Business analysis for telecoms professionals. In this issue:
VENDOR FINANCING: Vendor financing is coming back into vogue, but this time the deals are being structured to lower the risk to telcos. Weste vendors are under pressure to follow the lead of China.
TELECOMS IN CHINA: A new programme of cable upgrades and burgeoning Web video services could dent the plans of IPTV operators, which are struggling to distinguish themselves.
COMPETITION IN GERMANY: German service providers are making moves to better provide integrated fixed and mobile bundles in a cut-throat domestic market. A flurry of autumn deals has upped the ante.
EU TELECOMS REFORMS: EU politicans agreed a compromise to push through the telecoms reform package, but discussions are far from over with details on next-gen network access still to be ironed out.
MOBILE PAYMENTS: Operators see the greatest opportunity to extend their mobile payment services throughout the developing world, where banking services are limited.
NETWORK SERVICES: Operators are starting to open up their networks to applications developers, a move that is set to change how services are produced and delivered.
E-READERS: The market for e-readers could be set to take off, but operators are still grappling with how to take the revenue opportunity beyond network access.
HOME NETWORKING: A new standard promises greater unification of home networking technologies, but it is not being universally welcomed.
VENDOR FINANCING: Vendor financing is coming back into vogue, but this time the deals are being structured to lower the risk to telcos. Weste vendors are under pressure to follow the lead of China.
TELECOMS IN CHINA: A new programme of cable upgrades and burgeoning Web video services could dent the plans of IPTV operators, which are struggling to distinguish themselves.
COMPETITION IN GERMANY: German service providers are making moves to better provide integrated fixed and mobile bundles in a cut-throat domestic market. A flurry of autumn deals has upped the ante.
EU TELECOMS REFORMS: EU politicans agreed a compromise to push through the telecoms reform package, but discussions are far from over with details on next-gen network access still to be ironed out.
MOBILE PAYMENTS: Operators see the greatest opportunity to extend their mobile payment services throughout the developing world, where banking services are limited.
NETWORK SERVICES: Operators are starting to open up their networks to applications developers, a move that is set to change how services are produced and delivered.
E-READERS: The market for e-readers could be set to take off, but operators are still grappling with how to take the revenue opportunity beyond network access.
HOME NETWORKING: A new standard promises greater unification of home networking technologies, but it is not being universally welcomed.