Germany’s position in telecommunications and digitisation

A benchmarking report of WIK-Consult commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) analyzes Germany's position in comparison with international frontrunners in the fields of telecommunications and digitisation and derives policy recommendations.

These include measures to accelerate network expansion, a closer monitoring to create greater transparency, more cooperation and an institutional bundling of powers and responsibilities on the topic of digitisation.

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The role of state aid for the rapid deployment of broadband networks in the EU

In this study, we provide an overview of the implementation of broadband State Aid measures across the EU during the period 2013-2019 and, with the aid of case studies, interviews and a survey of stakeholders, assess challenges and best practices in the application of State Aid to support broadband deployment. We draw on data gathered through the study to evaluate to what extent the Broadband Guidelines have been effective in meeting the objectives of boosting deployment of Next Generation broadband (NGA) and facilitating competition while limiting potential negative impacts on private investment.

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Digitization - strengthened by the crisis

Entitled "Digitization - strengthened by the crisis", the Mittelstand-Digital Congress 2020 will take place on October 27 from 1:30 to 4:15 pm as a live stream from the Digital Technologies Forum in Berlin. Facing the economic consequences of the Corona Pandemic, this year's event will focus in particular on the question of the business benefits of digital applications. With extraordinary practical examples from various industries, employees of the Mittelstand 4.0 Centres of Excellence will demonstrate how digital projects improve the resilience of companies.

Via live connections to demonstration sites all over Germany, the Centres of Excellence will show digitalization at first hand. Practice-oriented discussion rounds will focus on what digitization really brings to everyday operations and how things will continue after Corona.

This year, the congress is being held in an online format for the first time: The varied program of events will feature a mix of films and live broadcasts as well as discussion panels from the Digital Technologies Forum in Berlin. Online participation is free of charge. Further information about the event, the program and the registration link here ...

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WIK-Consult runs office for Federal initiative to promote Smart Cities and Smart Regions

Since July 2020, WIK-Consult runs the office of Stadt.Land.Digital, directed by Alex Dieke, an initiative by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy to promote digital solutions for local municipalities, enterprises, civic organisations, and citizens. The initiative supports German municipalities on their way to become smart cities or smart regions by providing information and hosting events in all parts of Germany. For this project, WIK-Consult cooperates with TÜV Rheinland Consulting.

The initiative’s office creates and maintains content for the official website of the initiative Stadt.Land.Digital (in German language only). This includes researching and evaluating relevant events, studies, guidelines, strategies, best practices, and information about public funding.

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The Department Postal Services and Logistics under new leadership

Since July 2020, Antonia Niederprüm has been responsible for the management of the Postal Services and Logistics Division at WIK as the Head of Department, following her role as Deputy Head of Department since 2015.

Over the past two decades she has closely accompanied the gradual liberalisation of the European postal markets and has worked on all topics related to postal market regulation, the regulation of market-dominant companies and universal postal services. In addition, she has conducted several benchmark studies on regulatory topics, business strategies and operational efficiency of postal operators. She has managed national and international empirical studies on the demand behaviour in letter and e-commerce markets, the latter in the context of cross-border delivery services. Moreover, she has been involved in various studies on the impact of digitisation and e commerce on national as well as international delivery markets of letters and merchandise consignments including implications on regulation and economic policy.

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The competitive impact of single sign-on and login services and their relevance for data-based business models and data protection

Single Sign-On (SSO) services aim at reducing the number of login data for different digital services and simplifying the registration process for new services. WIK has analysed the use of these login procedures and conducted a consumer study. WIK found that almost 60% of social login users use the Facebook login to access online services or websites. However, doubts about the security of these systems are an important reason for many consumers not to access online services or websites via Facebook, Google or other (social) networks. However, as in the case of the Like Button (Facebook), it has to be assumed that social login providers not only benefit from the direct use of the functionality, but already implicitly from the popularity of the functionality.

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