J58 Telecommunications Services

TPG soars on Vodafone talks

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari, Bridget Carter
The Australian – Page: 19 & 23 : 23-Aug-18

TPG Telecom has advised that it is holding discussions with Vodafone regarding a "merger of equals", as it prepares to launch its own mobile network. TPG already uses Vodafone’s network for its mobile service, while Vodafone in turn uses TPG’s fixed broadband infrastructure. Graeme Ferguson of S&P Global Ratings says the potential merger may affect the Federal Government’s auction of 5G spectrum in November, as both companies were expected to submit bids. TPG shares closed 21 per cent higher at $7.65 on 22 August.

CORPORATES
TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, VODAFONE HUTCHISON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, S&P GLOBAL RATINGS, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Heads roll in Telstra executive bloodbath

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari
The Australian – Page: 17 : 31-Jul-18

Telstra has announced a major reorganisation of its senior management, with CFO Warwick Bray one of four top executives to be leaving the telco. Telstra CEO Andy Penn said the reorganisation was in response to its recently announced three-year turnaround plan, which seeks to streamline Telstra’s products and reduce its costs by $1 billion a year. Former SBS head Michael Ebeid is to join Telstra as part of the reorganisation, with Ebeid to be in charge of its enterprise division.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS) TESLA INCORPORATED SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD ERICSSON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED TELSYTE PTY LTD JUNIPER NETWORKS MICROSOFT AUSTRALIA NOKIA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Surge in video streaming on NBN

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Jul-18

Data from NBN Co shows that video streaming, web browsing and virtual ­private networks account for the bulk of traffic on the national broadband network. The average household with an NBN connection now downloads 200 gigabytes per month, compared with just 70GB per month three years ago. Labor has declined to comment on whether it still intends to roll out fibre-to-the-premises technology nationwide if it wins the next federal election.

CORPORATES
NBN CO LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED

More pain to come for Telstra investors

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 22-Jun-18

Telstra shares fell to a seven-year low on 21 June, in response to its restructuring proposal and 2018-19 earnings guidance that was below market expectations. Citigroup is bearish about the EBITDA and earnings outlook for Telstra’s mobile division over the next four years, and the firm has downgraded its earnings per share forecasts. Citigroup and CLSA also expect Telstra to reduce its dividend payout in coming years.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, VODAFONE HUTCHISON AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

ALDImobile builds on strong start to 2018

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-May-18

ALDImobile has won the Roy Morgan Mobile Phone Service Provider Monthly Customer Satisfaction Award for April, with a customer satisfaction rating of 84.1%. It is the brand’s second victory in 2018 and comes after leapfrogging March winner Virgin Mobile, which came in second in April on 80.8%. Analysis of the historical trends in satisfaction show that ALDImobile’s victory in April has been built upon a steady improvement over the last year; the brand has gained an average of just over 2ppts per month in customer satisfaction to catch and now overtake its rivals in recent months. ALDImobile is not itself a network provider but rather a Mobile Virtual Network Operator, which utilises the underlying Telstra mobile network to provide its service. When it comes to the underlying mobile networks, the Vodafone network with an overall customer satisfaction rating of 77.7% is narrowly ahead of both the Optus network on 76.9% and the Telstra network on 74.9%.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, ALDIMOBILE, VIRGIN MOBILE (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Optus to hang up on Virgin Mobile

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari
The Australian – Page: 19 : 24-May-18

Optus has confirmed that it will discontinue the Virgin Mobile brand in Australia, as part of its strategy to reduce costs. The decision to scrap the brand will result in the closure of about 36 stores and the loss of 200 jobs. Meanwhile, the Federal Court has ordered Optus to pay a $A1.5m fine after it falsely advised broadband customers that they had just 30 days rather than up to 18 months to switch to the NBN when it became available in their area.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, VIRGIN MOBILE (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, VIRGIN MOBILE HOLDINGS (UK) PLC, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, NBN CO LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, THE KANTAR GROUP, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

Optus to hang up on Virgin Mobile

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Original article by Supratim Adhikari
The Australian – Page: 19 : 17-Apr-18

It is understood that Optus is planning to close down its Virgin Mobile unit, with all of its users to be transferred to Optus. Optus holds the Virgin Mobile licence until 2021, and closing it down will mean it will not have to pay any more licensing fees. Virgin Mobile was formed as a joint venture between Optus and Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Mobile in 2000, with Optus assuming control of Virgin Mobile’s stake in 2006. Virgin Mobile’s market share declined from 5.4 per cent to 4.4 per cent in the year to June 2017.

CORPORATES
SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, VIRGIN MOBILE (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, VODAFONE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, VIRGIN MOBILE HOLDINGS (UK) PLC

ACCC suggests breaking up NBN

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 6-Apr-18

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has called on the Federal Government to break the NBN up prior to selling it. The ACCC noted that it had held this view since the 2014 Vertigan review, which had called for the NBN to be broken up. ACCC chairman Rod Sims says the government should try to expose the NBN to as much competition as possible, and that this should be at the forefront of its thinking when it comes to privatising the NBN, rather than how much profit it can make.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, NBN CO LIMITED

Buyers firming up for next round of bids for Vocus NZ operation

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 5-Mar-18

Vocus Group appears on target to complete the sale of its New Zealand business by the end of the 2017-18 financial year. Trust Power and 2degrees are known to have made the next stage of the bidding process, but it is understood that other parties have also done so. Vocus has indicated that it is seeking between $A500 million and $A600 million for its New Zealand unit, which generated revenue of $NZ342 million ($A315 million) for the year to 30 June 2017.

CORPORATES
VOCUS GROUP LIMITED – ASX VOC, TRUST POWER LIMITED, 2 DEGREES MOBILE LIMITED, TRILOGY INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS, STUFF.CO.NZ, SPARK NEW ZEALAND LIMITED – ASX SPK, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Telstra boss says 5G can kick-start telco sector earnings

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 16-Feb-18

Telstra has advised that that its net profit for the first half of 2017-18 was down 4.9 per cent to $A1.7 billion, while total revenue increased by 5.9 per cent to $A14.51 billion. CEO Andy Penn says the global telecommunications sector is going through a period of cyclical change. Customers are seeking to extract more value and data from their plans, while telcos’ margins are under pressure. However, Penn is optimistic that the introduction of 5G services will help to revive growth in the sector.

CORPORATES
TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, NBN CO LIMITED, MOODY’S ANALYTICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD