Archive for December, 2010

Telecoms giant BT is reportedly planning to offer free YouView boxes bundled with its broadband internet packages from next year.

YouView is an internet-connected television platform, slated for release in mid-2011. It is a collaboration between the four terrestrial TV networks and three telecoms businesses – BT, Arqiva and TalkTalk.

The telecoms firm has yet to confirm reports. BT Vision director Andy Baker would only say: "YouView may be offered at special rates as part of new or improved broadband packages."

Although YouView has received approval from the Office of Fair Trading, it continues to face vigorous opposition from other TV and broadband service providers, notably Virgin Media and BSkyB, who claim it is anti-competitive.

If BT were to give away boxes along with its internet packages, that argument would gain renewed force.

Marcus Evans presents telecoms and IT industry events, created by experienced professionals and with information presented by industry experts.

Facebook is looking to expand its reach well beyond social networking, with a new venture that provides a template for the next generation of online communications.

Revealed on Monday, Facebook plans to consolidate SMS, instant messaging, its own private messaging system and email into a single inbox for its users – along with an "@facebook.com" address.

Many commentators are putting this into the context of the emerging struggle between Google and Facebook, but others believe that Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has his eye on a bigger prize – the next generation of web users themselves, who he says find conventional email "too slow and formal".

With a ready-made audience of 500 million users worldwide, Facebook is in a uniquely strong position to launch a new messaging system.

Interestingly, Microsoft Office applications will also be able to be accessed directly through the system, hinting at possible future collaboration between the two companies.

Marcus Evans supply telecoms and IT events, created by experienced professionals and with information presented by industry experts.

Telecoms firms TalkTalk and BT have been offered a judicial review of the Digital Economy Act by judges at the High Court, after IP providers expressed their reluctance to tackle file-sharers.

TalkTalk and BT say the regulations had been rushed through parliament by the former government.

The High Court development could go as far as seeing the Act be amended or even scrapped, as judges will analyse the legal foundation of the law.

Director of strategy and regulation for TalkTalk, Andrew Heaney, is pleased the High Court has taken the time to listen to the concerns of IP and telecoms providers.

Mr Heaney said: "The provisions to try and reduce illegal file-sharing are unfair, won’t work and will potentially result in millions of innocent customers […] having their privacy invaded."

Marcus Evans presents telecoms events, created by experienced professionals and with information presented by industry experts.

Communications firm Daisy Group has bought a rival telecoms and IT company for £23.5 million.

The Lancashire firm has acquired NEG, which specialises in providing telephone services and hardware to over 2,000 customers in the healthcare industry.

Daisy said that NEG’s gross assets of £7.4 million and its existing contracts were key factors in the decision to purchase.

It also believes there are significant opportunities to cross-sell data and mobile services since buying the Essex-based operation.

Daisy has purchased ten acquisitions over the last eighteen months through a buy and build strategy. Last month the company bought business telecoms firm SpiriTel in a £27.3 million cash deal.

And chief executive Matthew Riley hopes the NEG purchase will allow the firm to significantly enlarge its customer base.

Marcus Evans presents telecoms and IT events, created by experienced professionals and with information presented by industry experts.