The companies, which are members of the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA), told digital agenda commissioner Neelie Kroes on Monday that their business case for fibre deployment was not sustainable. They said this was due to both high wholesale charges and the fact that telcos across Europe have roundly ignored the European Commission's plea to open up fibre network access.
"It is time for a wake-up call," ECTA chairman Tom Ruhan said in a statement. "The liberalisation experiment which Europe began in the late 1990s is close to failing because regulatory rules are not supporting the business case for even leading telecoms competitors."
"If current trends continue, we may be back to monopolies and duopolies for broadband services in five years' time. This will not deliver more investment in broadband and will have a negative impact on the services and prices consumers receive," Ruhan warned, adding that "it is time the copper gravy train ended".
ECTA public affairs chief Federico Poggi told ZDNet UK on Monday that, in many European countries, large incumbents were making almost all the "available cashflows" in fixed telecoms. Indeed, he pointed out, in Italy and Portugal incumbents are making 100 percent of this money, causing smaller operators to go out of business.
"In Italy, when liberalisation came into force there were 70 operators. There are now less than 10," he said.
Poggi said the UK and France were the two countries that stood out for actually letting smaller operators make money.
Unbundling
ECTA has made its argument about copper pricing before. Essentially, its position is that the incumbents got public funding to roll out the copper networks before they were privatised, and they should now drastically drop their wholesale charges for the depreciating networks.
Conversely, the incumbents have argued that, if they charge too little for access to their copper networks, the resulting low retail prices for access will deter consumers from paying lots more for faster fibre access. The incumbents also say they need high levels of income from the legacy networks to pay for the deployment of the new ones.– Tom Ruhan, ECTA
If current trends continue, we may be back to monopolies and duopolies for broadband services in five years' time.
However, Poggi said ECTA's latest plea for Kroes's sympathies comes with a new study, commissioned from analysts at WIK Consult, which demonstrated how bad the situation was getting.
When liberalisation took place, a key step was to force incumbents to let smaller rivals install their own kit in the incumbents' phone exchanges, a process called local loop unbundling (LLU). The idea was to increase competition, and in the UK this led to the separation of BT's Openreach division.
The Commission said a few years ago that incumbents would also have to allow competitors onto their fibre networks. In the case of BT, the Commission agreed in 2010 to allow a short period of 'virtual unbundling', which would enable some competition but not force BT to allow rivals' equipment into their fibre network.
Ofcom has shown no sign of planning a shift to actual unbundling for fibre in the UK — a stance that may lead to a clash with Kroes's department in the coming years.
According to Poggi, the halfway measure that is fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) makes the situation even worse for smaller telcos, as "it is impossible to access the local subloop".
As most of the incumbents' fibre strategies in Europe are largely based on FTTC rather than taking fibre all the way to the customer's premises, ECTA says the effect is to shut out competition.
"Competitors are not able to install their own equipment on the line," Poggi said, adding that the Commission's recommendation for unbundling fibre access "was completely ignored by the member states".
Investment
Meanwhile, Kroes told ECTA at the Monday meeting that the Commission was creating a market "where you have the incentives to invest and innovate".
"Some say that for investment to happen, we need to abandon competition, that we need to choose between one or the other," Kroes said. "My answer is simple: no way! Competition and investment aren't exclusive — the one promotes the other. Because in a competitive market, you have to invest for the future if you want to stay in the game."
Not the best footwear for a ramble on Hampstead Heath! Kim Kardashian goes off-roading in five-inch heels - Daily Mail
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With her glamorous, designer wardrobe and high-maintenance beauty regime, Kim Kardashian isn't exactly what you'd call out 'outdoor girl'.
But after spending the past few days of her London trip shopping and partying, the reality star surprised fans by going for a ramble on Hampstead Heath.
However, perhaps the American hadn't been given an adequate explanation of what to expect from 'a heath' after she went for a walk on the rough terrain in a pair of five-inch Christian Louboutin heels.
Balancing act: Socialite Kim Kardashian walks through Hampstead Heath in an unsuitable pair of heels on Monday morning
Very chic: Kim was wearing a pair of black and transparent heels, skintight jeans and a peplum cream top
With a noticeable lack of pavement, the 31-year-old tottered on her heels as she walked carefully over the rough ground while chatting to PR friend Jonathan Cheban.
Missing out on all the fresh air in the North London's recreation grounds was her rapper boyfriend Kanye West.
Kim was up bright and early today and popped into Selfridges department store in Oxford Street for a spot of retail therapy, before going up to Hampstead for a walk.
Surely you could have brought some trainers? The socialite's expensive shoes may have ended up a bit dirty after her walk
Tourists: Kim (sitting down) and her friend Jonathan filmed scenes for Keeping Up With The Kardashians on the London Eye
She then continued her sight-seeing with a 30 minute ride on the London Eye with Cheban, with their conversation and stunning views of the capital captured on cameras for her reality show Keeping UP With The Kardashians.
She was later spotted returned back to her hotel with brother Rob and brother-in-law Scott Disick.
After a quick wardrobe change the whole clan stepped out all together again with Kim opting for a LBD to film their reality show.
Goofing around: The pair posed for a photo, which is available to buy at the end of the ride
London calling: The scenes will appear in the current series of Keeping Up With The Kardashians
Although in London together, Kim and boyfriend Kanye have been doing their own thing during the day and coming together at night.
On Sunday night, they enjoyed an early dinner at Hakkasan Chinese restaurant before Kanye was due back on stage at the O2.
Kim took brother Rob to the Kanye and Jay-Z Watch The Thrones gig - unbelievably his first ever concert.
Luxury: The reality star and her boyfriend are staying at the five-star Athenaeum Hotel
Mini Kardashian clan: The socialite has been joined in London by younger brother Rob (left) and brother-in-law Scott Disick
Doting auntie: Kim posted a photo of herself with nephew Mason on a recent holiday
Afterwards, the couple joined Rob and his girlfriend Rita Ora, Gwyneth Paltrow and Stella McCartney at Dstrkt nightclub.
The couple are sharing a rooftop suite at the five-star Athenaeum Hotel in Piccadilly, with views over-looking Green Park.
Black magic: Kim stepped out in a tight LDB which boasted a tulip skirt this afternoon
Efinancial Wholesale Sales Contest Winners Announced, Two Deserving Life Insurance Brokers Awarded a Dream Vacation - YAHOO!
Efinancial Wholesale, a leading online life insurance wholesaler, is proud to announce the winners of the First Quarter-2012 Efinancial Sales Incentive. The well deserved prizes were awarded to both an Efinancial call center agent and an individual producer.
Bellevue, Wash. (PRWEB) May 21, 2012
Efinancial Wholesale, a leading online life insurance brokerage, proudly announces the winners of their latest sales contest. The First Quarter-2012 Efinancial Sales Incentive proved to be a great success, motivating top Efinancial life insurance agents to compete for a chance to win one of two dream vacations.Originally established in 2003, Efinancial Wholesale has since revolutionized the life insurance industry. Today Efinancial Wholesale is widely recognized as an innovator in the field of online life insurance sales. Offering member agents access to a wide breadth of products, coupled with cutting edge technology; Efinancial Wholesale equips their family of brokers with the tools and resources necessary to excel in today’s modern business climate.
The Efinancial Wholesale First Quarter-2012 Sales Incentive began on Tuesday, January 3, and ended Saturday, March 31. During the contest, Efinancial life insurance brokers competed for a chance to win one of two tropical vacations. Call centers competed for one trip, while the family of Efinancial individual producers competed for a separate dream vacation. Each winner received: roundtrip airfare, an all-inclusive resort package for 4 days and 3 nights and transportation to and from the airport, for themselves and a guest. Each winner was given the opportunity to select either Cabo San Lucas, Mexico or the Bahamas for their dream vacation destination.
Agents and call centers competed to win contest raffle tickets based upon specific sales goals.
The Efinancial Wholesale team provided standings and updates throughout the life of the contest. Winners were then announced through a video recorded drawing on April 3, the results of which were posted on the Efinancial Wholesale Blog. Christopher B. was the call center winner and Michael G. took home the individual producer prize. Both Christopher and Michael posted impressive sales numbers, throughout the first quarter, and were handsomely rewarded for their efforts.
“We are pleased with the results of the First Quarter-2012 Sales Incentive,” said Pete Kalasountas, Director of Efinancial Wholesale. “The entire Efinancial Wholesale team got in the spirit of the competition. Both winners worked hard throughout the contest and it’s our pleasure to reward their efforts.”
The Efinancial Wholesale management team is committed to nurturing a healthy, positive work environment. Quarterly sales incentives are held to reward top performers and acknowledge hard work and dedication. Plans are already underway for the Second Quarter-2012 Efinancial Sales Incentive. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements from the Efinancial Wholesale team, as they explore new ways to motivate and encourage success among their growing family of top producing life insurance brokers.
If you would like to learn more about Efinancial Wholesale life insurance services, visit them online at http://www.efinancialwholesale.com or call 1.800.648.9504.
About Efinancial Wholesale
Efinancial Wholesale is a full service online wholesale life insurance brokerage. Offering a comprehensive life insurance framework, Efinancial Wholesale provides their community of life insurance brokers with resources and technology to remain competitive in the life insurance industry. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, Efinancial is a licensed broker in all 50 states with access to the top-rated life insurance carriers in the market.
Sara Sonnen
Efinancial Wholesale
1.800.648.9504
Email Information
British Land results boost retail market - Daily Telegraph
Overall, in the year to March 31 British Land reported a 2.6pc increase in the value of its portfolio to £10.3bn, thanks to the retail performance and pre-lets on its office developments in London such as the Cheesegrater.
However, pre-tax profits fell from £830m to £479m because the eurozone debt crisis meant the growth in values was slower than last year.
British Land shares rose 10.82, or 2pc, to 499.52p.
Only someone with limited intelligence would go walking on a heath dressed like she was shopping in Harrods. LOL
- Cazzerole, Bedfordshire, 21/5/2012 23:19
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