BT Technology
-
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…
-
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.
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Financial & Performance
Openreach seeks another gear as altnets gain and CPs flop
FY24–25: BT CEO Allison Kirkby has tossed earlier promises of lower capex, instead fuelling an accelerated fibre build “now that we’ve got the engine humming” to bolster a defence against altnet incursions, and make up for CP shortcomings…
-
Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: public cash, automated networks, and UK exceptionalism
Latest from BT, including reports of an overseas B2B carve-out; a new Chief Digital Officer incoming; Reza Rahnama’s evolving ‘Dark NOC’ vision; and a setback in Openreach’s attempt to reform MDU access rights…
-
Network & Infrastructure
BT secures slice of Welsh rural broadband funding
Duo to deliver £10m fibre to hard-to-reach premises in Wales under the Swansea Bay City Region’s Digital Infrastructure Programme.
-
Network & Infrastructure
BT casts a Dark NOC vision for future network ops
Mobile Networks MD Reza Rahnama has cast a “vision” for BT’s Dark NOC future, with foundational work with AWS underway.
-
Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: legacy infra winds down; next-gen tech spins up
Latest from BT as it charges on with legacy network migrations, looks for new ways of monetising old assets, and prepares to build infra fit for an AI future; Better Workplace signed off with Manchester office opening; another multimillion-pound Project Gigabit subsidy secured, this time in Scotland; and a series of strategically significant personnel changes across the Group…
-
Network & Infrastructure
Openreach banks £157m subsidy for Scottish fibre build
BT’s wholesale access arm confirms latest Project Gigabit regional contract as it continues to stack up government grants for fibre notspots and chase near-£1bn-scale BDUK jackpot. Builds on controversial £600m, Scottish R100 awards…
-
Network & Infrastructure
BT exploring Edge DC play via towers arm
With the decommissioning of copper networks and a focus on AI-ready infrastructure, BT is investigating edge data centres amongst new commercial models for its tower and exchange assets. Explore the strategic implications (including reporting from TowerXchange Europe)…
-
Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: Openreach bites back as altnet challengers add pressure
Latest from BT, including testy confrontations between Openreach and challenger FibreCos; BT Business CTO shares lessons (and warnings) from the Group’s telco-as-a-platform overhaul; and more quantum developments emerge from Adastral Park…
-
Strategy & Change
BT Business CTO on nailing telco’s complex TaaP dance
Colin Bannon issues stark warning about challenges of Telco-as-a-Platform shift, but boasts of benefits drawn down in BT’s journey so far.
-
Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: M&A spotlighted in Europe; rural fibre the focus in UK
Latest from BT as the Group advances its UK retrenchment on multiple fronts; Openreach build continues at pace, with connections to boot; Global Fabric expands Google Cloud collab for greater scale, reach; Harmeen Mehta named CDIO at BT data centre partner Equinix…
-
M&A
BT kicks off exclusive talks for Italy exit — report
Asterion-backed Retelit reportedly last bidder standing for BT Italia acquisition as BT continues effort to sell off international assets and focus on a domestic B2B turnaround…