Rewheel/research

December 2016

Fixed-line broadband interest, zero-rating video and big telco ownership impedes competition in mobile markets

Hutchison Austria quadrupled data allowances after national regulatory authority’s intervention on zero-rating video

2016

December 2016

The regulator intervened along the EU net neutrality rules and BEREC guidelines that prohibit differential throttling when the internet-access data cap is exhausted.

Is spectrum usage harmonised across the EU28 national mobile markets?

November 2016

Spectrum harmonisation: the key to 5G? Rewheel's material presented on the ECTA Regulatory Conference 2016

The Commission proposed wholesale data roaming cap of €8.5/GB is anomalous and will distort competition in North-Eastern mobile markets where retail gigabyte prices are competitive

October 2016

UPDATED with DG Competition's response to Rewheel's concerns. How low should the wholesale data roaming cap be in 2017 to avoid the distortion of competition in North-Eastern domestic mobile markets where retail gigabyte prices are competitive?

Unlimited mobile data is back — The state of 4G pricing and spectrum usage, 2nd half 2016 Digital Fuel Monitor 6th release

October 2016

Full release report for Digital Fuel Monitor-PRO clients

Finnish-like unlimited mobile data model now proliferating in Europe

[External post, Linkedin]
October 2016

Efficient use of radio spectrum resources: Elisa Finland is the world's most efficient operator in turning MHz-s into gigabytes. Elisa in Finland pumps 26 times as much gigabyte per MHz per population as Vodafone in Germany. Unlimited mobile data model spreading in Europe, increasing North-South tentions in the EU mobile data roam like at home debate.

Italian mobile merger proves 4 is the magic number

[External article, POLITICO PRO, subscription required]
September 2016

If Iliad has the same growth trajectory in Italy as it has had in France, Rewheel expects Iliad will control 20 percent of the market within five years.

Xavier Niel, the most aggressive telecom entrepreneur in Europe, is officially on his way to Italy

[External article, Bloomberg]
September 2016

Article presents Digital Fuel Monitor EU-US 4G prices analaysis chart

Effective structural remedies for Hutchison-WIND 4 to 3 Italian mobile merger

September 2016

This research report was submitted to Commissioner Vestager and DG Competition on 30th May 2016, three months prior to the European Commission's announcment (link) of approving the merger subject to remedies.

Why T-Mobile and Sprint’s limited unlimited plans won’t open the data floodgates

[External article, Telecom TV]
August 2016

“Once you move away from volume plans and down the unlimited route, the substitution effect will start taking shape. It takes time for the consumers to realise that they do not need to pay twice for the same thing.”

Zero-rated apps in EU28 and OECD mobile markets in 2014, 2015, 2016

2016

zero-rating

August 2016

EU’s 5G competition challenge

2016

mobile-first

networkeconomics

July 2016

A handful of big telco groups – with vested interests in fixed-line broadband – impose very restrictive mobile internet usage caps. This raises serious concerns that these telco groups – that tightly control most EU national markets – will not be incentivised to sell competitively priced 5G internet access.

Success of the unconventional Finnish mobile data model

[External post, Linkedin]
July 2016

A few mind-opening facts about the unconventional Finnish mobile data model. Linkedin post by Rewheel's senior partner.

How many 4G LTE smartphone GBs EU28 operators sell for €35 - July 2016

2016

pricing

July 2016

O2 nearly triples GB volume allowances (for the same price) after the Commission blocked the 4 to 3 merger in the UK

July 2016

Before the blocked merger £25 bought O2 customers 8 gigabytes. Now O2 customers get three times more gigabytes i.e. 25GB by spending £25

Mobile Price Wars: No Sign of Peace in Europe

[External article, The Wall Street Journal]
June 2016

The gap between European and U.S. mobile pricing seems likely to remain wide.

The EC proposed wholesale data roaming cap of €8.5/GB is much higher than domestic retail prices across most EU states

2016

roaming

pricing

June 2016

The Commission proposed wholesale data roaming cap of €8.5/GB appears to be carefully calibrated to protect the very high domestic retail prices charged by operators in tight oligopoly markets (e.g. Germany, Spain) while penalizing operators with competitive much lower domestic retail prices (e.g. Finland, Denmark, Poland)

Mobile data usage (gigabyte volume) in Finland is set to overtake fixed-line broadband usage in Germany in 2016

May 2016

In 2016 mobile data volume consumption per person in Finland is set to exceed fixed-line broadband volume consumption per person in Germany. Anecdotal evidence reported by WDR (German public media) indicated that younger users are frustrated by very restrictive smartphone plan volume caps.

The State of 4G Pricing - first half 2016, Digital Fuel Monitor 5^th Release

May 2016

Public release summary

Telenor Denmark – Turnaround strategy

April 2016

Telenor’s Danish strategy is in tatters. Telenor’s 4 to 3 consolidation attempt was blocked by the European Commission while its ‘me too’ strategy has been a failure dragging down its profitability. Can Telenor turn the business around and return to profitability?

Three years after the 4 to 3 merger €25 buys Austrians only half the gigabyte allowance than it did before the merger approval

2016

Hutchison

Austria

March 2016

Before the merger Austria was ranked as the 3rd most competitive mobile market among EU28. Three years after the merger Austria has fallen to the 10th place.

Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Probably Telefonica and Hutchison

[External article, Telecom TV]
February 2016

"Here’s the deal. I think that Hutchison (owners of 3) will be willing to complete the merger with O2 even if it meant a new fourth operator had to be established in the market. But that would depend on who the operator was."

The approval of the 4 to 3 Telefonica E-Plus merger with ineffective MVNO remedies made Germany the least competitive market in EU28

February 2016

Denmark vs Germany. Decoupling of mobile internet access prices and gigabyte consumption.

Hutchison has increased prices in Austria by up to 92% after the 4 to 3 merger was approved with Mickey Mouse MVNO remedies

2016

Austria

Hutchison

February 2016

Unit prices (retail price / GB volume allowance) ≠ Unit revenues (revenues / actual GB consumption)

Price competition intensified in Denmark in the run-up to the Commission’s decision and after the 4 to 3 merger was blocked

February 2016

The average gigabyte price in Denmark is now 63% lower than it was in April 2015 when the European Commission opened an in-depth investigation

Effectiveness of MVNO wholesale access remedies

January 2016

Comprehensive analysis of commercial and merger mandated MVNO wholesale access frameworks and assessment of their efficacy in restoring effective competition in 4 to 3 mobile mergers

Hutchison defies Vestager and increases prices, ahead of its planned acquisition of o2 in the UK, for the fourth time

January 2016

Hutchison appears to be confident that price increases will not deter the European Commission from approving the 4 to 3 merger

Tight oligopoly mobile markets in EU28 in 2015

January 2016

Comprehensive analysis of factors that give rise to unilateral anti-competitive effects leading to non-competitive outcomes and consumer harm in tight mobile oligopolies.

Rewheel in the international media

Mobile Price Wars: No Sign of Peace in Europe
The Wall Street Journal

Veto of UK mobile merger sends chill across Europe
POLITICO Europe

We believe that the Commission will no longer accept MVNOs as an effective remedy in a merger situation
Reuters

Telecoms antitrust decision sends chills from UK to Italy
POLITICO Europe

European mobile telecoms - together we stand
The Economist

Appeal stokes telecoms merger controversy
POLITICO Europe

Austria becomes battleground in fight over mobile mergers
Reuters

Telefónica’s KPN deal challenged over impact on competition in front of the EU general court
Financial Times

Europe’s mobile internet divide is widening. Finland and Estonia top EU for low-cost hi-speed internet
President of Estonia, Toomas Hendrik Ilves (twitter)

Europe’s great data divide
POLITICO Europe

Vestager on telecoms collision course with Juncker
POLITICO Europe