Eurobites: Privacy Champion Slams Web Giants Over GDPR Tactics

Telefónica has done a deal with Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) to integrate the all-conquering video streaming service into its TV and video platforms in Europe and Latin America. The service will launch in Latin America first, with Spain following by the end of 2018.

New research in the Harvard Business Review offers some interesting insights into how Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) lost its way in the mobile phone market. According to HBR, some of Nokia's key executives during the period now acknowledge that they were "emotionally attached" to the vendor's Symbian-based strategy. One said: "No one on an emotional level wanted to think about it right away, even though [top managers] knew analytically [that the prevailing strategy should be challenged]. The consequences were emotionally burdening." And as for the ill-fated adoption of Windows: "There was the bias to wanting to be a market leader. […] We believed that with Windows you can influence the game; instead of playing with the same Legos [Android] as everyone else." Forks in the road and all that…

French telecom regulator Arcep has issued its first "superfast" (at least 30 Mbit/s) wireless license. The license has been issued to a company called Sem@for77, in the Seine-et-Marne department. The company will use these frequencies to upgrade the public-initiative wireless Internet access network there.

Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd 's Rotating Chairman (no sniggering at the back!), Ken Hu, has used a speech to the European Business Summit in Brussels to urge Europe's authorities to act quickly in harmonizing and releasing more 5G spectrum, and to offer more support to carriers in rolling out fiber, which will play a vital role in supporting emerging 5G services as well as enabling very high-speed fixed broadband services.

Swiss operator Salt SA saw earnings (before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) rise 8.5% year-on-year in the first quarter to 112.8 million Swiss francs (US$113.6 million), on revenue that inched up 0.5% to CHF252 million ($253.9 million). During the quarter, Salt launched its fiber offering, which it says has registered "several thousand" subscriptions from various regions of the country.

— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading