Category Archives: TV

Comparing Scandinavia’s FMC propositions

During the last decade, fixed-mobile convergence – FMC for short – has come to dominate how connectivity and entertainment are sold to households in European markets like Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands.

In Spain, around three quarters of the households currently subscribe to an FMC plan covering at least fixed broadband and one or multiple mobile subscriptions. Often TV or other entertainment services are included too.

Initially FMC was sold with massive discounts and the base grew quickly as it was a no-brainer not to buy everything from the same operator. Churn levels were improved dramatically too when a churn decision no longer just affected one service for one household member, but many different services consumed by many different people. [Some find it easier to negotiate with an operator than with members of the family].

In later years, FMC ARPU increased much, driven by more content (and more expensive content such as football) in the mix. Eventually, the operator thirst for higher and higher ARPU might have been the start of a negative base trend for FMC. In the graph below, we show the FMC net adds for Movistar (Telefónica Spain) since the launch of its Fusión FMC product.

Continue reading Comparing Scandinavia’s FMC propositions

European FMC propositions and outcome

Analysis & Go-to-market, 2020

How have operators introduced fixed-mobile convergent plans in Europe’s most advanced markets France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands – and in emerging FMC markets like the UK and Sweden? How – and how quickly – did competition react?

Using facts: What is the take-up of these FMC plans? How have the FMC introductions affected mobile and fixed market share, customer churn, acquisition & retention cost, demand for fibre and TV – and revenue and margin?

How do you avoid making FMC a discount-centric thing? How have the best FMC propositions been put together and how have they been marketed? Is there a way to leverage content and exclusivity?

Is 5G changing FMC?

Continue reading European FMC propositions and outcome

Carriers moved away from subsidizing handsets. Now they subsidize customers’ video consumption.

Mobile operators are abandoning the previously predominant model to subsidize handsets and to, in return, lock customers in on long contracts with elevated service fees.

The death of the model should be mourned by no one since end-users have been given choice and flexibility through a multitude of non-binding, cheaper and flexible service options with generous – or even unlimited – allowances. Operators have seen customer churn decrease as end-users hold onto their handsets longer. As a direct consequence, EBITDA margins have increased.

Investors might still complain about the revenue growth, but measured as percentage of revenue mobile carriers currently produce the best margins on record. Continue reading Carriers moved away from subsidizing handsets. Now they subsidize customers’ video consumption.

Bundles and churn: Nexterday North 2017

Also the 2017 version of Nexterday North was a true ‘anti-seminar’ with futuristic and insightful speakers in a great, sometimes quirky, mix. May Comptel‘s spirit thrive also now that it is a part of Nokia.

This year, tefficient held a keynote presentation focused on bundles and the effect on churn.

Continue reading Bundles and churn: Nexterday North 2017

Nonstop Retention benchmark and European quad-play best practice

Analysis and Go-to-market, 2016

Nonstop Retention® benchmark: Calculating and comparing the Nonstop Retention Index for mobile brands (MNOs, sub-brands and main MVNOs) in one specific major European market. Identifying best practice and showing current trends. Recommending propositions and actions to improve customer loyalty per brand.

European quad-play best practice: Fact-based before/after analysis of how the introduction of quad-play propositions changed key business Continue reading Nonstop Retention benchmark and European quad-play best practice

The battle of 2017: Content ownership vs. unlimited mobile data

welcome-to-nexterday-2

Nexterday North 2016 was an as fantastic experience as the first, inaugural, anti-seminar in 2015. Once again, Comptel managed to bring 550 thinkers and doers from around the world to Helsinki and create great buzz around it.

This year, tefficient wasn’t helping Comptel with a keynote presentation. Instead we prepared and hosted two square table sessions for registered operator representatives only. Continue reading The battle of 2017: Content ownership vs. unlimited mobile data

Analysis of the development of mobile data monetisation in a specific country

Analysis, 2016

Analysis of the mobile market in a specific country: Development of market shares, subscription tiers, churn, offerings, pricing, data usage, revenue, ARPU, margin, network coverage and CAPEX for all operators.

Special focus on the development of mobile data monetisation and mobile TV/video over time.

Comparisons done to other countries.

Commissioned by a global solutions provider.

Ziggo/Vodafone: Decouple broadband, start to invest – to stop customer outflow

vodafone-logoIn Europe, we woke up with the news that Vodafone and Liberty Global had agreed to merge their Dutch operations Vodafone and Ziggo.

Less than two weeks ago, Telenet, Liberty Global’s affiliate in Belgium, got a green light from the European Commission to buy the mobile operator BASE from KPN. So already before today, Liberty took a major step in the mobile direction.

Read the original commentary on what this means for Europe

Vodafone, on its part, has demonstrated an appetite for cablecos: In 2013, it began acquiring Kabel Deutschland and in 2014 it acquired Ono in Spain. Continue reading Ziggo/Vodafone: Decouple broadband, start to invest – to stop customer outflow

34 petabytes of zero-rated video streamed since launch of Binge On

Mid November last year, T-Mobile USA launched its 10th uncarrier initiative, Binge On. It has been the most controversial uncarrier launch so far.

Binge on2

Why? Binge On zero-rates commercial video services – so that T-Mobile customers can watch as much as they like without emptying their data bucket. The trade-off? Video streams are slowed down to about 1.5 Mbit/s which means that image quality suffers – which is visible, but perhaps not on smaller screens like smartphones and tablets. Continue reading 34 petabytes of zero-rated video streamed since launch of Binge On

Chart: Why Netflix’ expansion is good news for mobile carriers

netflixSome of you might feel that tefficient tends to overstate the importance of Netflix for telecoms.

In most European markets where Netflix operates, it has as many subscribers as all other paid video streaming services together. In some of these countries Netflix has more households subscribing to its service than there are IPTV households in the country. Continue reading Chart: Why Netflix’ expansion is good news for mobile carriers