International bar association debates mobile payment
Mobile payment is a topic close to my heart, so I am delighted to be joining a distinguished panel at the International Bar Association‘s annual conference …
Government policy
Internet regulation: building consumer trust?
Today’s FT article by Vittorio Colao, CEO of Vodafone, highlights the importance of regulation for all the players in the on-line ecosystem – those building the pipes …
European Data Protection Supervisor questions need for Data Retention Directive: no public reply from the spooks expected…
This week the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) published an opinion that concludes that: “the Data Retention Directive does not meet the requirements set out by …
EU Telecoms Ministers approve WRC-12 plan but disagree with Parliament on Radio Spectrum Policy Programme
European processes can seem labyrinthine, even to insiders. Whilst normal EU legislative processes are just about understandable, decisions and processes relating to spectrum are even …
Another £50 million for rural broadband in UK – a drop in the ocean?
Fifty million pounds is a very large amount of money, and it was great to read last week’s DCMS announcement that it would be made …
Significance of mobile data growth
Whilst this blog often picks up on topical news, sometimes I am prompted to reflect on some of the meta-themes that provide the context for day-to-day news. …
UK Government starts Communications Act review
As previously anticipated, the UK started this week a wholesale review of the legislation in the communications sector. Minister Jeremy Hunt published an open letter seeking …
UK Parliament launches inquiry into spectrum
The UK system of government and regulation can sometimes be confusing, with the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee of the House of Commons this …
Europe to review data retention rules
Readers will recall from the curious case of Mr Spitz that European telecoms operators already retain very large amounts of information about their customers. In an …
UK implementation of revised EU telecoms (electronic communications) framework published
The UK’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (and although not in the title, telecoms) today published its response to the consultation on implementation of …