Technology,
media &
telecommunications

We have advised many clients, including regulators, telecom operators, media content providers, retailers and charities on the numerous competition and regulatory issues that arise in these sectors and have in depth knowledge of how these legal and regulatory questions impact the commercial activities of those operating in these sectors. Vincent Smith was previously a senior lawyer (Director of Legal Services – Competition) at OFTEL (now Ofcom).

Our previous experience includes advising:

• a major telecoms operator on the interconnection regulations in relation to a wholesale connection dispute;
• a major UK charity on the outsourcing and operation of the universal service provisions for telecoms in relation to the Type Talk Service for the hard of hearing , including structures for managing regulatory requirements;
• on the implementation by Oftel of unbundling BT’s local telecommunications connections to end users from its trunk services (‘local loop unbundling’);
• on access to incumbent infrastructure and property, and its service level conditions, for competitors to provide alternative telecommunications networks;
• on the conditions for participation in a technology and telecoms standards body including the application of the relevant IPR provisions;
• on the requirement to provide a mobile telecommunications emergency service to inshore vessels as part of the universal service obligation;
• in relation to the ETSI IPR policy and undertaking;
• an international communications business with strategic input on competition compliance and involvement in air communications standards bodies;
• on a complaint by a new market entrant that a consortium of incumbent telecoms operators was denying it access to sub-sea cable connections needed for it to provide intercontinental telecommunications capacity;
• a major telecoms operator in relation to a complaint to Ofcom against BT regarding a wholesale pricing margin squeeze;
• on an OFT complaint for a leading on-line media business in relation to the access of content held in the filming sector;
• a major global technology client in supporting changes to the use of specifications involving FRAND licensing in EU and UK public procurement guidance.
• in relation to the OFT’s investigation into the outdoor advertising market.