All articles by Alex Birkhead
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Deep DiveUK Fibre: altnet optimism vindicated over time as take-up erodes incumbent dominance
In depth: Eight Advisory’s latest Tracker shines light on altnet challenge to Openreach, with mature cohorts reaching parity and fibre insurgency continuing amidst land-grab tactics. TelcoTitan’s analysis explores linear trajectory of upstarts, impact of overbuild, continued testing of investor patience, and whether the UK can truly sustain more than two major platforms…
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M&A2025: the year UK FibreCo cash becomes king?
This year may see further billions injected into altnets to pump-prime M&A consolidation, while 2026 could start to see what the end-state looks like (third scale player or continued swarm).
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Strategy & ChangeDeep dive: The politics behind Telefónica’s boardroom putsch
In bombshell move, Chairman and CEO José María Álvarez-Pallete forced out, following apparent boardroom coup by Spanish state. TelcoTitans considers the political backdrop, internal and national, as Indra’s Marc Murtra installed at helm…
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PeopleTelefónica defenestrates Executive Chairman Álvarez-Pallete
This is a developing story. Chairman and CEO José María Álvarez-Pallete forced out at board meeting. Financial markets may take badly to implications of seeming boardroom coup by Spanish state, including shock arrival of comparative unknown successor with history of state affiliation. Read latest update…
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Network & InfrastructureTDC NET, Blue Planet trailblaze hybrid network inventory management
North American trend hits Europe with hybrid fibre-5G twist, as Macquarie-backed Danish incumbent NetCo advances IT/OSS and network modernisation, and Ciena’s Blue Planet network automation cloud arm builds momentum. Register to read more…
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M&AAltnets Netomnia-Brsk merging into UK FibreCo unicorn tier
This weekend sees confirmation of top-ten FibreCos combining into top-five integrated challenger with uprated three million footprint target, wholesale differentiation, prep’d for further M&A. Read more, including our updated market overview…
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InterviewFibrus preps off-net retail expansion, asserts leadership in own footprint
CEO interview: having achieved FTTP leadership and segment-topping KPIs within own fibre footprint, altnet now challenging traditional incumbents on own turf. Northern Ireland a case study in high-penetration and how hyperlocal majorly disrupts network, ISP status quo…
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Deep DiveProfile: WightFibre closes in on Gigabit Island dream; Openreach relegated to wannabe
Isle of Wight operator edges towards completion of Gigabit Island build. Now to deliver on hefty financials. Petri dish to watch Openreach play (very distant) challenger to hyperlocal with real moat. Read on to find out more…
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InterviewCEO Interview: CityFibre on M&A watch, competition bottlenecks, BT economic rationale questioned
‘BT’ called out for obstinate, irrational, anti-competitive behaviour that penalises own shareholders — needs to prioritise copper shutdown to deliver fibre payback, and start serving consumers outside Openreach footprint. Also CityFibre’s M&A tracking/ranking and NetCo purism, big-3 ISP lockout, regulator told to keep sharp, and more…
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M&AFTTP buyer’s guide: consolidation rife among UK altnets
Fibre-building upstarts and established incumbents target multimillion-premises infrastructure within next several years, putting M&A on agenda for many.
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InterviewTIP’s Tenorio on the state of open RAN
Organisation’s chair says open RAN’s highest purpose for operators can be considered ‘optionality’.
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EventwatchFÿuz 2022 preview: ‘Back in your (proprietary) boxes, naysayers’ — open RAN is delivering on optionality
Ahead of the Telecom Infra Project’s three-day Fÿuz event in Madrid (25–27 October), the organisation’s leaders briefed TelcoTitans on the current state of play and what to expect on the ground, from where we will be filing reports covering key sessions.
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InterviewArch Summit 2022 — the (chief) executive briefing
Tomorrow Street CEO briefs Vodafonewatch on what to look forward to at October’s third Arch Summit being hosted by Tomorrow Street and Luxembourg.
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PeopleOpinion: Networks’ succession the final piece in recasting ‘New BT’
Domineering Chief Architect understood to be moving on; ironically, next stop rumoured to be IT-land. (Departure not yet officially confirmed, but follows months of rumours.) Updated to include coverage of Neil McRae’s own chronicle of his time and achievements at BT.
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PeopleWibergh at Vodafone: CTO’s legacy of unescaped telco legacy
Effective telco nightwatchman but existential digital challenges remain unaddressed.
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PremiumVodafone Q1 FY22–23: overall resilience masks in-country patchwork and continuing M&A hiatus
Familiarly solid set of results met with familiar lack of notable strategic activity.
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M&ADiscovery JV: BT Sport to be unbundled from BT
Another twist to the tale as BT and Discovery enter exclusive discussions. Jansen indicates agreement encompasses Eurosport UK and ‘Discovery app’, hinting at sports content tie-up; says deal has “no downsides”. The move could be a huge blow to DAZN, which appeared to have secured an $800m buyout.
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Financial & PerformanceBT Q3: king of a still-wobbly hill
Corporate weakness postpones recovery, with BT Global recuperating and BT Enterprise still in surgery. Rational rivals embraced, but warned of “Armageddon scenario”, with Sky current BFF. Discovery tie-up a win-win for BT Sport (but what about for BT itself?). Openreach charges on, hitting new records for FTTP connections and ...
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Network & InfrastructureTelefónica España shifts data analytics to cloud with Teradata
Teradata’s Vantage said to have offered “fastest and lowest-risk” cloud analytics migration project. Extends long-term Teradata relationship to migrate from on-premise. Taps into Group’s Google Cloud data lake.