Fixed-line operator strategy N56

ATT is testing WiMAX for three months starting in May. Equipment from 5 or 6 vendors will be tested, and ATT plans to deploy another trial in 2H05 with VOIP in mind.

CANTV (Venezuela) will invest $ 400m in 2005 to expand its fixed and internet coverage.

Iesy is buying Ish. The two German MSOs will form the second largest cable operator in the country with 5.2m customers. The transaction is worth €2.1bn.

BT announced that its Ethernet services will now span key cities in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain, and the Nordic region, as well as New York City.

Comcast will offer from mid 2006 a new TiVo service running on Comcast's existing cable boxes that have built-in digital recorders. The Tivo-Comcast deal could be a very good operation for Tivo entering the cable operator market.

Matav (Hungary) has bought Montenegro's Telekom for $ 152m and will invest $90m to upgrade infrastructure over five years.

China fixed telcos could invest $25bn in 2005 (same as in 2004) in fixed assets. NGN deployments could be the main winner with softswitching.