Fee

A majority of EU countries have rejected a push by Europe's big telecoms operators to force Big Tech to help fund the rollout of 5G and broadband in the region, people familiar with the matter said.Telecoms ministers from 18 countries either rejected or criticised the proposed network fee levy on tech firms at a meeting with EU industry chief Thierry Breton in Luxembourg on Thursday, the sources said. That echoed comments made last month by EU telecoms regulators' group BEREC. Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and…

A majority of EU countries have rejected a push by Europe's big telecoms operators to force major tech companies such as Google to help fund the rollout of 5G and broadband in the region, people familiar with the matter said.At a meeting with EU industry chief Thierry Breton in Luxembourg on Thursday, telecoms ministers from 18 countries either rejected the proposed network fee levy on tech firms, or demanded a study into the need and impact of such a measure, the sources said. That echoed comments made last month by EU…

EU telecoms regulators' group BEREC on Friday warned the European Commission against proposing legislation pushed by the sector to get Big Tech's help to pay for the rollout of 5G and broadband, saying it did not see a competition problem or a market failure.The comments from The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) to the European Commission which is now looking into the issue underscores the high-stakes battle between Big Tech and Europe's major telecoms operators. "There is no evidence of a…

If you’ve spent more time comparing your DoorDash bill on your iPhone to your friend’s Android device than actually eating your delivery food, you might be on to something—at least according to a recent lawsuit. According to an amended complaint filed May 5 in Maryland federal court, Apple users get the raw end of the deal in delivery and “expanded range fees” when placing an order on DoorDash.The iPhone SE Offers Almost Everything You Want In An iPhoneThe lawsuit was brought by Maryland-based DoorPass subscriber Ross…

Google on Wednesday said its Play Store service fee is lowest among major app stores and only a fraction of developers in India pay the charges. The company said developers largely pay a service fee of 15% or less due to a range of pricing programmes Google Play offers. According to Google, less than 60 of the over 200,000 Indian developers on Google Play currently pay a service fee of above 15%, and this fee is further reduced by 4% if a user pays through an alternative billing system.Google’s statement came after the…

Google said that the service fee it charges developers helps fund the significant investments it has made to support the growth of India's app ecosystem.According to Google, it has complied with the CCI's order regarding its Google Play payment policy. Despite developers' previous attempts to suspend Google's in-app billing fee system, claiming it was non-compliant with the directive, Google will continue to enforce its policy in India.The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is investigating Google's user choice billing…

Capping months of twists and turns surrounding the ZestMoney-PhonePe deal, founders of the BNPL startup said they are leaving the cash-strapped startup. We’ve been on top of this deal ever since November last year, and have all the details on Monday’s development. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.Also in the letter:■ BluSmart founder buys Mayfield’s stake■ Startup chiefs join fray for IAMAI elections■ ETtech Done Deals ZestMoney founders leaving troubled fintech firm post PhonePe deal collapse ZestMoney…

With spring having sprung for many of us around the world, now is usually the time when us fair-weather gardeners assess our outdoor space and try to remember just exactly what it was that we planted last year.If you’re worried you may be about to uproot a prized flower rather than a weed, then help is at hand in the form of PlantNet (opens in new tab) – a super useful plant identification app that also acts as a crowd-sourced biodiversity library.Take a snap of the shrub, tree, foliage or flower with your iPhone or iPad…

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Thursday, May 11. In my classroom at Cal State Northridge, where I teach journalism, I often discuss the state of the industry in California and the rest of the U.S. When my students share their perspectives and concerns about the field, some gingerly assert that the newspaper industry is spiraling toward death.They’re not wrong to be concerned. Nationally, newspaper circulation and revenue both plunged by more than 50% from 2002 to 2020. Employment…

In a world of all-consuming tipflation, it feels like we can never get away from hearing the dreaded “The iPad is just going to ask you a quick question” before being presented with what can feel like a Sophie’s choice of tipping options. Unfortunately, it would appear that the self-checkout line is no longer a respite from feeling pressured to tip for every transaction you make. Robinhood App Lays Off 9% of StaffThe Wall Street Journal reports that tipping at self-checkout has come to airports, stadiums, cookie shops,…