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After an in-depth investigation was opened into the potential transaction in April last year, the European Commission has approved the creation of a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between France’s Orange and Spain’s MásMóvil.
The JV’s approval was conditional on Romania’s Digi (the largest MVNO in Spain) acquiring spectrum from MásMóvil in order to become a new fourth mobile operator.
The initial investigation was concerned that the transaction would restrict market competition by creating the largest operator in Spain in terms of customers and reducing the number of players in the market from four to three.
To combat these concerns, Digi, which also has operations in Portugal, Italy, and Belgium, finalised a spectrum transfer agreement with the two Spanish firms in December last year, worth €120 million. The spectrum acquired is set to be 2x10MHz in the 1,800MHz band, 2x10MHz in the 2.1GHz band, and 20MHz in the 3.5GHz band. As a result of this, Digi can take the place of a fourth MNO in the Spanish market, providing a solution to the market’s competition problem.
Orange CEO Christel Heydemann has emphasised that the deal will allow increased scale, innovation, and investment in Spain as a result of the “stronger and more sustainable” unified player.
“The commitments offered by the parties will enable Digi, the largest and fastest-growing mobile virtual network operator in Spain, to replicate the strong competitive pressure exerted by MásMóvil,” EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager said in the announcement’s press release.
“They will ensure that consumers in Spain continue to benefit from a competitive telecom market, in terms of prices, quality and 5G connectivity,” she continued.
However, Kester Mann, Director of Consumer and Connectivity at CCS Insight, warned that the deal’s approval will mean the spotlight is turned towards Vodafone and Three in the UK.
“Both parties will hope that the news represents a shift in position from the region’s regulators as they seek approval to combine,” he said in a LinkedIn post, but warned that the UK Competition and Markets Authority will not be won over easily.
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Also in the news:
VMO2 records £3.3bn loss as interest rates begin to bite
Verizon to trial private 5G networks at NHL stadiums
From humble beginnings: The amazing journey of Hormuud Telecom CEO Ahmed Mohamud Yusuf
That’s what Bloomberg says is going on, according to the ever aware ‘people with knowledge of the matter’. Windstream and Uniti Group are said to be talking some sort of stock deal that would consolidate the businesses but leave Uniti as independently traded. Such a deal wouldn’t be surprising, and in fact would in some ways wrap up what would be a 10 year story arc. … [visit site to read more]
The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has reportedly asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to relax its electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation rules to help lower the cost of 5G rollouts.
According to The Hindu Business Line, COAI has sent a letter to TRAI complaining that its standards for limiting radiation exposure levels are 10 times more stringent than global standards set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
This impacts the cost of rollouts because 5G uses higher frequency bands, which means 5G base stations need more power to transmit signals, which means higher EMF radiation levels, the letter said. Under TRAI’s EMF standards, 5G base stations would have to transmit at lower power. That means less coverage, which in turn means deploying more base stations to fill the gaps.
That, plus the very limited use cases for 5G (and therefore limited revenue streams), is making it hard for operators to recoup their 5G investments, which so far has totalled over INR1 trillion (US$12 billion), the letter said.
“It is important to note here that the current EMF exposure limits in India are significantly stricter (10 times) than the ICNIRP norms, and if not revised, will severely harm consumer experience and expectations from 5G in India,” the COAI letter said. “This will adversely deteriorate 5G leading to slower internet speed, lower network quality and inferior signal strength. In addition, this will also impact all potential aspects to enhance the wireless infrastructure and deployment of 5G, including spectral efficiency and network topology.”
The ICNIRP’s guidelines for 5G, issued in 2020, account for the fact that the higher frequencies for 5G do not penetrate the human body as deeply as lower frequencies. The ICNIRP also noted that 5G’s use of beamforming can reduce overall exposure to EMF radiation in a given cell.
At the time, ICNIRP said that while 5G generally complied with its original 1998 EMF guidelines, 5G is still an evolving technology. As such, the ICNIRP’s updated 2020 guidelines are set well below minimum safety levels to protect health, and add a few changes, including “whole body average restrictions for frequencies above 6 GHz, restrictions for brief (less than 6 minutes) exposures for frequencies above 6 GHz, and the reduction of the averaging area for frequencies above 6 GHz.”
Japanese mobile network operator Rakuten Mobile has announced that it is planning to launch a satellite-to-mobile service in collaboration with AST SpaceMobile in Japan.
The companies envisage that the direct-to-mobile satellite services will be used for messaging initially, but ultimately being expanded to internet, voice, and video services using regular smartphones.
Back in November 2022, Rakuten Mobile received preliminary approval from the Japanese authorities to test the service using AST SpaceMobile’s low Earth orbit (LEO) test satellite BlueWalker 3.
The announcement notes that there is a growing need for such services in Japan because of the country’s high-risk of natural disasters and many hard-to-connect remote areas. For example, in January this year, the country’s Noto Peninsula earthquake cut off of recovery routes, causing delays to emergency responders that could have been mitigated with satellite connectivity.
“Remote islands and mountainous regions present unique challenges that require innovative solutions, while the threat of natural disasters, coupled with the effects of climate change, has also heightened public awareness of the importance of mobile connectivity for daily life,” said Mickey Mikitani, Chairman and CEO of Rakuten Group and Chairman of Rakuten Mobile.
“We are proud to partner with AST SpaceMobile to bring their cutting-edge solutions to Japan by realizing satellite-to-mobile services, ensuring our customers would potentially enjoy mobile connectivity across Japan,” he continued.
The launch is not the first time the two companies have worked together. After entering into a strategic partnership in March 2020, the two firms collaborated on the world’s first two-way voice call in April 2023 between Texas and Tokyo, using two standard smartphones.
Direct-to-device satellite connectivity is an area of increasing interest for the global telecoms community, with SpaceX’s Starlink beginning to launch satellites equipped with the new technology at the start of this year.
Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter
Also in the news:
VMO2 prepares to spin off fixed network business
EU lining up €500m fine for Apple over anticompetitive App Store
Verizon to trial private 5G networks at NHL stadiums
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This week, VMO2 has announced a £3.3 billion loss in 2023, having incurred a goodwill impairment of £3.1 billion related to the increased cost of capital.
The mobile and fixed broadband network operator explained that the difficult macroeconomic environment has seen their £8 billion in debt become an even heavier burden over the last year, costing them hundreds of millions of pounds in additional interest.
“We recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment of £3.1 billion primarily related to an increase in the weighted average cost of capital and the impacts of the broader macroeconomic conditions in the UK on estimated future cash flows,” explained the company in a statement.
The rest of VMO2’s results were somewhat flat. While VMO2 noted that it had added 64,000 new broadband customers last year, as well as 47,000 new mobile customers, this has done little to help the company’s bottom line.
VMO2 recorded a consumer fixed revenue decline of 2.3% to £3.3 billion, which the company attributed to a tightening of purse strings by consumers due to the increased cost-of-living. Their B2B fixed revenue was down a similar amount (2.4%), dropping to £554 million.
Mobile revenues increased by 0.6% to £5.9 billion, with VMO2 attributing the slow growth to “low-margin handset revenue performance which weakened through the year”.
“We ended the year with stable revenues in line with our revised guidance at Q3, and achieved the low end of our mid-single-digit Transaction Adjusted EBITDA growth guidance through accelerated synergy execution which offset the impacts of consumer spend optimisation,” explained VMO2 CEO Lutz Schüler.
“Operationally, we invested another £2 billion in our networks and services, with 2023 being the fastest year of fibre rollout as our fibre footprint reached over 4 million premises. In aggregate, our fully gigabit serviceable footprint now reaches over half of all UK homes, and our 5G network covers half the UK population. We also continued trading momentum with mobile and fixed customer growth, supported by sustained customer-first initiatives like inclusive EU roaming and our O2 Priority loyalty scheme.”
“Looking ahead, the 2024 outlook will be impacted by incremental investment in key initiatives to drive future growth, including increased marketing across our rapidly expanding fixed footprint, new commercial initiatives and wider digital and IT efficiency programmes. We remain focused on delivering against our core strategy and these key investments will help us to lay down strong foundations for future success.”
Also in the news:
Bell Canada announces plans to cut almost 5,000 jobs
EE to invest £6 million in retail stores
Mexican president calls for dissolution of telecoms regulator
Verizon, the “Official 5G Network of the NHL,” and the National Hockey League (NHL®) today announced a multi-year sponsorship renewal continuing Verizon’s role as the League’s Official 5G Partner, Official Wireless Services Partner and Official Mobile Edge Computing Partner in the United States. Additionally, as an Official Technology Partner for the NHL, Verizon has been selected to deploy Verizon Private 5G Wireless Network across NHL arenas to help game day operations roll out new and transformative solutions to advance the sport and improve the overall fan experience.
“Innovation is driven by a vision and the technology to support it, which makes this partnership with the NHL a perfect fit for Verizon and Verizon Business,” said Kyle Malady, CEO of Verizon Business. “Our collaboration with the NHL showcases what transformative network connectivity can bring to venues and fans alike. Having a forward-looking partner in the NHL opens up significant opportunities from an operational standpoint, when you look at the business of professional hockey, to enhancing in-game efficiencies and the fan experience.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Verizon Business is currently piloting Verizon Private 5G Wireless Network in select arenas, with plans to roll out the technology to NHL arenas in future seasons. Utilizing Verizon’s 5G network technology and Mobile Edge Computing (MEC), the NHL, and enterprises across industries, can tailor solutions to meet specific business needs, delivering enhanced reliability, security, speed, and flexibility both on and off the ice. These advanced technologies, which are enabled by Verizon 5G, include wireless Officials’ iPads for replay review, which is currently piloted at the Prudential Center, as well as video coaching, and coach/video coach communications.
Furthermore, as the “Official 5G Network of the NHL” in the United States, Verizon will continue efforts to deploy 5G Ultra Wideband network across NHL arenas, providing ultra-fast in-arena connectivity to enable fans to download and watch videos, livestream, manage their fantasy teams and check scores with virtually no lag. By creating more immersive and interactive experiences, through the power of 5G and MEC, Verizon is changing how fans consume live sports.
“The passion for innovation and the work already done in partnership with Verizon makes this renewal even more exciting for us,” said David Lehanski, NHL Executive Vice President, Business Development and Innovation. “Creating the solutions and experiences of tomorrow is not only a function of applying cutting-edge technologies from world-class companies, it’s also a function of being able to truly collaborate with them to uncover meaningful new use cases. In Verizon, we have a partner that listens before bringing to bear their industry-best knowledge and solution set.”
The extended partnership with the NHL demonstrates Verizon’s ongoing commitment to shape the future of sports entertainment. With Verizon’s reliable 5G network and innovations like cashierless checkout, Verizon is paving the way for a new and improved stadium experience.
Fans can experience Verizon’s latest venue improvements and multiple Verizon activations live at the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series™ on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18 at MetLife Stadium. Verizon invites fans to the New Amsterdam Vodka® NHL PreGame, located in Parking Lot G of MetLife Stadium, where they can tailgate in style with games, charging stations, comfortable seats with plenty of photo opportunities and a chance to win exciting prizes.
By attending the NHL PreGame, Verizon customers can get a chance to win upgraded game seats in Verizon’s exclusive Hotspot section1, which includes comfortable heated seats, cozy blankets and exclusive gift bags. Verizon customers will also have access to the Hotspot Lounge on the 100 level concourse, which will feature charging stations, photo opportunities, and complimentary hot chocolate.
For fans looking for even more Hotspot connectivity, Verizon’s myPlan mobile plans give customers access to $10 monthly “perks,” like 100 GB of Mobile Hotspot. This perk saves you $35 monthly – and over $400 annually – and is only for Verizon customers.
Want to keep up with all of the latest wireless developments in the US? Join the industry in discussion at this year’s Connected America conference live in Dallas, Texas
Also in the news:
Bell Canada announces plans to cut almost 5,000 jobs
EE to invest £6 million in retail stores
Mexican president calls for dissolution of telecoms regulator
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
