Telecoms.com

Mrs. Informer went jet-setting this week, which gave The Informer a chance to catch up on some long-forgotten pleasures. First on the list was staying up far beyond a reasonable hour watching trash TV, eating conveniently delivered food that’s less than suited for managing one’s slender physique, and playing online video games.  Because who needs […]

Internet companies and OTT service providers are constantly innovating and rolling out new services, designed by their IT engineering teams at the lightning fast pace associated with modern IT technology. In contrast, in telecom networks, technological change is traditionally implemented through the physical deployment, integration and commissioning of new equipment into the network.

The Internet is an open and free platform. You can find anything and everything on the Internet, but not everyone is entirely happy with this kind of open freedom – some countries even inhibit access to selected content. Similarly, for those who have children, access can also be inhibited, so long as you’re au fait with the configuration and set-up of ‘parental control’ schemes offered by most service providers with their hubs or routers.

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT – The way in which the telecoms industry operates is changing, and it’s becoming ever more integral to the rapid technological evolution taking place worldwide. As little as five years ago, the idea of having a tablet was scarcely considered. Yet in 2013 and 2014, there were just shy of 500 million tablet shipments worldwide, with another 256.2 million shipments forecasted in 2015, according to analyst house Strategy Analytics.

Even by modern standards there was an exceptional amount of news regarding the use of technology to breach individuals’ privacy this week. The BBC seemed to have an unofficial ‘mobile snooping week’ with features dedicated to smartphone surveillance opportunities.

VENDOR VIEW – Huawei partnered with Telecoms.com Intelligence to detail how it works with telecom operators to focus on specific Industries and foster the development of a strong enterprise ICT ecosystem. The irreversible emergence of new and evolving technologies such as cloud computing, big data, mobility, and the Internet of Things (IoT) has presented traditional […]

The prices achieved of the Premiership UK live TV rights packages are among the less interesting aspects of the entire process, but for those of you who have been living under a rugby ball shaped rock for last day or so here they are: £5.1b for the lot, Sky is on the hook for £4.2b over three years for 126 matches per season including the crown jewel slot of Sunday afternoon. BT is has committed to £960m over the same period for 46 matches per season.

Communications are on the precipice of change. And it’s not the change to all-cellular communications that you might expect. Nor is it one giant federated network of different over-the-top apps like Viber or WhatsApp.

The Informer was amused to listen to a recent news bulletin on Radio 4. The newsreader, in impeccable, clipped, RP English, gravely announced that the boss of Twitter – one Dick Costolo – has conceded that his company “sucks” at dealing with trolls. The incongruity of a BBC announcer delivering American slang in the same voice as he would use to report on the Royal Family was just perfect.

Following BT’s successful negotiations wit Orange and Deutsche Telekom to acquire their subsidiary EE, the UK’s biggest mobile operator, for £12.5 billion, Telecoms.com set out to suss out the possible implications of the deal if it was to be approved. Analysts seem to think the deal is likely to go through but it is not all plain sailing with BT its work cut out to make its quad-play offer a success.

A 2014 survey of over 1,200 of the top mobile apps in 19 countries by the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (“GPEN”) found that 85% of the apps reviewed were non-compliant, failing to provide even the most basic privacy information to users. In addition, 43% failed in their obligation to tailor privacy notices to smaller screens and almost 30% unlawfully requested excessive personal data from users.

It’s quarterly season again and if that wasn’t exciting enough it’s Q4, which means we get the full calendar year – lucky us. In the case of the big US tech companies we are presented with a Twilight Zone-like parallel reality where the accumulation of unimaginable riches is often greeted with indifference or even disdain.

To date much of the disruption in the provision of wireless access has been driven by small companies; which is what you’d expect. And, again unsurprisingly, it’s easy enough for the big boys to dismiss these companies as trivial at worst, and plucky (if misguided) upstarts at best.

Imagine a world where your iPhone, or iPad comes with an Apple-branded global Wi-Fi service, Microsoft gives you global Wi-Fi with your Windows tablet and every time you walk into a retailer or café you are connected to Wi-Fi by Google. Such a scenario may not be as far away as you think. These tech platform players could soon become significant connectivity providers for millions, perhaps billions of people. You only have to look at the current state of wireless to see that the market is ripe for disruption. In fact it’s already started.

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT – In recent years, fibre to the premises or home (FTTP or FTTH) has become an increasingly discussed option for addressing the overwhelming growth of data consumption.Traditionally, the copper-based last mile severely restricts download speeds for consumers, and providers are seeking alternative means for optimising the access point between the premises, access point and the core network.