Revenue generated from public wi-fi hotspots – areas where wireless devices can connect to networks like the internet – could rise by as much as 121% compound annual growth rate over the next five years, according to a new report from Allied Business Intelligence (ABI). ABI says that wi-fi hotspots are continuing to garner attention… Continue reading Wi-Fi Hotspots On Verge Of Growth, Says Report

Pressure on DSL broadband operators to cut prices could lead to the introduction of unsustainably cheap service offerings, according to analysts at Ovum. The consulting group warns that US and European DSL operators could fall into the same competition trap that has been experienced in Japan and South Korea, where prices for broadband access services… Continue reading DSL Operators Should Resist Slashing Broadband Prices, Says Ovum

Roger Parry, head of Clear Channel International, has hit back at Capital Radio’s David Mansfield for ruling out a potential take-over by the American radio giant. Speaking at last week’s Radio Academy Festival in Birmingham, Mansfield said there would be a “major clash” if the worldÂ’s largest radio operator tried to swoop on Capital following… Continue reading Clear Channel Boss Hits Back At Capital Radio

Active Value, the UK investment fund, seems intent on wresting control of Cordiant Communications from WPP, despite being unable to court the support of French advertising group Publicis. In a statement today, Publicis admitted that on Saturday it had met representatives from Active Value who “made a proposal regarding Cordiant and Cordiant’s shareholding in ZenithOptimedia… Continue reading Active Value And Publicis In Talks On Cordiant

A slowing of demand in the UK’s digital television market has caused sales at set-top box manufacturer, Pace Microtechnology, to fall by 41% over the last year to just 1.3 million units. Announcing its year-end financial results this morning, the group reported revenues down by 52.6% to £166.6 million for the twelve months to 31… Continue reading Pace Sales Dip 40% As UK Digital TV Market Stabilises

UK publishing group Highbury House Communications (HHC) has made a £32 million offer for Paragon Publishing, which produces magazines in the videogames, personal computing and internet and home entertainment sectors. Highbury says that the deal will create one of the UK’s leading special interest consumer publishers and the third largest publicly-quoted consumer magazine publishing group.… Continue reading Highbury House To Buy Paragon Publishing For £32m

Advertising and marketing conditions in the second quarter are shaping up to be similar to Q1, with positive trends in the US whilst elsewhere remains mixed and quite weak, according to analysts at Merrill Lynch. Indications are of an upward momentum, with improved trading at the media companies likely to be followed by a similar… Continue reading Merrill Lynch Tweaks Advertising Forecasts

The online music sector will experience only limited growth in the near future, due to the lack of co-operation between broadband service providers (BSPs) and the recording industry, according to a new report. A survey by Jupiter Research has found that 43% of consumers are still not convinced of the need to pay for internet… Continue reading Music Industry Must Embrace The Net, Says Study

Current pricing plans for multimedia messaging services (MMS) could cannabilise revenues from the popular SMS text messaging sector, leaving mobile operators in the lurch in the short-term. This is according to analyst and consulting company Ovum, which says that if operators do not revise their pricing strategies they face a potential revenue ‘time bomb’. According… Continue reading Mobile Operators Could Cannabilise Their Own Revenues, Warns Ovum

The French advertising group Publicis has moved to refute speculation that it plans to make a takeover attempt for Cordiant Communications. The company has a long held interest in Cordiant’s 25% shareholding in ZenithOptimedia and made a bid for the parent group last month (see Cordiant Shareholder Rules Out Deal With WPP). However, it lost… Continue reading Publicis Denies Designs On Cordiant