All BT Group articles
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Briefing: state-backed infra advances with varying success
Latest developments from BT, including: varying pace of public-backed projects ESN, Project Gigabit, R100, and SRN; buying chief Cyril Pourrat on AI momentum; RCS innovation with Brand Assure; Middle Eastern DHL deal; more…
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Technology
A Pragmatist’s Guide to Telco AI: BT and Zayo on getting data right, winning fast, riding the wave
From data foundations, sidestepping common pitfalls, and rapid experimentation, to real-world use cases, scalable growth, and building profit centres. Actionable insights and proven strategies for how AI is being harnessed to transform telecoms, drive operational excellence, unlock new revenue
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Network & Infrastructure
UK gov pares back Shared Rural Network targets in strategic rethink
Building Digital UK scales back plans for further rural 4G coverage expansion after hitting initial Shared Rural Network targets early. Strategy shift comes after discussions with local communities and interest groups, with BDUK aiming to maximise coverage while delivering “best value for public money”.
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Network & Infrastructure
VM O2, VodafoneThree firm up €401m spectrum deal to redress the ‘imbalance’
Following VodafoneThree’s merger completion, VM O2 outlines the spectrum it plans to acquire.
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Suppliers & SCM
BT’s buying boss wants AI to move faster, looks to startups to lead the way
BT Sourced head Cyril Pourrat reflects on missed expectations around ‘speed of execution’ on AI deployments, but remains confident that the tech delivers when embraced by colleagues.
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Network & Infrastructure
Project Reach: Freshwave, Neos seek digital infra ‘blueprint’ to power up UK rail
Freshwave and Neos Networks firm up collaboration with Network Rail and UK mobile operators to upgrade fibre and wireless infra along key UK rail routes, with funding from the likes of DigitalBridge, Infracapital, and SSE Group. Work to begin imminently, with pair hoping to develop business model “blueprint” for future deployments…
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Network & Infrastructure
‘Fabulous’ ESN ‘back in delivery’, ticks off first milestones with EE, IBM leading the charge
CCW 2025: Home Office’s John Black, EE’s David Salam, and IBM’s Andy Doggett share a progress report on the UK’s Emergency Services Network, with optimism the prevailing mood. Early milestones checked off, infrastructure in progress, and EE looking for partners and suppliers…
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: BT navigates changing UK telco landscape
Latest from BT, including a firmed-up leadership team at new overseas B2B unit BT International; TalkTalk takeover mooted; Consumer tackles CX with 4,000+ AI bots; and BT braces for newly scaled VodafoneThree impact…
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M&A
BT said to explore TalkTalk takeover to fend off further customer losses
BT reportedly mulling opportunistic acquisition of financially and operationally challenged TalkTalk, which could help with shoring up defences against fibre altnets and competing in the low-cost broadband sphere. Includes fibre wholesale, copper shutdown, exchange consolidation intrigue…
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People
BT Peoplewatch: Bas Burger names his BT International lieutenants
40+ senior and strategic changes across the group, including an all-new BT International top-team under Burger’s leadership; changes at Jon James’ Business branch; a HR return for Alison Wilcox; CFO swaps at Digital and Networks; more…
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Partnerships & Alliances
Hyperoptic switches up strategy with Openreach infra deal
UK altnet signs deal to access “at least” one million additional homes, using Openreach’s fibre infra to provide broadband services, in a shift from its previous own-build strategy…
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: chops and changes in CEO Kirkby’s first year
Latest from BT as the group reports on FY24–25, with CEO Allison Kirkby talking up progress made since she was appointed. Business has been restructured; more investment pledged to Openreach fibre build; and Consumer’s short-lived one-brand strategy has been uprooted…
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Financial & Performance
CityFibre ups the ante with 5Gbps fibre launch
New 5.5Gbps offering to be available across national footprint once XGS‑PON upgrade completed. While notably differentiating in the UK, 5G-10G services increasingly available elsewhere in Europe, and at low cost…
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Financial & Performance
BT FY24−25 Spend: ‘on and off’ contractors help keep cost-cutting on track
BT’s long-running cost-cutting campaign is in full swing, with headcount cuts driving the savings. Capex continues to rise despite earlier promises, but the (revised) peak is in sight…
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Financial & Performance
BT FY24−25 In-depth: another year of transition
Group CEO Allison Kirkby has called the past year one of ‘transition’, but insists a turnaround is imminent. ‘Revenue pressure’ (see, decline) reflects a challenging FY for all divisions, but strategic and structural change at the Group may have set it up for delivery next FY and beyond…
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Financial & Performance
BT FY24−25 Guidance: free cash flow ‘inflection point’ in touching distance
Group misses revised revenue targets, and expects another fall to come, but groundwork has been laid for elusive ‘predictable growth’ two years out…
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Financial & Performance
BT FY24−25: no longer a newcomer, CEO Kirkby begins to make her mark
A year of mixed results, but CEO Allison Kirkby claims the strategic tweaks of her first 15 months are having an impact. A management team overhaul, a renewed domestic focus, and an apparent ability to capture investors’ imagination has set the Group on an upward trend, albeit with plenty of work to do to deliver on her vision…
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Network & Infrastructure
EE densifies Westminster network with Ontix small cells tie-up
Ties with shared infra specialist and ambitious neutral host extended to 80 fresh sites in central London, in conjunction with assertive local authority. Learn more…
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Financial & Performance
BT holds off on international B2B sale until division proves its worth
FY24–25: BT Group CEO Allison Kirkby says carved-out BT International must show its value, with ‘runway’ needed for Global Fabric to do the same, ahead of a prospective offload. UK M&A remains on the cards too as BT looks to capitalise on SMB opportunity…
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Financial & Performance
BT Consumer returns to multi-brand approach to ‘defend and win’ against altnet incursion
FY24–25: BT CEO Allison Kirkby has found an ally in new Consumer boss Claire Gillies as they work to undo ‘underweight investment’ in BT and Plusnet brands of recent years. U-turn on New EE strategy sees multi-brand approach ‘reactivated’, regional campaigns to beat local altnet competition…