Ernst & Young’s Global Telecommunications Center has published the latest edition of “Inside Telecommunications”, its review of “the most significant developments in the telecommunications sector each quarter”. This quarter’s highlights include cloud based services offered by telecoms operators, the rise of mobile instant messaging as a substitute for SMS, and operators’ strategies for offloading mobile data traffic.
E&Y on significant developments in telecoms
December 9th, 2011OECD – Communications Outlook 2011
August 31st, 2011The OECD’s biennial Communications Outlook contains, as usual, a wealth of data on telecommunications and broadcasting industries in OECD countries: markets and spending, policy, network development, pricing and trade. The report includes hundreds of tables and figures, each linked to supporting data online.
OECD – Mobile data roaming cost comparison
August 31st, 2011This report follows an earlier report from BEREC that highlighted the disparity between on-net and off-net mobile data costs. The OECD report lists data roaming charges for a series of baskets, e.g. 1 MB in one session, 20 MB use across a whole month, by country of origin of the customer. The variance is considerable: 1 MB in one session costs a Canadian customer six times as much as a Greek customer. The report notes that “There is a strong case for the implementation of measures that seek to empower or protect consumers”.
OECD – Fibre Access. Network Developments in the OECD Area
August 31st, 2011A recent addition to the OECD’s Digital Economy Paper series, this report surveys the progress of optical fibre adoption in local networks. As usual there is a rich mix of analysis and data. Thus the report reveals that Japan and Korea lead in the adoption of FTTH/B: 15 and 8 million subscribers respectively with the USA a poor third at just under 5 million. The report also lists major fibre investment programs with details of scope and financing – PPP is by far the most popular form of finance. The report’s policy suggestions include a recognition that government intervention may be needed to deliver fibre outside commercial areas while also highlighting the need for competition in existing access networks.
infoDev: Telecommunications Regulation Handbook
December 10th, 2010infoDev, the World Bank supported information exchange on ICT for development (ICT4D), has made available the 10th Anniversary edition of the “Telecommunications Regulation Handbook”. The handbook, which infoDev describes as “a one-stop regulatory reference guide for the telecommunications sector” is a 250 page reference book on all areas of regulation. A new chapter in this edition, “A Digital Future: Regulatory Challenges in a Brave New World”, covers convergence, content regulation, privacy, net neutrality, cybersecurity and green ICT.
