Despite continuing growth in mobile network coverage, there are many areas where enterprise users suffer from no, or poor, connectivity. Manufacturing, agricultural and transport industries in these regions suffer from their remote locations, and they often find that their ability to benefit from Industry 4.0 – the automation through connected machines – is limited. This[…]
Following our previous reports on the total cost of administration to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and the impact of late payments, this study examines the issue of taxation on SMEs. For many new and small companies, profit margins can be very low, particularly when the cost of finance and building up stock is taken[…]
This report examines the issue of late payments, which can have significant impacts on smaller businesses. Based on a survey of around 3000 companies across 11 countries, our analysis indicates that 11.0% of all invoices issued by SMEs are paid late, equivalent to a total of USD 1.01 trillion per year. Worse, 7.5% of invoices[…]
This report examines the impacts of administration – including that caused by regulation – on SMEs, particularly looking at how much effort and cost these companies have to spend to comply with requirements. Across the eleven countries studied, the the size of the administrative burden varies considerably, but, on average, requires around 120 man-days and[…]
In the developed world there is now strong convergence between the retail pay TV markets and the retail broadband markets in which suppliers in both markets increasingly compete for the spend of the same consumers. This trend is likely to continue as the capability of fixed and mobile broadband networks continues to improve rapidly over[…]
Mobile network planning is by now a pretty well established process – operators first roll out coverage to areas where there is a large demand, and then add additional equipment or spectrum in areas where the coverage layer doesn’t provide enough capacity. The initial coverage investment is restricted to where enough people are willing to[…]
With so many areas affected by the potential British exit from the EU (Brexit) and the accompanying uncertainty, it is premature to form firm views as to how telecommunications players should react. Impact will depend largely on terms associated with withdrawal yet to be agreed between the UK and EU. Therefore, strategic planning and risk[…]
Information and communications technology has made substantial contributions to productivity growth, and productivity growth is the only sustainable source of income and leisure growth. The smartphone’s ubiquity and growth in apps means that mobile devices are now the key enablers of this economic and social progress. Europe has done well in terms of mobile-apps. It[…]