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New EU fine on Google looms; Amazon launches Alexa, Echo in France

TOP NEWS

* The European Union may fine Google Inc. for abusing its market dominance in the mobile space, the Financial Times reports, citing sources. In the coming weeks, EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager is anticipated to reveal the results of its investigation on the Alphabet Inc. unit's case in relation to an alleged implementation of illegal terms on Android device manufacturers.

* Amazon said it is introducing its Alexa virtual assistant and Echo device in France, as of the week of June 11.

PAN-EUROPEAN

* The European Parliament and the Council of EU Ministers agreed on several updates to the European Electronic Communications Code proposed by the European Commission. The amendments are expected to boost the deployment of 5G networks across the EU, enable the rollout of very high capacity fixed networks and ensure affordable telecom services such as charging no more than 19 euro cents per minute for intra-EU international calls. Industry group Cable Europe has welcomed the amendments.

* The European Commission is proposing a €9.2 billion investment on digital improvement projects as part of the first Digital Europe program. The plan entails investing €2.7 billion on supercomputers, €2.5 billion on artificial intelligence, €2 billion on cybersecurity, €700 million for the advancement of digital skills and €1.3 billion for the digital transformation of public services.

UK AND IRELAND

* Amazon.com Inc. will create 2,500 permanent jobs in the U.K. this year as it shores up its British operations. The e-commerce giant is hiring for vacancies in its head office and fashion photography studio in London, its development centers in Cambridge, Edinburgh and London and its customer service center in Edinburgh.

* Former Cambridge Analytica LLC CEO Alexander Nix admitted that the company received Facebook Inc. users' personal data from researcher Aleksandr Kogan, Reuters reports. Nix however denied a recent report that said he took about $8 million from Cambridge Analytica before it collapsed.

* British Telecom unit EE Ltd. will open its 5G trial network at 10 East London sites in October. The areas covered will include City Road, Old Street, Hoxton Square, St Paul's and Chiswell Street.

* A new series, "Women on the Verge," will air on Uktv Media Ltd.'s channel W and on RTÉ in Ireland. The six-part Irish scripted comedy series has been ordered by Uktv director of commissioning Richard Watsham and genre manager Steve North.

* Apple Inc. saidits British unit's operations and financial results may be affected by Brexit, London's The Daily Telegraph reports. An anticipated increase in restrictions on imports and exports and heightened regulatory scrutiny are some of the headwinds.

GERMANY, SWITZERLAND AND AUSTRIA

* Axel Springer SE is considering further acquisitions in the digital business, particularly in the classifieds section, reports Handelsblatt, citing CEO Mathias Döpfner.

* Freenet AG platform Freenet TV plans to use the World Cup to launch an advertising campaign promoting its satellite and antenna consumer offers, reports DWDL.

FRANCE

* Arnauld Van Eeckhout has been appointed secretary general of Bouygues SA following the retirement of Jean-François Guillemin. Van Eeckhout will be in charge of the legal department of Bouygues, the secretariat of the group's board of directors and for matters relating to the group's ethics, professional conduct and compliance.

* Les Echos SA's Le Parisien is using Amazon Echo's arrival in France to develop its offer for connected speakers, with the launch of Skills Flash Audio by Le Parisien and L'Édito du jour by Les Echos. The project is part of the transformation of Le Parisien's digital editorial offering that began in 2017, supported by a publication system and website overhaul by the end of the year.

* Nice Matin SA is relaunching a crowdfunding operation as a news medium for under-13s, CB News reports. Kids Matin will take the form of a weekly online newspaper and will be included in the print version of the press group's newspapers.

NETHERLANDS, BELGIUM AND LUXEMBOURG

* KPN NV and Deutsche Telekom AG unit T-Mobile Netherlands prefer the Dutch 5G frequency auction to be held in 2019 as scheduled, as quick availability of 5G services is important for consumers and business, Telecompaper reports. The statements come in response to an earlier message from the Dutch Ministry for Economic Affairs that the auction would most likely be postponed due to T-Mobile Netherlands' intended takeover of Tele2 AB's Tele2 Netherlands.

* Frans Klein, television director at Dutch public broadcaster NPO, will stay in his current function, contradicting rumors that he would succeed Erland Galjaard as program director of RTL Group's RTL Nederland, Villamedia reports.

* RTL Nederland has secured broadcasting rights to UEFA Europe League soccer until 2021. Matches and highlights will be broadcast on RTL 7 and online.

NORDIC COUNTRIES

* Telenet has renewed its contract with Eleven Sports Network, ensuring the Spanish, Italian and German soccer leagues will be broadcast by Play Sports for the next three years. Eleven Sports' third linear channel Eleven Sports 3 has been added to the Play Sports offer.

* The Danish Department of Culture announced that Boxer TV A/S has won the contract to distribute terrestrial digital television in the country from 2020 to 2030. Boxer, which holds the contract ending in 2020, was the only applicant. The contract includes a number of technical adjustments to the terrestrial transmission network. Boxer TV A/S is owned by the Swedish government-owned broadcast transmission company Teracom AB.

* Norwegian telecom regulator Nkom has published its first so-called frequency compass, which includes Nkom's plans for allocation of frequencies for early introduction of 5G services. The regulator has asked for the industry to comment on the plans by Sept. 16.

* Telenor ASA denies any wrongdoing in connection with the use of win-back marketing, CEO Sigve Brekke told Dagens Næringsliv. The company has not yet decided if it will pay the fine of 7 million Norwegian kroner given to it by telecom regulator Nkom this week.

SOUTHERN EUROPE

* Mediaset SpA unit Mediaset España is expanding its coverage of the World Cup in Russia, Rapid TV News reports. The broadcaster will bring its coverage to a dedicated hybrid broadcast broadband TV app for smart TV units and a live channel on its over-the-top service Mitele.es.

* Sky Italia SRL rolled out its 15-channel terrestrial TV service under its partnership with Mediaset, Broadband TV News reports. The Sky PLC unit's new TV offer is made up of two packages, one of which includes a mix of Sky and Mediaset channels.

* Spanish broadcaster Mediapro has been excluded from bidding for the broadcast rights to Italian soccer league Serie A for the 2018-2021 period, Telecompaper reports, citing Expansión. Serie A earlier rejected Mediapro's €1.6 billion guarantee to retain the rights but will reportedly keep the broadcaster's earlier €64 million security deposit.

* Portugese Culture Minister Luis Filipe Castro Mendes has confirmed that the government will hold auctions this year for two new private digital terrestrial TV channel licenses, Telecompaper reports, citing Correio da Manhã.

EASTERN EUROPE

* United Media AS requested approval from Serbia's Commission for Protection of Competition for its full acquisition of advertising agency Direct Media's operations in Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, Telecompaper reports, citing Beta. The channel operator is also seeking regulatory clearance for its purchase of terrestrial TV stations Pink BiH and Pink Montenegro. United Media is owned by cable and direct-to-home operator United Group.

* Polish broadcaster Telewizja Polsat bought information- and entertainment-themed TV channel Superstacja for an undisclosed sum, Broadband TV News reports. Superstacja, which has been airing since October 2006, is set for a planned revamp following the deal, according to the report.

FEATURED NEWS

The Program Guide: Global edition: Uma Thurman to star in Netflix drama; Amazon saves 'The Expanse': Uma Thurman will star in a new supernatural drama for Netflix, while Amazon.com picked up the recently canceled Syfy series "The Expanse" for a fourth season.

FEATURED RESEARCH

Conference Chatter: Infosecurity Europe: Diversity key to closing UK's cybersecurity skills gap: Cybersecurity executives at the annual Infosecurity Europe conference in London said diverse hiring policies are key for tackling the industry's skills shortage, as cases of leaked sensitive information increase in volume and severity worldwide.

Anne Freier, Amanda Kelly, Koen Pijnappels and Esben Svendsen contributed to this report.

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