EUR 18 million
• Hrvatski Telekom reports Q1 revenues down 2.2%
• Telenet trims FY outlook as coronavirus leads to flat underlying sales in Q1
• Proximus maintains FY outlook as Q1 sales fall 1.5%, EBITDA up after job cuts
• Swisscom sees drop in revenues, EBITDA, minimal impact of Covid-19 crisis in Q1
• KPN improves margin on lower revenues in Q1, sees limited impact from Covid-19 crisis

Media & Internet non-corona

• Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund Acquires $500 Million Stake in Live Nation
• Digital platforms in Ireland must improve efforts to tackle disinformation - study
• Google revenue growth slows to 13% in Q1 on drop in ad spending
• Court postpones hearing on Mediaset merger plan until 28 May
• Havas Group Loses Ground In Q1
• WPP Q1 revenue down 3.3% as it implements more cost-cutting measures
• M6 to cut €100m in programming costs
• TF1 GROUP: -9.7% ADVERTISING REVENUE IN THE 1 ST QUARTER, AT € 356.7 MILLION
• Spotify beats Q1 outlook with subscribers up 31% to 130 mln
• Imax Earnings Sag Due to Coronavirus Closures
• ViacomCBS CEO Rallies Troops As Layoffs Continue
• Comcast Q1 results fall as Covid-19 crisis hurts content, ad revenues
• Facebook records strong engagement though slower growth in Q1
• Twitter user growth hits record highs but bottom line turns to loss in Q1
• Apple increases dividend, share buybacks amid in-line Q1
• Amazon revenues jump in Q1 but profit takes a backseat on covid-19-related expenses
• NENT resumes talks with potential Studios partners and with possible buyers of other ops
• Telenor-NENT pay-TV venture gains EU approval, new name to be revealed after closing

VodafoneZiggo: additional operational details from the 2019 Annual Report

Fixed

• connections 97% fiber + 3% coax
• uptime 99.83%
• 7.2m connections (HH), 5.4m devices
• 452,950 km cable, 340k final amplifiers, 70k group amplifiers, 12k cabinets, 600 hubs, 66 regional stations
• 60% of analog lines switched off (target 100% YE 2021)
• Mediabox Next self-installs 80%
• usage 9.1 EB (+21%)
• NPS Ziggo +3
• app usage: Ziggo Go 39%, WiFi app downloads 85k
• max speeds: 500 (or 400? consumer) or 600 (or 500? business) Mb/s on Docsis 3.0, 1 Gb/s on Docsis 3.1

Mobile

• uptime 99.97%, 91% of downloads >10 Mb/s, 0.20% dropped call rate
• 4552 mobile sites
• usage 153978 TB (+33%)
• NPS: Vodafone +8, hollandsnieuwe +12
• app usage: MyVodafone 38%
• max speed: 350 Mb/s on mobile (4G+)

Corporate

• 7450 employees o/w 73% full-time, 6696 FTE
• 9 office locations
• 150 retail shops