BTwatch News
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Analyst BriefingsBTwatch Analyst Briefing: Watson passes the network strategy baton
Latest from BT and its interests, including quantum chat from Capacity Europe, fibre competition from INCA Summit, Howard Watson’s imminent departure and Greg McCall’s promotion, and more from Italy, Ofcom, and EE…
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Innovation30 years down, 5+ to go before BT’s quantum vision comes to life
Capacity Europe 2025: Senior Research Manager Andrew Lord remains optimistic about quantum secure communications, but sought-after commercial use cases still five-to-ten years away. QKD a valid ‘stepping stone’, and satellite may boost momentum, but supply chain ‘fragility’ remains a stumbling block…
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Partnerships & AlliancesTelco execs invest in industry fintech player Glow
Device financing partner of BT, and others, secures $65m to expand its international reach and build out its software platform for handset payments, insurance, and upgrades. Investors include several industry heavyweights such as John Malone, Niek Jan Van Damme, and Glenn Lurie.
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PeopleBT’s Watson to retire, McCall steps up
Greg McCall stepping up to lead networks and security into the age of data and AI, closing out safe-pair-of-hands Howard Watson’s decade of digitalisation, fibre, 5G and cloud modernisation.
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Analyst BriefingsBTwatch Analyst Briefing: Openreach defends discounts as rivals cry foul
Latest from BT, including Openreach’s controversial copper-to-fibre discounting, regulatory tensions in Ireland, and the fall of BT’s drone venture…
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Financial & PerformanceBT drones investment Altitude Angel becomes latest Etc. venture to fall
Industry reacts as Altitude Angel appoints administrators, raises questions about airspace security, two years after BT’s £5m investment…
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Network & InfraOpenreach expands role as Project Gigabit contract sweeper-upper
Openreach picks up Project Gigabit premises previously allocated to UK altnet Voneus, seeing the incumbent add another lot of homes to its Call-Off collection…
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PeopleBT Peoplewatch: European rollback leads to regional leadership swaps
25+ senior and strategic changes at BT/Openreach, including senior swaps at BT Sourced; another series of brand and marketing appointments at Group-level; and new BT International regional leads following Retelit’s Italia acquisition…
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Public Affairs‘Enormously aggressive’: nexfibre leads altnet complaints against Openreach copper-to-fibre discounting
Connected Britain 2025: As Openreach pulls levers to combat massive broadband losses, and drive fibre adoption alongside, altnet leaders have called out the discount pricing strategy as unsustainable. nexfibre execs have called it an exploitation of the incumbent’s significant market powers, CityFibre warns of structure advantage, plus views from other altnets, rivals…
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Analyst BriefingsBTwatch Analyst Briefing: CEO issues warning ahead of Budget, regulatory review
Latest from BT as CEO Allison Kirkby raises concern at the tax burden and regulatory red-tape faced by UK infra owners; Openreach crosses 20 million prems milestone; Netomnia boss eyes scaled BT challenge; more from around the Group…
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Network & InfraBT targets lead in UK’s 5G standalone coverage race
Operator unveils technology and coverage ambitions behind its 5G SA rollout, including headline target to hit 99% population coverage in 2030. Move positions BT to become first UK operator to reach this target, although rivals have updated on their own plans to accelerate rollout…
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PeopleKatherine Ainley exits Ericsson after five years as UK&I CEO
Ex-BT exec departs the vendor with claims of a job well done: UK business grows, major 5G deals signed.
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EventwatchIndustry maps next steps for UK’s One Touch Switch
Connected Britain 2025: TOTSCo to focus on two key areas over the next year to further improve and streamline OTS, with BT, Hyperoptic, and Grain Connect among those highlighting the system’s consequences and potential improvements…
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InnovationOpenreach taps VR startup for 3D fibre planning
Openreach adds another weapon to its fibre building arsenal through Glasgow startup, using VR mapping to accelerate the cable routing process.
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Public AffairsBT’s Kirkby pulls no punches in review of UK regulatory, fiscal policy
Connected Britain: Allison Kirkby lets loose on Downing Street policy, with greater fiscal certainty needed to fund much-needed infra investment and AI adoption. Regulatory policy comes in for inevitable criticism too, as the BT boss sets the scene for the Chancellor’s upcoming Budget and Ofcom’s pending Telecoms Access Review…
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Analyst BriefingsBTwatch Briefing: reputational change expert joins BT top-brass
Latest from in and around BT, including the latest Executive Committee change as Allison Kirkby looks to shore up cultural and reputational change efforts; BT co-develops anti-fraud APIs; BT Ireland fibre assets formally sold off; more from Openreach, BT Business, elsewhere…
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Products & ServicesUK MNOs collab to take fraudsters to task with new APIs
BT, Three, Virgin Media O2, and Vodafone jointly launch tech to enable age verification and fraud protection, leveraging MNO data.
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Analyst BriefingsBTwatch Analyst Briefing: Bharti pulls up a pew
Latest from BT as its part-owner Bharti further cements its strategic position with a pair of boardroom seats; EE taps Ericsson tech to bolster 5G strengths; Ofcom prepares to allocate more spectrum; BT wins in Edinburgh…
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PeopleBT Peoplewatch: Corporate Affairs & Brand chief steps onto the BT ExCo
Latest senior and strategic changes across BT, including a new ExCo member for Allison Kirkby, charged with driving brand transformation and reputational change; Openreach boardroom swaps; BT International rework continues; more…
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Strategy & ChangeIndian magnate joins BT board to give long-term investor Bharti a voice at the top
BT Group’s largest shareholder Bharti Enterprises firms up relationship to secure two boardroom seats.