All TelcoTitans.com articles in BTwatch #328
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Digital Reports
BTwatch Report #328 – September 2021
Key stories include: Technology reorg key to BT refresh | Indian ops under review | EE drives rural Scottish infill | Openreach NI ramps up | Challenger CityFibre fills its pockets
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CityFibre bags fresh cash injection
Openreach challenger announces fresh funds through stake sale and bond issue. Capital “enables” Project Gigabit ambitions. CityFibre’s FTTP rollout reaches 650,000 premises. Altnet momentum builds with an estimated £8bn in investment publicly promised.
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Openreach bulking up in Northern Ireland
Openreach Northern Ireland ramps up recruitment, with 16 new openings in nascent civil engineering division. Pressure is on to meet near-term FTTP rollout target. NI tops UK for ultrafast coverage.
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BT Pension Scheme completes Hermes exit
Federated Hermes actions call option to acquire BTPS’s residual shareholding in fund manager. BT on track with pension deficit recovery plan.
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BT includes rugby in Vena line-up
Tressler enthusiastic about Vena commercial model for sports. Media and Broadcast launches Vena ‘quick start’ programme to learn more about sports’ requirements.
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BT enhances Forescout security partnership
BT Security wants to help improve cyber-resilience at its enterprise customers.
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Altnets object to Openreach FTTP price proposal
Regulatory spat over wholesale FTTP pricing spills out into the open. Openreach says new prices offer certainty and encourage FTTP take-up. Fibre rivals claim the cheaper wholesale pricing scheme will reduce infrastructure competition and deter investment. Ofcom provisionally says no action needed, but final decision is expected by the ...
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TEAC UK edge startup Ori adds KX analytics
Speedy analytics and edge compute platform for enterprises. Another step in BT’s private edge network ambitions.
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Openreach and Nokia trial 25Gbps FTTP technology
Other FTTP partners ADTRAN and Huawei are said to favour 50G PON.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: FTTP circuit charges increase
Charge increases for FTTP circuits; investigation into BT’s USO compliance suspended; FTTP rollout in Scottish Highlands prompts disquiet.
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Elsewhere in BT Group: BT Sourced launches
BT and friends enter electric vehicle endeavour; BT Sourced opens its doors.
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Elsewhere in BT Consumer: CNN cut from BT TV
BT Sport expands cricket portfolio; CNN news channel removed from BT TV; Fibre altnet exec raises concerns over nature of FTTP marketing.
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Elsewhere in BT Enterprise: Shuter looks to UK government
Shuter shares desire to build up digital public services for UK government.
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BT onboard for Avanti West Coast Wi-Fi upgrade
Avanti West Coast invests £45m in railway Wi-Fi infrastructure project, with BT tapped for LTE mast build.
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Elsewhere in BT Global: EE adopts VMware software
Technology partner driving force behind EE’s cost-reduction push; Group flags CyberFirst partner status.
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Elsewhere in BT Technology: ADTRAN acquires ADVA
BT networking partner duo join forces as ADTRAN Holdings; growing need for data fabric architecture underlined by BT’s Perkins.
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Operations
Pourrat cuts the ribbon at BT Sourced HQ
BT procurement unit’s Dublin offices formally opened. Chief Procurement Officer Cyril Pourrat, mastermind behind the ProcureCo, leads the launch.
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Network & Infrastructure
Lopsided Scottish 4G project shows MNO divergence
After slow start, S4GI scheme now a third of the way towards meeting 2023 site rollout target. But EE remains dominant player, with site activation pipeline more than seven times as large as that of its three rivals. Signs SRN could be shunting S4GI down other MNOs’ priority lists. ...
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Strategy & Change
BT reviewing Indian tech ops, may insource from partners
Taking a relook at level of work outsourced to third-party providers such as Tata Consultancy Services and Tech Mahindra. Insourcing would “strengthen” role of BT’s Bangalore-based services operation, increase self-reliance.
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BT people moves: Openreach appoints new Northern Ireland boss
Garret Kavanagh named Director, Northern Ireland after Openreach pledges investment and team expansion in the country. Regional changes in England and Wales see Liz Needleman add Midlands to her North of England brief. Former Enterprise CFO Graham Ritchie takes CEO spot at consultancy Ricardo.