All TelcoTitans.com articles in BTwatch #322
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Digital Reports
BTwatch Report #322 – March-April 2021
Key stories include: Free rein on fibre | BT claims AI thought leadership | Open RAN to scale in 2027 | BT to brings 5G x-haul to MNOs | Hybrid to trump ‘cloud-first’.
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Enterprise (B2B)
BT positions for post-‘cloud-first’ enterprise era
In collaboration with Dell/VMware, BT flags ability to securely “repatriate” apps back into private servers as enterprises retreat from ‘cloud-first’ strategies.
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Enterprise (B2B)
Nevion upgrades BT’s FacilityLine
Longstanding media transport partner Nevion upgrades BT Media & Broadcast’s video exchange service with its VideoIPath solution.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT signs renewables pact with Total
Electricity supplier to power portion of operator’s UK real estate from mid-2022. ‘Going green’ of particular importance to both parties.
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Consumer (B2C)
BT reshuffles customer comms partner pack
Strategic marketing consultancy Go Inspire displaces Williams Lea for below-the-line marketing contract. CCgroup and The Academy added to BT Consumer agency portfolio in brand awareness push.
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Premium
BT keeps foot in Boots door with deal extension
Global secures win for its Dynamic Network Services portfolio as it expands relationship with WBA in a key industry vertical. Pharmacy branch deal underlines appeal of Cisco’s Meraki hybrid cloud offerings, available through BT Connect.
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Consumer (B2C)
BT Sport signs billboard deal
BT Sport launched a campaign with Ocean Outdoors to broadcast Champions League highlight reels on its digital billboards.
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Suppliers & SCM
Openreach taps Viavi for (another) FTTP leg-up
Long-time relationship expanded, with Openreach exploring all avenues in effort to improve efficiencies.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT Security adds duo to partner ecosystem
Two more partners added just over six months after BT Security stressed the value of a streamlined portfolio, highlighting the challenge of meeting evolving security threats. Illumio’s micro-segmentation offering gets it onto BT’s security partners list. Acronis underpins SME-focused hybrid cloud proposition.
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Premium
EE gets a bargain as operators low-ball 5G auction
Ofcom raises a total of £1.4bn in principal auction stage — several hundred million pounds less than expectations. Regulator has now opened the first phase of the negotiation period that should enable operators to build a contiguous block in the 3.4GHz–3.8GHz band. Lower spend on licences (so far) should ...
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Enterprise (B2B)
BT Wholesale gets in on 5G game
Wholesale Mobile Connect, pitched as “comprehensive cell site connectivity portfolio for 5G deployment”, slated for launch in 2021. Fully-managed service targeted at MNOs. Division embraces open RAN technology.
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People
Cheshire puts hat in the ring for BT chair job
Current BT non-exec seeking to buck the trend and encourage Group to look internally for du Plessis replacement. Cheshire brings considerable experience and strong political links, but may lack the skills needed for future battles.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: Superfast Cymru targets missed
Outage in Bridgeton; progress update on Superfast Cymru Phase 2; Openreach partner on brink; 4.5 million fibred up.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Group: rural rent causing problems
DT feels BT’s pain; EE among the MNOs to take flak for making the most of rural rent reductions.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Global: Syngenta deal renewed
VMware SD-WAN deal for Alstom; agritech support for Syngenta
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Enterprise: small-cell deployments flagged
Infobip partnered for RCS enterprise marketing; BT among the backers for Microsoft Teams product launch.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Consumer: premium broadband competition grows
Vodafone UK takes swing at Consumer’s premium broadband service; net neutrality debate resurfaces.
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Operations
New East London BT HQ preps for sale
One Braham, soon to be BT’s main office, is reportedly being readied for a £500m sale. BT due to move at the end of the year after leaving 81 Newgate Street.
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People
BT Regulatory Affairs lead Cathryn Ross sets sail
Regulatory Affairs Director and Executive Committee member Ross’s departure announced a week after Ofcom market review job-done. Set to take newly-created Strategy & Regulatory Affairs role at Thames Water.
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Suppliers & SCM
BT Sourced to target supply chain sustainability
Chief Procurement Officer Cyril Pourrat flagged the importance of ESG compliance throughout the supply chain. New procurement company BT Sourced set to enable transparency via digital tools: AI, big data, and machine learning on the cards.