The week in telecom: Wi-Fi bolt-ons take off to boost broadband growth, video market works on consolidation
GLOBAL 15 DEC

The week in telecom: Wi-Fi bolt-ons take off to boost broadband growth, video market works on consolidation

With the broadband market reaching saturation in most developed countries, telcos are on the lookout for new ways to win over (and hold on to) customers. AT&T and EE are the latest to launch new Wi-Fi guarantees, while other like TIM are hoping FWA will encourage people to double up their connections. In the video market, Harmonic announced its exit, while Paramount confirmed a rival bid for Netflix, and Omdia is predicting YouTube will overtake them all. 

The week in telecom: Netflix wins bidding for Warner Bros, Apple poaches new execs, Samsung debuts trifold
GLOBAL 8 DEC

The week in telecom: Netflix wins bidding for Warner Bros, Apple poaches new execs, Samsung debuts trifold

The week ended with a bang, with Netflix agreeing the takeover of Warner Bros Discovery. Meanwhile the year-end is approaching quickly, prompting some tough budget and planning decisions. Apple is preparing a new generation of leaders with several management changes in the past week, Meta is rethinking its metaverse vision, and Intel has dropped the idea of exiting the telecom network business. Samsung has managed to get its first trifold smartphone on shelves before year-end, and Australia makes headlines

Proximus vs. Telenet: Proximus performs better in Q3 while Telenet uses up cash
BELGIUM 20 NOV

Proximus vs. Telenet: Proximus performs better in Q3 while Telenet uses up cash

On the Belgian market, Proximus is performing better than Telenet, in part thanks to its advance on fibre roll-out. Growth is high in mobile but ARPUs are falling at both operators. The impact from newcomer Digi is still limited. Telenet is ramping up its fibre expansion, with a high capex-to-sales ratio and cash burn as a result, but its cash position remains sufficient. The Belgian market is focused on coordinating the next phase of the fibre build, with the regulator evaluating the proposed regional alli

Proximus Domestic still struggling with low margins
BELGIUM 18 NOV

Proximus Domestic still struggling with low margins

Proximus Domestic reported flat revenues in the third quarter, at EUR 1.19 billion. That includes its Luxembourg unit Tango but excludes Proximus Global. The Belgian operator added 42,000 postpaid and 12,000 broadband customers in the quarter. Its outlook is for an increase in the EBITDA margin, but this remains on the low side for the sector, and Proximus's free cash flow, at 14 percent of revenues, is also not so impressive. We look forward to new insights at its Capital Markets Day planned for February.

The week in telecom: Mixed fortunes at German telcos and Cisco enjoys networking boom
GLOBAL 17 NOV

The week in telecom: Mixed fortunes at German telcos and Cisco enjoys networking boom

Mixed fortunes in Germany as the latest quarterly results show 1&1 has finally become a MNO, Telefonica has a new CEO, and Vodafone and DT still working on positive growth. Cisco has no problems with growth with a forecast for record sales ahead, while Verizon's new CEO is apparently getting ready for a major restructuring. SK Telecom is taking a step back from its AI ambitions to refocus on mobile, and Telenor confirmed its future is Nordic.

Virtual operators profit as ODF, Delta revive competition on Dutch wholesale broadband market
NETHERLANDS 12 NOV

Virtual operators profit as ODF, Delta revive competition on Dutch wholesale broadband market

Dutch incumbent KPN's share of the wholesale broadband market is falling, thanks to the expansion of Open Dutch Fiber and Delta Fiber. Virtual operators can profit, shopping around for the best network deals and improving their margins.

The week in telecom: Telefonica, KPN prep for future, KT loses CEO and Vodafone/AST challenge Starlink
GLOBAL 10 NOV

The week in telecom: Telefonica, KPN prep for future, KT loses CEO and Vodafone/AST challenge Starlink

Strategy updates last week from KPN and Telefonica show the tricky balance between investment and shareholder returns faced by telcos in the face of rising interest rates. After SK Telecom, rival KT is also changing CEO following a hacking scandal, while Altice is trying a new name in the US following its debt troubles. Starlink is buying more spectrum from Echostar, but rival AST SpaceMobile is hoping for an edge in Europe with partner Vodafone.

KPN slows down fibre roll-out to hold on to capex, dividend targets
NETHERLANDS 7 NOV

KPN slows down fibre roll-out to hold on to capex, dividend targets

KPN's strategy update was marked by its decision to reduce the investment budget. As promised earlier by the Dutch operator, spending will fall from 2027 to less than EUR 1 billion per year from EUR 1.5 billion now. Missing targets is "not done" at listed companies, nor are dividend cuts welcome. KPN said already two years ago when it launched the 'Connect, Activate, Grow' plan that it would reduce capex, and it has no choice now at the midway update but to stick to that target. The result is a slower roll-

The week in telecom: Nokia hooks up with Nvidia, Q3 reports show smartphone sales recovery
GLOBAL 3 NOV

The week in telecom: Nokia hooks up with Nvidia, Q3 reports show smartphone sales recovery

Another busy week in the telecom market, with the push to invest in AI driving several major deals. Nvidia is expanding its presence with an investment in Nokia and new partnerships with SK and Samsung, Qualcomm is mounting a new challenge with its own AI chips, and vendors Skyworks/Qorvo and CSG/Netcracker are merging to scale up their market power. Samsung and Apple's results show strength in smartphone sales in Q4, with hopes for a bumper year-end. 

The week in telecom: Satellite M&A gets underway, telcos weather Q3 and Samsung tries XR
GLOBAL 27 OCT

The week in telecom: Satellite M&A gets underway, telcos weather Q3 and Samsung tries XR

Consolidation is starting in the crowded satellite market, with two large deals announced last week. The first Q3 reports show the US telcos are getting going on their new FMC strategies, while the Nordic operators are conserving cash due to the uncertain economic climate. Samsung had a relatively quiet launch for the first Android XR headset, while MWC Kigali underlined the growth potential still in the African mobile market, if operators can get the products right.

VodafoneZiggo preview Q3: is the churn getting any better?
NETHERLANDS 24 OCT

VodafoneZiggo preview Q3: is the churn getting any better?

VodafoneZiggo will release third-quarter results on 30 October and the question is whether the efforts to date by the Dutch operator have done anything to slow the loss of subscribers. Its last quarterly report suggested some improvement in May and June, and we will be looking to see if churn was any better in the past three months. The debt overhang also remains a problem. The management is doing everything it can to address both the churn and the debt, or in other words: increase revenues and lower costs.

TP:Talks - Simon-Kucher Introduces HELP Index to Boost Telco Customer Value
EUROPE 24 OCT

TP:Talks - Simon-Kucher Introduces HELP Index to Boost Telco Customer Value

Simon-Kucher presents the HELP index—which stands for Happiness, Engagement, Loyalty and Paying—as a strategic framework to help telecom operators increase customer lifetime value (CLTV) and counteract revenue erosion caused by price competition. Based on insights from a study across 31 markets and 16,000 consumers, the firm urges operators to shift their focus from acquisition to sustainable customer value, particularly in saturated and highly competitive markets such as the Netherlands.

NETHERLANDS 24 OCT

KPN preview Q3: market consensus puts organic revenue growth at 2.7% with small rise in margin

Dutch operator KPN is expected to report revenues for the third quarter up 3.9 percent, according to the consensus analyst estimates collected by the company. The EBITDA will grow a faster 4.3 percent, improving the margin, and capex is estimated to increase 7.5 percent, alongside a 1.4 percent rise in operational cash flow. Free cash flow is forecast up 43 percent. The Q3 report on 28 October is expected to be a relatively limited event, focused on the most recent market trends, ahead of a bigger long-term

GLOBAL 20 OCT

The week in telecom: French telcos go after SFR, Wi-Fi 8 gets started and Apple brings eSim to China

No shortage of news in the telecom sector last week. The French telcos launched a joint bid for SFR, in the latest test of 4-to-3 consolidation, while Network X brought the first Wi-Fi 8 products. Turkey is finally getting 5G, and China Mobile is trying a new brand for its international expansion.

GLOBAL 12 OCT

The week in telecoms: Verizon drops CEO for new strategy and Broadcom, Cisco, NTT advance DCI hardware

The big news last week was the surprise departure of Verizon's CEO. The US operator is undergoing a major shift in its commercial strategy, which also included an acquisition and service deals last week. In the hardware market, Cisco, Broadcom and NTT are looking to capture their share of the growing AI market with new high-performance kit to link data centres. Expect more on that this week at Network X and the OCP summit, as well as key vote in the EU on the principle of private personal communication.

FRANCE 10 OCT

SFR fixes up balance sheet but still facing high debt

SFR (Altice France) has completed recently its financial restructuring. Its debt burden became too much to handle, and it was agreed with bondholders to convert some of the debt into shares in the company. Their combined stake is now 45 percent, while Patrick Drahi had the remaining 55 percent. Despite the stronger balance sheet after the restructuring process, Moody's saw little room for improvement and put the operator's credit rating at Caa1.

JAPAN 7 OCT

NTT prepares to launch commercial IOWN server switch with Broadcom, Accton

NTT has taken a step forward in its bid to commercialise all-photonics components which form the nucleus of next-generation data infrastructure, announcing its first product in partnership with Broadcom and Accton. In an investor's day presentation on its IOWN project, the Japanese operator announced a commercial server switch built on its hyper-converged optics concept. By Q4 2026, NTT expects to begin sampling an infrastructure switch with 102.4 Tbps total capacity, having already produced a prototype wit

NETHERLANDS 7 OCT

KPN prepares fibre future as 80% coverage target approaches

KPN aims to cover 80 percent of the Netherlands with fibre optics by the end of 2026. At the Dutch operator's current rate, and given the lack of regulatory clearance for pending acquisitions, it may not reach that target. There remains also the question of how KPN plans to cover the other 20 percent of the country. We look here at the current situation ahead of KPN's strategy update on 05 November.

GLOBAL 6 OCT

The week in telecoms: Amazon, Google plan smart speaker revival, Vodafone and Telenor team up

Smart speakers are back, with Amazon and Google both presenting new devices last week to try and drive use of their AI bots. The latest Docsis 4 achievements were also on show in Washington, while smaller vendors Aferian and Optiva are struggling to stay relevant as operators like Vodafone and Telenor team up on procurement for cost savings. SKT is the latest to try a digital-native flanker brand, and Orange is  rethinking its entry on the energy market.

GLOBAL 28 SEP

The week in telecoms: Qualcomm, Mediatek prepare new flagships, Equinix and Lumen build AI fabric

Qualcomm and MediaTek presented their new top processors for flagship phones, and Xiaomi was first off the mark with its own model. The Stargate infrastructure project continues to take shape, with new sites in the US and big-money backing for European partner Nscale. Swisscom and SKT are perfecting their AI strategies, and Equinix and Lumen won't be left behind in the rush to connect data centres. 

GLOBAL 22 SEP

The week in telecoms: AI spending boom in UK, Nvidia and Intel link up, and Huawei stays relevant

There is no escaping the AI hype these days, and last week was no different. While US tech companies poured into the UK with billion-pound pledges, Nvidia and Intel announced a new tie-up, and Nokia hired new execs to chart its own course in the AI market. At the same, newcomers like Nothing, UpScale AI and Netskope show there's still room for competition. 

GLOBAL 15 SEP

The week in telecoms: Apple embraces eSim, German T Cloud takes shape and ASML backs Mistral AI

The big news of the week was Apple's new iPhones, where the company skipped the AI and went back to wow factor. SpaceX meanwhile took a bigger step into the telecom market with the acquisition of some of Echostar's spectrum, and Deutsche Telekom is moving further into the IT market with the official launch of the T Cloud. European tech giant ASML is teaming up with Mistral AI, while OpenAI and Microsoft are rethinking their partnership. 

GLOBAL 8 SEP

The week in telecoms: Google avoids breakup for now, Ifa gadgets and Reliance does AI

Google escaped a breakup in the US over its app distribution practices, while its Android partners were busy launching new phones at Ifa in Europe. However, it was not all good news for the search giant, as Google received one of its biggest fines ever for abusing its dominant position in online display ads. Changes at Deutsche Telekom with a new manager for its German business and integration challenges in the US, while Indian conglomerate Reliance is the latest telco to take on the AI market. 

GLOBAL 31 AUG

The week in telecoms: Echostar gives up on 4th mobile network in US, French telcos report slowdown

A quiet start to this week with a holiday in the US (Labor Day), after last week the American market shrunk back to three mobile networks as Echostar threw in the towel. The US government also made its presence felt in the chip market again by acquiring a stake in Intel, while ZTE showed in its H1 report what it can do without American chips. The last H1 results from France underline the difficult market conditions there with four operators, and MFE finally won the bidding for ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany.

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19 DEC 15:56

UK govt to ban AI-enabled nudification apps to protect women, girls

Commentary

13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

11:11

KPN's mixed performance in Q3 raises questions for strategy day

15:26

Stock markets breaking records but what happened to Odido's IPO plans?

Background

01:04

The week in telecom: Wi-Fi bolt-ons take off to boost broadband growth, video market works on consolidation

01:39

The week in telecom: Netflix wins bidding for Warner Bros, Apple poaches new execs, Samsung debuts trifold

13:51

Proximus vs. Telenet: Proximus performs better in Q3 while Telenet uses up cash

14:16

Proximus Domestic still struggling with low margins