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Enders Analysis provides a subscription research service covering the media, entertainment, mobile and fixed telecommunications industries in Europe, with a special focus on new technologies and media.
Our research is independent and evidence-based, covering all sides of the market: consumers, leading companies, industry trends, forecasts and public policy & regulation. A complete list of our research can be found here
Pushing for a premium: European mobile in Q2 2026
17 September 2026Service revenue reversed its slight improvement last quarter, worsening 0.2ppts to -0.9%, as all markets except Spain were flat or in decline.
Incumbents in Europe are increasingly trending towards outperforming peers on net adds, despite higher (and more stable) ARPUs.
EE and Vodafone’s recent launches of premium tiers using 5G slicing are the boldest moves in this direction we have seen in Europe, and present challenges and opportunities going forward.
Ben Woods, head of creator economy at Enders Analysis said the size of Perplexity’s planned budget shows the company is serious about creators as a promotional channel. But he said he doesn’t see the move primarily as an attempt to overcome wider concerns about AI safety.
“This is about getting potential users interested in AI’s usefulness and practical benefits,” Woods said. “Especially around why a user should adopt one AI tool over another.
“Most audiences are not afraid to challenge their favourite creators if a partnership feels disingenuous or the messaging becomes too corporate,” Woods said.
IBC 2026: Break and rebuild
14 September 2026IBC 2026 showcased broadcaster responses to audience fragmentation: IP is dismantled and repackaged into different formats. This requires discipline, as oversupply could alienate rather than build fandoms.
AI agents can provide the velocity broadcasters need to keep up with emerging social media trends. But human editors will remain the safety net to safeguard against potential missteps.
AI and cloud-driven production enables more fluid creative processes, based on an enhanced understanding of the editorial context surrounding media content. The financial upside hasn’t yet been definitely proven, however.
EE and Vodafone have both launched premium consumer services using 5G+ network slicing, a welcome shift away from a hitherto price-focused market.
Pricing is aimed at driving ARPU up, directly but also indirectly by making premium brands and bundles more compelling, and shrinking the pricing gap to discounted channels.
Educating consumers about the importance of network quality is a challenging but important step. Business and CNI tiers offer a less exciting but clearer route to value.
James Barford was quoted in Investors' Chronicle on "Why Vodafone is turning to TV in battle for broadband customers"
14 September 2026“TV can potentially help Vodafone’s broadband appeal to more people and help reduce churn because having a TV product creates a more differentiated experience,” said James Barford, head of telecoms research at Enders Analysis. “Once somebody’s got used to the TV product and enjoys it, they’re less likely to leave purely for price reasons.”
Unlike BT and Virgin Media O2, Vodafone does not own the fixed networks it relies on, instead paying providers including Openreach and CityFibre for access. Average revenue per user also remains low as internet operators compete heavily on price, meaning broadband is “marginally profitable at best, perhaps even slightly lossmaking”, said Barford.
“The TV add-on gives benefits to Vodafone broadband,” said Barford. “But then you may ask, well, what benefit does Vodafone broadband give Vodafone? And maybe strategically, it’s a good defensive move.”
Karen Egan was mentioned in Light Reading on "Blocking Netomnia deal would harm UK fiber investment – VMO2 CEO"
14 September 2026Asked by the session moderator, Enders Analysis' managing director for telecoms, Karen Egan, whether CityFibre can't be considered to have the scale needed, he was unconvinced. While stating CityFibre's network footprint reaches roughly 4.5 million homes, "we would, with that deal, offer three times of that," Schüler said.
Instagram's next act: The plan to get even bigger
10 September 2026Instagram is a $100 billion, top-three global ads business that is fast becoming Meta’s leading platform in core ad markets as Facebook faces user tipping points across the UK, US and Western Europe.
Reels capture over half of user time, making Instagram an enormous creator as well as brand platform. Instagram must decide whether to join YouTube, Netflix and Disney on the creator escalator as professional content providers seek greater rewards.
Meta’s ads war chest dwarfs YouTube’s. Unlocking it would mean giving up precious margin, so Instagram will have to make tough choices and innovate. We expect announcements at Meta Connect on how content is surfaced on Instagram, on distribution across devices, and on targeted rewards for longer formats.