Consultancy firm Deloitte suggests that the jury is still out as to whether the IPTV sector in the UK can replicate its success in France, where provider Free now has around 1.5m customers and forecasts 2m by the end of 2008. The report suggests that too much choice may actually put customers off, saying: “For […]
Belgacom reported profit that beat analyst estimates for the second quarter on higher sales of high-speed Internet access and raised its forecasts for mobile-phone and fixed-line revenue. Net income rose 12 per cent to E245 million a share, from E219 million a year earlier. The rising profit seems to validate Belgacom’s strategy of expanding its […]
Online video group Simply Media is diversifying into male-oriented programming, having acquiring a majority stake in online golf channel GolfBug.tv for an undisclosed sum. The group has announced plans to launch a suite of sports channels branded Simply Sports.
A consortium including Macquarie Bank's South Korean private equity arm and MBK Partners is set to acquire a 30 per cent stake in the country's second biggest cable TV group and targeting the remaining shares. Macquarie Korea Fund has signed a preliminary deal to purchase the stake from Goldman Sachs for about $650m (E479m), and […]
IBM sales representatives in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia will from Thursday staff the company’s virtual Business Centre in Second Life an online world where millions of participants create alter egos called avatars, buy property and interact with one another. The real reason why we’re doing this is because we do feel the beginning of a […]
BT Group and Sony have unveiled new software that will allow gamers using portable PlayStations to make video and voice calls and send instant messaging. They said the Go!Messenger wireless software for Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game player was set for commercial launch in January 2008. In a battle for supremacy against Japanese rival […]
Sky said its £125 million (E181m) offer would now close on 4 September, after revealing it had received acceptances for almost 86 per cent of Amstrad’s stock. UK competition watchdogs are now scrutinising the deal to see whether competition in the TV technology market will be affected. The two already have close links, with Amstrad […]
The turbulent 10-months at Alcatel Lucent has claimed two senior victims. Mike Quigley, the Australian once tipped to be chief executive of the French group, and Frank D'Amelio, the former Lucent executive who was put in charge of integrating the two companies, had both resigned, the company said. D'Amelio is leaving to become chief financial […]
From David Del Valle in Madrid The dispute between Sogecable, owner of Cuatro and Digital Plus, and Mediapro, shareholder in TV channel La Sexta, over football TV rights has intensified following the decision of Audiovisual Sport, the Sogecable-controlled company that manages the football rights to suspend providing football broadcasts to Mediapro over nonpayment of fees […]
Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin isn't backing down stand for la carte, saying he believed it could benefit, not reduce, diversity. But he did apologised for upsetting civil-rights groups who complained about comments he made last week Nonethelss he said claims that interest groups weren't independent came from a Center for Public Integrity study. […]