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Tag: Tim Hoettges

  • EU Telcos: ‘There Would Be No Netflix, Google Without Us’

    EU Telcos: ‘There Would Be No Netflix, Google Without Us’

    The battle over who will pay for EU infrastructure upgrades is heating up, with the telcos saying Big Tech owes them.

    The EU is looking to the future and trying to determine how critical network infrastructure will be funded. One of the leading proposals involves charging Big Tech companies, especially those responsible for the bulk of traffic, to help fund the upgrades. Needless to say, such a proposal is not popular with the tech industry.

    In a statement to CNBC, however, Michael Trabbia, chief technology and innovation officer for France’s Orange, makes the case that Big Tech companies wouldn’t enjoy the success they do without the telecom operators.

    “Without the telcos, without the network, there is no Netflix, there is no Google,” said Trabbia.

    Similarly, Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Hoettges asked why Big Tech couldn’t “at least a little bit, contribute to the efforts and the infrastructure which we are building here in Europe.”

    The proposal is just the latest challenge Big Tech is facing amid growing antitrust scrutiny, privacy, and security concerns.

  • Deutsche Telekom Working to Deploy Aerial Base Stations

    Deutsche Telekom Working to Deploy Aerial Base Stations

    Deutsche Telekom has successfully completed a test of aircraft-mounted 4G antennas, in an effort to improve coverage.

    One of the biggest challenges carriers face is providing coverage in remote areas. In some cases, the terrain, population density and zoning issues can make it difficult to deploy cell towers in some regions.

    Deutsche Telekom is turning to aerial antennas on unmanned aircraft to close the gap. According to Reuters, the company just completed its first successful test, with an aerial base station connecting to the ground network from 45,000 feet in the air.

    “We won’t stop until everyone is connected,” said Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Hoettges. “A stratospheric network can help reach areas that have been difficult to supply up to now.”

    Deutsche Telekom is partnering with British startup Stratospheric Platforms to create an unmanned aircraft that will run on hydrogen fuel-cells and stay in the air for up to nine days. Although the initial test was completed using a modified prop plane, since the final unmanned craft is not completed yet, the companies plan on deploying the new platform in 2024.