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NewJanuary 27, 2021
CES 2021: Consumer tech show switches on to the pandemic
Flash Report, ReportsThe home is now a bastion of more activity than ever before, from working to entertaining to socialising—more is being demanded of the domestic space—and in 2021 the consumer tech show offered a more holistic approach to the Internet of Things (IoT), accepting a ‘new normal’ would be centred on the home, even as the effects of the pandemic recede.The home is now a bastion of more activity than ever before, from working to entertaining to socialising—more is being demanded of the domestic space—and in [...] -
NewJanuary 21, 2021
Top 5 Telco Trends in 2021
Flash Report, Reports2020 was a disruptive year for everyone, including the telecommunications industry. But as a semblance of normality emerges, change in the industry continues unabated. Our top telco trends for 2021 are:- Low end operator brands seize leadership in the consumer market
- Telco infrastructure comes into play as operators seek to monetise assets
- Government refocus on regional communications as nbn rollout ends
- Enterprise market shift as nbn disrupts the fibre wholesale market
- 5G comes into its own as handset availability surges and coverage expands
2020 was a disruptive year for everyone, including the telecommunications industry. But as a semblance of normality emerges, change in the industry continues un [...] -
NewJanuary 21, 2021
(UK) Update 2021: COVID-19 and Mobility
Flash Report, Reports- The UK entered 2021 in the grip of a dangerous third wave of the pandemic, despite Lockdown 3.0 over Christmas, driving down trips taken by people to depressed levels last seen in Lockdown 1.0, reducing economic activity for Q1
- Time spent at home closely tracks the severity of lockdowns and mandates to work from home (WFH). Underpinned by the UK’s advanced digital infrastructure and services, WFH is providing resilience to Gross Value Added (GVA) creation, while staff in B2C activities are furloughed
- The City of London is emblematic of the potential for outsourced GVA creation under WFH. Its skilled and highly paid staff are too valuable to employers to risk exposure to the virus. WFH, largely preserving GVA, will anchor the future of work
- The UK entered 2021 in the grip of a dangerous third wave of the pandemic, despite Lockdown 3.0 over Christmas, driving do [...]
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January 13, 2021
Edge Computing – defining the market and business models
Focus Report, ReportsEdge computing is, fundamentally, the placement of processing and analysis capabilities near the edge of the network close to the sources of data to achieve these objectives. This deployment requires a fairly complex value chain of resources and capabilities. As a result, it is taking time for the structure of the edge computing market to emerge, and for the required partnerships and associated business models to develop. We expect this process will take years, as edge computing grows in scale and sophistication from its current rudimentary beginnings.Edge computing is, fundamentally, the placement of processing and analysis capabilities near the edge of the network close to the sources of data to achieve the [...] -
January 7, 2021
Battery backup for telco infrastructure: options and necessity
Focus Report, ReportsThe 2019-20 bushfire season has renewed the focus on battery backup for telco infrastructure. About 88% of the tower outages were caused by power failure and only 1% was were due to direct fire damage. Thus, a better power backup could have significantly improved the emergency response during the bushfires by reducing tower outages.The 2019-20 bushfire season has renewed the focus on battery backup for telco infrastructure. About 88% of the tower outages were caused by power failure and on [...] -
December 16, 2020
Taking Free-to-Air TV online in Australia: opportunities and chal [...]
Focus Report, Free Sample, ReportsThe report is designed to enumerate the key technical, commercial and equity issues that would arise in the course of such a migration, providing insights and identifying problems that would need to be addressed. Amongst other things, this requires an examination of Australia’s digital infrastructure and its capacity to support television distribution, the media and telecommunications business models that would need to be adapted, and the response of households to the changes in consumer technology that would be required. A household survey was also undertaken to inform this report, and details are included in the Appendix. The report is not a proposal that free-to-air television should entirely move to online delivery, nor is it a strategy to get there. Nor is it a cost-benefit analysis.The report is designed to enumerate the key technical, commercial and equity issues that would arise in the course of such a migration, providing insights and i [...] -
December 9, 2020
Australian Data Centres and Submarine Cables Outlook
Market Outlook, ReportsData centres embracing a hyperscale future, driven by cloud migrations and increasing international traffic through submarine cables.Data centres embracing a hyperscale future, driven by cloud migrations and increasing international traffic through submarine cables. -
November 13, 2020
Virgin Media: Subscriber growth renaissance continues
Flash Report, ReportsVirgin Media’s lockdown subscriber surge continued into Q3, as working-from-home highlights the importance of the faster speeds its network can offer.
Virgin Media’s lockdown subscriber surge continued into Q3, as working-from-home highlights the importance of the faster speeds [...]
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November 12, 2020
Google News Showcase An olive branch to publishers (and regulator [...]
Flash Report, ReportsOn 1 October, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced $1 billion for worldwide news publisher partnerships for a novel News Showcase product, helping them to distribute their content to a new audience.On 1 October, Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced $1 billion for worldwide news publisher partnerships for a novel News Showcase product, helping them to distrib [...] -
October 7, 2020
European TV & video subscription platforms: Recovery from lo [...]
Focus Report, ReportsWith a lack of live sport, the lockdown weighed on incumbent pay-TV platforms’ subscriptions. SVOD providers leveraged their cheap positioning—Netflix and Amazon Prime Video now rank above other subscription services in Europe, and Disney+ had a successful launch Incumbents—Sky, Canal+, Movistar+—all pursue a twin-track strategy. They are positioning themselves as gatekeepers thanks to service bundles, while redirecting resources away from […] -
October 2, 2020
Made in China- TikTok Global between a deal and the precipice
Focus Report, ReportsByteDance is rushing to sell a 20% stake in TikTok Global to Oracle and Walmart at an enterprise value of $60 billion. TikTok otherwise faces a ban in the US on 12 November, subject to legal challenges
ByteDance is rushing to sell a 20% stake in TikTok Global to Oracle and Walmart at an enterprise value of $60 billion. TikTok othe [...]
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October 1, 2020
Commentary: Webscale Capex in 2Q20
Focus Report, ReportsAs WNOs have grown, they’ve developed more sophisticated offerings in the cloud, often targeting specific vertical markets with customized platforms, including telecom. This is impacting how telcos build their networks and develop services. In the last year, webscale partnerships with telcos have expanded, spanning workload shift, joint development, and service partnerships – often supporting 5G. In January, our research partner MTN Consulting flagged the need for more collaboration between telcos, WNOs, and carrier-neutral providers as essential for 5G success as telcos aim to lower their capex outlays.As WNOs have grown, they’ve developed more sophisticated offerings in the cloud, often targeting specific vertical markets with customized platforms, includin [...] -
September 7, 2020
Australian Small Business Survey: 5G broadband battleground for O [...]
Focus Report, ReportsThis report presents the survey results across 602 small businesses and highlights their views on willingness to pay, churn intentions and their views on 5G mobile and fixed wireless broadband. The survey was targeted towards the IT decision makers in small businesses, which this survey defined as having an employee count of between 5 – 20 employees.This report presents the survey results across 602 small businesses and highlights their views on willingness to pay, churn intentions and their views on 5G mob [...] -
September 2, 2020
CNNO Playbook: Crown Castle
Flash Report, ReportsThe big three U.S. telcos (AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile) have historically owned and operated their own towers. However, with rising debt and heavy costs involved in deploying the networks, the big three telcos spun off their tower assets to independent tower companies. AT&T and T-Mobile sold their tower business to Crown Castle; and Verizon disposed of its tower assets to American Tower. It was a win win situation for both the parties, as telcos could monetize their tower assets and pay off their debts. In exchange, tower companies could gain a long term customer. The exit of the big three telcos from the tower space led to the market dominance of American Tower, Crown Castle and SBA in the U.S. tower market segment.The big three U.S. telcos (AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile) have historically owned and operated their own towers. However, with rising debt and heavy costs invo [...] -
August 27, 2020
The Australian tower market 2020
Focus Report, ReportsThis report assesses the Australian mobile communications tower market and the drivers for tower and small cell demand in Australia. The rollout of 5G and renewed interest in small cell technology is an opportunity to reconsider the financing and ownership of potentially shareable infrastructure.This report assesses the Australian mobile communications tower market and the drivers for tower and small cell demand in Australia. The rollout of 5G and renew [...] -
August 27, 2020
Webscale Playbook: Tencent
Flash Report, ReportsTencent’s meteoric rise into one of the leading internet businesses coincides with China’s internet boom that started at the end of 20th century. According to the ITU estimates, just ~1.8% of China’s total population were internet users in the year 2000 – two years after Tencent was founded – that has now exploded to about 64%. Tencent’s initial journey began with the desktop-based instant messaging offering, QQ (initially QICQ), which slowly gained popularity and provided the company with a strong footprint in the domestic market. The start of the new decade saw more users going mobile with the increased cellphone penetration in the country, which led Tencent to launch its popular mobile instant messaging app, WeChat (Weixin in China) in 2011.Tencent’s meteoric rise into one of the leading internet businesses coincides with China’s internet boom that started at the end of 20th century. According [...] -
August 27, 2020
New Zealand Telco Market Outlook
Market Outlook, ReportsWe anticipate a negative-growth telecommunications market over the next few years, with broadband growth offset by declines in mobile and fixed voice.We anticipate a negative-growth telecommunications market over the next few years, with broadband growth offset by declines in mobile and fixed voice. -
August 20, 2020
Optus 1QFY21 and Vocus FY20 earnings update: revenues fall amidst [...]
Flash Report, ReportsBoth Optus’ and Vocus’ revenues were impacted by COVID-19. Both operators saw mobile revenues decline in the last quarter, as consumers relied more on fixed broadband while working from home. Pre-COVID-19, we noted rising pressure on mobile ARPUs due to competition and increased consumer interest in cheaper plans. We forecast that COVID-19 would exacerbate these pressures, and this has been validated by Vocus’, Optus’ and Telstra’s results this week.Both Optus’ and Vocus’ revenues were impacted by COVID-19. Both operators saw mobile revenues decline in the last quarter, as consumers relied more on fixed [...] -
August 18, 2020
BT UK – COVID-19 hit, fibre promise
Flash Report, ReportsBT’s first full quarter under the shadow of COVID-19 revealed a mix of negative impacts not entirely as predicted, by ourselves or indeed BT itself. The suspension of sport certainly had an impact on BT Sport revenue, but only about half of what we had feared (less than £50 million versus around £100 million), and Openreach was also relatively unaffected, perhaps having returned to full service levels quicker than anticipated. There was a strong negative impact on B2B revenue, but this was much more focused on SMEs than large corporates, with Global’s financials largely unaffected (so far), and mobile (which BT had not specifically warned about) was hit hard across consumer and (especially) B2B, with the results of the other mobile operators suggesting that the effect was market-wide.BT’s first full quarter under the shadow of COVID-19 revealed a mix of negative impacts not entirely as predicted, by ourselves or indeed BT itself. The suspe [...] -
August 18, 2020
ITV UK H1 2020 results
Focus Report, ReportsThere may be light at the end of the tunnel. After Q2 advertising revenues dropped 43% YoY, ITV has noted that there has been an upward trajectory (July down 23%, August appearing to be even better). This would leave ITV’s advertising revenues down between 15-25% for 2020 (ITV is unwilling to give forecasts). It appears that advertisers are beginning to think further ahead than they have for months—anecdotally, while around 80% of ad revenue is normally booked prior to the month’s start, this had reversed to about 20% in Q2.There may be light at the end of the tunnel. After Q2 advertising revenues dropped 43% YoY, ITV has noted that there has been an upward trajectory (July down 23 [...] -
August 12, 2020
Art of the deal – Microsoft swoops for TikTok
Flash Report, ReportsMicrosoft hopes to buy TikTok from Chinese owner ByteDance before President Trump’s Executive Order halts transactions with the company in mid-September. Twitter is now in the game, but is unlikely to prevailMicrosoft hopes to buy TikTok from Chinese owner ByteDance before President Trump’s Executive Order halts transactions with the company in mid-September. Twit [...] -
August 6, 2020
The New Era of Voice Commerce: Be in It to Win It
Market Outlook, ReportsThe rise of voice technology is transforming the way we consume information and make purchases, giving customers the option to engage in a hands-free and seamless shopping experience.The rise of voice technology is transforming the way we consume information and make purchases, giving customers the option to engage in a hands-free and seamle [...] -
August 4, 2020
Too big to derail – Facebook unmoved by its advertiser boyc [...]
Flash Report, ReportsFacebook grew revenues by 11% in Q2. This rate is higher than investors expected, but still driven to record lows by the pandemic slowdown. It forecasts 10% growth in Q3Facebook grew revenues by 11% in Q2. This rate is higher than investors expected, but still driven to record lows by the pandemic slowdown. It forecasts 10% gro [...]Sector Technology. -
June 18, 2020
Insurtech White Paper Part III: Segments and Players in the Austr [...]
Focus Report, ReportsThis report is the final report in a series by Venture Insights on the disruption in Insurtech, following on from reports on the global landscape and aspects of the Australian landscape.This report is the final report in a series by Venture Insights on the disruption in Insurtech, following on from reports on the global landscape and aspects of [...]