On 6 June 2018, Three UK held an analyst event focused on recent network developments, spectrum holdings and plans to launch 5G. While specific details around their 5G launch remain under-wraps, there’s a clear ambition to be a leader from the start. The recent acquisition of fixed wireless access broadband provider Relish, and success in the recent Ofcom auction have positioned Three well to extend their footprint and what can be achieved.
BT reshapes consumer division
Following last week’s Q4 results, today we saw how BT Group plans to implement its new strategy starting with the reshaping of its consumer division. There were a number of announcements made, the most important of which we have summarised here.
BT – Q4 results and the biggest shake-up in a decade
After a two year slide, during which the share price has practically halved, trust and confidence amongst BT's investors needs to be rebuilt. Accordingly, the company has announced its biggest overhaul in a decade which sees cost stripping and job losses but also new hires and investment.
Ofcom completes UK 5G spectrum auction
Ofcom has today announced the outcome of the principal stage of its auction to release airwaves for 4G mobile and future 5G services in the 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz bands. In the auction, Vodafone spent the most of all operators, O2 acquired all of the available spectrum at 2.3GHz and and BT/EE's share of spectrum fell as per the auction rules.
UK: Ofcom finalises Wholesale Local Access Market review
Ofcom has finalised the Wholesale Local Access market review. The draft statement reinforces many messages from last year’s consultation and crucially maintains a new charge control for Openreach’s anchor fibre product. A greater emphasis is being put on access to BT’s duct and pole network in light of the strong momentum towards full-fibre from broadband companies other than Openreach.
Event: Global Broadband Futures
On 13 November 2017, Assembly participated in the inaugural Global Broadband Futures event in Sydney, Australia organised jointly by CommsDay and The National Broadband Network (nbn). The conference brought together speakers from Australia (nbn), Germany (DT), South Korea (KT), UK (Openreach) and New Zealand (Chorus), with the aim being to share international experience of the rollout of fibre broadband networks.
Ofcom pushes ahead with 2.3/3.4GHz spectrum award despite industry concerns
Ofcom has finalised how the 2.3 and 3.4GHz spectrum will be awarded and in doing so has decided on two different restrictions on bidders. The auction timetable expects bidding to begin as early as late October 2017, but given the strongly held positions by some in the industry, that looks ambitious.
The end of roaming in the EU
On June 15, 2017 after a decade of imposed price cuts, the premium for using your phone while travelling in the EU is set to disappear for good. While the initial intervention was a bitterly controversial one at the time, it was eventually embraced by operators, many of which ended up going beyond what was required.
US braced for net neutrality shake-up
On 18 May 2017, the FCC will hold an open meeting during which it will consider a range of subjects. The biggest and most contentious relates to ‘restoring internet freedom’ – a vote (which is widely expected to be passed), on rolling back the net neutrality rules. Following the vote, the challenge for the FCC will be to ensure that the repeal will not result in a regulatory vacuum.
New battle lines drawn after a year of setbacks for BT
Q4 and full year 2016/17 was always going to be a difficult set of results for BT given the enormity of the year they’ve had which saw two scandals (with considerable financial consequence), and the end of a protracted battle with the regulator over one of the most important lines of business. While that battle may be over, it’s clear there’s a new one beginning over Ofcom’s wholesale local access market review and investment incentives which looks set to dominate the agenda over the coming months.
