Cases > Telecom
We have completed a wide range of fixed telecom cases, specializing in international market entry, competitive strategy, regulatory analysis and advising, identification and evaluation of acquisition and partnering options, international services, and privatization-related issues.
In the process we completed market assessments, developed competitive strategies, prepared and evaluated license bids, conducted economic analyses and due diligence, organized survey research and focus groups, and ran workshops and client briefings.
Metropolitan Commercial Telecom Assessment
For an internationally diversifying business services provider we evaluated 250+ metropolitan markets and ranked the top 100 prospects for market entry. This was based on an analysis of macroeconomic factors, telecommunications competition and regulation, commercial building stock, foreign ownership considerations, and other key criteria.
Our independent assessment gave the client a resource to arbitrate the competing expansion requests of internal development groups responsible for different international regions.
Economic Telecom Briefings and Recommendations for Governmental Commission
For the CRTC (Canada’s regulator) we served as principal economic consultants during a proceeding on forbearance of local telephone service regulations. We assessed the filings and associated economic studies of the stakeholders participating in the proceeding (telephone companies, cable TV operators, ISPs, consumer groups, etc.), examined a range of issues related to tariff and marketing restrictions under which the telephone companies operated, and provided briefings and recommendations to the members and senior staff of the Commission.
Telecom Acquisition Assessments
We identified, evaluated and recommended acquisition targets and investment partners in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States for several telecom operators, resulting in significant transactions and strategic gains for clients.
Equally important we recommended that clients not make significant investments in several cases—for example, involving smart buildings, international fiber cables, and VAS ventures—due to inadequate market demand or insufficient competitive leverage, saving them valuable resources and time.
Telecom Regulatory Toolkit Development for Emerging Markets
Jointly with NERA and Castalia we developed a regulatory toolkit for regulators in emerging markets on alternative ways of approaching competition policy as well as pricing and interconnection issues. Sponsored by the ITU and the World Bank, the telecom regulatory toolkit for emerging markets places special emphasis on how regulators can address the growing role of VoIP services.
Due Diligence Telecom Review
On behalf of a prospective financial investor we conducted a due diligence review of a 640,000 line telephone infrastructure project in Southeast Asia. The client proceeded with the investment on a joint venture basis with a telecom operator and benefited from the rapidly growing telecommunications market in the target country.
Governmental Telecom Procurement Strategy
The United States government has benefited from our recommendations on how to structure its largest-ever telecommunications services and equipment procurement (projected at $12 billion+ over several years), including implementation of a competitive dual-vendor strategy. The recommendation was based on an analysis of the benefits of scale gained from a single vendor versus the benefits of a multi-stage competitive process in which the contract shares of the two providers can change over time based on their respective performance.
Intangible Telecom Asset Documentation to Reduce Tax Burden
We helped a major U.S. technology company reduce its tax burden by several hundred million dollars by analyzing and documenting the value of the intangible assets (software, patents, trade marks, etc.) embedded in the telecommunications switching products of a subsidiary it had acquired. The assignment required the development of an asset valuation methodology appropriate to the intangible assets involved.
Telecom Knowledge Bank
We have completed privatization and sector liberalization studies and advisory cases dealing with Brazil, Chile, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, UK, US and other countries, which have served as inputs to several regulatory framework assignments. Similarly, our in-depth market studies of telecommunications growth in a cross-section of Asian and European markets (and detailed understanding of U.S. market evolution) have proven helpful in analyzing telecom markets in other parts of the world.
Telecom Management Resources
Our consultants have managed investments in long distance services, broadband backbones, international facilities and services, and fixed satellite services in Asia, Central America, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and the United States. This practical experience is a highly useful complement to the analytical methods we bring to client cases.