[Fontie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34650229

[Gigabit]

Did anyone think it wouldn't be cleared?

[enapace]

This deal was always going go through the Ofcom market review will be more interesting and the 3/O2 Merger.

[clewsy]

Yes this was always going to happen, its the other deal that you can't see happening between 3 and o2.

[alanwarwic]

Sounds good for bundling (think Sky) and likely very bad for general consumer friendly competition.

And for them, net neutrality becomes an even bigger enemy.

[enapace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Sounds good for bundling (think Sky) and likely very bad for general consumer friendly competition.

And for them, net neutrality becomes an even bigger enemy.

If anything this deal just improves competition. Vodafone aren't going just sit back and give up they are going do something as a result of this deal.

[d123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by enapace

If anything this deal just improves competition. Vodafone aren't going just sit back and give up they are going do something as a result of this deal.

I would agree, unlike the 3/o2 merger the BT ownership could well be good for the market, it should shake the other operators like Vodafone up a little. Everything has been quite moribund for a while now, look how every new feature has been delayed or only launched half heartedly for a while now.

[alanwarwic]

It is going to be near impossible to sensibly compete with bundle pricing,

Has Sky bid for anyone yet?

[plymouthbloke1974]

The O2/Three deal will never go through in a million years. The CMA will simply not allow it.

[alanwarwic]

Unless there is a lot of long term regulation small print on the BT deal, I view the O2/Three as far more the minor thing.

[d123]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Unless there is a lot of long term regulation small print on the BT deal, I view the O2/Three as far more the minor thing.

So you think the merging of 2 networks with the result of 4 networks becoming 3 is minor?

But then think that a simple change of ownership for EE (from foreign national telco ownership to local national telco ownership) means the sky is falling? Ok....

I think having EE controlled by BT rather than FT and DT is a good thing.

[DevonBloke]

As long as they invest of course.
They will have to now as will the others. Mobile access is still going through a transition from something you want to something you need, even now. Data use hasn't quite exploded yet, but it will.
Unlike in the past, subscribers will come to expect the latest technologies being available everywhere rather than just "where it's commercially viable".

Still think EE will remain EE for the foreseeable future.
As someone said on another website, BT's attempt to re-brand Cellnet (BT Cellnet) was a bit of a disaster.

[clewsy]

Sky to buy o2 ..when the 3 deal falls through?

[enapace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by clewsy

Sky to buy o2 ..when the 3 deal falls through?

Couldn't afford to at present Sky has to much debt on it's cards still after the Merger of Sky UK Italy and Germany. It's not really ready to buy O2 I expect honestly if O2/3 Merger fails I would expect 3 would be up for sale as well as O2.

[mogzyboy]

Yes the BTEE deal is a far bigger concern than Three/O2.

Unless Openreach and/or Wholesale are spun off as part of this, it can't be a good thing.

Having said all that, though, BT aren't really famed for their investment in anything unless they're dragged kicking and screaming into doing it, so nobody should be surprised if (well, when) the investment in EE grinds to a juddering halt.

[moox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mogzyboy

Yes the BTEE deal is a far bigger concern than Three/O2.

Unless Openreach and/or Wholesale are spun off as part of this, it can't be a good thing.

Having said all that, though, BT aren't really famed for their investment in anything unless they're dragged kicking and screaming into doing it, so nobody should be surprised if (well, when) the investment in EE grinds to a juddering halt.

Of course BT will invest in EE.

They need EE as the vehicle for rural 4G so they can avoid doing all that pesky FTTC or FTTP.

I agree though, something has to be done about Openreach as part of this. Openreach already famously only invests in line with BT's priorities, not that of the entire industry, so it's plausible that Openreach could be left to rot while EE gets all the attention

[binary]

CMA - Summary of provisional findings (15 page PDF)

Interesting reading.

[Everything Goes]

It aint over yet as Ofcom may throw a spanner in the works....

Quote:

It’s important to stress that the CMA’s remit wasn’t to investigate the entire telecoms market and on that front they point to Ofcom’s on-going Strategic Review, which among other things is examining the controversial question of whether or not to split BT from control of their national fixed line phone and broadband network (Openreach).

However, given today’s outcome, there may now be a question mark over Ofcom’s semi-related proposal to force BT into opening up their Dark Fibre network for use by rival operators (here), although we suspect that this direction will be upheld under the regulator’s forthcoming Strategic Review.

http://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php...-approval.html

[enapace]

It is because Ofcom already said they advised it went ahead. BT were the ones who said btwholesale were going into openreach

[de525ma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevonBloke

As someone said on another website, BT's attempt to re-brand Cellnet (BT Cellnet) was a bit of a disaster.

Not sure the branding was really a disaster - BT Wireless was divested because it was profitable, worth a lot, and BT was in debt due to Concert. Cellnet had been struggling since before Securicor sold it its stake, lagging behind both Orange and Vodafone.

[highfrequency]

This might push in some investment.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...placement.html

[enapace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by highfrequency

This might push in some investment.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...placement.html

That might push them into serious 800MHz coverage. I'm sure that deal comes with certain reliability obligations we can't have emergency services struggling get a signal.. That deal also means the EE buyout is even better value for BT then it was before.

The current system I believe covers 100% of all roads in the UK and over 90% Geographic coverage imagine the new system has got reach a similar amount.

[lightspeed2398]

I haven't checked for a while but I am slightly familiar with Airwave as it is used where I work. I think it has 100% coverage of A Roads and Motorways, I know it's 100% of the strategic road network at least.

I also know of someone in another agency who was at a meeting discussing the future of Airwave, they had a long list of requirements about group-to-group, one-to-many and one to one comms.

I also spoke to an ex police officer who moaned about its in-building penetration saying that the old analogue system at least gave very bad coverage in building compared to airwave which gave none in some places.

I presume to reliably fulfil the coverage part at least they'd need 800.

[moox]

LTE is what they're pushing in the US as a replacement for traditional trunked radio - albeit over private self-administered networks. I don't think any emergency services are using it yet, though.

One of the concerns about Airwave was the way it was funded and the choice of technology was a bit rubbish even at the time.

Though if they replace it with LTE, they'll have to sort something out for the underground - as it was a concern for 7/7 that it didn't work properly - and the solution is that Airwave users are allowed to roam on TfL's own private TETRA network (which does work underground), as I understand it

[enapace]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightspeed2398

I haven't checked for a while but I am slightly familiar with Airwave as it is used where I work. I think it has 100% coverage of A Roads and Motorways, I know it's 100% of the strategic road network at least.

I also know of someone in another agency who was at a meeting discussing the future of Airwave, they had a long list of requirements about group-to-group, one-to-many and one to one comms.

I also spoke to an ex police officer who moaned about its in-building penetration saying that the old analogue system at least gave very bad coverage in building compared to airwave which gave none in some places.

I presume to reliably fulfil the coverage part at least they'd need 800.

Honestly it could mean EE get easier mast planning permissions as they surely could say it was for emergency services even if consumers will benefit as well.

Or am I totally wrong there ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by moox

LTE is what they're pushing in the US as a replacement for traditional trunked radio - albeit over private self-administered networks. I don't think any emergency services are using it yet, though.

One of the concerns about Airwave was the way it was funded and the choice of technology was a bit rubbish even at the time.

Though if they replace it with LTE, they'll have to sort something out for the underground - as it was a concern for 7/7 that it didn't work properly - and the solution is that Airwave users are allowed to roam on TfL's own private TETRA network (which does work underground), as I understand it

Yeah I remember reading about that the PSN I believe they calling it was funded by the AWS-3 auction that recently happened.

Agreed airwave was never the best technology.

Well it's not entirely impossible to put a mobile network on the London Underground Huawei were willing do back in 2008 and had outlined a plan but it didnt go ahead because of Chinese links.