TECHNOLOGY
Samsung 6G white paper The Next Hyper-Connected Experience for All
- targets earliest commercialization 2028, mass commercialization around 2030
- advanced services: immersive extended reality (XR), high-fidelity mobile hologram, digital replica
- 3 requirements:
- 1. Performance (spectral efficiency 2x 5G, energy efficiency 2x 5G, connection density 10x 5G, peak data rate 1000 Gbps = 50x 5G, air latency <100 microseconds (μs) = 0.1x 5G)
- 2. Architecture (resolve issues arising from limited computation capability of mobile devices, implement AI from initial phase of technology development, enable flexible integration of new network entities)
- 3. Trustworthiness (address security & privacy issues arising from widespread use of user data & AI tech)
- candidate technologies: Terahertz spectrum, novel antenna technologies to enhance coverage of high frequency band signals, advanced duplex technologies, evolution of network topology, spectrum sharing to increase efficiency of frequency utilization, use of AI in wireless comms
HARDWARE
- Vodafone: Vodafone UK launches GPS tracker Curve, with WiFi, mobile, GBP 20 + 2 (24 mo contract) or 3 (12 mo contract) GBP/mo
- Amazon: Launches Dash Cart: smart shopping cart for Amazon stores (not Amazon Go) for cashierless check-out
- Facebook: Launches Hero robot: wraps fibre round power lines for fast deployment; first customer NetEquity Networks (non-exclusive, royalty-free licence)
SERVICES
Telecoms
- Salt: Partners with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for sub-brand, 40 CHF/mo (instead of 60), unlimited voice, text, MMS, data in CH + unlimited text, MMS in Europe, US + 60 min & 500 MB in Europe, US; Salt contributes 10 EUR/mo/sub to WWF
- Orange: Orange Bank to add insurance services
Google
- Google Play Pass expands outside US to Australia, NZ, Canada, UK, IE, FR, IDE, IT, ES, added 150 games (total >500 apps & games), adds annual subscription $30 (ad-free, no in-app purchases)
- Area 120 launches Shoploop: video shopping platform; plans brand deals
- Launches Fabricius: AI-based tool to translate ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs
Amazon
- AWS launches Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS): managed service to set up live interactive video streams for web or mobile app; tech from Twitch; latency <3 sec; first customers: Blackboard, 17Live, DeNA's Pococha, ScreenCloud
- Launches Amazon Influencer Program streaming on Amazon Live [see 170331, 190207]
- Launches Breakthrough: developing artist program (video & audio content, global marketing support, custom merch stores on Amazon.com, increased visibility across Amazon Music’s playlists & programming, high-profile Amazon Original tracks available only on Amazon Music, support for the artists’ Twitch channels etc); first candidates: Gabby Barrett (country), Kiana Ledé (R&B), JAY1 (rap), Arlo Parks (rap), Provinz (folk pop), Malik Harris.(pop)
Facebook
- Rumor: to add licensed music videos to artist Pages & automatically generated Pages in US from Aug 2020
- Instagram to expand Reels to US Aug 2020 [a la TikTok]
Snap
- Trials move through public content (Snapchat Discover) with a vertical swiping motion [a la TikTok]
Video
- Netflix: Launches shuffle feature
- Amazon: Amazon Prime Video adds live TV in DE (no extra cost): 38 channels from ARD/ZDF o/w 28 in HD
- Comcast: Launches Peacock in US for non-subs, 3 tiers: Peacock Free, Peacock Premium (5 $/mo or 50 $/yr), Peacock Premium No Ads (10 $/mo or 100 $/yr), Comcast & Cox subs get 5 $/mo discount, max 3 simultaneous screen; free tier launches with 13k hr, Premium with 20k hr, live Premier League, US Open, Women's Open; 20 live channels at launch (target 75 after 1 yr); range of apps (excl Amazon, Roku)
- RTL: Videoland (RTL NL) launches 3 tiers (same content): Basic (5 EUR/mo with ads, 1 screen, no download for offline viewing), Plus (8 EUR/mo no ads, 2 screens, downlaods), Premium (10 EUR/mo no ads, 4 screens, downloads); Premium equals current SVOD service
- MultiChoice/Showmax: Expands to 40 countries in Africa
Music
- Spotify: The Michelle Obama Podcast to premiere 200729 globally - Adds podcast charts feature
- Spotify: xpands to 13 new countries Eastern Europe (<250m pops; Albania, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Ma
- SiriusXM: Acquires Stitcher (podcasts) from EW Scripps, $265m cash + earn-outs ($30m each based on 2020 and 2021 results)
NETWORKS
5G
- TIM Brasil plans 5G launch Sep 2020 in 3 cities, with Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia; to use DSS
- DNA (Telenor) expands 5G to Hämeenlinna
- Telekom DE (DT) adds 15k antennae in 2.1 GH band (max 225 Mb/s); max urban speeds 600-800 Mb/s (based on 2.1 & 3.6 bands); target 50% pops coverage July 2020
- Reliance Jio (MNO India; = Reliance Industries) develops 5G solution; considers selling at wholesale globally
- Vivo (Brazil, = Telefonica) plans 5G (with DSS) launch July 2020 in all 8 state capitals: Sao Paulo, Salvador, Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Goiania, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte
- Nevion survey of global broadcasters: 82% expect 5G to (partially) replace DTT/DTV/sat-TV, 94% expect consumption to increase from 5G
- Verizon partners with IBM for digitalisation, Industry 4.0 (5G connectivity, edge & cloud computing, data analytics)
- Rain (FWA) expands 5G to Cape Town; Unlimited Home 5G Standard 700 ZAR/mo (max 30 Mb/s), Unlimited Home 5G Premium 1000 ZAR/mo (no speed cap, average speed 200 Mb/s), incl free router
FTTP
- KPN expands in Katwijk (currently Rijnsburg) to Katwijk Noord, Katwijk aan Zee, Katwijk aan den Rijn, Valkenburg
- KPN plans FTTP in Roermond: 22k lines, roll-out starts 21H1
- Rekam and GlasDraad establish JV RekamGlasDraad for urban areas in Krimpenerwaard, KPN, Solcon, TriNed to be RSP
- Delta Fiber (= EQT) abandons FTTP construction in Weststellingwerf, Kabelnoord to take over (KPN also has FTTH)
- Google Fiber plans expansion to Millcreek (Utah), target activation early 2021; Salt Lake City nears completion
Satellite
- Amazon: FCC chair supports Project Kuiper (NGSO sat constellation)
CORPORATE
Proximus CTO interview
- changed strategy to NetCo/ServCo-model, with wholesale
- to add 400k FTTP homes/yr
- 5G roll-out in Wallon on hold, current radiation limits precludes 5G launch in Brussels (Vlaanderen 20,58 V/m up to 900 MHz, 30,7V/m up to 10 GHz; Wallonia 3V/m per tech; Brussels 6V/m in total); 5G first for Private networks (Port of Antwerp) or slices; mmWave (26 GHz) to be of interest in ~5 yr
- Orange: Rumor: Orange PL considers selling max <50% of FTTH network
- Telefonica: Rumor: to sell 12 more datacenters to Nablax (= Asterion), EUR 150m; considers buying stake in Nablax
- Vodafone: Reuters: plans European towers IPO in Frankfurt, with UBS & Morgan Stanley; valuation EUR 12-16b to raise EUR 3-4b; includes Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Ltd (JV with Telefonica, towers in UK, ES, DE, Brazil) & Inwit stake (JV with TIM,towers in IT)
Divestments
- Proximus: Rumor: to sell stake in BICS (Proximus 57.6%, Swisscom 22.4%, MTN 20%), acquirer to buy majority stake [see 1911249] - Confirms, Proximus to hold 49%
- BT: Sells BT France to Computacenter
- Open Fiber: Reuters: Wren House (= Kuwait’s sovereign wealth fund KIA) interested in Enel's 50% stake in Open Fiber
- Sony: SME sells Syco stake to Simon Cowell
Acquisitions
- RTL: RTL Studios (RTL DE) acquires 99pro Media on 201001
- Vivendi: Raises Lagardere stake to 21.19% (16.01% of votes), to raise stake further on open market
Results
- Netflix 20Q2;
- outlook
- 20H2: less subs growth; oper margin targets: 16% for 2020, 19% for 2021
- launch plans 2020 largely intact, 2021 higher (weighted more to H2)
- FCF 2020 break-even or positive (due to pause in production), 2021 negative (but better than 2019 peak of -$3.3b)
- path to positibe FCF over next few years unchanged
- cash content-to-content amortization ratio of 1x still many years away
- need to raise debt diminishes (none expected for 20H2)
- appoints Ted Sarandos (CCO) Co-CEO & Greg Peters (CPO) COO
- viewing stats first 4 weeks
- Never have I ever 40m
- Space force 40m
- Too hot to handle 51m
- Floor is lava 37m
- Da 5 bloods 27m
- Extraction 99m
- The wrong missy 59m
- The Willoughbys 38m
- La casa del papel (part 4) 65m
- Telia: 20Q2
- Telenor: 20Q2; cuts outlook
- Tele2: 20Q2; reinstates FY guidance & extraordinary dividend proposal
Google/Alphabet
- Establishes Google for India Digitisation Fund, $10b
- Rumor: to invest $4b for stake in Jio Platform (= Reliance Industries) - Invests $4.5b for 7.73% stake at $65.5b valuation; to co-develop entry level affordable smartphone
- Partners with Crossover Health (primary care services) to establish local health centers (20) near Amazon fulfillment centers & operations facilities US (5 cities), first in Dallas-Fort Worth area (pilot), next in Phoenix, Louisville, Detroit, San Bernardino-Moreno Valley area
- Plans fulfillment center in Pflugerville (Texas), to open 2021; 1k FTE, 820k ft^2
- Partners (through The Climate Pledge) with We Mean Business (global nonprofit coalition working with businesses to accelerate the transition to zero-carbon economy) to accelerate goals; Verizon, Reckitt Benckiser, Infosys, Oak View Group join The Climate Pledge
Other:
- KPN: Appoints Alejandro Plater (COO at A1 Telekom Austria) to RvC to succeed Carlos García Moreno Elizondo (América Móvil representatives)
- Facebook: Publishes Global State of Small Business report
- Apple: To invest >$400m in affordable housing projects & homeowner assistance programmes in California in 2020
- Airbnb: NYT: resumes IPO planning (2020 or 2021)
- RTL: RTL NL received EUR 3.5m corona virus crisis support (NOW)
- AMC Theaters: Raises $300m debt for corona virus crisis
REGULATORY
Spectrum
- Anacom (PT) plans multiband auction Oct 2020
- Multiband auction LU started 200713: 2x30 MHz in 700 band (reserve price 5.6m EUR/block of 2x10 MHz), 330 MHz in 3.6 GHz band (reserve price 0.3m EUR/block of 1x10 MHz), duration 15 yr; 5 bidders: Eltrona, Luxembourg Online, Orange Luxembourg, Post Luxembourg, Proximus Luxembourg
- BIPT (BE) awards 5 temporary licenses from 200801 (until auction) for 3.6-3.8 GHz band for 5G (to be lanched by 210301) to Cegeka, Entropia, Orange, Proximus, Telenet; 40 MHz each, 400k EUR/yr each
Equipment/China
- UK Gvt (DCMS Secretary) ban Huawei due to US sanctions: no new euipment after 201231, remove all 5G equipment by 2027, recommends removing Huawei from fiber networks; total cost GBP 2b, 5G delay 2-3 yr - Observer: ban partly for geopolitical reasons, could be revisited if POTUS Trump not reelected
- Frontier Economics: Australian 5G deployment costs to rise by >AUD 2.1b; Oxford Economics: 5G rollout costs in Australia go up 30% as result of Huawe ban
Other telecoms
- Free choice of modem: VodafoneZiggo rejects ACM's free CPE choice proposal
- Regulation broadband and B2B: Orange Denounces ARCEP's (Chair Sébastien Soriano) criticism (Les Echos, 200707) of its strategy regarding FTTP (too slow), B2B market (share of small business market 63%, SME 62%)
Platforms general
- Facebook and Twitter ban posts promoting conversion therapy
- EU Platform to Business regulation (2019/1150, P2B Regulation) comes into effect: promots fairness & transparency for business users
- US imposes 25% import tariff on selected French goods from 210106 in retaliation for digital sales tax FR
- PrivacyAffairs: total 340 GDPR fines since launch 2018, total EUR 158m
- ECJ sides with Max Schrems against Facebook: overturns Privacy Shield but not Standard Contractual Clauses (transfers based on individual agreements remain legal), blocks personal data transfers to US; Irish data regulator may suspend data transfers outside EU if recipient country does not provide sufficient privacy protection (a la GDPR)
- Saugmandsgaard Øe (ECJ): platforms not liable for copyright infringment before EU's DSM is adopted in national law (210607 at teh latest)
- Ofcom (UK) opens consultation until 200924 on regulation of video-sharing platforms (VSPs), asks for good practice, technical capabilities of VSP services, any issues & challenges to further its understanding of the sector & the risks of harm; plans guidance by summer 2021
- EC starts inquiry into consumer IoT (incl voice assistants, smart home devices, wearables), providers could use control over user data to distort competition or otherwise close off these markets for competitors (restrictions of data access & interoperability, certain forms of self-preferencing, practices linked to the use of proprietary standards); to send out RfIs to market participants; plans prelim report spring 2021, final report summer 2022
- Data transfer: ECJ sides with Apple & Ireland: no tax payment to Ireland required
Self-regulation
- WSJ: Google Search biased toward YouTube content over similar content on Facebook, other
- Bans adds with conspiracy theories around corona virus
- White paper on privacy: proposes regulation based on policy co-creation
- Adds labels to posts in US about voting with links to Facebook’s voting information hub
- WSJ: FTC could depose CEO Zuckerberg and COO Sandberg (appear in antitrust hearing for House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee 200727
- Twitter: hacking
- Hackers access verified accounts by targeting employees with access to internal systems and tools; Twitter temporarily disabled verified accounts to tweet - Rumor: inside job, 'Chaewon' offered to change email address tied to any Twitter account - FBI starts investigation - ~130 accounts impacted
- Twitter update
- social engineering: attackers successfully manipulated a small number of employees and used their credentials to access Twitter’s internal systems
- 130 accounts targeted o/w 45 taken over (password reset, login to the account, send Tweets) o/w 8 account info downloaded incl privatye messages (non verified accounts; most accounts have been restored
- attackers had no aaccess to previous passwords, e-mail addresses, phone numbers
- "We’re acutely aware of our responsibilities to the people who use our service and to society more generally. We’re embarrassed, we’re disappointed, and more than anything, we’re sorry."
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