Apple under investigation for unfair competition in Russia

MOSCOW: Apple is under investigation in Russia following a complaint from cybersecurity company Kaspersky Lab and may be abusing its dominant position in smartphone apps, Russia's anti-monopoly watchdog said on Thursday.

Watchdog FAS said it was investigating why a new version of Kaspersky Lab's Safe Kids application had not been updated on the Apple operating system, resulting in a significant loss in functionality for the app.

It said Apple had released an updated version of its own app, Screen Time, which had similar functions to the Kaspersky programme.

The recent consolidation in the telecommunication space in India is a big opportunity for global tech giant IBM, and the company will look to leverage its acquisition of Red Hat to build more open source systems that are more efficient and can handle vast amounts of data as the world prepares for 5G rollouts, a senior executive said.
“There's no market on the planet which has gone through more consolidation than the Indian market in the last three years. So if there's a test case for how new architectural capabilities need to be implemented it would be India," said Steve Canepa, global industry managing director ( telecommunications, media and entertainment), IBM Global Markets.
Last year saw the consolidation of the domestic telecom market into three large private players — Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea. Together, the three account for more than 90 per cent of revenue. IBM has deals to manage IT infrastructure of both Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.
“With Bharti as an example, we recently announced a very strategic partnership around blockchain... (and) embracing blockchain and hyper ledger as a new technology that can enable ecosystems to collaborate, because data is secure and access to the same is done in such a way that you can only see information you’re entitled to see. So, it allows firms in the industry to collaborate when they might not otherwise collaborate,” Canepa said.
With the Vodafone-Idea merger, it is working on a model to help the two companies streamline their processes and get new services to market as a combined entity much more quickly. IBM is currently focusing on its IBM 2.0 strategy for cloud across the globe, which centres around the idea that in the first generation of cloud, only about 20 per cent of the major enterprises work.
Moving the most critical work that an organisation has onto the cloud has always been a big challenge, which is what IBM is trying to solve with its new plan.
“And, we see this as a representation of a true trillion-dollar market opportunity,” said Canepa. “This comes with some really different requirements than what happened in the first generation of cloud, which is why we’ve really pivoted our strategy to focus on creating what we call a hybrid multi cloud capability,” he added.
In order to achieve the scale, effective data management, and getting products and services to market more efficiently, IBM plans to leverage its acquisition of open source software company Red Hat, which it bought for $34 billion in late 2018.
With significant presence of both firms in India, Red Hat is likely to be used in a big way to execute open source projects, which allow for open architecture and better inter-operability between different kinds of software.
In India, according to Canepa, there is “kind of an emerging class of high-value consumers and enterprise services that are being put into the marketplace. So, there’s really a number of market forces and these require a highly efficient and agile platform,” which will be powered by IBM'’s Cloud 2.0 strategy.
A critical element of the Cloud 2.0 Strategy is IBM’s cognitive intelligence platform, Watson.
In India, he said, telecom networks are moving towards better digital engagement, in order to ensure a consistent omni channel experience and prepare enterprises to be hybrid cloud-ready. Thus, the telecom network is, in itself, becoming a cloud.
With telecom networks gearing up for deployment of 5G, or the fifth generation cellular network technology that provides much faster speed and the ability to make faster data-related decisions in real time.
Canepa said the open hybrid cloud capability will provide the base on which these fast systems are built because “the network is a cloud platform that can deploy both the IT and network services”.

China's telecom dominance a security challenge: UK's GCHQ

China's global dominance in telecommunications networks could pose security threats for decades, Britain's cybersecurity chief warned in a speech in Singapore on Monday.
As countries move to roll out ultra-fast fifth-generation -- 5G -- mobile networks, concerns are mounting that Beijing could use hardware provided by Chinese firms to spy on Western governments. 
"The strategic challenge of China's place in the era of globalised technology is much bigger than just one telecommunications equipment company... it's a first order strategic challenge for us all," the head of Britain's GCHQ cybersecurity agency Jeremy Fleming said. 
"It's a hugely complex strategic challenge which will span the next few decades... How we deal with it will be crucial for prosperity and security way beyond 5G contracts." 
In the last year, the United States has stepped up pressure on its allies to block Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from building their 5G networks, citing security concerns. 
While the company's presence has been severely restricted in the US, Australia and New Zealand, Britain has launched a security review, which is due to decide whether Huawei technology will be used in the UK's 5G network.  
Huawei executives in December met senior officials from Britain's National Cyber Security Centre where they agreed to a range of technical requirements to meet British security standards, which Fleming said is likely the world's "toughest oversight regime" for the firm. 
"We need a diversified market that is competing on quality and security, as well as price," Fleming said, adding that the potential risks of allowing Chinese firms into markets need to be fully understood. 
Speaking in Singapore to government and military leaders from across Southeast Asia, Fleming said that half of Britain's 1,100 cyber attacks in the past two had a state actor behind it, naming groups from China and Russia. 
"Our future security will be guaranteed not by the quality of our coding, the design of our silicon, or the cunning of our cyber operators, but by the bonds that tie us together and the relationships that give us confidence to act decisively against common threats," he added. 
Last year, Australia banned Huawei equipment from its future 5G network while New Zealand has blocked its largest telecoms carrier from using Huawei technology in its rollout.
Both are members of the Five Eyes intelligence network, which also includes Britain, Canada and the US.  
US prosecutors are also charging the firm with stealing trade secrets, saying it offered rewards to employees for stealing technology from other rivals.
Huawei is the world's second-largest smartphone vendor after Samsung and the leading supplier of the backbone equipment for wireless mobile networks worldwide which many countries are using to roll out 5G networks. 
These will bring near-instantaneous connectivity, vast data capacity and futuristic technologies such as self-driving cars.
Chairman Guo Ping said Sunday that 5G security standards should be decided by technical experts, not politicians, and that Huawei hoped each country would make its decisions based on "national interests (and) not just listen to someone else's order".

Loon bolsters connectivity credentials with advisory board signings

Alphabet’s latest X graduate Loon has added industry heavyweights to its advisory board as the business searches for commercial credibility in the world of connectivity.
As the ludicrous dream starts to become a reality, Loon has added three industry veterans to its ranks. Former McCaw Communications CEO Craig McCaw, Evernote CEO Ian Small and Verizon EVP Global Media & New Business Marni Walden will all be added to the roster, bringing with them years of experience and, perhaps more importantly, connections in the telco space.
“As Loon transitions to a commercial business and looks to partner with MNOs worldwide, we’re adding some serious expertise to our ranks with a new Advisory Board that brings together top wireless innovators with decades of experience in the industry,” Loon CEO Alastair Westgarth wrote in a blog post.
For those who have missed out on this blue-sky thinking idea, Loon is Alphabet’s latest attempt to branch into the connectivity segment. Previous efforts might have been a flop, just have a look at the success brought through Google Fiber, but this is something slightly different; its attempting to create a new segment rather than steal business from established players.
By floating these massive balloons 18-23km above the earth for periods of up to 100 days, the Loon team claims each balloon can create a connectivity cone with coverage to a ground area 80km in diameter. The balloons are fitted with a broad-coverage LTE base station and a high-speed directional link used to connect between balloons and back down to the internet infrastructure on the ground.
In an industry which has constantly struggled to bridge the digital divide due to the expense of deploying infrastructure, this is a genuinely innovative approach to providing connectivity. It helps lessen the financial pressures of delivering the internet, adding to the connectivity mix.
Back in November at AfricaCom, Westgarth gave some insight into the business on the main conference stage. At the time he announced the beginning of a commercial relationship with Telkom Kenya, as well as outlining the wider ambitions of the business. This is an idea which has big commercial potential, most of which will be in the developing markets. These are after all areas where ARPU is low and deployment is staggered. It would appear to be the perfect mix for Loon’s proposal to bring the internet to the masses.
These appointments however perhaps suggest Loon is not a firm satisfied with the developing markets alone. These are three US executives who have considerable experience in the domestic market. Of course, there will be connections in the international space with telcos in the developing nations, but perhaps Loon has spotted an opportunity in the US. These executives would certainly help pave the way for conversations across the homeland.
Of course, this is just a theory and the PR team have been, just as you would expect, pretty evasive when asked the question. However, the digital divide is certainly a challenge in the US. For those who are lucky enough to live in the cities, they’ll have no concept of connectivity challenges, but the vast expanses and challenging terrain of the US open up numerous, huge not-spots, despite what the telcos actually tell you.
Loon has been touted as an innovation for the developing markets but seeing as the US telcos are clueless as how to solve the domestic digital divide, why not. These executives will certainly know the right people in the right places.

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Tags: 4G, alphabet, Appointment, connectivity, digital divide, Google, Loon, LTE, mobile broadband

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Saudi telecom operators agree annual royalty fees

Telecommunications operators Saudi Telecom Co (STC), Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) and Zain Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that they had agreed with the government to a change in the calculation of their annual royalty fees.

The companies also said they had reached a deal with the government to settle disputed fees to be paid for previous years up to 2017. In return, the trio agreed to invest in upgrading their network infrastructure over the next three years.

The kingdom has set specific goals to boost high-speed broadband internet connectivity as part of its Vision 2030 plan to modernise the economy, including exceeding 90 percent of housing coverage in densely populated cities and 66 percent in other urban areas.

The operators said the agreement will involve an annual royalty of 10 percent of net revenue from telecommunications services starting from Jan. 1, 2018. Mobily said in addition it would also pay an annual licence royalty equal to 1 percent of its annual net telecommunication revenues.

STC said the new calculation was compared to the previous fee of 15 percent of net revenues from mobile services, 10 percent of net revenues from fixed line services and 8 percent of net revenues from data services.

STC said the change would have a positive impact on its financial results during the fourth quarter of 2018, while Zain Saudi said it would mean a drop in its payment for the period Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 by 220 million riyals ($58.7 million).

Mobily said that starting from 2019 onwards, the impact represents an additional cost estimated to be in the range of 450 to 600 million riyals per year over the next few years.

Zain Saudi Arabia said the expected financial impact from the settlement of its disputed annual royalty fees for the period 2009 to 2017 is expected to reach 1.7 billion riyals.

Mobily said its agreement to invest over the next three years would enable it to boost the quality of its fixed and mobile networks and to invest in the deployment of new technologies such as 5G.

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NEW DELHI: Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), a telecom department's wing has blamed the state-owned telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited's (BSNL) implementation partner Vihaan Networks Limited (VNL) for using substandard technology in a government-aided Northeast telecom connectivity initiative, a charge which is though denied by the Gurgaon-based firm.

"Anything in the name of home-made technology should not be deployed in a government project unless it meets international standa ..

Read more at:
//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/67103008.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

NEW DELHI: Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), a telecom department's wing has blamed the state-owned telco Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited's (BSNL) implementation partner Vihaan Networks Limited (VNL) for using substandard technology in a government-aided Northeast telecom connectivity initiative, a charge which is though denied by the Gurgaon-based firm.

"Anything in the name of home-made technology should not be deployed in a government project unless it meets international standa ..

Read more at:
//economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/67103008.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Qualcomm explains why we should be excited about 5G

5G open for business

Previous generations of mobile networks addressed consumers predominantly for voice and SMS in 2G, web browsing in 3G, and higher-speed data and video streaming in 4G. The transition from 4G to 5G will serve both consumers and multiple industries.

With global mobile data traffic expected to grow eight times by the end of 2023, there is a need for a more efficient technology, higher data rates and spectrum utilization. New applications such as 4K/8K video streaming, virtual and augmented reality and emerging industrial use cases will also require higher bandwidth, greater capacity, security, and lower latency. Equipped with these capabilities, 5G will bring new opportunities for people, society, and businesses.
Ericsson and partners have been working with 5G technology for several years in the labs, and last two years we took these technologies into advanced field trials. We have also signed first 5G commercial deals.
The 5G standardization has been accelerated with first 5G New Radio (NR) standard finalized in Dec 2017 and completed in June 2018. First commercial 5G networks and devices based on the 3GPP standards are expected in 2018. The first very few 5G devices will likely be introduced towards the end of 2018. Ericsson estimates the number of subscriptions reaching one billion by the end of 2023.

Best to avoid answering call of Chinese telecom

HONG KONG: The call of Chinese telecom operators is best left unanswered. China Mobile , Unicom and Telecom are cheaply valued and somewhat insulated from U.S. tariffs. A costly rollout of 5G, though, could offset those benefits.

All three carriers offer plenty to like. China Unicom's net profit has more than doubled in the year to September, thanks in part to a nearly 1.5 billion yuan ($212 million) gain from the flotation in August of China Tower. China Mobile's bottom line grew a little over 3 percent rise over the same span. China Telecom, meanwhile, reported on Monday that earnings rose almost 3 percent. The operators' shares have mostly performed well, especially those of the $40 billion China Telecom. Its Hong Kong-listed stock is up some 3 percent this year, even as the benchmark Hang Seng Index has slumped 17 percent.

Yet valuations have been beaten down. China Mobile's enterprise value, for example, trades at only about three times trailing EBITDA, according to Refinitiv. U.S. counterparts Verizon and T-Mobile fetch a multiple more than twice as high. The intensifying trade war between the United States and China could help; the trio of companies from the People's Republic should be less affected because they are less exposed to U.S. inputs than the likes of Huawei and ZTE ,. There are also persistent media reports that China Mobile's two smaller rivals could merge, thus reducing competition.

Plenty of serious hang-ups exist, though. For starters, the latest results were flattered by China Tower's initial public offering. All three operators own stakes that generated one-off paper gains. There's also the steady drip of regulation eating into profit.

Such official meddling also points to the biggest concern: an impending buildout of the ultra-fast 5G network. China Mobile, Telecom and Unicom are at a nadir in the industry's capital expenditure cycle. It will start to rise again next year, as they shell out for pricey kit on a project that may cost 1.5 trillion yuan ($215 billion), according to consultancy EY. That probably limits the upside to stock prices until around 2020, Bernstein analysts reckon. Until the expense becomes clearer, it's probably best to put Chinese telcos on hold.

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CONTEXT NEWS

- China Telecom Corp said on Oct. 29 that profit attributable to equity holders rose 2.7 percent in the first nine months of 2018 to 19 billion yuan ($2.7 billion), compared to the same period a year earlier.

- China Mobile, the biggest of the country's three carriers, reported on Oct. 22 that earnings rose 3.1 percent during the same period to 95 billion yuan, while China Unicom Hong Kong reported a 117 percent increase to 8.8 billion yuan.