Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: Telia's sheep project raises the baa on NB-IoT; Sky and Virgin collaborate on TV ads; BT's new woman in the Americas.
Today's the day that mobile roaming charges -- the extra charges levied on mobile phone users for making calls, sending texts and using data while abroad -- will cease to apply within the European Union. Well, sort of. As the Financial Times reports (subscription required), it's not as straightforward as that, with some smaller operators, such as Finland's Elisa Corp. , having already applied for exemptions from the ruling on the grounds that it could knock 3% or more off their net margins. Also, some members of the European Parliament now have the cost of international landline calls in their sights, which they see as another telecom industry cash cow that needs their attention. The battle between operators and Brussels is far from over.
From cash cows to, erm, sheep. (Seamless or what?) Telia Norway has initiated a pilot, in conjunction with startup Nortrace, that will see 1,000 sheep tagged with NB-IoT technology so they can be tracked while on their summer pasture. If the pilot proves successful Telia
hopes to launch the tracking system commercially in the fall. But do Android users dream of NB-IoT sheep? Who knows. Here's a video with more details of the pilot and some nice scenery:
Pay-TV rivals Sky and Virgin Media Inc. (Nasdaq: VMED) are to collaborate on their TV advertising in a bid to make it more data driven and hence more targeted. The partnership covers both linear and VoD viewing, with Virgin employing technology developed by its parent company, Liberty Global, as well as Sky's AdSmart system.
BT has appointed Jennifer Artley president for BT Group plc (NYSE: BT; London: BTA) in the Americas, replacing Bas Burger, who was recently made CEO of BT's troubled Global Services division. Artley's resume includes stints at Equinix and Level 3 Communications. (See BT Cuts 4% of Jobs, Plans Global Services Overhaul.)
— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading
Re: counting sheepRoaming charges may be going away in most of the countries, but one might wonder if IoT devices may be a way to instigate roaming charges on sheep passing through pastures here and there?
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