Tag Archive for ‘Europe’ at LIRNEasia

Tag Archive for 'Europe'

LIRNEasia’s Mobile Benchmarks (South Asia and Southeast Asia) and Broadband Benchmarks Report for October 2008 has been released. Click HERE for more information.

Mobile broadband to soar in Asia: GSMA

Chanuka Wattegama

on November 11, 2008

The number of subscribers to High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) services - a technology that enables broadband access on mobile phones and other computing devices - will more than double next year in Asia, according to a forecast by telco industry group GSM Association (GSMA).

In an interview with BizIT, Jaikishan Rajaraman, GSMA director of product and service development, said the number of users in Asia subscribing to HSPA will swell from 26.5 million to 53.5 million over the next 12 months. Fuelling this trend are soaring demand from both businesses and consumers, coupled with falling prices of mobile broadband services, he said. This trend is expected to be mirrored in other parts of the world, including Europe and the US.

In August, GSMA - a global…

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Tags: Asia, Australia, Broadband, broadband access, cellular telephone, Europe, GSM Association, Indonesia, Jaikishan Rajaraman, Japan, Malaysia, mobile broadband services, mobile phones, South Korea, Sri Lanka, telco industry group, United States.

Net neutrality can raise broadband prices

Chanuka Wattegama

on October 22, 2008

Broadband prices could rise by up to one-third if regulators in Europe insist on strict “net neutrality” rules that would block carriers from charging content providers premium prices to prioritise certain web traffic, a leading think-tank is set to warn.

Net neutrality has become a big issue in the US as internet congestion has increased. In Europe, regulators and industry players have claimed that the situation is different because users have more choice of network providers, and the debate has been more muted.

However, there have been growing concern among big telecoms companies that changes introduced in the European Parliament into the so-called telecoms package – the sweeping legislation which is designed to overhaul European Union telecoms laws – could open doors to net neutrality regulation in…

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Tags: Broadband, Europe, European Parliament, European Union, Financial Times, internet congestion, net neutrality, United States, web traffic.

Over 500m new mobile subs in Asia’s emerging economies-report

Ayesha Zainudeen

on August 26, 2008

Aug 26, 2008, telecomasia.net

Asia’s emerging markets, comprising eight nations, are expected to see mobile subscriber net gains of 573 million by end-2012, breaching the one billion mark to close the year at an estimated 1.06 billion subscribers, a report from research firm Frost & Sullivan said.

In 2007, these emerging markets were home to some 487 million mobile users, accounting for 37.1% of Asia-Pacific’s total mobile subscriber base, the report said.

The report also said the mobile services sector in eight emerging Asia-Pac countries (excluding China) earned revenues of $33.27 billion in 2007. This is predicted to reach $61.35 billion by end-2013, at a CAGR of 10.7% (2007-2013).

Growing at a CAGR of 15.1% (2007-2013), the mobile subscriber base is expected to hit 1.13 billion by end-2013 to…

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Tags: Americas, Asia, Asia-Pacific, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Europe, Frost & Sullivan, India, Indonesia, Jeff Teh, Laos, Pakistan, prepaid services, Sri Lanka, USD, Vietnam.

Europe mobile phone operators warn that price caps hinder investment

Chanuka Wattegama

on July 3, 2008

Europe’s mobile phone industry will today mount a last-ditch effort to ward off strict price caps on text messages and data downloads within the EU by warning that heavy regulation is cutting capital spending and profit margins.

With Viviane Reding, EU telecoms commissioner, poised to propose a new round of price caps this month, mobile operators claim their capital spending has already slipped from 13% of revenues in 2005 to 11% last year - and could fall further.

The GSM Association - the global trade body representing more than 750 GSM mobile phone operators - citing data from a study by management consultants, says the industry’s return on capital employed was as low as 7% in 2007 or less than half that of other significant sectors such…

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Tags: cellular telephone, Europe, European Union, GSM, GSM Association, steel, The Guardian, Viviane Reding.

EU Telecom ministers dismiss plan for central regulatory body

Chanuka Wattegama

on June 13, 2008

The 27 telecommunication ministers of the European Union unanimously dismissed Commissioner Viviane Reding’s plans to create a powerful central telecom regulatory body at a meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday.

They were more supportive of other elements of her reform plans, including the functional separation punishment with which she wants to threaten former telecom monopolies. They also backed her latest idea: to issue guidelines for the telecom industry on ensuring a fair return on investment and sharing of next-generation telecom infrastructure.

Reding’s vision of a single European regulator was laid down last year in her proposals for reforming Europe’s telecom laws. Initially, her plan was presented as a European equivalent of the powerful U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Read the full story in “Network World’ here.

…

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Tags: Europe, US Federal Communications Commission.

Watching TV thru Internet

Chanuka Wattegama

on May 6, 2008

NEARLY a third of Hong Kong’s households watch television via the internet, according to a new report from Telecommunications Management group, a consultancy. Because internet protocol television (IPTV) uses the same technology as that which links computer networks, smaller countries with high broadband penetration tend to have more subscribers. As well as plain old programmes, viewers can also enjoy other services such as on-demand video. So far, Europe accounts for over half of the world’s subscribers.

http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11318291

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Tags: Broadband, Europe, Hong Kong, Internet Protocol Television, IP, same technology.

Mobile market will decline, says Nokia

Chanuka Wattegama

on April 18, 2008

The world’s largest mobile phone company makes roughly two out of every five mobiles sold globally. It said it expected the number of phones sold to increase by 10%, from the 1.14bn phones sold last year. But the Finnish group explained that the overall value of the market would be lower than in 2007 thanks to the weak dollar, the economic slowdown in the US, and “some economic slowdown in Europe”. Shares in the company dropped 10%.

Nokia also expects the average price of mobile phones to decrease this year because of intense competition in mature markets. Nokia’s downbeat trading outlook came as its announced first-quarter results, which missed analysts’ forecasts. Profits for the three months to March were up 25% on last year to €1.2bn…

2 Comments
Tags: cellular telephone, EUR, Europe, GBP, mobile phones, United States.

Nokia’s new 3G Handset 6212 optimized for Mobile Payments

Chanuka Wattegama

on April 16, 2008

Nokia is positioning its new 6212 handset as a mobile payment device, with users storing credit card information on the device and accessing accounts online directly from the handset. The phone can be set to allow payment only after the user enters a secondary passcode to authorize it. Such e-payment options may require a service subscription with a carrier or merchant, as well as the installation of a secure payment application, Nokia said.

The Nokia 6212 classic will be available in the third quarter in parts of Europe and Asia; its estimated price is 200 euro or $316.

Read the full story in Informationweek here.

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Tags: 3G, Asia, e-payment, EUR, Europe, mobile payment device, USD.

EU Allows Mobile Phones on Airplanes

Nirmali Sivapragasam

on April 9, 2008

EU Allows Mobile Phones on Airplanes, ABC News

The European Union on Monday opened the way for air travelers to use mobile phones to talk, text or send e-mails on planes throughout Europe’s airspace.

Under the plan approved Monday, cell phone users could make and receive calls through an onboard base station. They will be allowed to turn their phones on after the plane reaches 10,000 feet, when other electronic devices such as portable music players and laptops are permitted.

But a host of issues remain, from the cost of mid-flight phone service, to backlash from those who dread the thought of being trapped for hours listening to one-sided conversations.

1 Comment
Tags: ABC, cellular telephone, electronic devices, Europe, European Union, mobile phones.

Huge growth seen for mobile broadband

Chanuka Wattegama

on April 9, 2008

Mobile broadband connections around the world have increased tenfold in the past year, with 32 million subscribers connected now, up from 3 million at the end of March 2007, according to the GSM Association.

The Association, which represents operators of GSM and 3G networks, says providers across Europe, Asia and North America are all reporting huge increases in the uptake of High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), with the uptake said to have increased by 44 per cent in the past 10 months.

It says the number of networks offering commercial mobile broadband services has risen sharply in the past year. Broadband on mobile phones is available in 73 countries from 166 operators, up from 96 networks commercially deployed in 3 countries.

Meanwhile the Global mobile Suppliers Association, which…

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Tags: 3G networks, Asia, Broadband, end user equipment, Europe, GSM, GSM Association, mobile broadband services, mobile phones, North America, Suppliers Association.

Europe in the lead of anti-trust law

Rohan Samarajiva

on February 28, 2008

Microsoft Gets Record Fine and a Rebuke From Europe - New York Times

The European antitrust regulator imposed a record $1.35 billion fine against Microsoft on Wednesday in a ruling intended to send a clear message to the world’s largest software maker — and to any other company — of the dangers of flouting Europe’s competition rulings. Neelie Kroes, Europe’s antitrust regulator, expressed irritation with Microsoft, saying it had not complied with a 2004 ruling.
Related
Times Topics: Microsoft Corporation

The size of the penalty, which surprised lawyers and legal experts, was a clear assertion of the power of the European Commission and its main antitrust regulator, Neelie Kroes, who is its competition commissioner. She has emerged from a lengthy legal battle with Microsoft as possibly the world’s most…

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Tags: anti-trust law, Europe, Europe - New York Times, European Commission, Microsoft Corporation, Neelie Kroes, software maker, USD.

Do farmers too benefit by keeping records?

Chanuka Wattegama

on February 24, 2008

You buy guavas from local superstore. They look fine, but when cut, you find worms inside. This is a common problem. These worms enter the product when it was only a flower and grow inside without showing any external signs. Superstore offers an apology, but no guarantee that you will not buy similar low quality products tomorrow. The supply chain is long and nobody is sure from where the stock comes from.

That is why ‘traceability’ matters. Food products are added more value by providing traceability information along with them.

Benefits of traceability to consumers are apparent. What about the rest? Do farmers too benefit?

These are some of the issues discussed at the two day workshop on Feb 21-22, on ‘Transaction Costs and Traceability: Potential of ICTs…

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Tags: Centre for Banking Studies, Europe, Food products, food safety, Harsha de Silva, similar low quality products, Thai government, Thailand.

LIRNEasia on opening plenary of Euro CPR

Rohan Samarajiva

on January 29, 2008

Monday 31 March

09:00 – 11:00

Opening session – Information society policies

Information society policies have been on the policy agenda in all countries and regions of the world since the beginning of the 1990s. The opening session of EuroCPR 2008 will explore important outcomes of policy initiatives and the similarities and differences between different regions of the world. For this purpose, speakers from Europe, Asia and the US have been invited to give their critical assessment of policy aims and results.

Speakers:

• Eli Noam, CITI, Columbia University

• Andrea Renda, CEPS

• Rohan Samarajiva, LIRNEasia

Discussant:
• Frans De Bruïne, ISC, formerly INFSO EC

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Tags: Andrea Renda, Asia, CITI, Columbia, Columbia University, Eli Noam, Europe, Rohan Samarajiva, United States.

Asian countries slide e-government rankings

Abu Saeed Khan

on January 14, 2008

A United Nations survey of global e-government readiness has found that many Asian countries are sliding down the rankings. Just one Asian country—South Korea—made the top ten coming in at sixth, with Japan next on 11th.

The next highest was Singapore at a surprisingly low 23rd, and Malaysia at 34th. The top 35 countries are otherwise dominated by Europe, Australasia and North America.

The biggest revelation was that most Asian countries are sliding down the rankings.
Singapore was the most prominent to fall from grace, falling to 22nd from seventh position in 2005. China fell to 65 from 57, India from 87 to 113, Thailand from 46 to 62, the Philippines from 41 to 66 and Indonesia from 96 to 106.

Other countries to slide included Maldives,…

32 Comments
Tags: Australasia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Denmark, e-government, Europe, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, North America, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand, the Philippines, United Nations, United States, Vietnam.

Opening the US mobile networks

Rohan Samarajiva

on November 28, 2007

Verizon Wireless to Open Its Network - New York Times

In a major shift for the mobile phone industry, Verizon Wireless said yesterday that it planned to give customers far more choice in what phones they could use on its network and how they use them.
While there are technical limitations involved, the company’s move could lead to an American wireless market that is more like those in Europe and Asia, where a carrier’s customers can use any compatible phone to easily reach a wide array of online services — and take their phones with them when they switch companies. The move, which surprised industry watchers because Verizon Wireless is known to be highly protective of its traditional business, is part of a larger shift in the…

1 Comment
Tags: Asia, cellular telephone, communications world, Europe, Its Network - New York Times, United States, Verizon Wireless, wireless market.

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