Advanced Television

Policy

Dragon Box success for ACE

Building on the momentum of successful actions curtailing piracy device sellers and illegal streaming applications, the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) – a global coalition dedicated to protecting the dynamic legal market and reducing online piracy – has reached a settlement with the operators of streaming media device Dragon Box. On behalf of its […]

January 29, 2019By Colin Mann

Qatar slams Saudi satellite piracy

Ali bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, CEO at Qatar-based Es’hailSat, has called into question the role of intergovernmental agencies, such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and their lack of action over the on-going piracy by Saudi Arabia of beIN Media’s channels and in particular sports transmissions. There is consistent wholesale piracy of beIN’s output by beoutQ, […]

January 28, 2019By Chris Forrester

Openreach full fibre jobs boost

The UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Amber Rudd MP, has welcomed news that Openreach, the UK’s digital network business, will hire 3,000 new trainees – of which around 1,600 are newly created roles – over the next 12 months. The announcement is an extension of Openreach’s largest ever recruitment drive, with 6,500 […]

January 28, 2019By Colin Mann

Nokia, Open Fiber bridge Italy’s digital divide

Open Fiber, the sole wholesale-only player in the Italian broadband market, has selected Nokia for a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) rollout that will bring ultra-broadband services to the small towns and rural areas of Italy. The Open Fiber network will bring optical fibre from a point of presence to the customer’s home and deliver speeds of up […]

January 28, 2019

German court grants injunctions against distributors of Formuler STBs

On January 16th, the District Court in Bremen, Germany (Landgericht Bremen) granted preliminary injunctions against two distributors selling Formuler set-top boxes in Germany. The contested Formuler devices, among other things, emulated the MAC addresses of Infomir’s MAG set-top boxes. The Court prohibited the distributors from selling Formuler and other devices that emulated Infomir’s MAG set-top […]

January 28, 2019

EC spectrum boost for 5G

The European Commission has adopted an amending Implementing Decision to harmonise the radio spectrum in the 3.4-3.8 GHz (or 3.6 GHz) band for the future use with 5G. This is necessary to enable Member States to reorganise and allow the use of that band for 5G systems by December 31st 2020 in line with the […]

January 25, 2019

Brussels promotes post-Brexit creative credentials

With the UK set to leave the European Union, the Brussels Capital Region is launching a major initiative to attract UK-based businesses in the film, broadcast and creative industries to base themselves in the Belgian capital, ensuring they can continue to operate seamlessly across Europe following Brexit. With the nature of the UK’s relationship with […]

January 24, 2019By Colin Mann

MPs stand by BBC pay inquiry conclusion

The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee of the UK’s House of Commons has published a short report in reaction to the BBC’s formal response to the Committee’s report on equal pay at the BBC. That report also considered the use of Personal Service Companies, licence-fee funding for people over 75, and the future of […]

January 23, 2019

Review: Wales risks 5G rollout delay

Wales is in danger of being left behind in the delivery of the next generation mobile network unless the Welsh Government steps up its efforts. The National Assembly’s Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee has been reviewing the Welsh Government’s Mobile Action Plan which sets out what ministers will do to ensure better coverage in Wales. […]

January 23, 2019

Which? highlights broadband black spots

Parts of central London, Stroud, Tunbridge Wells and Canterbury were among the more surprising areas suffering from the worst broadband in the UK, according to Which? analysis of customer speed tests. The consumer champion found that while rural Scotland and Wales still have Britain’s slowest average connection speeds, many local authority areas including in the […]

January 22, 2019