Anne Morris
Anne Morris is a freelance journalist, editor and translator. She has been working as a reporter and news analyst for TelcoTitans and Market Mettle since 2016.
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Public AffairsOpenreach strike action goes ahead
Strike underway in row over engineer pay grade restructuring. Industrial action described as a ‘wake‑up call’ for the whole of BT amidst wider unrest.
- Strategy & Change
Vodafone CZ confirms strategic talks with ČEZ
Czech OpCo declines to divulge what the talks are about, after a local news report suggests a possible sale of the business is on the table.
- Network & Infrastructure
Movistar Chile secures 3.5GHz spectrum
Movistar makes highest bid for 5G‑friendly 3.5GHz spectrum amid uncertainty over its future within the Telefónica Group.
- Network & Infrastructure
Indus Towers talks up ‘next‑gen’ tech revamp
Former Finance Director of Vodafone Intelligent Solutions takes on CFO role at newly combined entity. Expanse moves come with Vodafone said to be contemplating selling part of its Indus stake to help out troubled Vi.
- People
Colao appointed digital minister in Italy’s new government
The former Vodafone CEO is set to play a key role in Italy’s digital transformation over the coming two years.
- People
Deutsche Telekom IT lets employees choose their own managers
Group’s agile working frontrunner Deutsche Telekom IT to act as internal prototype for a new method of filling management positions.
- Strategy & Change
Telefónica closer to firming up commercial reset
New model seen as necessary for digital services era, encompassing changes around skills, incentives, and flexibility. ‘Commercial careers’ agreement has been a long time coming, but unions say more still needs to be done.
- Public Affairs
Openreach strike ballot puts BT on notice
Statutory vote by small group of Openreach workers described as a ‘wake‑up call’ for the whole of BT amidst wider unrest.
- Suppliers & SCM
NETSCOUT hints at toughening competition for Vodafone business
Business assurance software provider highlights the need to stay ahead of the curve.
- Consumer (B2C)
Droniq goes B2C as new app takes flight
Deutsche Telekom JV looks to widen customer base with app for drone hobbyists. App provides a visual tool for drone flight validation. Early teething problems highlight the project’s complexity.
- Products & Services
Telefónica teams with IBM to re-wild Cloud Garden
Operator gives digitisation platform a spruce up with Red Hat OpenShift technology. Update provides ‘lingua franca’ to support smooth adoption of digitalisation strategies by Telefónica’s corporate customers.
- Partnerships & Alliances
DT teams with Cellnex for European tower expansion
Two groups firm up relationship following a long courtship. Dutch unit T‑Mobile Infra to be DT’s anchor investment in new Digital Infrastructure Vehicle. Move releases DT to join European TowerCo gold rush, but while keeping options open on future ownership of its own infrastructure assets.
- Suppliers & SCM
VPC’s Schultz sets cat managers among procurement pigeons
Manifesto that value chain orchestration is the new procurement norm ruffles some feathers. VPC Chairman upgrades procurement to ‘primary provider of business insight and foresight’.
- Strategy & Change
Deutsche Telekom denies reports of China mobile scheme (again)
Story of side-deal refuses to go away, but Group maintains previous line that it has no interest in a Chinese-German mobile access trade. Speculation re-emerges as China and EU near wider accord on investment.
- M&A
DT said to be upping ante on Dutch sale talks
Possible sale of T‑Mobile Netherlands could square with long‑rumoured plan to buy KPN in order to bolster the Group’s convergence strategy.
- Suppliers & SCM
Altiostar flagged as supplier for Vodafone partner AST SpaceMobile
Vodafone signals plan to integrate SpaceMobile service with Vodacom, Safaricom, and Vodafone offerings initially in DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
- M&A
T-Mobile ties up another Sprint loose end with Swiftel buy
US NatCo buys Sprint‑branded wireless assets operated by Swiftel Communications, leaving Shentel as the last remaining Sprint affiliate.
- Network & Infrastructure
Safaricom puts 5G on ice
Kenyan operator plans to focus on building its 4G business for now. Safaricom’s previous reliance on Huawei comes under spotlight amid ongoing US trade talks.
- M&A
Liberty homes in on Telefónica units in Colombia and Ecuador
Reports suggest that Liberty Latin America is stepping up its acquisition strategy, and could enable Telefónica to tick two more boxes on its regional divestment list.
- Partnerships & Alliances
Holoportation in 2021: BT seeing DoubleMe
3D image processing specialist hints at telco deployments of HoloPort platform in 2021. Business-to-consumer service said to be in pipeline. DoubleMe–BT relationship growing out of Telecom Infra Project innovation hub.
