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August 2, 2018Revenues down, guidance in the balance: Vodafone Q1 2018/19 resul [...]
Focus Report, ReportsEBITDA growth guidance of 1-5% is in question with group revenues flat to down. Counting AMAP growth in local currencies helps, as will cost control and roaming relief. Sustaining growth in Germany will be key; convergence-led ARPU declines could prove to be something Vodafone can’t afford. Vodafone’s UK business performed strongly in terms of mobile subscribers and fixed business financials, although revenue growth is still lacklustre. Profitability is expected to increase markedly, boosted 10ppts by roaming tariff relief. Although we view Iliad’s business model in Italy as unsustainable, it will nonetheless continue to put significant pressure on Vodafone Italy’s ARPU, which is almost three times that of Iliad’s package. -
June 20, 2018European mobile in Q1 2018: North–South divide to exacerbate
Market Outlook, ReportsIn this report we show our analysis of revenue growth trends for mobile operators in the top five European markets (UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain). The historical analysis is based on the published results of the operators, although they include our estimates where their data is inconsistent or incomplete, and we have updated previous period figures where better information has come to light. A copy of the underlying data in spreadsheet format is available to our subscription clients on request. -
June 6, 2018Football embraces Chinese ‘hot’ money – at a risk
Focus Report, ReportsIn a display of chutzpah, Mediapro acquired the Ligue 1 domestic broadcasting rights from 2020-24 in what is the most disruptive shock to the French broadcasting industry in a generation; one that is likely to accelerate Canal+’s decline, force a review of the outdated regulatory framework, and possibly spur an M&A spree. The Mediapro move only makes sense as a highly speculative bid to resell the rights, or a dedicated channel, to French platforms in 2020. The odds are high that the broker ultimately fails to fulfil the contract, as just happened in Italy, where Sky is now expected to get the Serie A licence. Precedents of new entrants acquiring domestic top-flight rights bode poorly for Mediapro, and for the league. The Ligue 1 may live to regret the introduction of a ‘re-sell right’ into its licensing terms. -
May 10, 2018TPG mobile launch plans – there’s going to be data on the str [...]
Flash Report, ReportsWith an increasingly commoditised fixed market, the Australian mobile market is under attack as both margins and market share are under pressure. TPG is set to launch its mobile network with rock bottom introductory pricing for mobile data.$900.00 -
March 15, 2018Telco Roundtable Breakfast – key findings
Focus Report, ReportsAs identified by our survey, fixed-mobile substitution will be a growing risk for the fixed broadband market. Telcos need to understand and manage the risk of consumers switching away from fixed-line to mobile, particularly in light of the upcoming availability of 5G. The increasing consumption of SVOD has driven the growth in fixed broadband in recent years. However, changing viewing habits, particularly towards viewership on mobile devices, could help spearhead mobile substitution. We expect pressure on fixed broadband to grow as the combination of 5G network launches and TPG’s mobile market entry will increase consumer interest and options for wireless broadband solutions. -
February 21, 20185G Update February 2018
Flash Report, ReportsWhile 5G is on track for network rollout by 2020, leading global and Australian Telcos have announced their intentions to launch 5G fixed wireless services from late 2018 onwards. In Australia, 5G remains a key agenda item for the Government, the NBN and the Telco Market. -
February 5, 2018CMA issues provisional findings in Fox-Sky
ReportsThe Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally found that Fox’s acquisition of Sky is against the public interest on media plurality grounds, although it could proceed with an appropriate remedy. The CMA found the merger would give the Murdoch Family Trust (MFT) and family members “too much influence over public opinion and the political agenda”. The CMA now enters the challenging remedies phase. Fox could offer an Editorial Board for Sky News pending finalisation of Disney-Fox (by 2019). Third parties seem likely to continue to seek to prohibit the merger
December 13, 2017New Zealand Telco Market Outlook
ReportsWe expect the overall retail telco market to remain flat with strong mobile growth driven by a move to post-paid plans and 4G/5G to offset the structural decline in fixed voice. With UFB deployment nearly complete and increasing 4G penetration, we expect a rise in competitive intensity as players look to capture share across a broader set of product offerings.Fixed voice continues its structural decline as subscribers shun the landline and migrate away from standalone fixed voice services to mobile bundles and broadband + VOIP bundles. The UFB rollout is on track to reach 80% of the population by the end of 2019 and has been recently extended by the Government to cover up to 87% of the population by 2022. The NZ Government recently announced a set of reforms including a move towards utility-style regulation, copper deregulation in areas where UFB is available, and increased oversight over quality and reliability of broadband services
November 30, 2017Telecommunications Market Outlook
ReportsThe introduction and the rollout of the NBN has been one of the key inflection points in the Australian telco market. However, as the rollout progresses, complaints have surged 3x and the tug-of war with RSPs over CVC charges continues. Both the ACMA and ACCC are looking into customer issues around the NBN. The Mobile segment continues its upward march but the market is about to see a new wave of innovation (5G) and disruption (TPG) in the next few years. The planned entry of TPG (known for price leadership) as the fourth mobile operator will increase the competitive intensity with incumbent MNOs facing ARPU and margin pressure
November 23, 2017Disruptive mobile business models – Is TPG going to be ‘Free [...]
ReportsTPG plans to disrupt the A$18bn mobile market by launching its mobile network in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra by mid-2018 and build out its network to 80% of the population. It will deploy a small cell network across key metros, complemented by a traditional macro network. Free Mobile (France), 2degrees (New Zealand) and FreedomPop (US/Europe) have used disruptive business models to capture share from incumbents. Free Mobile and 2degrees captured about 18% and 23% of market share respectively, and FreedomPop has added approximately 2mn subscribers since launch. With four out of five key factors going in favour of TPG, a roaming deal will also likely accelerate market share gain. However, the incumbent MNOs in the Australian mobile market are already competing on price, coverage and data, and there are many MVNOs in the low ARPU prepaid segment offering competitive pricing and data
November 17, 2017Altice in crisis as formulaic model flounders in France
ReportsThe telecoms group has suffered a dramatic stock market correction following its Q3 results, as investors woke up to the continuous decline of its main unit, France’s SFR – leading its CEO to resign. Closure of a tax loophole will further erode SFR’s revenues by up to 4% in 2018. Despite being France’s largest fibre network, SFR’s broadband market share dropped 4ppts over three years. Notwithstanding grandstands on ‘convergence’ and expensive rights acquisitions, it is losing pay-TV subscribers – it looks unlikely to challenge Vivendi’s Canal+ in next year’s Ligue 1 auction. The mobile performance is notably better with the subscriber count stabilised and ARPU rising. Besides sustaining network deployments, to turn around SFR Altice needs to abandon short term fixes, invest in its workforce and customer service, and differentiate through valuable innovation – in other words the opposite of the model followed so far
October 6, 2017European mobile in Q2 2017
ReportsEuropean mobile service revenue growth witnessed a rare growth spike this quarter with growth rising to 0.5%, likely due in large part to the reduced impact this quarter from the European roaming cut regulation, but also helped by a slight softening of MTR cuts and continued ‘more-for-more’ price increases. In the upcoming September quarter this roaming regulation holiday will end and the full impact of ‘free roaming’ will be felt, with the impact intensified by the quarter containing the main summer holiday season, thus the spike in mobile service revenue growth is likely to more-than-reverse. ‘Worry free’ data has always had consumer appeal, but it appears to have also reached operator appeal given its improved economics, and given its reported success at improving ARPUs we expect zero-rated launches to continue
July 26, 2017European subscription and pay-TV monitor
ReportsAcross Europe, markets are becoming more competitive. Incumbent pay-TV paltforms (e.g. Sky or Canal+) face increasing threats from both internet-based services (e.g. Netflix and Amazon), and telecoms operators.Telecoms providers are proving the most potent challengers as they enter the premium football rights market to create attractive triple and quad play bundles – examples include BT, SFR and Telefónica. The latter is now the main pay-TV operator in Spain whereas France’s Canal+ has entered into a strategic alliance with Orange. Across the top five markets (UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy), Sky remains the leading operator with an estimated 21.5m video subscribers, twice as many as NetflixJune 29, 2017European mobile in Q1 2017: Stuck at zero
ReportsEuropean mobile service revenue growth remained stuck at zero in Q1, with a heightened impact from the mobile termination rate cuts in Germany and price promotional activity in southern Europe mitigating improving markets in the UK and France.‘More-for-more’ price rises continued both during the quarter and after, and appear to be more widespread than the 2016 increases. This should be driving revenue growth at a healthier rate than zero, and may well do as out-of-bundle revenue declines fade away in significance and regulated MTR and roaming cuts annualise out. The regulatory impact should improve next quarter, as the UK MTR impact drops, Germany at least gets no worse, and the roaming impact has a lull prior to the ‘free roaming’ mandate taking effect towards the end of the quarter. From Q3, however, the ‘free roaming’ effect will be in full force, and will negatively impact operators in northern European and smaller European countries in particular
May 25, 2017Disruption in Payments: Time to throw out your wallet?
Focus Report, ReportsAs the usage of cash declines, we are trending towards a cashless society supported by new payment technologies.Within the next decade, cashless methods will be preferred, and have mostly positive implications for both businesses and consumers.However, cash will still be with us and being used for well over the next 20 years.
April 19, 2017European mobile in Q4 2016
ReportsEuropean mobile service revenue growth was unchanged in Q4 on the previous quarter at -0.1%, tantalisingly close to growth but just held back by renewed mobile termination rate cuts in Germany. ‘More-for-more’ tariff changes are becoming increasingly commonplace, as operators increase data bundle sizes to allow for volume demand growth, but nudge up pricing as partial compensation. This has not yet translated into positive revenue growth across Europe as a whole, but increasingly looks like it will do, with a number of moves made in early 2017.
March 10, 2017New Zealand Telecommunications Market Outlook: The Ultra-Fast Bro [...]
ReportsThe scale and pace of consolidation within the New Zealand telecommunications market has been high over the past few years with the focus now moving towards increasingly higher levels of competition across broader and deeper product offerings. There is clear structural shift from fixed voice to mobile while fixed line broadband remains steady, as the market continues to experience increasing rates of data consumption, increased internet speeds and greater flexibility with entertainment. The Ultra-Fast Broadband (“UFB”) network continues to expand with almost all New Zealanders having access to faster broadband by 2020.
February 28, 2017ComCom says no to ‘Skodafone’ – What now?
ReportsThe proposed merger of Sky TV and Vodafone in New Zealand was rejected by the Commerce Commission on 23rd February 2017. We discuss the reasoning behind this decision as well as the wider implications for Sky TV, Vodafone and the industry.
September 27, 2016European mobile in Q2 2016: Down but resilient
ReportsEuropean mobile service revenue growth worsened slightly in Q2, dropping to -1.2% after three consecutive quarters at -0.8%. Southern Europe significantly outperformed the North, reversing the regional trend of recent years. Mobile service revenue growth was thus quite robust given these factors, helped by price firming in a number of markets, particularly Spain
November 9, 2015Apple’s iPhone advantage
ReportsApple’s results underlined its status as the tech industry’s biggest and most profitable company due to the iPhone, accounting for two thirds of the company’s revenue and capturing three quarters of all smartphone profits. While the iPhone dominates the $500+ handset market, the question is how will this segment develop as smartphone penetration approaches maturity in developed markets and mobile operators restructure handset subsidies. The shift to separate airtime and device plans could increase consumer price sensitivity, but leasing plans with annual replacement, supported by the iPhone’s strong second hand value, bring the opportunity of faster replacement cycles, with upside and downside risks matched.
April 27, 2015Media & Telecoms: 2015 & Beyond slides
ReportsEnders Analysis co-hosted its annual conference, in conjunction with BNP Paribas and Deloitte, in London on 17 March 2015. The event featured talks from 13 of the most influential figures in media and telecoms, and was chaired by Sir Peter Bazalgette. This report provides the accompanying slides for some of the presentations.
April 27, 2015Media & Telecoms: 2015 & Beyond
ReportsEnders Analysis co-hosted its annual conference, in conjunction with BNP Paribas and Deloitte, in London on 17 March 2015. The event featured talks from 13 of the most influential figures in media and telecoms, and was chaired by Sir Peter Bazalgette. This report provides edited transcripts from some of the talks, and you will find accompanying slides for many of the presentations here. Videos of the presentations are available on the conference website.
April 13, 2015European mobile in Q4 2014
ReportsEuropean mobile service revenue growth improved for a fourth consecutive quarter jumping 1.7ppts to -2.7%, the slowest rate of decline in over three years. Easing declines in France, Italy and Spain largely drove the improvement but a full recovery in these markets is still some way away given that all of their growth rates remain below -5%. The UK, and now Germany, are experiencing positive mobile service revenue growth although their improvements in the quarter were more modest. Three announced consolidation transactions have yet to be approved by the regulators although none of these deals are likely to offer much market repair, being either of the wrong kind of deal or being in markets that are growing. Consolidation targets remain in France, Italy and Spain which offer clearer routes to market recovery as seen in Germany where the consolidation of O2/E-Plus has already led to positive rhetoric on medium term market growth prospects. Network investment continues with 4G roll-outs at or over 70% population coverage in all markets and targets being accelerated, supporting long term optimism in the sector. Strong data traffic growth coupled with the growing importance of data to service revenue give a clear focus for operators on value-adding network quality investment, although the impact of pricing competition in some markets could weigh on the ability to capitalise on these trends in the medium term.
