Norway's Kahoot! mulls US listing; telcos team up for network technologies

TOP NEWS IN TMT

* Norwegian educational platform Kahoot! AS is mulling a dual listing in the U.S. due to a spike in the number of users during the pandemic, and with an aim to woo bigger U.S. investors, Bloomberg News reported, citing sources. The company, currently listed on Euronext Growth Oslo, is also prepping for the main listing at the Oslo Stock Exchange at the end of the first quarter.

* European telecom operators Deutsche Telekom AG, Orange SA, Telefónica SA, and Vodafone Group PLC signed a joint agreement for the rollout of Open Radio Access Network in future mobile networks.

➤ Data Dispatch: Netflix defies Wall Street skeptics with membership beat, improved cash flow

Netflix Inc. outperformed expectations in its fourth-quarter and full-year 2020 results and surprised Wall Street with the strength of its cash outlook, but for some analysts, valuation concerns linger as the company's stock soars.

➤ Intel strategy delay likely to distract from Q4'20 earnings – analysts

Analysts are confident that strong PC sales will drive Intel revenue above the $17.4 billion it predicted for the fourth quarter, but key questions about Intel's plans for its chip manufacturing are likely to remain unanswered.

➤ New administration stands to transform M&A for big tech

Analysts expect Joe Biden and a Democrat-led Congress to ramp up scrutiny of big tech, which could make large M&A unfeasible, they said.

TECHNOLOGY

* International Business Machines Corp.'s German unit plans to cut about 1,200 jobs against earlier planned redundancies for over 2,300 staff members, Telecompaper reported.

* Germany agreed to a tax relief for the purchase of digital assets like computers and software, with digital assets to be depreciated retroactively to Jan. 1, Reuters reported. Germany's finance minister expects an annual tax relief of around €2.3 billion from the new move.

* The European Commission awarded a contract for 12 satellites to Thales Alenia Space and Airbus SE for €1.47 billion, for the next generation of the Galileo satellite positioning system, Le Figaro reported. The first satellite will be in orbit by the end of 2024.

* Bureau Veritas SA acquired a majority stake in Dutch cybersecurity specialist Secura BV for an undisclosed amount.

INTERNET & OTT

* Sports streamer DAZN inked a deal with Movistar+ that will see the former's content distributed through new channels on the Telefónica unit. DAZN also acquired exclusive rights to cover the Formula 1 World Championship until 2023.

* European ad-based video-on-demand service rlaxx TV rolled out on Amazon.com Inc.'s Fire TV devices as well as on the smart TV operating system, Android TV, in the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, Broadband TV News reported. Rlaxx TV aims to roll out globally by the end of the year.

* A Russian lower house of parliament legislation decided to penalize citizens who use the broadband satellite systems from Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and OneWeb Ltd., Advanced Television reported. The country is said to be working on a $15 billion to $20 billion satellite project called Sphere.

* Sky Deutschland GmbH secured the licensing rights to broadcast the ATP Cup live in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Comcast Corp.'s Sky Ltd. owns Sky Deutschland.

MEDIA

* Nordic Entertainment Group AB will take a noncash impairment of 900 million Swedish kronor in its 2020 fourth-quarter results related to the sale process of its NENT Studios UK operations, as well as the impact of COVID-19 and postponed productions during 2020.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

* Tele Columbus AG approved the capital increase of €475 million through a rights offering. The German operator also tapped Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners to implement its fiber strategy.

* Telecom Italia SpA is preparing a plan that would allow CEO Luigi Gubitosi to keep his role when the company names a new board in April, Reuters reported, citing two sources.

* Sweden-based Telia Co. AB said it will need to take a noncash impairment of its Finnish business worth 7.8 billion Swedish kronor, due to a combination of the effects of COVID-19, weaker underlying performance, and increased network investments.

* Italian regulator Agcom imposed a fine of €773,000 Vodafone Italia SpA for hidden costs in the operator's internet unlimited package, Telecompaper reported.

* Liberty Global PLC-owned Virgin Media Ireland tapped Energia to supply its Virgin Media Access Network with 100% green electricity, TechCentral.ie reported.

* The French Parliament confirmed the appointment of Laure de La Raudière as the president of telecoms regulator ARCEP for the next six years, La Tribune reported.

FILM & TV

* ITV PLC's new drama series "The Pembrokeshire Murders" has been watched by 11.2 million viewers in the first week since its broadcast.

* Ukrainian pay TV operator Volia will carry content from Viasat World Ltd. on its cable, IPTV and over-the-top platforms, following an agreement between the companies, Digital TV Europe reported.

* Discovery Inc.-owned Eurosport SA secured live broadcasting rights to Union Cycliste Internationale from the European Broadcasting Union, including over 290 days of live men's and women's cycling.

MARKETS

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Frances Espeso, Anne Freier, Sylvia Edwards Davis, Marieke Pijnappels and Esben Svendsen contributed to this report.

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