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IanFogg | November 12, 2008, 10:00 AM
VirginMedia's Hangover from the Last Downturn
Yesterday VirginMedia announced it would cut 2200 jobs, 15% of its workforce, to take effect around the end of 2009. On the radio, I heard this reported as being a result of the current downturn in the UK (in the third quarter the UK experienced negative growth). But VirginMedia's reasoning...( more )
IanFogg | November 11, 2008, 11:56 AM
Vodafone Becomes a Major Broadband ISP
Today, Vodafone announced first half results. Unsurprisingly, mobile broadband was a key part of their strategy to maintain revenues as mobile voice and sms increasingly head towards becoming free. They reported very fast mobile broadband growth, built upon aggressive pricing by other operators in European markets. Vodafone -- not aiming...( more )
IanFogg | October 13, 2008, 08:24 AM
Economic Crunch Impacts on Mobile & Home Broadband
We're not financial analysts here, so I'm going to sidestep the discussion about whether or not we are in a recession or just a slow down. Instead, I suggest you read this great Economist article for some perspectives on recessions. I could see this going either way for the rest...( more )
IanFogg | August 28, 2008, 11:22 PM
3g Mobile Phone Battery Life
This is a slide from a report I wrote over three and a half years ago on Mobile Music Phones. In other words, the more successful a phone is with its design, the more people want to use their phones various features, and so the more strain is placed on...( more )
IanFogg | August 27, 2008, 02:59 PM
Swisscom Markets a Naked DSL Fixed-Mobile Bundle
Another example of an innovative European incumbent: Swisscom has been bundling home broadband with mobile, without requiring a home phone. I suspect Cablecom's home phone + broadband + TV bundles drove Swisscom to innovate. This has created enough of a stir with their rivals to prompt a referral to the...( more )
IanFogg | August 07, 2008, 07:31 AM
iPhone Achilles Heal - Mobile Internet is Not Always-On
Mobile Internet and Mobile Broadband is not an always-on experience and this isn't going to change soon. Near term, there will always be places or situations where the cellular data network doesn't reach or where only a poor slow 2G signal is present (+). Product managers must design around it....( more )
IanFogg | July 23, 2008, 06:07 PM
Using 'N' WiFi to Attract the Well-Heeled
BT are advertising their new home gateway, the Home Hub, on TV. The key benefit of the new hub model that BT pick out is the longer range and better coverage of its WiFi, as it uses the 'n' standard. To what kind of potential customers will this appeal the...( more )
IanFogg | July 23, 2008, 11:51 AM
KPN Launches Commercial FTTH
KPN launches its new fibre to the home (FTTH) service. The Netherlands is Europe's most sophisticated broadband market with extremely high broadband adoption and PC ownership. On some measures, it is the global broadband leader. What happens here, has tremendous implications for everyone. KPN's download speeds are good (30-60Mbps). Prices...( more )
IanFogg | July 15, 2008, 06:17 PM
The Demand for Fibre in the UK
BT's announcement today of UK fibre investment will completely transform the broadband market in the UK. The major competitor operators that have their own existing DSL networks -- Sky, O2, Carphone Warehouse, Tiscali -- will have to make decisions soon about whether to invest in fibre themselves. A key part...( more )
IanFogg | July 15, 2008, 09:44 AM
BT to Invest 1.5bn UKP in Fibre - 1st take
This is massive news: BT has finally announced its fibre plans. Key points: - Availability to 10 million homes by 2012. This is fast. - Mix of fibre to the home (FTTH) for new builds with peak 100Mbps speeds, and FTTC/VDSL2 for existing homes (peak speed of 40Mbps). Exact split...( more )
IanFogg | July 10, 2008, 01:09 PM
iPhone 3G Strategy and Prospects
The initial bunch of (mostly) US iPhone 3G reviews have missed the point. Almost all of these reviews have been written from the point of view of existing US iPhone owners that are considering upgrades. That's not what this launch is about. The iPhone 3G's main goal is to grow...( more )
IanFogg | July 10, 2008, 01:04 PM
WiMAX in Europe
Great post from my colleague, Thomas Husson, on WiMAX. I agree, and I can think of quite a few additional reasons too! Stop the hype with Mobile Wimax...( more )
Thomas Husson | July 10, 2008, 03:23 AM
Digital Dividend: the golden spectrum fight
UHF frequency band (470-862 Mhz) is currently being used by broadcasters (TV and radios). However, new spectrum resources freed by the digital switchover (move from analog to digital TV) will be re-allocated in the coming years in all European countries. In France, administrative authorities have ruled until recently in favor...( more )
Thomas Husson | July 09, 2008, 06:51 PM
Stop the hype with Mobile Wimax
The first time I really discovered Mobile Wimax was in 2004 when I attended a conference called "Wifi on steroids". This was 4 years ago. 2 years ago at 3GSM, it was viewed as a potential threat to 3G. At this year's Mobile World Congress, the debate was more about...( more )
Thomas Husson | July 04, 2008, 05:11 AM
Together we can do more
Orange's New Vision and Brand Campaign - Premiers in the UK tomorrow with its new “I am” film. So exit "the Future is bright" and welcome the new vision expressed in the statement "together we can do more". The rationale behind this global campaign is quite interesting. See excerpt from...( more )
IanFogg | July 02, 2008, 07:11 AM
VirginMedia Loses ASA Ruling on Marketing of Speed
Info on the ruling. Unlimited broadband = 12 minutes - My take in April on the detail of this traffic management scheme. As I've said before, it is in the broadband industry's interests to be clearer and less ambiguous on the way they market broadband and broadband speeds. Otherwise if...( more )
IanFogg | June 23, 2008, 11:36 AM
Why UK's Ebbsfleet Fibre Trial is Slow
A couple of weeks ago I was quoted on the BBC describing the BT/Openreach Ebbsfleet fibre as slow. What the BBC missed was my emphasis on upload speeds, see the speeds listed here and compare them with other European countries in this report. So, this UK trial is offering just...( more )
IanFogg | June 10, 2008, 03:01 PM
Free's Fibre-Inspired Acquisition of Alice
Free plans to buy Telecom Italia's French ISP business, Alice. ISP markets across Europe continue to consolidate. In the past, Free has focused on organic growth rather than m&a, the main exception was the purchase of niche operator Citéfibre. Fibre is a scale business. In areas covered by fibre, Free...( more )
IanFogg | June 09, 2008, 01:53 PM
Coin-Op Public WiFi
Some products defy analysis. I could, but it's just not worth the effort here....( more )
IanFogg | June 05, 2008, 10:29 AM
Ofcom Intervenes on Speed Marketing
Ofcom is introducing a voluntary code of practice on how ISPs should market broadband speeds. This is something I have been advocating for some time (see here on the 'ISP prisoner dilemma' where, back in 2006, I advocated regulator intervention to make speed marketing clearer, or here, or more recently...( more )
IanFogg | June 04, 2008, 02:20 PM
Vodafone Offers Home Broadband via HSPA / 3.5g
Vodafone Italy is now offering an innovative home gateway that has both ADSL2+ and HSPA (ie a 3.5g mobile radio). What's special is that the mobile radio is used completely differently to normal discussions of fixed-mobile or femtocells. Here, the HSPA radio offers an alternative to ADSL2+ to route a...( more )
IanFogg | June 03, 2008, 11:43 AM
FON-ISP Partnership Vastly Grows Hotspot Reach
BT has just announced it has reached 100,000 WiFi hotspots through its use of FON public WiFi sharing on its broadband customers' home gateways. This is a vast number. Hotspot directory Jiwire currently lists just 28,697 total hotspots in the UK. Clearly, they aren't including the BT FON ones. How...( more )
IanFogg | June 03, 2008, 10:32 AM
The New Digital Divide
This is something I've been saying for years. One example here: "There is going to have to be an acceptance that broadband will be faster in the cities. The model of equal access will have to be adapted," said Ian Fogg, an analyst with Jupiter Research. The next thing that...( more )
IanFogg | May 29, 2008, 03:04 AM
How Laptop Warranties Impact Mobile Broadband Prospects
Consumers are adopting laptops in large numbers. In the 80s, the PC industry targeted putting one PC on every desk. The 90s saw a shift to selling one PC into every home. Now, the market has moved again and now the industry is selling one PC to every person in...( more )
IanFogg | May 27, 2008, 11:45 AM
Customer Service Disaster 1: DSL Warehouse
I've started receiving emails asking for my bank details that are being sent to an email address I have only ever used to buy something from DSL Warehouse. The email address the phishing emails are being sent to is: dslwarehouse @ [mypersonaldomainname] . org i.e. a very very specific email...( more )
IanFogg | May 07, 2008, 11:13 AM
BT Broadband Goes Mobile, Sortof
[updated 15.04 UK time] BT has just announced that they are bundling a mobile smartphone service as part of their home broadband package. Interestingly, this new bundle will be presented as a new top tier for BT's Total Broadband home DSL, rather than as a mobile tariff. The name for...( more )
IanFogg | May 01, 2008, 04:37 PM
Vodafone: Unlimited Mobile Internet Offered for Free
This move by Vodafone is a game changer for mobile Internet usage. In short they are offering mobile Internet access for free to their contract customers. The data limit is generous too: 500Mb (Which is an enormous amount to use on a mobile handset. I consider myself a heavy user,...( more )
IanFogg | May 01, 2008, 02:29 PM
BT's Long Game, More ADSL2+ and 21CN
BT's launch of ADSL2+ with 21CN yesterday isn't going to make a vast difference to the ISP retail market, or to consumer broadband speeds. Initially, under one million households will benefit, none of which are in London. Even by May 2009, when BT will reach approx half of UK households,...( more )
IanFogg | April 30, 2008, 03:53 PM
BT Goes Slow with New ADSL2+ Broadband Speeds
BT's Broadband Connect is late (originally due January), and yet will initially only be available to a tiny fraction of UK households (under one million homes and businesses *). BT's launch is even more tardy compared with others: - BT's UK ADSL competitors -- Sky, O2, Be -- have been...( more )
IanFogg | April 30, 2008, 10:48 AM
Why VirginMedia Now Has BBC iPlayer on its TV VOD Service
VirginMedia has secured iPlayer content for its VOD service. This is an approach I advised Internet video suppliers to take in this report. It's great to see that traditional TV industry players like VirginMedia better understand the potential for free Internet VOD than do two out of the three leading...( more )
IanFogg | April 30, 2008, 10:28 AM
More Console Positioning Fault Lines: TV and VOD
This is a follow-up to yesterday's post on understanding the game console makers' strategies. The console owners approach to video on demand (VOD) and TV also highlights their divergent marketing: PS3 and Sony - See the PS3 as a TV and video hub, with content available for remote access using...( more )
Thomas Husson | April 28, 2008, 06:54 AM
Swedish dongles - part 2
I don't read Swedish but like me you'll understand that beyond SE performance in 3 Sweden shops, the key takeaway here is the fact USB Modem Turbo 3G sales more than any phones in the list below --------------- Sony Ericsson dominerar aprils mobilförsäljning på 3! Sverige är ett Sony Ericsson-land...( more )
Thomas Husson | April 24, 2008, 08:23 AM
Swedish dongles
I spent a few days in Stockholm recently. Really nice city by the way. I was intrigued in 2007 by some stats from Telia reporting that for several months in a raw modems / USB Sim cards were the top-selling units in Telia 76 Swedish shops. So I decided to...( more )
IanFogg | April 22, 2008, 03:11 PM
Competition and FTTH in France
France continues to set the pace on fibre broadband roll outs in Europe. The debate here, is already focused on how to ensure competition between the various under way FTTH network deployments especially with regard to the duct access needed to make deployments efficient and keep costs down. The alternative...( more )
IanFogg | April 17, 2008, 01:32 PM
One Small Step for Ofcom on UK Fibre
Ofcom has just announced a consultation into 'Next Generation Fibre for New Builds'. Key points here, many have been missed by the press coverage: This is just a consultation, not a decision on how to regulate such networks. Looking at green field housing developments is the easiest regulatory aspect of...( more )
IanFogg | April 16, 2008, 02:33 PM
The VirginMedia Brand and Net Neutrality
So, net neutrality is bollocks? Virgin Media's CEO Neil Berkett sounds like he's a little out of his depth here. In Europe, bus lanes help buses go faster, as the lanes are less congested with other traffic, and not slower as he implies. Worse, there is a knotty communications conundrum...( more )
IanFogg | April 10, 2008, 11:14 AM
Phorm and ISP Business Models
Phorm's model is yet another example of ISPs looking for revenue sources beyond the consumer, as consumer broadband prices have been falling. This is a further example of the net neutrality debate, although the various articles about Phorm haven't used the 'n' words. I've held off writing about Phorm until...( more )
IanFogg | April 09, 2008, 06:58 PM
iPlayer and ISP Business Models
The debate raging between ISPs and the BBC over the iPlayer catch-up TV service highlights the strain that ISP business models are under. In essence, a combination of fierce inter-ISP competition and the confusing marketing of broadband packages, has led to a tailspin of residential broadband pricing as consumers choose...( more )
Thomas Husson | April 09, 2008, 05:46 PM
"Smart" pipes, "big fat" pipes & Citizen Kane
Tectonic shifts are happening in the mobile industry. New entrants and new approaches of existing stakeholders in the value chain are forcing operators to redefine their roles. They were some interesting quotes reported in the press in the recent weeks made by the CEOs of 2 leading operators: “…Carriers must...( more )
IanFogg | April 02, 2008, 01:25 PM
Unlimited Broadband = 12 Minutes
Below are the data limits listed on VirginMedia's traffic management page. These data limits apply during the peak hours between 4pm and 9pm. When a customer hits the data limit their speed is cut and then the lower speed stays in force for five hours. Separately, on VirginMedia's own broadband...( more )
IanFogg | February 28, 2008, 12:56 PM
VirginMedia Results: Multiplay good, but ARPU down.
Today, VirginMedia report their q4 2007 results. As usual, as an industry analyst I'll comment solely on the operationals. Note - this is being written ahead of the conference call. Key points: - Broadband customers are up year-on-year to 3.5m using VirginMedia's hybrid coax-fibre (HFC) network -- plus another 287k...( more )
Thomas Husson | February 14, 2008, 03:49 AM
Back from Mobile World Congress
It is difficult to wrap up so many news but I tried to step back a little from the flow of information when flying back from Barcelona. After the 2007 takeaways, here below is my vision of the 2008 mobile mecca pilgrimage. MWC is and will continue to be a...( more )
IanFogg | February 07, 2008, 02:55 PM
Real French Fibre from Orange
Moving on from the crazy UK situation on fibre, Orange in France offers real fibre broadband at 100Mbps (download speed), complete with a full IPTV service, and VoIP telephony. Unlike fibre wannabe's, Orange's upload speed is also staggeringly fast at 10Mbps, which makes the service ideal for uploading high quality...( more )
IanFogg | February 07, 2008, 12:34 PM
Real UK Fibre Broadband
[BT] Openreach has announced plans to install fibre optic cable instead of traditional copper to connect houses on a 1,000-acre new-build project at Ebbsfleet Valley in Kent. At this site Openreach will offer all of its products on a wholesale basis to all UK CPs. From August 2008, CPs at...( more )
IanFogg | February 06, 2008, 02:20 PM
UK Advertising Body Standards Needs Some Broadband Expertise
update 7.12pm - This is even worse. Now VirginMedia are claiming "The UK's fastest broadband is fibre optic and it's only available from Virgin Media." !!!!! and: "Virgin Media is the only place to get fibre optic broadband, and the good news is more that half the homes in the...( more )
Thomas Husson | February 06, 2008, 07:10 AM
Orange 2007 results
France Telecom announced this morning its annual results for the full year. As always, I am neither going to comment the financial results nor the fixed / broadband results even though I find it quite impressive that out of the 11.6 European ADSL accesses, 41% use VoIP and 11% IPTV,...( more )
IanFogg | February 01, 2008, 01:18 PM
MS / Yahoo! - Communications Impact
Microsoft has bid to buy Yahoo! This is being widely reported as an anti-Google move. But in communications -- email, instant messaging/presence, social networks etc. -- a Yahoo! - Microsoft combination would be tremendously dominant. Microsoft has the leading IM platform in Europe. The second place varies by country: AOL...( more )
IanFogg | January 31, 2008, 11:44 AM
Skype on PSP - Initial Impression
Skype is continuing to become a more ubiquitous communications service. Now, it arrives on the PSP. Skype is being offered for free to new PSP owners and to older ones that choose to upgrade their firmware. This distribution method will push Skype in front of a large number of users...( more )
Julie Ask | January 23, 2008, 12:02 PM
Finally! AT&T delivers a premium broadband speed tier via U-verse
I have a "guest blog" from my colleague Doug Williams our Broadband analyst on AT&T's announcement today on U-verse. AT&T has finally introduced a broadband speed tier that makes use of the VDSL2 network architecture used to deliver the company’s U-verse TV and Internet access services. AT&T is now offering...( more )
IanFogg | January 21, 2008, 11:23 AM
MacBook Air and WiMAX
The Air is an astoundingly thin PC. Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air by saying that Apple had made no compromises, unlike other manufacturers. This is great spin but is not quite correct. Apple did make trade-offs in the design, but just not the same ones as everyone else. Apple...( more )
Thomas Husson | December 21, 2007, 05:13 AM
VIVENDI's SFR buys Neuf Cegetel - First Take
It is now official. SFR, VIVENDI's subsidiary (at 56%), will buy 9 Cegetel. Here below is the big picture of the French telecom market end q3 2007 if the acquisition had been completed at that time (still needs to be approved by the anti-trust authorities): Background: - Vivendi sold Cegetel...( more )
IanFogg | December 13, 2007, 06:38 PM
Testing "Unlimited" Broadband
This is an interesting initiative to help consumers test whether their unlimited broadband services really are unlimited and deliver on how they are marketed. There's quite a bit of work to be done before this kind of test is ready for the mass market. At the moment, this tool is...( more )
Thomas Husson | December 13, 2007, 02:15 PM
Why Free should care about its marketing?
I thought that in 15 months Free / Iliad (3rd ISP on the French market) would have improved their marketing and their client service. They simply haven't. I already commented my previous experience but when I finally decided to call Free again to let them know I still had a...( more )
IanFogg | November 15, 2007, 05:46 PM
Why So Many Mobile Posts
Regular readers may wonder why I've been blogging so much on mobile-related topics. There are a few reasons: - I've been working on a major report on digital communications that looks completely cross platform: mobile and fixed, pstn and voip, IM and email etc. So, I've had numerous briefings with...( more )
IanFogg | November 15, 2007, 04:19 PM
The Perils for ISPs of Selling Safety
BT Digital Vault Offline...( more )
IanFogg | November 15, 2007, 04:13 PM
Vodafone Continues to Invest in DSL
Fixed-mobile continues to be a major trend in Europe by both incumbents and competitive operators. Latest news is from Arcor, Vodafone's German subsidiary, that it plans to build a VDSL network. This will likely cost billions of Euros and will compete with Deutsche Telekom's controversial equivalent network. In Ireland, Vodafone...( more )
IanFogg | November 05, 2007, 05:59 PM
Google Android: Nokia and Apple Reaction
Google unveils Android mobile phone platform, Open Handset Alliance My first reaction to this, is that Apple and Nokia have already reacted, pre-emptively, to Google's announcement that there will be shipping products sometime in late 2008 with the Google-inspired OS! Google's news release is only a few hours old, the...( more )
IanFogg | October 29, 2007, 11:39 AM
Sky's Successful Satellite Triple Play Hits 1 Million
Sky's 'See, Speak, Surf' marketing wins: Sky reaches 1 million broadband customers. But while Sky report that "around 70% of Sky Broadband customers are taking a paid-for [broadband] option", the actual revenue impact will be fairly modest for now. The paid broadband options are only £5 a month or £10...( more )
IanFogg | October 18, 2007, 12:57 PM
Skype is Profitable
From eBay's financial release: "Skype delivered a third consecutive quarter of segment profitability, excluding the goodwill impairment charge of $1.39 billion. Geographically, all three major regions, Europe, North America and Asia exhibited robust revenue growth. Skype net revenues totaled a record $98 million in Q3-07, representing a year-over-year growth rate...( more )
IanFogg | October 11, 2007, 02:25 PM
Telefonica Does WiFi Right
I'm at the Telefonica analysts briefing at the O2 today. This is a really well organised event. The most impressive part, compared with the numerous events I attend throughout the year... is that next to every seat in the hall is a power socket to complement the free WiFi. Other...( more )
IanFogg | October 06, 2007, 05:37 PM
Switching From Vonage to Skype
Swapping Vonage for Skype: One man's search for VoIP that actually works How one person went from: I have long been a critic of Skype, suggesting that eBay was foolish to buy the VoIP toy and generally ridiculing it as a serious business tool. To: So today, I finally got...( more )
IanFogg | October 04, 2007, 01:51 PM
FON and BT Partner to Share Home Broadband
Today, BT and FON have announced that BT home broadband users will be able to share their DSL connections and become Foneros. In return, such users will be able to use any FON WiFi hotspot, anywhere in the world. The main focus will be a software upgrade of BT's existing...( more )
IanFogg | October 02, 2007, 04:20 PM
Skype's Voices Revalued
At the time of the acquisition (Voices not Eyeballs: Ebay Buys Skype) I wrote that Skype's purchase price was astonishing. This was, by the way, one of the reasons I drew the comparison between that 1990s metric of eyeballs and Skype's voices. Now that Skype is being written down, I...( more )
IanFogg | August 20, 2007, 03:35 PM
Skype: The words we've all been waiting for
Which of these phrases would be the better way to announce to Skype's users that the company had fixed the Skype network: "Take a deep breath. Skype is back to normal." "Skype is back to normal. The whole world can talk again." The former are the words that Skype used...( more )
IanFogg | August 17, 2007, 03:52 PM
Skype Continues to Choke
The new Skype is still struggling to take a breath, any breath, let alone "Take a deep breath" (current tagline). [I've never been especially convinced by, "Take a deep breath", and I don't buy the justification. I much preferred the original: "The whole world can talk for free". In English,...( more )
IanFogg | August 16, 2007, 02:53 PM
Skype Network Problems
The Skype network is experiencing major problems today, apparently it's a software problem. Effect: Many people, including me, can't log-on to Skype and so can't access voicemail, make or receive calls, or send text messages. Like the recent RIM network problem, the important piece here is less that Skype has...( more )
IanFogg | August 16, 2007, 11:57 AM
Truth, Lies and Broadband, Part 1: 'Cable'
This is going to be the first in a few entries on ISPs' wild and confusing claims for their broadband service.... First up are the European cable companies that are jumping on the fibre bandwagon and implying that their service is similar/the same as the fibre to the home (FTTH)...( more )
IanFogg | August 13, 2007, 12:31 PM
iPlayer Causes ISP Net Neutrality Backlash in UK
Ms Turner [CEO, Tiscali UK] said that unless they could agree a strategy with the BBC to share network costs, Tiscali would have to restrict users’ access to the iPlayer. A senior insider at BT added: "It is certainly a live debate between ISPs [internet service providers] and the BBC....( more )
IanFogg | August 08, 2007, 11:10 AM
Virgin Media: Does Quadruple Play Increase Churn?
Virgin Media's quadruple play of tv, broadband, home telephony and mobile has had tremendous industry expectations placed upon it, especially from US-based investors and companies. Unusually, Virgin Media also operates off-net -- outside the coverage of its cable network -- where it delivers DSL broadband and CPS telephony today, and...( more )
IanFogg | July 23, 2007, 06:43 PM
OLPC - One Laptop Per Child
The BBC has a great article on Nicholas Negroponte's one laptop per child project, or as he persuasively argues: his "education project" (but then perhaps they should choose a different project name as OLPC rather hurts the message). Best wishes to the project for trying something so different. I hope...( more )
IanFogg | July 11, 2007, 05:48 PM
The Satellite Triple Play: Sky Results
There's an assumption I encounter regularly in Europe -- typically from US-based folks -- that while cable is weak here now, cable will win out in the long run; that cable is the natural broadband winner and delivers better quality than DSL; and that triple plays and multiplays are something...( more )
IanFogg | July 10, 2007, 03:10 PM
Dial-up is slower than it was
OK, so the title is a tiny bit misleading. The spirit of the title is correct, if not the letter: Dial-up Internet access feels slower than it used to because web site designers are used to building for the broadband-connected majority. Page sizes on existing sites have crept up and...( more )
IanFogg | June 26, 2007, 03:50 PM
Whole Internet vs Mobile Internet vs Net Neutrality
Mobile operators want the marketing boost that the word “Internet” provides. They hope it’s the long sought panacea to ignite non-SMS mobile data revenues. So, many European operators are now beginning to push open access Internet packages. They are, in effect, becoming mobile ISPs. Unlike home ISPs, mobile operators are...( more )
IanFogg | June 21, 2007, 06:31 PM
Project Kangaroo Goes Over-The-Top
I'm fascinated by the name of the new initiative by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 etc. to distribute TV programmes across the Internet using a common platform (there are existing separate approaches by Channel 4, Sky and ITV as well as a long-heralded launch due from the BBC). Was the...( more )
IanFogg | June 14, 2007, 11:47 AM
Broadband Quality
How much worse does broadband have to get? Here's the dilemma I wrote about last year (and also here). ISPs need to get together and sort this or everyone loses out: lower per customer broadband revenues for ISPs, unhappy consumers, plus hostile articles in the press or on consumer affairs...( more )
IanFogg | May 23, 2007, 10:43 AM
Connectivity Ironies at a WiMAX/WiFi Conference
I'm listening to Sprint-Nextel's 4G president talking about their WiMAX deployment, at the the Wireless Event in London. He's arguing, with some justfication, that WiMAX is best optimised for data connections and has tremendously more capacity than cellular. The event covers both WiFi and WiMAX. However, I'm posting this from...( more )
David Schatsky | May 18, 2007, 08:12 AM
Is a Cyber Attack an Act of War?
The recent "cyber attacks" on Estonia raise a fascinating question: when is a cyber attack an act of war? As reported today in the Wall Street Journal, denial-of-service attacks "crippled Web sites operated by Estonian government ministries, banks, media outlets and other companies." The Estonian government is reported to have...( more )
IanFogg | May 10, 2007, 12:38 PM
ISP Challenges for Joost, Babelgum etc.
Virgin Media, the largest UK cable ISP, have announced a tight peak time usage policy: "Virgin have announced that at peak times from 4pm to midnight, those users will find their speeds will be 'moderated' (i.e. slowed down). The extent of the traffic management will depend on which package you're...( more )
IanFogg | April 19, 2007, 12:34 PM
Blackberry Cold Turkey Learnings
Background: the north American Blackberry system went down, and so no users could receive or send emails on their always-on email system. RIM/Blackberry fixed it within a day. This was/is big news as users expected the system to be always-on. They relied upon it: hence its nickname of 'crackberry'. But...( more )
IanFogg | April 17, 2007, 03:13 PM
1 Year On: Carphone Warehouse CEO Apologises
One year on from Carphone's "free broadband" launch, the CEO apologises: "I wish I knew a year ago what I know now, we could have saved ourselves and our customers much stress." and: "Thank you again to everyone who took the plunge at the beginning, sorry if we caused you...( more )
IanFogg | April 11, 2007, 12:27 PM
When blogs die
I agree, I wish James all the best and hope his blog will re-start in the near future. [Posted from my personal laptop from the Jupiter London office, connected to my 3.5g mobile phone on a T-Mobile Web 'n' Walk subscription]...( more )
IanFogg | March 29, 2007, 03:07 PM
TeliaSonera Goes FTTx
Today's news is for new builds only, in Sweden, and with one specific construction firm. This is the low hanging fruit of FTTx roll outs. If an operator is digging up streets or accessing ducting it's almost as easy to use fibre as copper. The harder business case is for...( more )
IanFogg | March 27, 2007, 11:55 AM
How Apple TV Will Impact Operators
Operators must view the new Apple TV box as a platform and not a single product. Already, Apple offers on demand TV downloads at slightly below standard definition broadcast quality. The version 1 Apple TV box hardware is capable of HDTV quality complete with HDMI output: it must be a...( more )
IanFogg | March 22, 2007, 12:54 PM
UK Regulator Ofcom NOT Neutral on Net Neutrality
On Tuesday, the net neutrality debate arrived at the UK's seat of government. The debate centred on the industry view, not consumers (unlike Jupiter's recent report), but was revealing nevertheless. Despite the headlines of many articles I've read, Ofcom does not rule out action. It just believes, rightly, that new...( more )
IanFogg | March 14, 2007, 03:17 PM
Building Business Cases for Fibre and VDSL2
As the results season draws to a close, it's clear all the major European operators are grappling with: 1. When to invest in new broadband infrastructure and how fast. 2. Whether to invest extremely heavily in fibre to the home (FTTH) or to the building, or whether to invest less...( more )
IanFogg | March 12, 2007, 11:02 AM
IPTV & Fibre Pioneer Fastweb Bought by Swisscom
Swisscom intends to acquire Fastweb. There are tremendous potential implications for this offer. I'll split my first takes into the benefits for Swisscom, and the impact on the Italian market. Swisscom: Swisscom gains an experienced competitive unbundled local loop and fibre operator. This will help Swisscom understand future unbundled threats...( more )
IanFogg | February 22, 2007, 03:16 PM
More On Broadband Speeds: UK Data
Recently re-named Thinkbroadband, formerly ADSLGuide, has just published a collation of its UK speed test data. This is a good first step in providing comparison across providers (ISPs), however, this data needs to be treated with a little care: Mix of each ISPs' customer base. Some ISPs have a greater...( more )
IanFogg | February 19, 2007, 02:40 PM
Broadband is Not Universally Fast
Interesting data on actual end user broadband speeds in this Australian government report. On these figures, 62 percent of consumers connected at 512Kbps or slower, and a staggering 42 percent 'enjoyed' under 256Kbps, at the end of September 2006. The impact, for online video services and other emerging broadband applications...( more )
IanFogg | February 08, 2007, 09:18 AM
Virgin Media Quad Play
Virgin Media launches today. It's the new brand name for UK cable operators ntl and Telewest, as well as MVNO Virgin Mobile. To succeed the company must re-position UK cable as an exciting, innovative player with a reputation for good customer service. They must move cable away from marketing bundles...( more )
Thomas Husson | December 18, 2006, 12:11 PM
A 4th 3G player on the French market?
Last week, the Court of Appeal approved the initial decision of the “Conseil de la Concurrence” (an administrative authority in charge of competition’s regulation) and confirmed Orange, SFR and Bouygues would have to pay respectively 256, 220 and 58 million euros due to collusion. French prices should thus be higher...( more )
Thomas Husson | December 15, 2006, 12:03 PM
FT/ORANGE Analyst Day
I attended today’s analyst day from France Telecom / Orange. The event was essentially targeted at the financial community focusing on financial guidances, network optimization and cost reductions (17,000 net headcount reduction worldwide between 2006 and 2008). Beyond that, here are some interesting points when looking at the growing side...( more )
IanFogg | December 15, 2006, 10:40 AM
Sumoband / Orange's Fibre to the Home
Orange, as expected, has announced an acceleration of their FTTH plans for France. Although, they take a less comparative, but equally accurate, line in their news release: "Early stage deployment..." In part, this is in response to Free's fibre announcement earlier this year. The series of briefings is continuing as...( more )
IanFogg | December 04, 2006, 02:22 PM
BT's Broadband Vision
Today's IPTV announcements are not about today, or about tomorrow. This is BT positioning for the medium and long term. BT knows it must resist downward pressure in broadband prices, which we forecast earlier this year will continue. BT's Total Broadband is the response and BT Vision is a major...( more )
IanFogg | December 04, 2006, 01:27 PM
Vodafone Vision
Well, not quite. The new BT Vision IPTV service is to be retailed by Vodafone to Vodafone UK's broadband customers. However, the IPTV part will use the BT brand. So, Vodafone's asset light approach, is still allowing the launch of both a competitively-priced broadband/home phone bundle and the option of...( more )
IanFogg | November 17, 2006, 04:52 AM
Skype Mobile Finally Launches With Free Voice Calls
Skype's new mobile client is completely different to its previous handheld efforts. Skype on 3 delivers free calls to, or from, any Skype user, anywhere in the world. One user may be on a compatible 3 mobile handset the other can be on a PC. The mobile end of the...( more )
IanFogg | November 16, 2006, 04:02 PM
3 U-Turns with X-Series; AOL MIA
Mobile operator 3, announced today a final break with its original strategy: today there was no mention of a fully walled garden and a per event charging model for media content downloads and viewing email messages. 3 announced that the X-Series line will: "...offer mobile Internet services free at the...( more )
IanFogg | October 20, 2006, 12:38 PM
Eircom Goes WiMAX
As we forecast they would earlier this year, Irish operators like Eircom are now using WiMAX to expand their broadband coverage. Elsewhere, we see fixed WiMAX usage in niches, like this current Milton Keynes initiative in the UK. The town has unusually challenging conditions for DSL (very long loops due...( more )
IanFogg | October 11, 2006, 12:05 PM
AOL Sells UK Access Business to Carphone Warehouse
CPW is a much more natural fit than Sky as a buyer for AOL UK's Internet access business. This is a similar combination to Neuf's purchase of AOL France. CPW gains: - AOL expertise in running an ISP. - AOL's LLU network. - AOL's c1.4m broadband customer base. - Help...( more )
IanFogg | September 18, 2006, 02:35 PM
Telecom Italia Buys AOL Germany
Telecom Italia buys AOL's German access business. Telecom Italia is continuing its expansion in foreign markets. Points of note: - AOL Germany had been fairly successful in broadband: AOL had 1.1 million DSL broadband customers, plus 1.3 million dial-up customers, or a 46 percent broadband access penetration across its subscriber...( more )
IanFogg | September 18, 2006, 02:21 PM
Vodafone-Fastweb Deal
More pragmaticism from Vodafone as it lines up with leading Italian broadband player Fastweb. This is an asset light approach from Vodafone, like the previous UK BT-Vodafone broadband announcement, where Vodafone secured wholesale DSL service from BT. However, this still demonstrates Vodafone's pragmatic adaptation to local market conditions. Here, rather...( more )
IanFogg | September 11, 2006, 05:55 PM
Free FTTH Transforms the Landscape
Today Free announced it would build a fibre to the home network in France, launching early 2007, with an investment of Euro 1 Billion up to 2012. Initial Thoughts: Wholesale FTTH scale play- By offering wholesale FTTH, Free aims to gain economies of scale, and head off other ISPs from...( more )
IanFogg | September 11, 2006, 01:01 PM
Vodafone's DSL is Not a "Me too" Approach
Today Vodafone announced heads of agreement with BT Wholesale to offer broadband services in the UK. This isn't a "me too" offer, although mobile competitors Orange, Virgin and O2 have previously shown their hand. Vodafone is clearly aware of how fierce competition in the UK broadband market has become and...( more )
IanFogg | August 16, 2006, 03:11 PM
Sartorial Slingboxes: Viasat Launch
Yesterday, the Slingbox launched in Sweden, but in an extremely interesting development it's being sold by leading satellite TV operator Viasat under the name Viasat Everywhere. So, rather than Sling threatening the pay TV market, Viasat is looking to add additional value for their pay TV customers by offering Slingboxes...( more )
IanFogg | August 10, 2006, 04:24 PM
"DSL usage prices trend towards €0"
This isn't my quote, but it's from Deutsche Telekom, in their H1 results presentation: "All business lines affected by changed market assumptions. Fixed-line: - Bundled tariff price decline 30% in H1 2006. - DSL usage prices trend towards €0 from €29.95 in H1 2005. Mobile: - Predicted market growth over...( more )
IanFogg | August 09, 2006, 06:34 PM
AOL European Strategy. It's Different Over Here.
I've written about AOL's ISP sale before. This post just adds a few additional thoughts. AOL is getting out of access in Europe for the opposite reason to the US. In the US, it's too hard to be a broadband ISP; in Europe, it's too easy. In most of Europe...( more )
IanFogg | July 31, 2006, 12:18 PM
ISPs Are All Prisoners. Their Marketing Dilemma.
European ISPs are stretching the usage of words such as "free" or "unlimited" or "up to 8Mbps" in their marketing to gain (a brief period of) competitive advantage to acquire new customers. Even this temporary advantage will only be realised if that ISP's competitors don't immediately adopt the same tactics....( more )
IanFogg | July 27, 2006, 11:59 AM
The Mis-selling of Up to 8Mbps Broadband
[update 6.02pm 27/7] This isn't intended to be an attack on BT Wholesale. The issue here is about clarity and transparency in marketing broadband and is one *everyone* in the industry needs to tackle. More tomorrow. Back in March BT Wholesale launched the line max services that offer speeds theoretically...( more )
Thomas Husson | July 25, 2006, 03:20 AM
Do Not Change Anything
Those who are regular readers of this blog know I have been complaining about FREE, the French alternative ISP. I know the LLU procedure is complex and the quality of service not that bad even if my WIFI network is down again and if ADSL TV does not work systematically....( more )
IanFogg | July 18, 2006, 09:31 PM
Sky Falls on UK ISPs
Today dominant satellite TV operator, Sky, announced its DSL broadband offer. This is based on the unbundled local loop network of Easynet, which Sky bought last autumn. This offer is the direct result of a regulator, Ofcom, that has encouraged different providers to challenge the incumbent telecoms company; US readers...( more )
Thomas Husson | July 07, 2006, 03:07 AM
Will FREE become a MVNO?
There are rumors that Free (ILIAD), the French ISP, could launch a MVNO. Not really surprising given the fact that all stakeholders are contemplating the issue and that it would obviously make sense for an alternative operator promoting a multi-play strategy. Contrary to many players, they know about IP and...( more )
Thomas Husson | June 26, 2006, 11:20 AM
My Freebox experience
I have seen a lot of press coverage on how Free is being an innovative player in the French market, launching soon a dual WIFI/GSM phone (around 200 euros) to be used at home through their newly launched Freebox (v5). However, Free's main rival, 9 Cegetel, has already launched TWIN...( more )
IanFogg | June 20, 2006, 11:56 AM
Telefonica Give Be Broadband £50m Oxygen
Be is rather a good buy; Telefonica/O2 doesn't need to buy a larger ISP for a mere million new customers less overlaps (e.g. AOL, Tiscali), as they already have ten times that number on the O2 mobile service. What Telefoncia are buying into with Be is expertise and a broadband...( more )
Thomas Husson | June 15, 2006, 08:00 AM
Telia Sonera in Spain
Telia Sonera has announced to have increased its stake in Xfera to 80%. Xfera was awarded in 2000 the 4th Spanish 3G license but never rolled-out its UMTS network. Telia Sonera will thus launch its mobile activities in Spain under the existing license agreement. It sounds like the Spanish market...( more )
IanFogg | May 16, 2006, 06:40 PM
Skype's Free Calls European Impact
One thing this promotion isn't: "The whole world can talk for free" Skype's announcement of free outward calling to N American conventional telephone numbers for N American residents (only) signals the first major step to localised, or country specific, pricing. To date, Skype's single global tariff for telephone calls to...( more )
IanFogg | May 04, 2006, 12:16 PM
Skypecasts = Radio
Skypecasts are not about social networking or communities, although it's great marketing to latch on to one of the current Internet buzzwords to secure lots of coverage. The reasons: 1. Skypecasts are moderated group conversations and are not free-for-all chat. Therefore, the experience will be much closer to a radio...( more )
IanFogg | April 21, 2006, 10:19 AM
HD Freebox Impressions
French innovator Free is launching a new Freebox model (in French) available to new unbundled households or to existing customers as part of the renewal process. Unlike previous versions this is a two box solution, as we've previously advised ISPs (clients see here for specifics, otherwise go here for a...( more )
IanFogg | April 15, 2006, 12:47 PM
If AOL sells its French & German ISPs
The Telegraph reports that AOL is considering selling its broadband ISPs in France and Germany to focus on a content-led portal strategy. The reason for the decision point now is simple: broadband access revenues are declining (our forecast will be published very soon), the ISP markets are competitive, and the...( more )
IanFogg | April 11, 2006, 01:32 PM
"Free" Broadband, Forever Launch
Carphone Warehouse UK today launched a new bundled offer, which they are marketing under the headline of Free Broadband, Forever. The initial press coverage is reporting a "Broadband Price War" and is quite breathless. This is a major marketing success for Carphone, especially as free is not really free in...( more )
IanFogg | March 29, 2006, 06:47 PM
FT: "Over the top" hits Europe
And so the debate finally arrives in Europe. Some of Europe’s largest telecommunication operators want the power to levy new charges on internet companies such as Google to distribute their content over the internet. The operators argue that the move will help them recoup the billions of euros they are...( more )
IanFogg | February 24, 2006, 06:23 PM
Be - When unlimited DSL isn't
New entrant in the UK ISP market Be, is attempting to make waves with its LLU-based 24 Mbps ADSL2+ service. However, despite their main home product's name, Be Unlimited Home, it isn't, or at least not entirely. My interest was piqued by the new BT-based line max services which will...( more )
Thomas Husson | February 16, 2006, 10:32 AM
Back from 3GSM's pilgrimage
Pilgrims moved from Cannes to Barcelona and the congress growing attendance reflects several trends in the industry: larger presence of new entrants from Internet and media companies (MTV 1st) to fixed telecom suppliers (Cisco, Lucent,...), mobile operators being more discreet (T-Mobile and Orange's booth were large but outside the main...( more )
IanFogg | February 08, 2006, 02:56 AM
Attack-Defend-Exploit - KPN's Success
Over the last few years, KPN has done the unthinkable in broadband access, at least from the perspective of US cable companies: KPN has overtaken the strong entrenched cable players. KPN's results announcement today highlights the broadband, VoIP, video, mobile and brand challenges ahead. While KPN's initial strikes against cable...( more )
IanFogg | February 03, 2006, 01:17 PM
They Pay with Fixed VoIP
Thomas highlighted the new initiative from mobile operator 3, whereby users receive monetary rewards for every call or sms that they receive. In the fixed VoIP world, a similar model has even more radical implications. Clients should read this case study in the just published European Independent Internet Telephony VoIP...( more )
IanFogg | January 19, 2006, 05:28 PM
Om on France Telecom Fibre Broadband, Not Quite.
Om Malik's take on France Telecom's fibre plans would be appropriate for some of FT's European peers, but falls a little way off the mark for FT itself. Their intention is not as aggressive as Om speculates. What France Telecom announced earlier this week was the intention to trial fibre...( more )
IanFogg | January 19, 2006, 05:09 PM
The PAYG VoIP model: Tesco launches
The UK's largest retailer, Tesco, today launches VoIP. Tesco already operates an MVNO and sells DSL broadband (based like most UK DSL on wholesale packages from the incumbent, BT). For US readers, Tesco is the nearest equivalent here to Walmart. They are the retailer everyone else watches and operate an...( more )
IanFogg | January 16, 2006, 05:25 PM
Google Pack - What's in it for Google
Ignoring the obvious but shallow: "because they can" / it seemed a "really good idea" / to annoy Microsoft / and Larry Page aspired to command the stage at CES '06 in the way Steve Jobs has done many times over the years at Macworld.... Potential benefits to Google of...( more )
IanFogg | January 13, 2006, 11:16 AM
Openreach: Novel DSL Competition Structure
On Wednesday, Openreach held its launch event. Openreach is a new company within BT Group -- the UK incumbent telco -- and is charged with providing "equivalent" access for both BT Retail and other ISPs. Much of Openreach's focus is around delivering a competitive local loop unbundling market (LLU). Openreach...( more )
IanFogg | December 05, 2005, 05:03 PM
ntl/Virgin: More Multi-Play, not Quadruple Play
So, UK cable operator ntl plans to buy Virgin Mobile, a UK MVNO. Good analysis piece on BBC News. For ntl this could prove to be a major distraction. Post mergers, they will be operating a cable network, an ADSL ISP and now a mobile network that is based on...( more )
IanFogg | December 01, 2005, 03:23 PM
Subsidising Broadband Availability
This piece has a good summary of funding that the UK's BT has received to increase broadband availability in rural areas. This is one of the (many) areas where Europe has quite different broadband dynamics to other parts of the world....( more )
IanFogg | October 21, 2005, 03:27 PM
Sky-Easynet: Much More Than TV
BSkyB upped the ante today by purchasing LLU-owning broadband provider Easynet. This is much more than a TV play. Sky will use Easynet's LLU network to market Internet access offers and, in time, VoIP telephony services. With Easynet, Sky is able to hedge its bets on IPTV prospects and ensure...( more )
IanFogg | October 15, 2005, 06:15 AM
Lost in the Apple Flood #3: UK Broadband Speeds
PlusNet and Easynet announced that PlusNet will offer ADSL2+ services based on Easynet's DSL LLU infrastructure (in addition to their existing BT-Wholesale based products). ADSL2+ will deliver speeds of up to 20Mbps (perhaps even 24Mbps), provided that the copper line is good enough quality. BT Wholesale announced the next step...( more )
IanFogg | October 14, 2005, 05:13 PM
Lost in the Apple Flood #1: Liberty
Multi-country cable owner, Liberty Global increased its stake in Belgium's Telenet (pdf). Following Liberty's recent acquisitions of Switzerland's Cablecom, Ireland's Chorus and ntl (subject to competition authority approval), and of France's Noos last year. Who's next? ComHem? ntl/Telewest? AOL? (joking) European cable is consolidating and its no surprise that the...( more )
IanFogg | October 07, 2005, 10:43 AM
Telecom Italia's VoIP Cynicism on Economist Articles
So, it wasn't just me that thought the Economist's recent issue on VoIP was weak: they've just printed a letter from Telecom Italia's CEO expressing his concerns. He's right on two counts: mobile is both key and a key difference with the US, as Vonage has had to learn with...( more )
IanFogg | September 21, 2005, 02:08 PM
A Dead Phone Business - The Economist
Hype. For now. The leader article inside the magazine is a little more circumspect. It debates the 'how' and the 'when' but places any 'death' as a (certain) future event rather than something that has already happened. Either way, both cover and leader are misleading. What VoIP will do...( more )
IanFogg | September 14, 2005, 05:14 PM
"all calls will go to zero" - VoIP from Skype & others
"...we believe that all calls are going to zero. Meaning that, if I had a service where you’d have to pay for every email that you sent, and I was going to charge you more if the person you were sending an email to lived farther away, you’d think I...( more )
IanFogg | September 09, 2005, 10:31 AM
The Broadband Speed Surge in Spain
Proponents of wireless technology should be very careful when comparing their future solutions with current cable and DSL broadband services as fixed broadband speeds will rise. They are already surging forward with DSL2+ and cable, and soon with VDSL2, fibre and cable's DOCSIS3 too: "President of Telefonica, Julio Linares, forecast...( more )
IanFogg | September 08, 2005, 03:40 PM
Fastweb's Single Play Irony
Fastweb is one of the world's pioneers of IP TV and fibre to the home. Having moved to a DSL-based strategy in 2003, it's now tackling another sacred cow: the triple play. Fastweb is now launching a conventional single play broadband service (customer keeps their existing Telecom Italia phone): "Milan,...( more )
IanFogg | September 02, 2005, 11:29 AM
Wanadoo Orange
Should consumers want both Orange and Wanadoo? Ignoring for a moment, the imminent re-brand of Wanadoo to Orange... Orange UK's launch of bundled 2Mbps Wanadoo broadband for ukp9.99 is attractively priced, if contract conditions are ignored. The offer is more of a mobile play than one for broadband. Orange UK...( more )
IanFogg | August 08, 2005, 11:29 AM
Germany Drops LLU Prices to Foster DSL ISP competition
Germany is dropping the prices that a competitive DSL ISP must pay to unbundle a telephone line and offer service across an alternative infrastructure. This is the complete opposite of the FCC's approach in the US (see Kiss Wholesale DSL Goodbye), but is an increasingly common approach in Europe's competitive...( more )
IanFogg | August 08, 2005, 10:35 AM
DSL Update
My home DSL was restored on Thursday am, after three days with no connection following an attempted speed regrade (see here and here). In the end, the initial problem was unrelated to the new line speed. However, the restored DSL was running at the new higher speed with some line...( more )
IanFogg | August 03, 2005, 10:22 AM
Offline Day 3
No DSL again this morning. Still no information from BT Wholesale on how the speed re-grade process operates, and the implications for the upcoming 8Mbps roll out and effect of the new Access Services division. Demon support have changed their explanations this morning: - They are able to raise a...( more )
IanFogg | August 02, 2005, 05:44 PM
DSL Cold Turkey
Yesterday, I woke up to find my home DSL not working. Today, as of 5.15pm, it is still not working. I decided to wait until today before posting to give the companies concerned a chance to explain what had happened. My ISP, Demon, had joined the BT Wholesale programme to...( more )
IanFogg | August 02, 2005, 12:27 PM
Brave Move from PlusNet
Independent ISP PlusNet has announced 8Mbps product pricing early; the services are based on new BT Wholesale IP Stream products that are still in trial. While the timing will generate headlines, it gives competitors time to respond with counter offers ahead of the availability of the services. Details: Product Speed...( more )
IanFogg | July 13, 2005, 03:03 PM
More Ofcom: Broadband Confusion on Connections vs Households
The BBC's story on Ofcom's Communications Report makes an easy to make mistake. The article talks about 'broadband connections' as if they are the same as 'broadband households' which they are not. The fault here is not the BBC's. Ofcom is taking the view that ADSL connections and cable broadband...( more )
IanFogg | July 13, 2005, 12:13 PM
New Platforms, not Converged Platforms
UK regulator Ofcom has just published its latest review of the 'Communications Market' in the UK. Like many public sector documents it's a little mixed in quality and especially perspective, and it's very very long (195 pages). "Platform convergence began in earnest in 2004. Consumers can now use their broadband...( more )
IanFogg | July 11, 2005, 09:49 AM
Super Size Me Broadband
LLU broadband provider, Bulldog, are now advertising 'Super size me broadand' in their online adverts, to emphasise their (up to) 8Mbps service. This contrasts with BT's current DSL wholesale services which offer a maximum of 2Mbps ADSL. While the super size me advert isn't on Bulldog's website , they do...( more )
IanFogg | May 31, 2005, 06:17 PM
Effect of Wi-Fi Usage on Coffee and the Church
Two rather different stories: The Financial Times reports that US coffee shops are limiting the hours that WiFi is available, as it spoils the atmosphere and turns everyone into zombies... "There are times when 90 per cent of the people in here are surfing the internet," says Jen Strongin, co-owner...( more )
IanFogg | April 29, 2005, 04:36 AM
Ubiquitous Play, Not Triple Play
Fixed triple plays of broadband, voice and TV may be back in fashion with the launch of DSL-based IP TV offers and VoIP in Europe. But is a mobile-fixed play a better option? Must providers wait for availability of combined wifi-cellular mobile phones before launching? The answers are 'yes' and...( more )
IanFogg | April 22, 2005, 03:47 PM
Laser broadband
Regularly, I'm asked by clients about the business models and merits of different last mile broadband technologies, such as powerline, wireless including WiMax, satellite, fibre, DSL2+, VDSL2, Docsis2 etc. etc. But no one ever asks me about lasers (!), which is a shame. One reason is below, from an email...( more )
IanFogg | April 01, 2005, 02:32 PM
The Three C's of the Digital Home
Intel's view of the digital home is, as you'd expect, very PC centric with its emphasis on 'computing' alongside 'content' and 'communications' (although 'productivity' or 'organising' are probably better terms than 'computing'). Either way, Intel is not neglecting content. Intel are partnering with Bertelsmann to make it easier to deliver...( more )
IanFogg | March 31, 2005, 03:44 PM
Fibre Triple Plays in Austria
Telekom Austria announces a fibre to the home trial. Key points are that this is still just a trial -- it doesn't replace their fast growing copper/DSL services -- and that it relies on public sector involvement. This is a theme that we'll be picking up in an imminent European...( more )
IanFogg | March 03, 2005, 05:25 PM
Broadband TV and PC Tax Fallacies
Yesterday's Green paper on the future of the BBC has created a storm of scare stories about the need to tax PC ownership, as well as television sets, to financially support the BBC. Read this one from today's Times. However, these arguments miss the point. Broadband TV is no more...( more )
IanFogg | February 09, 2005, 10:44 PM
"512Kbps is not broadband"
While Smart Telecom's CEO contends that rival Eircom's product, "at 512Kbps is not broadband", most will agree to differ. At Jupiter we would: Eircom's DSL is fast, always-on, and doesn't block the telephone line. However, it's yet another indication that broadband is changing. Speeds are rising dramatically. Metered services continue...( more )
IanFogg | February 04, 2005, 04:12 PM
PAYG Broadband: 4Mbps & 400 minutes free. Will it work?
Read our full take, with UK and European consumer data on interest levels: Consumer Broadband Acquisition Drivers Comparison of Consumers' Motivations, 2002 and 2004 Concept Report, January 25, 2005 Crafting a Cheap and Attractive Broadband Entry Tier Will Europeans Tolerate Data Capacity Limits? Concept Report, January 16, 2004 Bottom line:...( more )
IanFogg | December 14, 2004, 04:32 PM
Team France's Away Game
Continuing my Francophone theme... Wanadoo UK announced Monday that it has placed orders to unbundle local loops in the UK. Wanadoo is France Telecom owned and until last summer operated under the Freeserve brand. For UK consumers, this is great news. Unlike Wanadoo France, which as part of the historic...( more )
IanFogg | December 14, 2004, 04:14 PM
Free ups the stakes: HDTV over IP demo
With France Telecom reacting to Free's ADSL2+ announcement , what next for Free? Well, hows HDTV over DSL? For the moment, it's in effect a limited trial, but it's indicative of continued vibrant infrastructure competition in France. However, are Europeans interested in HDTV? Or should Free be prioritising VOD? Come...( more )
IanFogg | December 09, 2004, 10:49 AM
ADSL2+ Teething
France Telecom's ADSL2+ announcement highlights how quickly speeds are rising . 18Mbps to the home now available in Paris in response to Free's previous ADSL2+ launch. A few interesting notes... Users must connect with the Livebox - the multifunction home gateway.To enjoy the full speed they advise wired/ethernet home networking,...( more )
IanFogg | December 06, 2004, 06:10 PM
'Le Blog' - The Art of Regulation
The French regulator has just launched its own blog, see ART - Le Blog. Initial topics include: discussion on the extent of alternate operators' DSL infrastructure through local loop unbundling -- so called 'grey zones' -- and the longer term effect on rural areas. This is surely the first telecoms...( more )
IanFogg | November 24, 2004, 01:06 PM
What's Good About Steam Broadband Game Distribution
Last week saw the release of Valve Software's Half Life 2 on the broadband distribution system called Steam as well as in store. While there has been lots of copy written reporting the day one teething problems, few people have pointed to the clear European consumer benefits from buying the...( more )
IanFogg | November 09, 2004, 03:46 PM
Another Cable Co Moves into DSL
Following ntl's comments in September, another major European cable company moves into DSL. UPC Netherlands trials DSL for access and VoIP telephony. For a cable company, DSL's ubiquity is an important attraction. DSL is reaching near universal geographic coverage and enables UPC to offer products outside its traditional cable franchise...( more )
IanFogg | November 01, 2004, 10:04 AM
VoIP is not another ZapMail
While this Zapmail write-up is an interesting comparison between Fedex's fax service in the early 80s and VoIP, the parallels do not hold: Customers expect basic call quality. The mp3 comparison is not the issue - in fact VoIP can deliver better sound than PSTN or GSM - it's the...( more )
IanFogg | September 22, 2004, 07:04 PM
'DSL is More Cost Effective', UK Cable Co ntl
"Simon Duffy, NTL chief executive, said that made it much more cost-effective for the group to expand its customer reach through local loop unbundling than by rolling out its own cable network." Financial Times Clearly, this is closely tied to BT's announcement of major LLU price drops and the rampant...( more )
IanFogg | September 06, 2004, 11:58 AM
VoIP Goes Geographic & Power Free
The UK regulator, Ofcom, has made a major announcement on voice over IP telephony (VoIP) that opens the way to mainstream services. Key points:Geographic numbers are now possible. Unlike Ofcom's previous proposal, which prescribed a new non-geographic number, this opens up the value proposition around VoIP and allows Vonage-type offers....( more )
IanFogg | September 01, 2004, 06:04 PM
"designed by children so adults can understand it"
Leading UK supermarket Tesco have launched their broadband access product. I love the above quote from the zdnet article. I can't make up my mind whether it's best read as children are smarter than adults, they're the real Internet experts, and so they can make the best broadband service or...( more )
IanFogg | August 20, 2004, 05:27 PM
Will XP SP2 Drive Broadband Migration?
[updated] The new Windows XP service pack switches strongly encourages users to switch the automatic download of Windows updates to 'on'. For broadband users, this background activity will make little difference to the speed of their connection and their overall online experience. However, for dial-up users, it could be a...( more )
IanFogg | June 25, 2004, 08:59 PM
Plan A Flexible Broadband Future
Not again? When organisations make long term strategic plans about technology I'm always nervous. I think of all the HFC laid by UK cable companies in the late eighties and early 90s, that had to be expensively upgraded. I think of the isdn lines, that have now been overtaken by...( more )
IanFogg | May 05, 2004, 05:29 PM
German Cable Starts the Recovery
Finally, Germany's cable market looks to be improving with Kabel Deutschland's acquisitons and infrastructure investment announcement. However, the best prospects are on the digital TV side rather than for cable broadband. The simple reason: DSL has both an enormous head start and real momentum in high speed access. By contrast,...( more )
IanFogg | April 13, 2004, 06:07 PM
"Tiny Estonia Leads Internet Revolution"
See this BBC news item on Estonia's Internet adoption. Well, the tone of the BBC article is more, "Estonia is more developed than we thought". I suggest taking a look at Slovenia too, and Hungary for broadband penetration. Or, just read Jupiter's take, see Central and Eastern Europe - Internet...( more )
IanFogg | April 05, 2004, 06:32 PM
Removing Barriers to Broadband
Innovative UK ISP Nildram has launched a new broadband option: move an existing Nildram broadband connection to a new home for free and with no down time. This neatly leverages DSL's high geographic coverage and will be hard for cable providers to match, due to lower per provider reach, unless...( more )
IanFogg | March 24, 2004, 05:43 PM
Broadband Will Impact House Prices
Well, I haven't seen estate agents in the UK (real estate in US) list broadband availability on property details yet, as seen in the US, but I'm sure it will come. Broadband will be the main access method in European homes in the next few years, living without will be...( more )
IanFogg | March 12, 2004, 06:43 PM
Metered Low Tier Broadband Arrives in UK
So Tiscali follows BT and launches a value broadband product with metered elements. I've written on this area before on several occassions (see one, two, three). However, I would strongly suggest reading Jupiter's report on such metered products, which compares consumer attitudes to metering in different European countries. Tolerability levels...( more )
IanFogg | February 24, 2004, 03:55 AM
UK Broadband Will Transform
For UK journalists, goverment bodies and consumers obsessed with availability of 512Kbits broadband... | 