This blog piece sets out an overview of the regulation of broadband networks in the UK, both now and in the future. As can be seen from the (very recent) dates on the various document referred-to, this is an area which is changing rapidly at the moment, and is a strong focus of both regulatory … Continue Reading
By Christoph Engelmann, Senior Associate, Hamburg DLA Piper recently advised a client (Transatel) on a very interesting matter leading to the German telecommunications regulator Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA) issuing a landmark decision on the applicability of the Roaming Regulation on so-called 901 International Mobile Subscription Identities (IMSI). In this decision BNetzA ruled that the defendant in that … Continue Reading
This note consolidates information we have available on the current (July 2017) status of telecoms regulator’s considerations of zero-rated offers in Europe. See also our other posts on zero-rating. Conclusion: Many European regulators are yet to consider the issue of net neutrality and zero-rated services following the 2015 Regulations. For those who have reached decisions since the … Continue Reading
Top 20 Do’s and Don’ts for Outsourcing Deals- the Customer Perspective Do allow enough time for the procurement and negotiation process If you run out of time, you will have to compromise on detail and thoroughness….which you will likely end up paying for many times over further on down the track. Don’t hide known service … Continue Reading
My colleague Emil Odling, lead partner for IP and Technology in Stockholm, has written the piece below discussing a decision this week of the Swedish courts which suspends the decision of the Swedish regulator which would have required Telia to stop some practices on the basis that they infringe the net neutrality rules. Note that … Continue Reading
I was on a panel session for the Total Telecom Congress in London on Wednesday and thought i would share some observations gleaned from other speakers that are relevant to the media sector and it’s intersection with telecoms: Something like 20-30% of all mobile data traffic is advertising! This is – i think -an astonishing … Continue Reading
Written by Scott Thiel The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has published its new and replacement Guidelines on Outsourcing on 27 July 2016. The Guidelines are intended to provide comprehensive guidance over the risk management practices that should be adopted by financial institutions in handling outsourcing arrangements. Businesses operating in Singapore that have entered into … Continue Reading
Written by Dylan Kennet and Louis Lehot Valuations of double digit multiples are often no surprise when it comes to technology companies, whether in Silicon Valley or here in the UK. Commonly known as “unicorns,” they are often defined as private companies valued at over $1bn. There are currently 169 unicorns globally with a cumulative … Continue Reading
Written by Ben Goodall The pace of innovation and adoption in technology – fast and getting faster – has long presented a stark contrast to the deliberate pace of change in the law. That contrast is greater than ever today, as entrepreneurs and established tech companies alike accelerate the time to market and the speed … Continue Reading
Written by Jeff Aronson The next time your client is asked to give a MFN, you may want to keep in mind a recently decided case in which a non-practicing entity (NPE) was required to refund $69 million of the $70 million patent license fee previously paid to it by a large bank. The reason … Continue Reading
Written by Roxanne Chow As speculation on the identity of the inventor of Bitcoin continues (see the article “The long search for Satoshi Nakamoto”: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36168864), so too does the question of how we can widen the application of blockchain technology to other areas. The key attributes of blockchain technology are frequently touted as: decentralisation: instead … Continue Reading
By Rob Shaw, Senior Associate and Ben Rogers, Legal Director – DLA Piper Proposals for reform of the Code have gathered pace recently; on Tuesday the Department of Culture, Media and Sport released the Government’s proposals to reform the Code and yesterday it was announced that the new Code will be part of the Digital … Continue Reading
Written by Carol Umhoefer (Carol.Umhoefer@dlapiper.com) and Caroline Chancé (Caroline.Chance@dlapiper.com). This article first appeared in E-Commerce Law and Policy – volume 18 issue 03 (March 2016). On December 16, 2015, the Article 29 Data Protection Working Party (“WP29″) updated their Opinion 8/2010[1] on applicable law in light of the landmark decision Costeja v. Google[2] rendered by … Continue Reading
The Internet of Things and FinTech are among the fastest growing markets, but their intersection leads to new legal issues to which operators might not be ready.… Continue Reading
Eamon Holley, Legal Director at DLA Piper Middle East (Dubai), spoke on Dubai Eye’s “The Agenda” radio show on February 2, 2016. On the show, he discussed how UAE privacy laws are intersecting with new technologies and innovations, such as cameras on drones, cameras in taxis, and dashcams. To access a recording of this segment, … Continue Reading
If data is the new oil, then the Dubai Government is keen to tap the well. Dubai’s recently issued “Dubai Data Law” (the Law) is a one of the latest examples of the progress being made by the Dubai Government to diversify and “future-proof” its economy and society – a strategy brought into even greater … Continue Reading
Written by Hugh Goodwin After a slew of negative publicity and business community backlash in the wake of the June 2015 issuance of Lease Tax Ruling #12, the Chicago Department of Finance has offered relief for prior non-payment of the Chicago Lease Tax, provided that a voluntary disclosure application is filed with the Department by … Continue Reading
By Florence Guthfreund-Roland & Mathilde Hallé On September, 11th 2015, the European Commission launched a new public consultation on the evaluation of the legal and regulatory framework for the electronic communications sector. This consultation follows the Commission’s communication on the “Digital Single Market Strategy for Europe” dated May, 6th 2015, according to which the Commission’s … Continue Reading
WhatsApp and Skype might be subject to new regulatory obligations in Italy as a consequence of the consultation just launched by the Italian communication authority (AgCom).… Continue Reading
Written by: Heng Loong Cheong, Joyce Chan, Samuel Yang, Louise Crawford DOMESTIC BANK CARD CLEARING MARKET OPENS UP Only a few months ago, the State Council’s announcement of the Decision on the Implementation of Market Access Administration in relation to Bank Card Clearing Institutions (the “Decision“) marked the opening of China’s domestic bank card clearing … Continue Reading
Written by Christopher Stevenson July brought a flurry of activity to our various offices and reminded me of an often overlooked but very important piece of M&A diligence. By now most of us are well-versed in the basic steps of conducting IP due diligence in M&A deals. Any company can quickly generate a list of … Continue Reading
TripAdvisor did NOT mislead its users on the truthfulness of reviews published on its site, and the € 500K fine previously issued shall be cancelled.… Continue Reading
Written by Patrick van Eecke and Atoon Dierick On 6 July 2015, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the current Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2010/13/EU (“AVMSD”), entitled “A media framework for the 21st century”. The aim of this public consultation, launched as a result of the rapidly shifting media landscape, is to invite … Continue Reading
I have expressed some strong views on the (lack of) merits of a specific net neutrality rule in the EU before (here and here). It was with interest then that I read the language of the “final compromise test” of the proposed new regulation on the Connected Continent from the EC. This cover two things … Continue Reading
