The OTT competitive landscape is dominated by a handful of players with a worldwide approach, according to an IDATE report. They clearly have a dominant position in data-based markets such as search, ecommerce, cloud, social networks, online advertising, says the research and consultancy firm. This obviously raises regulation
The Social Market Foundation (SMF) – an independent, non-partisan think tank – says that big companies in UK sectors such as broadband, mobile telephony and personal banking don’t face enough competition, meaning that consumers are hit with a lack of choice, higher prices and underinvestment, suggesting that part of the increased concentration seen in the […]
Global citizens movement Avaaz has launched what it describes as an “unprecedented” public interest legal challenge to Britain’s broadcasting regulator, filing papers in court seeking a judicial review of Ofcom’s decision to clear the proposed takeover of Sky by 21st Century Fox. In June 2017, Ofcom found that if Sky was fully owned by Fox, […]
Portuguese operators NOS and Vodafone Portugal have opposed the planned acquisition by Altice Group of Media Capital. According to Madalena Sutcliffe, director of regulation of Vodafone Portugal, the operation cannot be approved by national regulators ERC and the Competition Authority “not even with compromises because it creates so many problems of pluralism”. Sutcliffe pointed out […]
Trade body Cable Europe has voiced concerns over the future of investment in telecommunications network infrastructure, as it responds to the Belgian consultation on levels of competition in the broadband and broadcasting markets. Submitting a formal response to a national consultation is a rarity for the association of cable operators. Cable Europe says it feels […]
The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) welcomed the publication of the European Commission’s Communication Tackling Illegal Content Online: Towards an enhanced responsibility of online platforms. The Communication’s self-regulatory approach involves online platforms taking greater responsibility for removing illegal content uploaded by users. The Communication is clear that violations of intellectual property – primarily […]
A Consumer Reports survey shows that a majority of Americans favour net neutrality rules that prevent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from blocking or slowing down lawful online content. The results come as pro-consumer groups hold a ‘Day of Advocacy on September 27th, urging legislators in Washington, D.C., to support such rules. But the next step […]
The HbbTV Association, a global initiative dedicated to providing an open standard for the delivery of broadcast and broadband services through connected TVs and set-top boxes, has finalised and published its IPTV Specification. This specification builds on HbbTV 2. The new specification has been published by ETSI as TS 103 555 and it defines how […]
Information, data, and measurement company Nielsen has filed a lawsuit to stop rival media measurement and analytics company comScore from using its technology to launch a competing service for measuring television audiences. The complaint, filed with the US District Court in Manhattan, seeks an injunction to stop the launch of comScore’s Extended TV service, which […]
A man from Middlesbrough in the northeast of England has pleaded guilty in what has been described as a landmark court case relating to the sale of so-called ‘Kodi’ boxes. At an earlier court appearance he had pleaded not guilty Brian Thompson pleaded guilty to two charges – one of selling the Kodi, or IPTV […]