SK Telecom Reaches 24 Million Users, ARPU Edges Down

As of the end of 2009, SK Telecom was serving 24.25 million access lines, up by 5.3% compared to the end of 2008. Average revenue per user (ARPU) edged down by 1.3% to KRW 42,469 with the expansion of various discount plans.For the fourth quarter of 2009, the revenues increased by 3.1% quarter-on-quarter to mark KRW 3.1 trillion. Also compared to the same quarter last year, the operating income went down by 5.5% to stand at KRW 443.1 billion, while...

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EC Takes Action against France over "Telecoms Tax"

The European Commission launched a legal action against France relating to the "telecoms tax" on telecommunications operators that was introduced in March 2009. To offset the ending of advertising on public TV channels, France has introduced a specific tax on the turnover of telecommunications operators in connection with their licence to provide telecoms services (including Internet and mobile phone services). However, the Commission takes the view...

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EC Approves Telefónica O2's Acquisition of Hansenet

The European Commission has cleared the proposed acquisition of Hansenet Telekommunikation GmbH of Germany by Telefónica of Spain. The Commission concluded that the concentration would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it. Telefónica and Hansenet are not major competitors for each other in any of the relevant markets. Moreover, both the horizontal and the vertical relationships between the activities of Hansenet and Telefonica in Germany are limited and the combined firm...

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New EU Telecoms Regulator Begins

The new Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) officially commenced its activities with its first meeting in Brussels. BEREC was established by European Council and European Parliament as part of the new EU Telecoms rules that were adopted in December 2009. The new regulatory body is expected to play a key role in strengthening a single telecom market and consistent regulation across Europe. Already there are 12 fixed and...

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NTT DOCOMO at 55 Million Users -- Nearly Flat for 2009

As of December 31, 2009, NTT DOCOMO was serving 55.44 million subscriber lines, up by 1.2 million compared with a year earlier. Churn for the quarter was 0.45%, roughly the same level as a year earlier. Due to the popularity of discount plans, aggregate ARPU during the quarter for cellular services (FOMA+mova) decreased 4.5% compared to a year earlier to Y5,470 (about US$60).The number of handsets sold during the quarter ending December 31 declined...

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AT&T Gives Update on Network Upgrade Programs

In its quarterly financial call last week, AT&T executives gave a progress report on the company's network upgrade programs. Some highlights of the call:In 2009, AT&T added 1,900 new cell sites, more than 100,000 new circuits for backhaul, four times our 2008 total. The composite quality index for voice on the wireless network was up 22% in 2009. Data throughput increased more than 19% during the past year. 3G block calls were down 25%....

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FCC's McDowell on Broadband Plan: "First, Do No Harm"

For over three decades now, it has been the bipartisan policy of the U.S. Government to keep information services lightly regulated, said FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell, delivering the Free State Foundation Keynote at the National Press Club. The proliferation of broadband and mobile communication technologies has come about, he said, because of a competitive, free market and not because they were mandated by some government authority.In looking ahead to the National Broadband Plan, which the FCC will present to Congress in March, McDowell said...

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Thomson Changes Name to Technicolor

Thomson has changed its name to Technicolor. Shares in the Paris-based company will trade on NYSE Euronext Paris under the Technicolor symbol (TCH). Technicolor's mission is to be a provider of production, postproduction, and distribution services to content creators, network service providers and broadcasters. The company is one of the world's largest film processors; the largest independent manufacturer and distributor of DVDs (including Blu-ray...

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