TOP NEWS
* The EU is set to clamp down on over-the-top messaging services like Facebook Inc.'s WhatsApp Inc and Microsoft Corp.'s Skype, under stricter security rules to be announced in January 2017, Reuters reports, citing a draft EU document. Under the proposal, OTT services will also be covered by several rules governing telecom operators, in preparation for a more comprehensive data protection regulation in 2018.
* Vivendi said it has crossed the 3% threshold of Mediaset share capital and now owns 3.01%. Mediaset SpA and its largest shareholder Fininvest are wary of Vivendi SA's intention to raise its stake in Mediaset to up to 20%, and fears the French media giant could soon attempt a takeover, Reuters reports.
PAN-EUROPEAN
* The European Commission is set to adopt rules on fair use of roaming services in the coming days, in preparation for the abolition of roaming charges after June 2017, Reuters reports. Under the regulation, users having unlimited data or competitive packages will be subjected to limitations when they surf the web while traveling within the EU.
UK AND IRELAND
* California-based Teledyne Technologies Inc. said it reached an agreement to acquire British electronics manufacturer e2v Technolgies in an all-cash deal worth £620 million. The company expects the deal to be completed during the first half of 2017.
* Twitter Inc. named Sinéad McSweeney the new managing director for its Irish operations, succeeding Mark Little, Silicon Republic reports. McSweeney will also serve as Twitter's vice president of public policy and communications for EMEA.
* British Telecom intends to add 500 customer service jobs in the U.K. and Ireland in addition to the previously announced target of 1,000 jobs in the two countries, according to a news release.
* Sky UK Ltd. and Cisco Systems launched OTT service OnPrime TV in the U.K. and Germany, Broadband TV News reports. The service will also be available in other parts of Europe at a later date, with Ukrainian broadcaster 1+1 locking in a distribution agreement for the service.
GERMANY, SWITZERLAND AND AUSTRIA
* Deutsche Telekom AG's Telekom Deutschland will offer customers a cloud service with physical access protection that blocks external access points to the data, reports Telecompaper. Due to launch in March 2017, the cloud service is protected by Uniscon's iDGard technology.
* RTL Group now offers its on-demand television platform TV Now on Amazon.com Inc.'s Amazon Fire TV, according to a press release. Available to stream via the set-top box are television channels RTL, Vox, n-tv, RTL Nitro, RTLplus, Super RTL, Toggo plus and RTL II.
* Liberty Global plc and Netflix Inc. have launched an app in Switzerland that can be operated directly on the Horizon HD Recorder, according to a press release. Customers can access Netflix content on the Horizon HD Recorder and no longer need to switch between devices or remote controls.
* The headquarters of Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland had to be evacuated after an aircraft bomb from the Second World War was found during construction works in Cologne, from where the media group broadcasts, reports industry publication DWDL. The aircraft bomb was eventually defused and no damage was caused.
FRANCE
* Vivendi denied rumors that it is in talks with Orange SA over a possible deal involving Telecom Italia SpA, Digital TV Europe reports.
* Vivendi will roll out SVOD service WatchMusic in France with a number of mobile operators in the first half of 2017, Broadband TV News reports. Vivendi will also roll out the music video service in Italy and in other parts of Europe at a later date.
* The union representing France Médias Monde employees has announced a 24-hour strike starting Dec. 15, reports Satellifax. It is protesting ongoing wage differences between France 24, RFI and Monte Carlo Doualiya, despite an agreement signed after their merger in 2015.
* According to Thierry Thuillier, TF1 Group CEO, the "crisis" at iTELE is "a mess and cause for sadness as a journalist," reports Satellifax. Speaking at the Association des journalistes médias, he also said iTELE's recent strike is a "symbol of a new relationship between shareholders and editorial" and that he personally would not have hired Jean-Marc Morandini.
* Orange CEO Stéphane Richard said if Canal Plus Group SA were to be sold, "it is certain that Orange would be interested," reports Le Monde. This represents an about-turn for Richard, who has always said he did not believe in the convergence of telecoms and media, in particular for Orange.
NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG
* Dutch provider Ziggo N.V. has started the 24-hour broadcasting of the TV channels Spike TV (US) and Nickelodeon (US), which are both owned by American media giant Viacom Inc., writes TotaalTV. In 2015 providers in the Netherlands stopped the 24-hours programming of Nickelodeon after the launch of Spike, which resulted in many negative reactions from viewers.
* Usenet provider Newsconnection has to give copyright watchdog BREIN the personal details of three of its users who illegally uploaded films and series, a Dutch court decided yesterday, Nu.nl reports. In addition, Newsconnection is obliged to provide any details of its users to BREIN when the latter can prove that the user has uploaded content which is copyright protected.
* De Telegraaf will terminate its digital edition on Sunday, 2.5 years after it was introduced, reports Villamedia. According to the Dutch newspaper, many news articles in the Sunday edition were skipped by readers, and they will be published in the Saturday or Monday newspaper instead.
* Belgian provider Telenet and Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE Corporation have demonstrated a download speed of 1.3 Gbps per second during a demonstration of the new 4.5 technology, which is four times faster than the maximum 4G speed, according to Telecompaper. The demonstration is one of the first steps in the recently announced collaboration between the two companies to improve Telenet's mobile network.
* The Dutch minister for infrastructure, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, is working on passing a law which will make it illegal to use smartphone apps while cycling, writes De Telegraaf. The law will specifically forbid the use of smartphones with touchscreens, even when the phone itself is attached to the bicycle handlebar.
NORDIC COUNTRIES
* Telenor ASA issued a corporate statement to clarify the findings of internal audits into suspected financial crimes and issues relating to operations in Bangladesh. Internal Group audits in April and May found deviations linked to site lease deals in Thailand. Audits found sponsorship deals in Asia breached internal guidelines.
* TrueCaller Ab, the Sweden-based caller-ID app developer, has secured 100 million SEK in new investment from Zenith Venture Capital, reports Swedish technology newspaper Digital Di. Zenith is owned by Swedish financier Tommy Jacobsson. TrueCaller exceeded the 200 million users mark in November. Most users are in Asia.
* Telenor ASA's board will meet again on Dec. 13 to discuss the ongoing conflict between board chairman Gunn Wærsted and Group CEO Sigve Brekke, writes online Norwegian business newspaper e24.no. The board meeting comes after a week of media speculation that Wærsted has lost confidence in Brekke and favours his removal.
* Nokia Corp. and Vodafone Group Plc have conducted trials on use of cloud-based radio access technology for macro networks, according to a Nokia statement. The tests evaluated best practice in enabling smooth transition from 4G to 5G. The trials also assessed connectivity demands from next-generation wireless platforms combined with the Internet of Things.
* Sonera Oy has entered a fiber-grid network collaboration with broadband and digital technology company Cap-Net Finland Oy, according to a Sonera statement. The grid is to be constructed in northern Karelia, in Eastern Finland. The grid will use Sonera's open access operating model. Sonera is owned by the Sweden-based Telia Co. AB.
SOUTHERN EUROPE
* JustWatch launched in Italy giving its users the capability to search for video content that can be viewed, rented or purchased online, Advanced Television reports. The video streaming aggregator has teamed up with major content providers such as Netflix, Apple Inc.'s iTunes, Alphabet Inc. unit Google Inc.'s Google Play Movies, Sony Corp.'s PlayStation and Sky GO.
* Telecom Italia began offering fibre-optic services of upto 100 Mbps to about 6,000 homes in Bronte, Sicily, Telecompaper reports.
EASTERN EUROPE
* Discovery Communications Inc. unit Discovery Polska acquired a 49% stake in Green Content, owned by Polish media firm Agora, for 14 million Polish zlotys, Broadband TV News reports, citing Wirtualne Media. As part of the deal, both parties agreed to launch Metro, a new TV channel carried on the new digital terrestrial television multiplex MUX-8.
* Tele2 Russia unit Sky Link intends to deploy LTE-450 services on Allegro trains that travel between St. Petersburg and Helsinki, Telecompaper reports, citing Tdaily.ru. Sky Link will partner with Finnish LTE operator Ukkoverkot to carry out the planned project.
* Russia's Tricolor TV began providing customer service through social media, such as Facebook and Europe's Vkontakte, as well as through instant messaging apps WhatsApp and Viber messengers, Telecompaper reports.
FEATURED NEWS
No merger for Viacom, CBS: Less than three months ago, Sumner and Shari Redstone thought CBS and Viacom should combine. Now, the father and daughter pair have changed their minds, leading many investors to wonder what the future may hold for the two media companies.
Briefing Room: NBC back in the hunt for Golden Globe awards; HBO, FX lead nominations: Recovering from a year with zero awards, NBC, which will televise the Golden Globe awards ceremony Jan. 8, earned three nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for its multi-generational family series "This Is Us."
FEATURED RESEARCH
Economics of Internet: State of Polish online video: Subscription: Over the past few years, the subscription video over-the-top market in Poland has showed signs of growth, albeit still not at the average level of many Western European countries.
Amanda Kelly, Stefanie Eschenbacher, Charlotte van Hek and Gerard O'Dwyer contributed to this report. The Daily Dose has an editorial deadline of 7 a.m. London time. Some external links may require a subscription.