Yesterday Facebook, Microsoft, Telefonica’s Telxius group announced they are investing in a new trans-Atlantic submarine cable. The MAREA cable will take a unique path from Virginia Beach, USA to Bilboa, Spain. This system will be the third new trans-Atlantic system, following the launch of Hibernia Express last fall and AEConnect earlier this year.
May 20, 2016
Connectivity Trends in Asian Markets
I recently attended the first BKNIX Peering Forum in Bangkok, where I presented on Connectivity Trends in Asian Markets. The presentation covered international used bandwidth in Asia, submarine cable investments, as well as wholesale transport and IPT prices.
The recent decision by the European Commission (EC) to block the combination of UK cellular operators O2 and 3, along with its opposition to a merger of mobile providers in Denmark in 2015 and the launch of an in-depth investigation into a planned tie-up between two cellcos in Italy, has signalled a tougher stance towards any threat to competition in wireless markets. The situation is very different, however, when it comes to deals involving fixed line players.
May 17, 2016
[Webinar] Global Colocation Market Trends
Recent shifts in the colocation landscape make it more critical than ever to understand the market. If the latest trends are taking you by surprise, it’s time for a refresher course on colocation.
TeleGeography and Digital Realty | Telx bring together their unique perspectives and expertise for a 30 minute webinar on demand to help make sense of the state of the colocation market.
The European Commission (EC) has blocked the proposed GBP 10.25 billion (USD 13.8 billion) acquisition of Telefonica’s UK cellular operator O2 by the Hong Kong-based group CK Hutchison, which operates under the ‘3’ brand. This follows a failed tie-up between two cellcos in Denmark in 2015. Yet it was a markedly different situation several years ago, when the EC gave the green light to a raft of mobile mergers. So why is the EC now seemingly less receptive to such deals when it has agreed to them in the past?
May 5, 2016
Orange Continues to Flourish in Africa
A recent series of acquisitions will cement the position of Orange Group as the telco with the region’s widest footprint in Africa. In January 2016, the French group completed a deal to buy Bharti Airtel’s wireless businesses in Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone, which will be carried out in partnership with Orange’s existing subsidiaries in Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal.
My recent trip to Amsterdam to attend the MVNOs World Congress 2016 was a great experience, and yielded a lot of useful information. Attendance at the event looks to have increased from last year's event in Nice, France, in no small part because the conference program remains well thought out and featured contributions from a number of leading industry figures.
Looking back on a couple of intensive days at the New York WAN Summit, one of the highlights for me was a presentation from airline services multinational Gate Group. In it, Garth Gray, the VP of Infrastructure Services, shared his unique business challenges and experience moving from MPLS to a hybrid WAN.
Apr 27, 2016
What You Should Pay for Your Network
There has been much discussion lately about developments in WAN design–but what can you expect to pay to procure a robust network for your business? Understanding how to get the most out of each dollar of network spend is vital.
Apr 25, 2016
Newton's Third Law of Telecom
I recently had the pleasure to deliver a keynote address at Carriers World Asia 2016 on the latest updates in the Asian Carrier Market. The presentation highlights key trends in Asian voice and data networks, covering the impact of OTT communication services on the voice market, regional bandwidth growth and the rise of private network share of used international bandwidth.
