Welcome to the conversation era

Facebook Messenger has more active daily users than the Facebook app itself. Alexa and other voice-controlled assistants are taking up residence in the homes of millions of families.

65% of Europeans and Americans no longer download mobile apps. Most of us use only five apps on a regular basis. Social networking sites are saturated, as is our telephones’ memory. As screen time is becoming more duty than pleasure, and media and services’ business models are based more and more on their ability to capture and hold users’ attention, an alternative has already emerged: the conversation.

The exponential progress of artificial intelligence, users’ fatigue with the glut of apps and, more generally, the use of smartphones more as efficient tools and less as fun gadgets, has given rise to conversational interfaces, or rather non-interfaces. (…)

Continued

Marjolaine Grondin, CEO, Jam

Field notes

Wireless local loop: Arcep in dialogue with the regions

With the aim of improving the toolkit available to local authorities engaged in digital regional development efforts, notably to bring superfast access solutions to those regions where fibre will not be deployed in the short term, in its latest public consultation on the future of frequency bands, Arcep introduced the topic of fixed wireless access. “Arcep plans on freeing up frequencies to allow those regions that so desire to use alternative technologies as a digital safety net, at a time when ultrafast access technologies are steadily being deployed”. An ambition set out by Arcep in its opinion on the draft report from the Court of Auditors(in French) and clearly reiterated by Sébastien Soriano(in French) when addressing the Economic Affairs Commission on 31 January.

To continue this dialogue on local authorities’ specific WLL requirements, Arcep hosted a workshop on 27 January that brought together some 15 regional representatives.

Its goal was to:

- explain Arcep’s approach with respect to the wireless local loop;

- gather preliminary feedback from the regions on the public consultation;

- talk with them to gain a deeper understanding of how radio frequencies could contribute in the short term to furthering digital regional development.

The public consultation
What does the future hold for the wireless local loop? – Summary of Graco’s work (in French)

Meanwhile, in Brussels...

Taking another step towards eliminating international roaming charges within the European Union

On 31 January, representatives of the European Parliament, Council and the European Commission reached an agreement over lowering the prices that mobile operators charge one another when their customers use other networks when travelling in another European Union countries.

These prices, also referred to as wholesale prices, will be capped as follows:



- 3.2 cents per minute of voice call, as of 15 June 2017;

- 1 cent per SMS, as of 15 June 2017;

- A step by step reduction over 5 years for data caps decreasing from €7.7 per GB (as of 15 June 2017) to €6 per GB (as of 1 January 2018), €4.5 per GB (as of 1 January 2019), €3.5 per GB (as of 1 January 2020), €3 per GB (as of 1 January 2021) and €2.5 per GB (as of 1 January 2022).

The Parliament’s formal adoption of this agreement in May will mark the final step needed to abolish the additional international roaming charges that users in the EU have to pay, and due to come into force on 15 June 2017.

European Commission press release

Arcep, telling it like it is

The annual report on the work performed by GRACO (the forum for discussions between Arcep and local authorities) has just been published. It is both a summary and a showcase of Arcep’s commitment to regional connectivity. It is the fruit of 12 months of work with the regions. Four times a year, Arcep meets with local authority representatives: invaluable opportunities for its teams to listen to local authorities’ needs and the challenges they are facing, at a time when connectivity has become a priority shared by citizens and elected officials.

The production of this report, overseen by the “Smart regions” team, involved most Arcep departments, and seeks to answer local authorities’ queries and requests regarding copper networks, optical fibre, the business market, universal service, mobile coverage… Instructional and a veritable support tool for players in the field, this document is the physical expression of the whole of Arcep’s consideration of the issues that are specific to the regions, and of working together with them to construct regulation.

The report

Agnès Domergue, Anouk Arzur et Camille Bourguignon
"Connected Territories" Team

27 February to 2 March in Barcelona
Mobile World Congress

31st edition of the biggest trade show in the world devoted to mobility, hosted annually by the GSM Association! The entire mobile industry will gather in Barcelona for four days to unveil their latest innovations in mobility, the Internet of Things, etc. Arcep Chair Sébastien Soriano will be there, and taking part in several events being organised by the GSMA.
Find out more