The future dose look very exciting for Vodafone and its investors.

The future is exciting. Ready?

Lets talk about the companies of tomorrow and for me Vodafone is one of those such companies. for me this companies strength is its ability to innovate and create exciting 21st century products for a 21st century consumer. Vodafone never ceases to amaze and excite me at the same time. warren buffett saw the investment opportunity coke-a-cola presented him  and invested in that opportunity. i feel that Vodafone is the coke-a-cola of tomorrow.

VODAFONE AND SAMSUNG STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO LAUNCH
SMART HOME SERVICES

Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, 25 February 2018

Vodafone Group today announced that it will become Samsung's exclusive strategic telecoms partner in selected European markets to develop and launch a range of consumer Internet of Things (IoT) 'Smart Home' product and services. The "V-Home by Vodafone" suite brings together Samsung's "SmartThings" open platform and the "V by Vodafone" consumer IoT system (launched in November 2017*) to offer consumers simple but powerful home automation, security and safety products and services.

The 'Smart Home' concept brings advanced telecoms network intelligence to a wide range of consumer devices and appliances in the home to create a new generation of sophisticated security, safety and leisure products. Connected devices such as security cameras, smoke detectors, water leak sensors, smart lighting and smart heating help make properties more secure and energy-efficient. Analysts estimate that by 2020 there will be more than 290 million consumer smart home devices in the countries in which Vodafone operates, up from around 45 million today**.

The "V-Home by Vodafone" suite provides immediate alerts to the customer's smartphone in the event of a home intrusion. It also enables simple remote automation of home appliances and utilities, including voice activation via home voice assistants. "V-Home by Vodafone", with the Samsung SmartThings Wifi hub will be launched in Spain and Germany in Q2 2018, marking the exclusive European debut of Samsung's innovative new Smart Home controller as well as the release of Vodafone's powerful consumer IoT suite focused on protecting and enhancing the home. "V-Home by Vodafone" will be launched in other markets later in the year.

 "V-Home by Vodafone" and the Samsung SmartThings Wifi hub will be available exclusively through Vodafone stores and the Vodafone online consumer IoT marketplace in Germany, Spain and other markets to be announced in due course during 2018. The first co-developed and co-branded offering is a "V-Home by Vodafone" starter kit focused on home security. It consists of:

-       Samsung SmartThings Wifi hub - this compact (12cm x 12cm x 2.9cm) device will sit unobtrusively in the home as part of the interior design and can manage and interconnect a large number of compatible IoT products to the SmartThings open platform;
-       SmartThings Security Camera - this compact camera (6.5cm x 6.5cm x 3.35cm) provides high-quality images (at 720p resolution) and has motion detection and built in infra-red for night time. Up to 14 days' video will be stored in an encrypted "V-Home by Vodafone" personal video cloud.

-       SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor - this 4.8cm x 3.4cm x 1.4cm multipurpose sensor can be placed on a window or door to generate an immediate alert if it is opened or closed unexpectedly, or if left open. It can also monitor changes in room temperature and vibration, sending an alert if the room is too warm or too cold, or if there is a knock on the door.

-       SmartThings Siren - this small (9.5cm x 6.3cm x 3.95cm) but loud (85dB) warning siren is fitted with a strobe light. It will plug into any power socket - and connects to the Samsung SmartThings Wifi hub using the ZigBee wireless protocol. 

-       Vodafone "V-Home Alarm Assistant" - this is a comprehensive alerting service that uses the Vodafone network to send a series of app notifications, SMS messages and automated outgoing phone calls, as necessary, to named contacts (the customer plus nominated others such as family, neighbours and friends) within 15 minutes of an alert being triggered.

Vodafone "V-Home Monitor" - the "V-Home Monitor" is the 'front end' of the "V-Home by Vodafone" system, with simple set-up via the customer's smartphone. The "V-Home Monitor" and SmartThings app makes it easy for customers to configure the SmartThings and Vodafone devices and services to undertake a wide range of functions. For example, a baby's room could be fitted with a camera and room temperature sensor, the front door could be monitored with a camera, ground floor doors and windows could be fitted with movement detectors, and rooms with potential fire hazards such as tumble dryers could be fitted with heat detectors.

The range of smart home IoT devices supported under the "V-Home by Vodafone" system will continue to expand through 2018, including additional SmartThings sensors plus smart lighting, thermostats and speakers from third party providers under the "Works with SmartThings" programme.
The "V-Home by Vodafone" initial setup is very straightforward, with the customer simply logging into the "V by Vodafone" app on a smartphone then scanning a QR code on the Samsung SmartThings Wifi hub to link the device to the customer's "V by Vodafone" IoT account. Connected devices such as cameras and sensors are then automatically detected and added to the network. "V-Home by Vodafone" customers will pay a one-off cost for each device or starter kit plus a low, fixed-rate monthly subscription that includes all charges for the Vodafone "V-Home Alarm Assistant" and storage in the"V-Home by Vodafone" video cloud. For Vodafone customers, the monthly subscription is added to their existing Vodafone bill.

Vodafone Group Chief Executive, Vittorio Colao, said: "The Internet of Things is already transforming the world of work; now, it will transform the home. "V-Home by Vodafone" makes it easy for consumers to protect family and property and enhance home life with innovative technologies underpinned by the strength of the Vodafone network. We are pleased to work with Samsung to bring these benefits to our customers."

President and Head of Samsung Electronics' IT and Mobile Division, DJ Koh said: "Samsung is committed to offering our consumers an easier, more convenient and smarter life through a growing range of devices and solutions. By bringing together V-Home by Vodafone, the SmartThings open platform and our SmartThings app we are offering customers a simple-to-operate management system for a growing range of smart home products that will enrich their lives."

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. the information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

Marston's PLC. A risk worth taking?

In a previous blog post I favoured marston's PLC as my one to watch stock in 2018 and beyond. Marston's is expanding in challenging market conditions. if this company can prosper in the present market and expand. How will if fair in favourable market conditions?  very well if you ask me.

Pub chain and brewer Marston’s (LSE: MARS) took a bold step when it acquired rival Charles Wells in 2017. But the deal seems to have worked out well so far. Charles Wells brewing portfolio has added names such as Courage and Bombardier to Marston’s brands like Pedigree and Hobgoblin.

Acquiring the smaller firm’s pub estate has also increased Marston’s presence in London and the South East, two important markets.

Like other pub groups, this firm has already endured a difficult few years of reshaping and updating its pub estate. This process is now starting to deliver results, with growth in sales and underlying earnings during the 16 weeks to 20 January.

Like-for-like sales rose by 2.6% in Taverns and by 1.1% at Destination and Premium locations, excluding the impact of two snowy weeks during the period.

What could go wrong?

One headwind at the moment is the restaurant sector, which is struggling with overcapacity and discounting heavily. If consumer spending weakens, pubs could be forced to cut their own prices in order to attract customers.

As things stand, Marston’s earnings are expected to remain flat at 14.2p per share this year. A dividend of 7.7p per share is expected by brokers, giving a forecast P/E of 7.2 and a prospective yield of 7.5%. These shares are on my watch list.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. the information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

Vodafone not just a mobile phone operator.

VODAFONE TO PROTECT THE SKIES WITH TRIALS OF THE WORLD'S FIRST IOT DRONE TRACKING AND SAFETY TECHNOLOGY

Vodafone today announced the commencement of trials of the world's first air traffic control drone tracking and safety technology. Vodafone's pioneering approach uses innovative 4G Internet of Things (IoT) technology to protect aircraft from catastrophic accidents as well as prevent inadvertent or criminal drone incursions at sensitive locations such as airports, prisons and hospitals.

Commercial civilian drones are too small to be tracked by conventional radar. They present a serious risk to pilots worldwide, particularly in the immediate vicinity of airfields and airports. Drones are also used for criminal purposes such as drug smuggling and delivering contraband to prisoners. Additionally, security and intelligence services are increasingly concerned that terrorists could use drones adapted to carry small but lethal explosive payloads to attack locations targeted using GPS.

The risk to aircraft is growing at an exponential rate. Analysis from the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) project indicates that by 2050 drones will log more than 250 million flying hours per year over densely populated areas of the European Union, seven times the cumulative annual flying hours of conventional crewed aircraft.*

The Vodafone IoT drone tracking and safety technology trials support the objectives of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), with whom Vodafone has collaborated. EASA is currently developing new pan-European rules to regulate the operation of drones.**

The new technology developed by Vodafone also enhances the European Union's potential to become the centre of global innovation in drone technology in line with the European Commission's "U-space" vision for innovative and safe drone operations.

Pioneering technology

Vodafone has developed the world's first Radio Positioning System (RPS) for drones. This uses a 4G modem and SIM embedded within each drone to enable:
·     real-time tracking of each drone (with up to 50 metre accuracy) by drone operators and authorised bodies such as air traffic control;
·     over-the-horizon/beyond line-of-sight control by the operator, greatly reducing the risk of accidental incursions when operators lose sight of their drones;
·     protective geofencing, with drones pre-programmed to land automatically or return to the operator when approaching predetermined exclusion zones (such as airports and prisons);
·     emergency remote control intervention to provide the authorities with the means of overriding a drone operator's control to alter a drone's flight path or force it to land; and
·     SIM-based e-identification and owner registration.
4G mobile networks operate with long-established and proven security systems, including strong end-to-end encryption over-the-air from SIM to base station. RPS location data is significantly harder to hack or spoof than GPS location data, and the data connection used to control the drone offers the operator significant advantages over current drone radio control protocols including greater resilience and over-the-horizon real-time feedback.

The Vodafone RPS is combined with Artificial Intelligence algorithms - also developed by Vodafone - to enable very large numbers of drones to be tracked and controlled remotely. Vodafone has placed its RPS research and associated intellectual property in the public domain with no licensing fees for re-use in order to accelerate the pace of drone safety and geolocation innovation worldwide.

In a preliminary trial in late 2017 - the first of its kind in the world - Vodafone used its 4G network to control a 1.3 metre wingspan, 2 kilogram X-UAV drone. Throughout the preliminary trial - which took place over a 32-kilometre course around the town of Isla Mayor, near Sevilla in Spain - the drone transmitted a real-time HD video feed and flight data including speed, RPS location and GPS coordinates.

Further trials, which will be coordinated with the relevant authorities, are now being scheduled in Spain and Germany through 2018 with the intention of making the Vodafone drone tracking and safety technology available for commercial use from 2019.

The technology behind RPS will also be utilised to boost the functionality of other IoT devices in future - from luggage tags to bicycles. RPS could support, or replace, GPS in some IoT devices, enabling better location tracking, particularly indoors, the creation of smaller devices and enhanced security.

Vodafone Group Chief Technology Officer Johan Wibergh, said: "This groundbreaking innovation by Vodafone will help to ensure the skies stay safe as drones become ubiquitous, everywhere."
Deputy Director General of the European Commission Matthew Baldwin said: "The Commission supports all trials aimed at realising our U-space vision for safe commercial drone operations in the EU - there is a growing network of demonstrations and projects across the EU.  We look forward to hearing the results of Vodafone's work."

Yves Morier, Principal Advisor to the Flight Standards Director, EASA, said: "We welcome Vodafone's focus on developing new approaches to ensure safe and responsible drone use."




The future is exciting. Ready?

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. the information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

The benefits of buying BP.

One stock that has held up pretty well in 2018 is BP. i like this stock because it pays a dividend every 3 months. Unlike other stocks where you have to wait 6 months before seeing a return on your hard earned and diligently invested money in a dividend payment. For those looking for almost instant income BP could be the stock of choice.

 BP (BP.L) plans to make final investment decisions on three major new oil and gas projects in 2018 and possibly more, Chief Executive Officer Bob Dudley told reporters at the IP Week conference

** Dudley said that BP will stick to its annual spending budget of $15 to $17 billion into 2021 despite higher oil prices

** "At BP we are going to keep within that capital discipline. It is one of the things that shareholders say 'make sure that because the price is up you don't start overspending and being late' (on project deliveries) so we will stick with the $15-$17 billion of capital framework through 2021," Dudley said

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. the information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

BP updates the market.

As i said in a recent post. i expected the price of oil to rise after OPEC decided to cut production. as a consequence i also expected oil producing companies to do well in 2018. It looks like i could be on to a winner but its early days yet.

BP's profit surged to $2.1bn (£1.5bn) in the fourth quarter from $400m a year earlier as the oil company gained from rising production.

Underlying replacement cost profit for the three months to the end of December beat expectations as BP increased production at its upstream business. Profit from refining also surged to help the group result outstrip analysts' average forecast of $1.9bn.

Profit before interest and tax in the fourth quarter from exploration and production of oil and gas, known as the upstream business, increased more than five times to $2.2bn from $400m a year earlier. At the downstream business, which includes refining and chemicals, profit jumped to $1.5bn from $877m.

BP attributed upstream's improvement to a 12% increase in production helped by seven new projects. It said the performance was the highest since the year of the giant Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010.

For the full year profit more than doubled to $6.2bn from $2.6bn. Bob Dudley, BP's chief executive, said the results showed the company emerging from a gruelling period that started with the Gulf of Mexico spill, which has cost it more than $60bn, and a collapse in the oil price from 2014.

Dudley said: "2017 was one of the strongest years in BP's recent history. We delivered operationally and financially, with very strong earnings in the downstream, upstream production up 12%, and our finances rebalanced. And we did all this while maintaining safe and reliable operations.

"We enter the second year of our five-year plan with real momentum, increasingly confident that we can continue to deliver growth across our business, improving cash flows and returns for shareholders out to 2021 and beyond."
Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. the information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.

Grab a bargain Today Vodafone (VOD)

Vodafone said it was on track to meet forecasts for annual profit after trading in line with expectations in the third quarter.

The mobile phone and broadband operator reported a 3.6% fall in group revenue to €11.8bn (£10.3bn) for the three months to the end of December. It blamed the decline on the sale of its Dutch business in 2016 and currency movements.

Organic service revenue rose 1.1% to €10.2bn, slightly slower than the 1.3% rate in the previous quarter. Data use increased 61% as the number of 4G customers rose by 11.5m in the quarter to 105m. The company also added 379,000 net broadband contracts.

The FTSE 100 company reiterated its guidance for an increase of about 10% in annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. The third-quarter performance appeared to continue the trend in the first half when revenue fell 4.1% and operating profit rose by almost a third.

Vittorio Colao, Vodafone's chief executive, said: ''We have maintained good commercial momentum in the third quarter. Data usage continues to grow strongly, and we have now passed the 100 million 4G customer milestone. We made strong progress with our fixed and convergence strategy, achieving our best ever quarter for customer growth in high speed broadband in Europe.

"As a result our service revenue growth was similar to last quarter. Overall, this consistent performance underpins our confidence that we will meet our guidance for the full year''.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. the information here is for entertainment and educational purposes only.