BSkyB’s position as a dominant provider of premium movie content in the UK, which had been criticised in provisional findings from the Competition Commission (CC), is to be reassessed following recognition by the watchdog that market dynamics had changed since its August 2011 announcement. These include, in particular, that Netflix has launched a stand-alone ‘over […]
The UK’s largest mobile phone company, Everything Everywhere, should be allowed to offer its 27 million customers a 4G superfast broadband connection this year, according to Ofcom.. The media watchdog said it was inclined to approve an application from EE, which owns the Orange and T-Mobile networks, to launch a 4G network ahead of its […]
Commissioner Neelie Kroes, Vice President, European Commission, has confirmed in a meeting with European cable CEOs in Brussels that the European Commission opposes draft legislation by the legislator in the Netherlands to force cable operators to open up their networks to third parties Two particular amendments related to the Dutch implementation of EU Telecom Directive […]
Ofcom has lodged a complaint with the Dutch media regulator about adult chat channels which are licensed in the Netherlands but broadcast in the UK. Ofcom says channels such as Babestation and Smile TV are accessible by children on Freeview and considers they may be in breach of regulations regarding the promotion of website content […]
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has commenced market consultation on the proposed undertaking offered by pay-TV platform Foxtel in respect of its proposed acquisition of Austar, dashing the hopes of those who expected the regulator to give its approval of the deal. “The proposed undertaking has been offered by Foxtel to address the harm […]
The UK government has been given the green light to implement the Digital Economy Act after the final legal challenge by BT and Talk Talk was thrown out at the Court of Appeal. The two ISPs lost their appeal against last year’s judicial review of the government’s anti-piracy legislation on all but one ground. The […]
Eight television networks and local broadcasters in New York have filed a suit against Aereo, a company that recently announced plans to deliver live local television programming online. The lawsuit seeks to block Aereo from launching its service, planned for March 14. Formerly known as Bamboom, Aereo hoped to offer a low-cost alternative to cable […]
The European Commission has released a study showing that, if the internal market for electronic communications were completed, the EU gross domestic product (GDP) could grow by up to €110 billion a year, or more than 0.8 per cent of GDP. The EC sees e-Communications as a critical part of overall efforts to build a […]
Following the stalling of the SOPA and PIPA anti-piracy measures in the US Congress, largely in response to activist claims of Internet censorship, Senator Chris Dodd, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), has continued to offer a more conciliatory approach to the technology community, while still stressing the importance of […]
The European Commission has asked the EU’s highest court to rule on the legality of a controversial treaty covering copyright, counterfeiting and Internet freedom. The EU executive said in a statement “[we have]…decided to ask the European Court of Justice for a legal opinion to clarify that the ACTA agreement and its implementation must be […]