Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apple. Show all posts

Monday, May 24, 2021

Week 20 in Telecoms, Internet, Media (UPDATED)

CORPORATE

  • KPN: Telegraaf: EQT and Stonepeak still interested in offer
  • Telefonica: Rumor: to sell Zeleris (logistics), wants EUR 100m, HIG Capital interested
  • BT: Fitch: agreement with BT Pension Scheme (to meet part of its pension deficit repair plan through an asset-backed funding (ABF) structure) is broadly neutral to BT's leverage profile and rating
  • CityFibre (West Street Infrastructure Partners = Goldman Sachs 35%, Antin Infrastructure Partners 35%): Rumor: to sell 30% stake for GBP 1b to ~20 pension & investment funds, to expand target from 8m to 10m premises 
  • Vodafone
    • 20/21Q4 prelim
      • guidance 21/22: adj EBITDA AL EUR 15.0-15.4b, capex GBP 8b (raised), adj FCF >EUR 5.2b
      • Strategy Update
        • to apply for EU's Recovery & Resilience facility
        • targets rev growth, adj EBITDA AL growth MSD, adj FCF growth FCF, leverage 2.5-3.0x, dividend minimum 9c
        • focus on 1. Network investment (fixed & 5G), 2. stronger, more comprehensive product offering, 3. accelerate digital capabilities, 4. flexibility to support Vantage Towers
    • Rumor: interested in co-investment with BT to build 5m premises by 2026
  • VodafoneZiggo: Ziggo Sport to lose Formula 1 rights from 2021/22 season to NENT Group, rumored to pay >EUR 30m, to establish Viaplay, with Bundesliga football (currently at RTL NL); reaches 1.5m viewers
  • Liberty Global
    • CMA approves Virgin Media / O2 UK merger without remedies, to close 210601
    • Establishes JV AtlasEdge Data Centres with Digital Colony to develop >100 edge datacenters in Europe, to close & launch 21Q3; for s 5G, gaming, IoT, edge compute applications; e Josh Joshi to be Exec Chair; Virgin Media UK & IE, Sunrise UPC, UPC Poland to be anchor tenants, open for 3rd parties
  • Cegeka: Citymesh plans to expand mobile nationwide and into consumer market under new brand, to invest EUR 100m, to participate in upcoming auction (700, 900, 1400, 1800, 2000 bands)
  • Iliad: 21Q1; delays fixed-line market IT entry to after summer 2021; expects Iliad IT to report positive EBITDA AL over 2021; to sell remaining 30% stake in towerco FR (On Tower France = Cellnex), >EUR 600m; to revise Op CF target for FR (excl B2B, originally EUR 900m) by Sep 2021
  • Altice Europe: SFR acquires 50% stake in RegloMobile (MVNO France, 770k subs; = Afone Participations) from E Leclerc Group (retailer)
  • 1&1 Drillisch: Finalises nat roaming (2G, 3G, 4G plus 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G MVNO; excl 4G in urban areas from 260101: 1&1 Drillisch 5G covered areas) deal with Telefonica DE, 5 yr; 1&1's subs to be migrated to own network after certain period
  • Gamma Communications: AGM & 21Q1 trading update; outlook 2021: rev, adj EBITDA, adj EPS at high-end of range of market forecasts (rv GBP 442-461, adj EBITDA 86-94m, EPS 55-63p)
  • Deutsche Telekom
    • CMD (1)
      • Targets 2021-24: rev CAGR 1-2%, adj EBITDA AL CAGR 3-5%, FCF >EUR 18b by 2024 (2020: 6.3b), EPS >EUR 1.75 by 2024 (2020: 1.20), pay-out ratio 40-60% of EPS (lower limit EUR 0.60); aims for sustainable growth
      • 5 key action areas: 1. Turning customers into fans (leader in terms of customer experience in fixed, mobile, convergence; superior networks and best-in-class service), 2. Lead in B2B in Europe (rev CAGR 2% in DE and Europe; T-Mobile US to double market share), 3. A new level of sustainability (to become climate neutral in terms of its own emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by as early as 2025, from 2040, 10 years earlier than the original target, this will apply to the entire value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3), management compensation contains components based on these targets), 4. Number one in fiber and 5G (FTTH penetration >60% by 2030, from 5% currently; to add 2.5m HP/yr from 2024; 5G coverage 97% pops coverage by 2024), 5. We continue to drive digitization (continue to digitize its business at all levels, 30 percent of purchases by customers in Germany to go via our electronic channels by 2024) 
      • Strategic review for T-Mobile NL (preparing for sale) & towers
    • CMD (2)
      • Targets tech & inovation
      • Targets T-Systems
      • Group Development (US, BT stake, NL, Towers, DTCP): valuation T-Mobile US $76b, BT stake GBP 1.9b, GD Towers EUR 12.8b, T-Mobile NL EUR 5.7b incl towers 5.0b excl towers (reduced EBITDA AL EUR 30m) (based on broker estimates), own valuation EUR 6b (enterprise value)
      • Targets T-Mobile NL ('Crown Jewel') YE 2024: 900k fixed subs, FMC penetration of branded base >40%, >50% of customer transaction digital
      • GD Towers ('Kingmaker asset') targets 2024: add 6k sites, 15k site extensions, external rev CAGR >3% (3rd party business), lower opex/site; targets GD 2024: rev CAGR >2%, adj EBITDA CAGR >4%, cash contribution AL CAGR >6%
  • AT&T
  • SingTel: Plans impairment charge on Amobee (ad platform), Trustwave (cyber security), Optus (Australia)
  • RTL
  • Vivendi: Reduces ambition for ownership of UMG after IPO 210927 of 60% from 20 to 10% (Tencent to retain 20%), may sell 10% to US-based investor or increase float to 70%; to retain 10% stake for minimum 2 yr; UMG 21Q1: rev EUR 1809m (+9.4%; recorded music +10.8%, music publishing +6.9%, merchandising & other -10.0%), EBIT 322m (+36%)
  • Google: Bloomberg: Waymo plans to raise $4b, considers IPO

VIDEO

  • Amazon
    • The Information: to offer $7-10b for MGM (studio, channel Epix); Variety: to offer $9b (others expect $5b)
    • libary of 4000 films (incl James Bond, Hobbit, Rocky/Creed, RoboCop, Pink Panther franchises) + 17k episodes (incl Stargate, Vikings, Fargo, The Handmaid’s Tale, Get Shorty, Condor, Fame, American Gladiators, Teen Wolf, In the Heat of the Night), unscripted shows (incl The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, The Hills)
    • MGM 21Q1: rev $403m (+27%), net income $29.3m
    • Variety: valuation $5-6b + debt, Eon Productions (= Broccoli family) control James Bond franchise, insist in theatrical release, refuse spin-offs
  • NENT Group: Plans to launch Viaplay in NL 22Q1 as streaming ad-free SVOD service
  • WarnerMedia: HBO Max AVOD tier (HBO Max With Ads)
    • to cost 10 $/mo
    • to launch in US early June 2021
    • to exclude day-and-date Warner Bros movie premieres throughout 2021
    • no ads against HBO originals; minimal ad load
    • to produce equal margin to ad-free tier
    • ad types: Brand Block, Pause Ad, Branded Discovery
    • ad-free tier to expand to Latam/Caribbean end June 2021
    • to upgrade HBO-branded streaming services in Europe to HBO Max 21H2
    • Some HBO Max originals to be aired on TBS & TNT from summer 2021
  • ViacomCBS: CBS plans addressable commercials for broadcast TV from 21H2
  • Netflix
    • Established division (events/spectacle team) focused on obtaining franchise rights; currently 90 shows in development based on already established properties across comics, books, manga, video games
    • Rumor: plans expansion into videogames, ad-free, may be bundled with SVOD - Confirms expansion into interactive entertainment
  • Vimeo: Launches enterprise-grade video hub

MUSIC

  • Spotify
    • Launches virtual concert series May/June 2021 (with The Black Keys, Rag’n’Bone Man, Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff, Leon Bridges, girl in red)
    • Spotify for Artists publishes Fan Study
    • Partners with Storytel (500k audioboks, 1.6m subs) to allow Storytel subs to connect their account through Spotify to access their audiobooks within Spotify’s app (based on Open Access Platform, to add more OAP partners)
  • Amazon: Allows Amazon Music Unlimited subs (10 $/mo for Amazon subs, 8 $/mo for Prime subs, 15 $/mo family plan) free upgrade to Amazon Music HD (originally 15 $/mo); 70m tracks in HD (lossless, 16 bit, 44.1 kHz) o/w 7m in UHD (24 bit, 192 kHz), some upgraded to 3D Audio (Dolby Atmos, Sony 360RA)
  • Apple: To migrate to lossless audio (ALAC; from 16 bit 44.1 kHz to 24 bit 48 kHz and24 bit 192 kHz) & spatial audio (Dolby Atmos) June 2021, price unchanged; total 75m tracks

WEB SERVICES

  • Google I/O 
  • Snap
    • Partner Summit
      • new services
      • Spotlight paid out $130m since launch to creators (5400)
      • reaches 500m MAU
      • demos Spectacles gen 4 for AR creators (currently 200k, supports with $3.5m + $1m with Verizon for 5G-based AR): AR (dual waveguide displays capable of superimposing AR effects made with Snapchat’s software tools), 4 built-in microphones, 2 stereo speakers, built-in touchpad, Connected Lenses (allows multiple people to see and interact with the same scene in AR)
      • launches Ghost (AR innovation lab)
    • Acquires WaveOptics (AR display supplier, powers Spectacles), >$500m
  • Microsoft launches personal (consumer) version of Teams: chat, video calling, share calendars, locations & files (online (teams.live.com) or app for desktop, Android, iOS) 
  • Vodafone UK launches 3 packages for SME around Wix services (website creation tool): Get Selling Online (10.5 GBP/mo excl VAT; create presence, with payments), Peace of Mind Online (13; adds security), Supercharge My Business Online (22.4; adds Microsoft 365)

TELECOM SERVIVES

  • Ziggo launches internet-only tiers: 75/10 Mb/s for 42.50 EUR/mo, 300/30 for 53, 600/40 for 60.50, 1000/50 for 65.50

NETWORKS

  • Ookla Speedtest Global Index (April 21): global average FBB 102/54 Mb/s, MBB 53/13 Mb/s; FBB: Singapore #1 (246), S Korea #2 (242), HK #3 (241), Monaco #4 (220), RO #5 (214), NL #25 (153); MBB: UAE #1 (191), S Korea #2 (186), Qatar #3 (181), China #4 (149), KSA #5 (148), NL #9 (107) 
  • GSMA calls on governments to allocate 6 GHz band (5925-6425 & 6425-7125) to 5G (at least 6425-7125 portion, 5925-6425 license-exempt; currently mostly for WiFi) for mobile, smart city, smart industry, smart transport
  • Melita (first in Malta) launches 5G (in existing spectrum), nationwide, with Ericsson
  • Sunrise UPC proposes 5G for Smart Buildings (using MR, AR) for Building Information Modeling (BIM); demos transparent building app from Builcon (MR glasses see through walls, enabling them to detect where pipes, cable routes and ducts run)

REGULATORY

  • Platforms
    • EU proposes unified corporate tax regime, based on OECD rules (to be agreed June 2021)
    • US House Dems propose Social Media DATA Act: forces platforms to share data (ad libraries) with researchers and FTC (description of the audience that was targeted, information about how many people interacted with the ad, details about whether the ad was optimized for awareness, traffic or some other purpose); working group within FTC to establish best practices around social media research
  • Apple: lawsuit Epic Games (Fortnite) vs. Apple ongoing


at 12:01 am 0 comments
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Sunday, May 02, 2021

Apple TV+: all the originals and licensing announcements of April

Movies - scripted
  • Ordered thriller movie Killers of the Flower Moon (Martin Scorsese)
  • Orders comedy movie Mr Lucky (Robert Zemeckis, Aaron & Jordan Kandell)
  • Drama film CODA premieres 210813. also in theaters
Series - scripted
  • Orders anthology series Crowded Room (Tom Holland; 10 episodes)
  • Drama series The Mosquito Coast (Justin Theroux, Melissa George; 7 episodes) premieres 210430 (weekly releases)
  • Orders anthology series The Crowded Room (on mental illness; Akiva Goldsman, Tom Holland; 10 episodes)
  • Season 2 of comedy series Mythic Quest premieres 210507 (weekly releases)
  • Orders comedy series Acapulco
  • Drama series Lisey’s Story (Stephen King; Julianne Moore, Clive Owen) premieres 210604
  • Orders thriller series Now And Then
  • Dramedy series Ted Lasso season 2 premieres 210723
  • Series Trying season 2 premieres 210521
  • Orders series Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins, Omar Miller; 6 episodes)
  • Aerobics dramedy series Physical (10 episodes; Rose Byrne) premieres 210618
  • Drama series The Mosquito Coast (Justin Theroux, Melissa George) premieres 210430
Series - unscripted
Movies - unscripted

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Sunday, April 04, 2021

Apple TV+: all the originals and licensing announcements of March

Series
  • Orders anthology series Roar (Nicole Kidman, Cynthia Erivo, Merritt Wever, Alison Brie)
  • Series Calls (9 episodes) premieres 210319
  • Orders live action series based on Korean webtoon Dr Brain
  • Orders drama series In With the Devil (Ray Liotta; 6 episodes)
  • Orders season 3 of Central Park (animated comedy series)
  • Orders series Lady in the Lake (Natalie Portman, Lupita Nyong’o)
  • Orders docu series The Jet
  • Orders drama series Essex Serpent (Tom Hiddleston, Claire Danes)
  • Ordered WWII series Masters of the Air (Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Anthony Boyle)
  • Orders unnamed comedy series (Alan Yang, Matt Hubbard, Maya Rudolph)
  • Orders series Five Days at Memorial (about Hurricane Katrina; Hurricane Katrina)
  • Orders season 3 of Trying, season 2 (8 episodes) premieres 210514
Movies
  • Orders movie The Greatest Beer Run Ever (Peter Farrelly, Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, Bill Murray)
  • Play 12 Angry Men … And Women; The Weight of the Wait (recorded in Stev Jobs Theater) free to watch 210326-210422
First-look deals

at 3:53 pm 0 comments
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Monday, January 11, 2021

Week 1 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

  • Orange:  Orange Bank acquires Anytime (banking for SOHO & SME)
  • Telefonica: Rumor: to sell Movistar Chile; Liberty Latin America, Claro, Entel interested
  • Altice Europe: EGM approves Next offer
  • Vodafone:
  • Vivendi: Tribunal in Lazio rules that Vivendi can exercise full voting rights with Mediaset stake
  • Roblox: Raises $520m at 45.00 $/share for $29.5b valuation from Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer Investment, Warner Music etc; plans IPO through direct listing
  • Niantic: Acquires Mayhem (gaming platform)
  • Atos: Offer for DXC Technology (enterprise services, spun off from HP in 2017), $10b
  • Google:
    • Workers establish Alphabet  Workers Union
    • Rumor: to invest $100m in ShareChat, total $200m with Snap, Twitter, others; valuation >$1b [see 201125]
  • Amazon:
    • Buys 11 Boeing 767-300 aircraft, 7 from Delta, 4 from WestJet, to be activated 2022
    • Launches Housing Equity Fund, $2b in 5 yr: preserve & create >20k affordable housing units near headquarters in Washington State’s Puget Sound region; Arlington (Virginia), Nashville (Tennessee)
  • Twitter: Acquires Breaker (social podcasting app) to build Twitter Spaces, Breaker app to close 210115
  • eBay: Rumor: to sell S Korean unit (Gmarket); MBK Partners, Affinity Equity Partners, KKR, Anchor Equity Partners interested
  • LG acquires controlling stake in Alphonso (data analytics, media planning & activation, video AI capabilities), $80m

Networks

FTTH

  • KPN: Acquires 3 networks from Digitale Stad (Delta Rijssen Glasvezel Investeringen), 7700 premises: rural Westerveld (Drenthe), Lingewaard, Berg en Dal (Gelderland)

5G

Hardware

Video

  • General:
    • Critics Choice Super Awards: winners The Boys (Amazon), Palm Springs (Hulu), Soul (Disney), Netflix (5 awards: Da 5 Bloods, BoJack Horseman, The Old Guard)
  • Cyfrowy Polsat launches SmartDOM bundles (BB, FT, OTT-TV): Basic 20 PLZ/mo, Comfort 30 PLZ/mo (45 channels)
  • Netflix:
    • Viewing stats: series Bridgerton viewed (>2 min) by >63m HH since premiere (201225); movie We Can Be Heroes viewed by 44m HH since premiere 201225, movie Midnight Sky viewed by 72m in first 4 weeks
    • Pauses filming due to corona virus
    • Leases production studio space at 2 facilities in S Korea
    • To raise prices UK Feb 2021: Basic, Standard, Premium from 6, 9, 12 to 6, 19, 14 GBP/mo
  • Walt Disney:
    • Star (tab within Disney+ [see 201210]) to contain ABC and Hulu titles
    • Disney+ raises prices (on addition of Star tab) 210223 in Europe for new subs (for existing subs from 210823) from 7 to 9 EUR/mo or from 70 to 90 EUR/yr
    • Disney+ distr deal with StarHub for Singapore from 210223
  • WarnerMedia (AT&T): HBO Max to end distr via Amazon Channels (in exchange orders AWS)
  • Discovery: Launches in US with apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Android TV, iOS, Android, web; to add discovery+ Channels (24/7 feeds of favorite shows) end Jan 2021; linear Discovery channels on rival OTT-TV platforms (Philo, Hulu Live TV, fuboTV, YouTube TV) remain; distr deal for Discovery+ with Vodafone for 12 European countries (100m subs): UK (mobile only), IE, DE, Turkey (mobile only), IT, ES, PT, RO, GR, CZ, HU, Iceland; free promos varying by country; distr deal with Amazon Prime Video for Amazon Channels frrom later in 2021 - Launches also in Europe (NL, IT), replacing Dplay and Eurosport Player - Reconsiders JV Joyn in DE (with P7S1) - Distr deal with Starzplay for MENA
  • Quibi (closed): Sells >75 series & docus to Roku, to be added to Roku Channel (AVOD), 
    rumored price <$100m 
  • Struum: Plans launch of a la carte streaming service. licenses titles from >30 VOD services (total 20k titles); 10 $/mo for 100 credits, to be redeemed for programs, number of credits case-by-case; may refer to services for subscriptions 

Regulatory

Telecoms
  • Ofcom (UK) confirms EE (BT), Vodafone, 3 UK (CK Hutchison), O2 UK (Telefonica) as bidders in 5G auction (700 MHz, 3.6-3.8 GHz)
  • Orange FR & Free (Iliad) share rural sites & passive infra, 5 yr from 20Q1
Platforms
  • Italian court rules against ‘discriminatory’ Deliveroo rider-ranking algorithm
  • US POTUS Trump signs Executive Order banning 8 Chinese mobile apps: Alipay (= Ant Group), QQ Wallet & WeChat Pay (= Tencent), CamScanner, SHAREit, Tencent QQ, VMate (= UCWeb = Alibaba Group), WPS Office (= Beijing Kingsoft Office Software)
  • Kenya launches Digital Services Tax 210101 for ownloadable & streaming digital content: 1.5% of gross transaction value (excl VAT)
  • Platforms ban POTUS Trump after assault on Capitol Hill: Reddit, Amazon (AWS), Twitch, Shopify, Twitter, Google (Play Store), YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Apple (App Store), Discord, Pinterest, Stripe
  • Google: CMA (UK) starts antitrust investigation into 3rd-party cookie removal for Chrome browser by 2022, to be replaced by Privacy Sandbox (framework for delivering targeted advertisements without letting personalized user data enter the hands of third parties)
  • Amazon: CCI (India) asks competitors info in antitrust case over treatment of large 3rd-party sellers [see 200914]
  • Facebook:
    • High Court Vienna in case against Max Schrems: GDPR (based on Art 6) doesn't require Facebook to obtain users' consent to use their data (covered by user contract); Schrems to appeal at OGH (Austrian Supreme Court) to se if consent based on contract is sufficient
    • Italy court upholds fine (EUR 3.8m, originally EUR 350k) for copying location app (Nearby) from  Business Competence’s app Faround
    • WhatsApp updates ToS from 210208 outside EU/ UK: mandates data-sharing with Facebook (no opt-out)


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Sunday, November 22, 2020

Week 47 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

Networks

  • General: Ookla Speedtest Global Index (Oct 20): global average FBB 88/47 Mb/s, MBB 39/12 Mb/s; FBB: Sing #1 (229 Mb/s), HK #2 (215), Romania #3 (189), Switzerland #4 (186), Thailand #5 (184), NL #26 (126); MBB: SK #1 (145), UAE #2 (130), China #3 (124), Qatar #4 (108), Qatar #4 (88), Australia #5 (88), NL #6 (88) 
  • FTTH: Nokia launches 25/25 PON solution (25G PON), based on Nokia Quillion chipset
  • 5G
    • Huawei proposes 5.5G (for XR: AR, VR, holography; Internet of Everything): to increase speed (2 Gb/s for 16K video), lower latency (5 ms), to support 100b connections by 2030; to add 3 scenarios (to eMBB, mMTC, URLLC): UCBC (Uplink Centric Broadband Communication; uplink x10), RTBC (Real-Time Broadband Communication; bandwidthe x10 for given latency & reliability), HCS (Harmonized Communication & Sensing; enables autonomous driving, Massive MIMO for sensing); requires more spectrum (sub 100 GHz), AI (limitless intelligence)
    • Vodafone Group CEO Nick Read:
      • "... dynamic spectrum sharing technology which operators use to show coverage but will essentially be 4G speeds." (currently used in NL, DE)
      • "Some operators are taking dynamic spectrum sharing…which is effectively giving you a 5G symbol but 4G performance. What we said as a company is, ‘No, we don’t want to do that. It will be misleading to consumers and businesses.’ What we want to do is 5G built right."
    • Ericsson ConsumerLab report Harnessing the 5G Consumer Potential: 5G consumer market $31t by 2030 o/w $3.7t for CSPs, ARPU may rise 34% by 2030
    • Rain (FWA ZA) performance (speed) drops due to congestion: from 17 Mb/s in 19Q4 to 11 Mb/s in 20Q3; plans to switch off 4G, to switch to SA 5G
    • 3 Denmark plans 5G launch Dec 2020, target nationwide mid 2022
    • Analysys Mason for Qualcomm, Ericsson: 5G action plan review for Europe report:
      • Use cases with highest impact smart factories, agriculture, FWA (suburban and rural areas), net benefit resp EUR 58, 37, 18b
      • Four key areas (Open Innovation Platform): Smart Production & Logistics (net benefit = benefit - cost EUR 68b), Smart Rural (55b), Smart Urban (29b), Smart Public Services (10b)
      • Environmental & social benefits from 5G connectivity. Worker safety, upskilled workforces, reduced carbon emissions & energy usage, less resource intensive production, social inclusivity, even import/export security; Open Innovation Platform may deliver EUR 208b in benefits at 46b cost (CBR cost-benefit ratio 4.5)
    • Elisa plans 5G-enabled video robots to enable doctors & nurses to interact with corona virus patients remotely.at HUS Helsinki University Hospital
    • Telekom DE plans 5G at Bonner SC football stadium, with live streaming on Sporttotal.tv via automatic 180° camera
    • IHS Market & Omdia for Qualcomm: The 5G economy in a post covid-19 era report on US, China, Japan, S Korea, UK, DE, FR: forecasts 2035 revised on corona virus impact: Sales enabled by 5G $13.1t, 5G-enabled job growth 22.8m, 5G capex + R&D $265b per annum
    • Vodafone IT plans smart city (smart mobility) trials in Genoa: remotely-controlled drones to monitor the safety of the city’s road network via a 3D reconstruction of the corresponding infrastructure; use of 5G-connected buses with HD video cameras to gather real-time data with a view to ensuring the maintenance of road surfaces
    • Bouygues plans 5G launch 201201, targets nationwide end 2021
    • Telenor DK launches 5G-3500 in Copenhagen, Aalborg (600k covered pops)
    • SFR (Altice FR) launches 5G in Nice; 40 EUR/mo for unlimited voice/text + 80 GB (EUR 5 more than for 4G)

Video

  • RTL
    • Distr deal Mediengruppe RTL DE for TVNOW Premium with Telekom DE (DT): free in bundle with Magenta TV Smart and Magenta TV Smart Flex subs (to be integrated; combined 60k hr of content); to partner in ad tech (Smartclip and Yospace, addressable TV ad trial 2021, with Telekom's emetriq), ad sales, content
    • Salto France TV, M6, TF1) reaches 100k subs after 3 weeks
  • DAZN: Distr deal with Vodafone DE: OTT + 2 linear channels, 10 EUR/mo
  • YouTube: Launches Audio Ads (15 sec, beta, auctioned on CPM basis) and ad-targetable music lineups (genres, Top 100 charts by country); total 70m tracks, 2b MAU, 15% of consumption is background music
  • Comcast
    • Universal Pictures partners with Cinemark for shortened theatrical window: if opening weekend generates >$50m, then theatrical window at least 31 days (5 weekends); if not, available for on demand after 17 days (3 weekends); rumor: terms extend to AMC
    • Hayu launches in DE, AT (via Amazon Prime Video Channels)
  • AT&T
  • Walt Disney
    • Hulu raises price of Hulu With Live TV by $10 to 65 $/mo
    • Disney+ launches in Latam
    • Rumor: Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Cruella may skip theaters to premiere on Disney+

Services & hardware

Regulatory

  • Telecoms
    • ACM (NL) proposes deregulation of Hoogwaardige Wholesaletoegang (HWT) over copper on business market over increased fiber-based alternatives, based on new Market Analysis; consultation until 210114
    • BIPT plans 5G auction end 2021 or early 2022
  • Apple: Privacy activist Max Schrems (noyb) complaint in DE, ES (under EU’s e-Privacy directive, not GDPR): iPhone tracking code IDFA (Identifier for Advertisers) lets Apple and all iPhone app developers see how users behave without their knowledge or agreement - Apple denies: does not use or access IDFA - Facebook: Apple data collection is about profits, not privacy


at 12:26 pm 0 comments
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Monday, November 02, 2020

Week 44 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Corporate

M&A

Earnings

Networks

FTTP

  • KPN: Acquires Sterk Midden-Drenthe FTTH: 5900 premises in 23 villages, to close Nov 2020; to provide service on the network from 2021
  • Primevest & T-Mobile NL start FTTP roll-out in Eindhoven: 29k premises in Centrum, Strijp, Gestel (186 route km, 1680 fiber km), to finish end 2021
  • Proximus: Establishes JV with Eurofiber to design, build, maintain, upgrade FTTH in Wallonia, target 500k premises
  • Telefonica DE: Establishes 50/50 OA FTTP JV with Allianz, EUR 5b in 6 yr (Telefonica EUR 500m in equity, Allianz EUR 1b + external financing): rural & semi-rural FTTP to 2m HH; Telefonica Infra to own 40%, Telefonica DE 10%, Allianz 50%; to close 21H1
  • Comcast: Sky UK launches FTTP option for Sky Broadband Superfast and Sky Broadband Ultrafast subs; coverage 3m HP, target 7.3m by March 2021; average speed 145/27 Mb/s; 35 GBP/mo; G.fast reach 2.8m HH, FTTC 28.9m

5G

  • Finnish Shared Network Ltd (SYV; = DNA, Telia FI) orders 5G RAN from Nokia (also: 2G, 3G, 4G site modernisation), 2021-2023
  • OnePlus launches Nord N10 5G, EUR 200 (without 5G: from EUR 200)
  • TPG Telecom plans 5G-based FWA service ('the method of delivery of broadband, whether via fixed line or mobile, is increasingly irrelevant')
  • T-Mobile NL reaches near-nationwide (90% pops) coverage
  • Post Luxembourg orders 5G Core & RAN from Ericsson
  • BT plans Private 5G in Belfast Harbour, to launch early
  • C Spire to launch 5G in Brookhaven (Lincoln County) & Columbus (Lowndes County)
  • FCC (US) establishes 5G Fund for Rural America, $9b in 10 yr
  • Vodacom ZA orders 5G (Cora, RAN, FWA) from Nokia (incl 700/800, 2600, 3500 MHz bands to be auctioned 21Q1)
  • T-Mobile US expands 5G-2500 by 200 to 410 cities; target 100m pops coverage YE 2020
  • Verizon 5G Home Internet (FWA) expands to Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, San Jose (total 12 cities)
  • DNA expands 5G to Ylivieska, total pops coverage <1.5m
  • Telenor SE launches 5G in Stockholm, nationwide by 2023l unlimited data 570 SEK/mo
  • Hrvatski Telekom launches 5G in parts of Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, Osijek, Samobor, Sveta Nedelj, based on DSS

Services

Video

Other

  • Music: Google: YouTube Music & Music Premium reach 30m paying subs at 200930 (35m incl free trials)
  • Gaming: Facebook: Launches Facebook Gaming (beta; cloud gaming, no downloads), free, first on Android & web (not on iOS over Apple's App Store policy [see Apple 200911]), 6 games (mobile-first), users can chose Player Name
  • Television
    • T-Mobile US relaunches TVision, with dongle (Android-based, $50, with Bluetooth for casting from devices, Google Play), remote (with Google Assistant; dedicated buttons for Netflix, YouTube, EPG, nDVR); tiers: TVision Live 40 $/mo (3 simultaneously streams, 100 hr storage), Live TV+ 50 $/mo (10 more channels), Live Zone 60 $/mo (20 more channels); access to 3rd-party services via TVision Channels (Showtime 11 $/mo, Starz 9 $/mo, Epix 6 $/mo), TVision Vibe 10 $/mo (30 entertainment channels); promo for Live TV+ and Live Zone subs: 1 yr free Apple TV+; to be available for non-subs 2021
    • Canal+ Polski launches hybrid DTT/OTT box (based on Android TV'4K, HDR), PLZ 300 (EUR 65); with 4 tiers
  • Broadband: Orange BE launches Home Internet (BB-only): 100 Mb/s for 40 EUR/mo (TV add-on 15 EUR/mo, voice 10 EUR/mo, Internet Boost to 400 Mb/s 15 EUR/mo); with FUP (max 750 GB/mo)
  • Chat: Facebook: WhatsApp reaches 100m messages/day
  • Apple
    • FT: plans search engine competitor as part of iOS 14L shows own results, links directly to sites
    • Launches Apple One: bundle of Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud; 3 tiers: Individual 15 $/mo (50 GB), Family 20 (200 GB, max 6 users), Premier 30 (2 TB; max 6 users; also has News+, Fitness+)

Regulatory

  • Google
    • Search engine alliance of DuckDuckGo (US), Ecosia (DE), Lilo (FR), Qwant (FR), Seznam (CZ) ask EC for trilateral meeting to establish a more effective preference menu in Android to more easily choose a default search engine
    • AGCM (Italian Competition Authority) starts investigation into digital ads market for p[ossible abuse of dominant position
  • Facebook: Sued in England/Wales in CALS (Facebook You Owe Us) over failing to protect users' personal data in the Cambridge Analytica breach
  • Platforms
    • ACCC Digital Platform Services inquiry interim report: Google 58% and Facebook 23% of digital ad spend (2018: 49 resp 24%)
    • Marrgethe Vestager (EC VP for Digital Affairs) opposes company break-up for internet platforms (but doable)
    • Hearing US Senate Commerce Committee with CEOs of Facebook (Mark Zuckerberg), Twitter (Jack Dorsey), Google (Sundar Pichai) over content moderation and Section 230


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Friday, October 16, 2020

Week 42 in Telecoms, Internet, Media

Networks

FTTH

4G

5G

6G

  • ATIS establishes Next G Alliance to advance North American leadership in 6G; with AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, US Cellular, Facebook, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Bell Canada, Telus, Ciena, InterDigital, JMA Wireless, Telnyx

M&A

Corporate

  • Telefonica: Merges 3 global units (wholesale, roaming, MNE) into Telefónica Global Solutions
  • China Broadcasting Network Co (CBN) to launch as #4 MNO (has 700 MHz & 4.9 GHz spectrum) in China via 51/49 JV with others (State Grid Information & Telecomm, Alibaba Venture Capital Mgt, Guangdong RTV Network, Beijing All Media & Culture) [see 200521]
  • Walt Disney: Plans reorganisation to focus on streaming/D2C: content creation units Studios, General Entertainment, Sports; distr unit Media & Entertainment Distribution; other unit (Disney Parks, Experiences & Products) remains; plan Virtual Investtor Day 201210
  • AMC Entertainment: May face liquidity problem from end 2020 due to corona virus

IPO

Video

Communication

Hardware

  • Google
  • Amazon: Amazon Prime Day (201013-201014) in 19 countrie: US, UK UAE Spain, Singapore, Netherlands, Mexico, Luxembourg, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, China, Canada, Belgium, Austria, Australia, Turkey, Brazil; to spend >$100m on promotional activities to help SMEs; early deals on Amazon products & services start 200928 - 3rd-party sellers sold $3.5b (+60% yoy), savings for Prime subs $1.4b - Strikes in DE
  • Apple: Hi, Speed event: launches
    • iPhone 12 (5G, iOS 14, A14 Bionic chip; USB-C adapter, 4 models; Mini : 5.4 inch from $700; 6.1 inch from $800; 6.1 Pro from $1000; Pro Max 6.7 inch from $1100)
    • HomePod mini smart speaker ($100; with Siri; S5 & U1 chips, central hub for HomeKit devices, supports Pandora, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, with Siri-controlled Intercom feature for all iOS devices)
    • MagSafe to iPhone 12 & Apple Watch: magnetically attached chargers ($40), wallet ($60), cover ($50)

Regulatory

Telecom

  • Min EZK (NL) to submit Telecom Code (EECC) implementation law to Raad van State end 2020, then to Parliament, EU deadline for implementation 201221

Self-regulation

Platform regulation

  • Amazon: Reuters: EU antitrust case (started July 2019) to focus on dual role (selling platform & private label product seller); separate investigation into data used in selection of Buy Box winners
  • Internet Platforms advise EU to leave regulating harmful content out of DSA
  • FT: EU to focus on 20 largest platforms; to share data, increase transparency
  • NL & FR propose separate EU regulator for gatekeeper platforms; platform subject to intervention should at least have considerable market power in at least one market; propose principle-based obligations (right to data portability for business users, fair contracts) & prohibited practices (disruptive self-preferencing, halting access for 3rd-party providers of services or goods, incl APIs & data without objective justification), case-by-case remedies (access obliigations: obligation to proactively offer alternatives to users, safeguarding interoperability, data sharing obligations)
  • FCC proposes Section 230 interpretation to deny special immunity to social media, plans rulemaking - FCC jurisdiction disputed
  • Facebook and Twitter limit sharing NY Post article over containing hacked material and private information - US Senate to subpoena Twitter CEO Dorsey to testify 201023


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