All BT Group articles – Page 57
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People
Transformation guru Baumann joins Vodafone Germany
Former Microsoft transformation lead Heide Baumann named Director, Commercial Operations at German operator. Brings experience from BT, Liberty, and Three to Vodafone.
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Innovation (R&D)
BT shines light on AI in the East
Adastral Park R&D facility takes centre stage in inaugural Artificial Intelligence Festival. East of England emerges as UK hub for AI research and innovation. BT asserts AI thought leadership and is UK’s top AI patent filer. Group’s use of AI aligns with telco peers, but recent moves suggest bigger ...
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People
BT denies right royal dust-up at the top
Group moved to issue a denial of Jansen ultimatum as speculation swirls on du Plessis’ surprise departure decision. Two camps emerging, with some discontent at Jansen power moves, but CEO’s position appears safe for now. Beyond rumours and gossip, BT board looks starved of experience needed for Group transformation ...
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Network & Infrastructure
DT lends experience as Openreach preps for all-IP surge
Openreach drawing on minority owner’s learnings as it corrals the UK’s CPs towards digital voice services. Migration closely linked to fibre rollout, but timing may be dependent on CP retail plans as market joins BT in favouring IP voice services.
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Premium
Openreach NI fibre plan stirs up Project Stratum
Openreach Northern Ireland on track to exceed FY20–21 full-fibre target. Overlap emerges with Openreach plan and publicly funded project. NI leads UK with highest full-fibre availability.
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Premium
BT under fire in long-running NI public sector projects
Northern Ireland Assembly report slams contract extensions awarded to BT Group that cost taxpayers £120m. While civil servants displayed “indifference”, BT “ran rings” around them.
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Financial & Performance
Budget 2021: BT benefits but won’t move investment dial
Chancellor Sunak eyes investment-backed build-back. Short term tax break to bolster BT infrastructure expansion. However, gains will be “offset in later years”, and no movement on BT’s number one priority — business rates relief.
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People
BT’s HR chief admits bumps in Better Workplace plan
Pandemic holds up plan to concertina down to 30 regional hubs, although some movement is expected in 2021. HR Director recognises the need to maintain hybrid working practices even after the pandemic has subsided.
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Network & Infrastructure
Howard Watson eyes 2027 as open RAN opportunity
Huawei 5G kit replacement in line with 2027 deadline an opportunity for urban commercial open RAN deployment. BT expects to stick with dual key vendor policy, but hopes to see more choice. Huawei kit still being rolled out as BT juggles network plans with government demands.
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Suppliers & SCM
BT calls on supplier base to zero in on emissions
Operator moves into new territory to firm up green credentials, and aims to galvanise suppliers to cut indirect (Scope 3) emissions. Incentive behind new call illustrated by latest CDP report. Major BT suppliers underline their sustainability commitments.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT taps OneWeb for rural coverage leg up
Talks confirmed, but nothing advanced. Back from brink, state-backed OneWeb offers BT space-based alternative to cable. 0.6% of UK households still without “decent” broadband connectivity, according to Ofcom.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT activates go-to-market accelerator
Scheme provides immediate growth opportunities to participating scale-ups. Operator supports UK-wide sustainability push via provision of smart energy services. Possible application of green-tech in healthcare sector being explored.
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Innovation (R&D)
Testbeds and Trials: many roads to 5G for BT
Two private networks in the West Midlands to be switched on, powering manufacturing modernisation in the region, underpinned by BT infrastructure. BT/EE powers two projects in state-backed 5G Create funding call.
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Premium
Canonical hails BT progress on 5G core
Deployment of fully cloud native core appears to be in full swing with open source developer.
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Premium
BT people moves: Chairman du Plessis steps down from post
Jan du Plessis relinquishes chairmanship after four years, Ian Cheshire emerges as potential successor. Former Chairman Michael Rake also seeks a change after stepping down from his Huawei UK posting. Sherman understudy Johanna Lim leaves for Amazon.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Group: BT Sourced gets hiring
New procurement team hiring; revamp of Plymouth office by 2022; BT hoping to go greener through PPAs.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Consumer: spectrum auction looms
UK spectrum auction inches closer, although Ofcom still cautious; Digital Voice expansion; rights picked up in MotoGP and cricket.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: ADTRAN switched on
ADTRAN kit up and running; Ofcom Connected Nations report shows full-fibre progress; Gigabit Vouchers start showing worth.
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