Week 32 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

CORPORATE

• Deutsche Telekom
• Bloomberg: Reliance Industries considers offer for T-Mobile NL
• 21Q2
• 5G reaches 82.4% pops coverage, calls for co-investment for nationwide FTTP by 2030
• raises outlook 2021
• Simpel acquisition by T-Mobile NL closed 201201, acquisition finalised 210603, based on call option agreed July 2019, cash payment EUR 259m + option fair value 26m + settlement 8m = EUR 293m total consideration
• Freenet: 21Q2
• AT&T: Shareholder update
• focus on 5G, fiber, HBO Max, potential upside from DirecTV (70%)
• targets 2021: investment $22b (o/w capex 17b + vendor financing 4b, excludes FirstNet reimbursements 1b), cash content spend 19b
• C-band to launch end 2021, target coverage 200m pops YE 2023, target 30m fiber HP YE 2025
• HBO Max to end distribution via Amazon Channels 21Q3 (impact included in guidance)
• CK Hutchison: Rumor: Hutchison Telecom to sell Partner Comms 27% stake (Israel) to Apollo Global Mgt, ILS 800m = $250m
• Walt Disney: 20/21Q3 (as of 210703)
• streaming rev $4.3b (+57%), 173.7m subs; Disney+ reaches 116m subs (ARPU $4.16 (-10%)), ESPN+ 14.9m, Hulu 39.1m, Hulu With Live TV 3.7m
• plans Disney+ Day 211111
• Disney+ Hotstar to expand to Malaysia, Thailand 21Q3, full operation in Japan Oct 2021, expansion to SK, Taiwan, HK Nov 2021; Disney+ expansion to eastern Europe delayed to summer 2022, with launch in MEA; Star+ expansion to Latam Aug 2021
• Disney+ delays price hike (to 9 EUR/mo or 90 EUR/yr) in Europe until 211103 (originally 210823)
• buys out NHL (10%) from BAMTech, $350m, stake to 85%, MLB retains 15% (put option from Sep 2022)
• Holiday movie Home Sweet Home Alone premieres on Disney+ 211112
• Vivendi: Sells 7.1% UMG stake to Pershing Square (= Bill Ackman) + option on additional 2.9% by 210909, $2.8b, valuation EUR 35b = $41b
• Betty Blocks: Raises $33m

NETWORKS & EQUIPMENT

• TIM: FiberCop plans co-investment with Iliad IT, Iliad to be RSP
• Delta Fiber: Orders optical transport network (400G) from Nokia; 19 core sites, 75 metro sites

SERVICES & CPE

• SFR launches football packages for subs
• Amazon Prime + RMC Sport for 14 EUR/mo
• Amazon Prime + BeIN Sport (15 EUR/mo) + RMC Sport for 24 EUR/mo, add Le Pass Ligue 1 (Amazon, 13 EUR/mo) for total 37 EUR/mo
• AT&T: Rumor: WarnerMedia to sell TMZ to Fox
• TCL launches 5 and 6 Smart TV series, with Google TV
• Samsung launches foldable smartphones (based on Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 & Android)
• Galaxy Z Fold3 5G ($1800) & Galaxy Z Flip3 5G ($1000))
• buds (Galaxy Buds 2 ($150))
• smartwatches (Galaxy Watch4 ($250 with Bluetooth, $300 with 4G) & Galaxy Watch4 Classic ($350 with Bluetooth, $400 with 4G))
• Honor launches Magic3 smartphone range (based on Snapdragon 888 Plus 5G and Google apps); basic model EUR 900, Pro model EUR 1100, Pro+ model EUR 1500

REGULATORY

• Auction: Hakom (Croatia) raises EUR 48m from multiband auction (2x30 in 700 MHz band, 400 in 3.6 GHz band, 1000 in 26 GHz band; valid 15 yr) from Hrvatski Telekom, A1 Hrvatska, Telemach Hrvatska + smaller operators for 3.6 band + Eolo for 26 band
• Platforms: US Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) propose Open App Markets Act: to allow sideloading, 3rd-party app stores, 3rd-party payment services
• Security: GeoEdge (with InMobi, Verve Group): malvertising attack from Slovenia & Ukraine targeting consumer IoT devices (manipulate IoT devices, download apps without users’ content, theft of personal information & monetary instruments, tampering with home systems such as smart locks & surveillance cameras); antivirus apps & firewalls are not sufficient, requires continuously blocking infected ads in real-time