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Communications Markets
Bart Smallman, Analyst
Enabling an efficient and inclusive 2G ...

Many operators are yet to complete their 2G retirements, leaving cost efficiencies and economic benefits unrealised. Given the risks to the continuity of vital services, industry and policymakers must collaborate to balance ensuring a timely process with effective consumer protection.

Enabling an efficient and inclusive 2G switch-off

Where are we after 18 months of GDPR?

The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation is 18 months old. Governments of 19 EU countries made submissions to the European Council in preparation for the first review. They highlight some gaps in the legislation, with particular regard to cross-border cooperation and enforcement, monitoring of codes of conduct, and to the need for GDPR to retain a forward-looking view so that it does not stifle technological development.

Ofcom proposes ‘regulatory sandboxes’ for online markets

With the publication of a position paper on “Online market failures and harms”, the UK regulator Ofcom weighs in on the international debate on how to regulate tech companies. The paper identifies useful aspects for other regulators to consider, and suggests experimenting with remedies through ‘sandboxes’ before extending them to the wider market.

Telecoms operators are increasingly customer-centric

Telecoms operators are moving towards a model where the customer is at the centre of everything they do. This is primarily happening as a result of the industry adopting an omnichannel approach, ensuring that customers are able to get the full value from the services they consume.

The desire to facilitate consumer switching continues

Regulators have done extensive work to facilitate consumers’ ability to switch providers, to foster competition and consumer benefit. Yet switching is still seen as a pain point in some countries. In recent months, initiatives to help customers become proactive in choosing a new contract have taken place in the UK, Japan, and Germany.

The FTC has been the toughest on Facebook so far, but it may not be enough

The fine approved by the FTC against Facebook on 24 July 2019 amounts to almost $5bn.  It is far higher than any fine issued in the EU under GDPR so far, and could have been even higher, with Mark Zuckerberg also held personally accountable for the company’s conduct.

BEREC on wholesale access, roaming, and net neutrality

In the second plenary meeting of the year, which took place on 12–14 June in Ghent, Belgium – BEREC launched four new consultations to develop guidelines across a range of topics. Other significant developments included the adoption of a document on the response to the European Commission for the review of the Recommendation on Relevant Markets.

Countries around the world are going their own way on digital tax

Since the end of 2018, several governments around the world have put forward proposals for the introduction of a digital service tax in their respective countries. As digital services change the nature of business, governments see the tax as a way to overcome the challenges that these digital businesses create for the international corporate tax system.

UK Government aims to lead efforts in tackling online harm

The UK Government recently published a white paper with a broad set of proposals to tackle online harm. These include a new regulatory framework, to establish a duty of care for online companies for the first time, and the set-up of a specific regulator to enforce the new rules.