Highlights and Activities for Weeks 45 & 46

International News

1. Telecoms

a) Cullen International.  Roberto Viola (DG Connect, deputy director-general) told the members of the European Parliament Internal Market (IMCO) committee that the extent of harmonisation of consumer rights in the proposed Telecoms Single Market (TSM) regulation can be discussed. Read more… (subscription is required)

b)     European Parliament.  The IA does not define any concrete operational objectives. This makes ex post evaluation of the effect of the legislation, if implemented, very difficult. Furthermore, there is considerable confusion as to what the objective of the proposal actually is. Read more…

c)      Policy Tracker.  DG Connect's Head of Sector in its Spectrum Unit, Dr Peter Stuckmann, has defended the Commission's assessment of the impact of its latest telecoms reforms and outlined his views on spectrum policy in Europe. Read more... (subscription is required)

d)     EurActiv.  Article by Neelie Kroess: Europe must bring the single market to the digital world. Read more...

e)     Policy Tracker.  The European Parliament's Ex-Ante Impact Assessment Unit has questioned the European Commission's much-repeated claim that its proposals for the telecoms industry will increase economic output by €110 billion each year. Read more...

2. Spectrum

a) Financial Times.  A dashboard full of auto apps.  The Ford entertainment system in this new model of its hybrid sedan is just a taste of the internet-connected, in-car entertainment to come. Read more… (subscription may be required)

b) Policy Tracker.  The socialist MEP and veteran spectrum policy expert Catherine Trautmann chaired a meeting hosted by the European Forum for Spectrum Coexistence (EFSC) at the European Parliament this week. EFSC calls for improved spectrum coexistence. Read more… (subscription is required)

c) IT News.  Chinese professor builds Li-Fi system with retail parts. While Li-Fi is still in its early stages, the technology could provide an alternative to using radio waves for wireless Internet access. Read more…

d) Analysys Mason.  A single RAN strategy can offer double-digit savings for LTE deployment: a real TCO comparison. Read more…

e) CNN.  The safety hitch of electronics on plane. Most safety concerns focus on the effect of electronic interference to navigation systems, but in most of today's airliners, those concerns are minimal. Read more…

f) Global Telecoms Business.  Vodafone fails to meet UK 3G coverage conditions. Read more…

3. NGA / Broadband

a) Cullen International.  A majority in the European Parliament lead Industry (ITRE) committee appears to be in favour of a directive, rather than a directly binding regulation regarding the lowering of broadband deployment costs. Read more… (subscription is required)

b) AGCOM.  AGCOM issued a decision regarding the symmetric regulation of the termination segments of FTTH networks. Read more…

Read also the analytical article prepared by Cullen International (subscription is required)

c) Advanced Television.  Advisory body the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) has published a report suggesting average UK household needs 19 Mbps by 2023. Read more…

4. Internet

a) IT News.  Sending data in plain text just doesn't cut it in an age of abundant hack attacks and mass metadata collection. Some of the biggest names on the Web--Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc.--have already … Read more…

b) The Economist.  Besieged: Stung by revelations of ubiquitous surveillance and compromised software, the internet’s engineers and programmers ponder how to fight back. Read more…

5. E-Commerce

a) Cullen International.  EP lead and non-lead committees finalising contributions to the e-commerce delivery green paper. Read more… (subscription is required)

6. Post

a) Post & Parcel.  Royal Mail makes delivery notifications free on select parcel services. Read more…

b) Post & Parcel.  A stamp price rise, a booming German parcel business and double-digit growth in its DHL Express unit has helped drive earnings up by 7% at Deutsche Post DHL in the third quarter. Read more…

c) Post & Parcel.  With UK retailers seeing healthy double-digit growth in e-commerce sales abroad at the moment, more UK parcel carriers are strengthening their international services to cater to cross-border ambitions. Read more…

d) Post & Parcel.  Norway Post “well equipped” to handle loss of letters monopoly. Read more…

International Meetings

1. Create, Connect, Grow - ICT 2013 Conference: Our Manager, Information Society attended the ICT2013 event in Vilnius, which attracted European ICT professionals from industry, academia, research.  The event touch upon a range of issues including cloud computing, broadband, ICT infrastructures, ICT skills, cyber security, and the ICT visions for Europe.  The event was organised by the European Commission in partnership with the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the official sponsors of the Presidency.

2. Contact Network Meeting: Our External Relations Manager attended the BEREC Contact Network meeting which is held prior, and in preparation, to the meeting of the Heads of the European national regulatory authorities. During this meeting a number of issues, in particular, the BEREC Work Programme for 2014 and the new telecoms legislation proposed by the European Commission were discussed.

Publications

1. CONSULTATION – Revised price control mechanism and postal tariffs: The MCA is consulting on a revised price control mechanism and postal tariffs related to services provided by MaltaPost plc. The proposed approach seeks to minimise tariff increases that had been projected last year, which relate to certain products that have a social bearing.  As a result of this proposal, the local basic letter mail tariffs will remain stable, in the near to medium future.  The consultation also seeks to balance the interest of end-users whilst ensuring the continued financial sustainability of MaltaPost as the universal service provider. In light of emerging challenges facing the postal sector, certain price increases are deemed necessary to safeguard the provision of a quality postal service to end-users.  Consultation closes on Thursday, 12^th December. For more information on this consultation, click here. http://www.mca.org.mt/consultations/consultation-and-proposed-decision-price-control-mechanism-maltapost-plc-and-revised-0
2. CONSULTATION – Market review on the parcel post market:  The MCA has published proposed conclusions of the market review of the parcel post markets for consultation with stakeholders. The consultation period shall run until 16^th December. Click here for further information. http://www.mca.org.mt/consultations/market-review-postal-sector-parcel-post-markets-consultation

Legal Update

1. A sitting was held on 15th November  on the case of Vodafone (Malta) Ltd vs MCA. This case was adjourned for a final decision by the Court (constitutional jurisdiction). This case relates to a contention by Vodafone (Malta) that it was not given a fair hearing in 2000, when the then Telecommunications Regulator discussed mobile termination rates applicable between Vodafone and Go Mobile.