Advanced Television

Policy

FCC 5G auctions raise over $2.7bn

The FCC has concluded the bidding in Auction 102, the Commission’s second auction of millimetre wave spectrum suitable for 5G, which is providing licences in the 24 GHz band. With the closing of bidding in this auction along with the closing of bidding in Auction 101 for 28 GHz band licences, the FCC has now […]

May 29, 2019

Fraud allegations at Infront Sport

Switzerland-based marketing company Infront Sport & Media has revealed in a statement that it has discovered fraudulent activities that are presumed to have been committed by one of its former senior employees. Infront first became aware of certain of these activities following notification by the public prosecutor in Thurgau, Switzerland, of a pending criminal investigation […]

May 28, 2019By Chris Forrester

Ofcom boost for fibre investment

Companies laying high-speed fibre cables for broadband and mobile networks will benefit from greater access to Openreach’s telegraph poles and underground tunnels, under draft decisions announced by communications regulator Ofcom. Openreach, which maintains the UK’s main broadband network, is already required to let rival companies use its telegraph poles and underground ‘ducts’ to lay their […]

May 24, 2019By Colin Mann

Analyst: 5G at risk over Huawei

The Huawei trade war and its possible escalation holds major risks for the roll-out of 5G and the telco industry generally, says equity analyst Gareth Hollis (from Exane/BNPP). He warns that the risks of a high-impact trade war are very real. “Huawei suppliers’ names to continue to be under pressure and the risk of 5G […]

May 24, 2019By Chris Forrester

CBA provides C-band plan details

The C-Band Alliance (CBA) of Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat and Telesat) has provided extremely detailed plans of its proposals to free up C-band spectrum over the US. The Alliance, in its submission to the Federal Communications Commission on May 21st, says that it could release nine licence blocks of spectrum each of 20 MHz, which overall […]

May 22, 2019By Chris Forrester

€14K damages for Sky Sports infringement

Following successful legal action taken by Sky, Atlantic Ocean Sands Hotel Limited, the licensee of Ocean Sands Hotel, Enniscrone, in the Republic of Ireland, has been ordered to pay damages of €14,616 for infringing Sky’s copyright by showing Sky Sports programming illegally in the premises. The company was also ordered to pay costs. Sky was […]

May 21, 2019By Colin Mann

UK begins £200m full fibre rollout

The starting gun has been fired on a programme to roll out gigabit-capable full fibre broadband to the most rural and remote locations in the UK, Digital Secretary Jeremy Wright has announced. In the summer of 2018, the UK Government identified that approximately 10 per cent of UK premises, largely in rural and remote areas, […]

May 20, 2019By Colin Mann

US satellite licences have “outlived usefulness”

Some US regulators are seeking to end satellite’s unique ‘STELA Act’ which provides for US homes to receive signals from satellite broadcasters. A US consumer has three ways of receiving TV signals; Over the air, by cable and by satellite (and increasingly via broadband). The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 (STELA) was […]

May 17, 2019By Chris Forrester

Spanish consumers challenge Movistar Plus price rise

The Consumers Association, FACUA, has filed a complaint before the Ministry of Economy and the Consumer authorities against Movistar for its latest price rise – the second this year and the eight since 2015. The Consumers’ Association has urged the Administration to halt the price increase as, according to the legislation, “it is not for […]

May 16, 2019From David Del Valle in Madrid

CBA answers complaints from Disney, CBS, Discovery

Major US broadcasters including CBS, Discovery, Disney, Fox, Univision and Viacom, have written to the FCC following up meetings they had regarding the C-Band Alliance’s (CBA) scheme to sell off 180 MHz of C-band satellite capacity. They are concerned that their long-established satellite feeds will be impacted by the proposals. They are asking for assurances […]

May 16, 2019By Chris Forrester