Page 19 - SAMENA Trends - December 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Digital Divide: But this good news doesn’t is affordability. The barrier to access for 2. Revamp our universal service programs
apply to every American. There is a deep millions of other Americans is the cost of with direct appropriations from
gap separating those with and without broadband service and equipment. Congress.
broadband internet access. The latest FCC Lessons from COVID: Half of U.S. adults 3. Let those who engineer and build
figures estimate that about 14.5 million say the internet’s been “essential” during broadband networks decide which
Americans lack access to fixed broadband the pandemic. 60% of Americans have technology delivers the best solution.
at speeds of at least 25/3 Mbps. This is been able to work from home thanks to 4. Keep the light-touch regulatory
the case even though broadband providers high-speed internet. 50 million students approach that’s served our country so
are rapidly pushing faster services into transitioned to remote learning. Yet some well.
more and more areas. While some 98% of 17 million students remain effectively That light-touch regulatory approach has
Americans in urban areas do have access locked out of instruction because encouraged sizable private investment in
to broadband networks, this is true for their families lack access to internet U.S. networks in the past and can in the
fewer than 80% of rural Americans. That connectivity or adequate devices at home. future, as well. In that regard, McElfresh
14.5 million figure only captures the issue This “homework gap” is the crisis within said AT&T intends to continue investing
of fixed broadband availability. It does not the COVID crisis. in its fiber infrastructure and may double
include consumers who rely entirely on Steps needed to close the digital divide: the number of business, residential and
their mobile phone for internet access. 1. Urge Congress to fully fund the wireless cell tower locations served with
Still, availability is a major concern, as Broadband DATA Act. fiber over the next 5 years.

BT and TIM Sign Preliminary Agreement for the
Sale of Two Selected BT Business Units in Italy

BT and TIM announced they have signed services, accelerating digitalization of the services to multinational organizations.
a preliminary agreement on the acquisition public affairs at central, regional and local BT will retain a strong presence in Italy
of selected BT business units in Italy levels in the country. With the planned serving large enterprises and multinational
serving public administration and Small integration of the SME business unit, TIM companies, including access points to its
& Medium Enterprises (SME) by TIM. would further diversify the offer of secure global network and data centers. The two
The public administration business unit and efficient ICT and cloud solutions business units included in the planned
provides communications services to a for small and medium businesses. The transaction generated revenues of
number of ministries and agencies of the agreement also includes customer support approximately €90 million during the fiscal
national government, as well as regional for the SME business unit, delivered by year ended in March 2020. The planned
and local governments. The SME business BT’s contact center in Palermo. The transaction is subject to consultations with
unit offers connectivity and cloud services planned transaction is part of BT’s trade unions and regulatory clearance. It
throughout Italy. The planned transaction ongoing transformation of its Global unit is expected to complete by the end of the
will enable TIM to expand its supply as it sharpens its focus on delivering next- first quarter of 2021.
of communications and connectivity generation networking, cloud and security

Cisco to Acquire iMimobile to Embed Omni-
channel Engagement into Customer Experience
as a Service

Cisco and IMImobile PLC announced rate used for the conversion of £ into USD acquisition, Cisco will be able to offer
that they have reached an agreement is 1.3438, derived from Bloomberg, as customer-facing businesses with an end-
on the terms of a recommended cash at 16:00 on 4 December 2020. IMImobile to-end customer interaction management
offer pursuant to which Cisco will pay provides software and services which solution and rich customer experiences,
595 pence per share in exchange for allow enterprises and organizations along with the ability to drive faster and
each share of IMImobile, or an aggregate to stay constantly connected to their smarter interactions and orchestration
purchase price of approximately USD $730 customers through enhanced interactive throughout the lifecycle journey of the
million assuming fully diluted shares, net channels including social, messaging customer. As more people work remotely
of cash and including debt. The exchange and voice. Following completion of the or from home, enterprise customers are

19 DECEMBER 2020