BTwatch News – Page 45
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PremiumBT enables Azure data farm at Rolls-Royce testbed
BT infrastructure installed at Rolls-Royce’s Testbed 80 site, linking sensors to analytics tools provided by Microsoft’s Azure.
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Venturing & InvestmentsBT forms team to target strategic startup investments
Group getting back in funding game, focusing on startups in North America and Europe. New Digital division’s focus on platforms and partnerships at centre of push.
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PremiumElsewhere in BT Consumer: Ofcom launches One-Touch Switch
Ofcom makes it easier to switch; Openreach waives installation fees for low-income households; BT Sport partner Qwilt earns Allera recognition and Cisco funding.
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PremiumElsewhere in BT Global: ThousandEyes tool integrated
Cisco-owned network intelligence tool integrated; emergency alert system contract bagged.
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Strategy & ChangeElsewhere in Openreach: outage disrupts ISP sales
Systems outage disrupts ISP sales functions; Openreach pilots Dutch Witch drills; new engineer training centre opens in Wales.
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PremiumBT people moves: BT Digital firms up Consumer and Operations leadership
Thomas Duecke pivots from Global and Kevin Lee moves from eBay to join BT Digital’s top-table. BT Sourced lures Fulden Sener to new Dublin offices, while Carmel McInally’s exit leaves a vacant IT Procurement post. Enterprise finance leadership changes.
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PremiumElsewhere in BT Group: emission targets brought forward
Net-zero targets brought forward by fifteen years ahead of COP26; warnings against competitor tower deal.
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PeopleOpenreach names new fibre delivery guy
Change at top of Fibre & Network Delivery unit as Matthew Hemmings comes in for Kevin Murphy. Internal hire sees Hemmings take lead of team focused on expanding Openreach’s UK-wide fibre network.
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Innovation (R&D)BT wants 6G to solve real-world problems
Senior BT execs say new technology should respond to consumer, industry needs. No appetite for a “step change” in radio; 5G backwards compatibility a must. Coverage, reliability more promising areas for 6G improvement than peak data rates.
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Strategy & ChangeDigital duo plan to be catalysts of change for BT
Incomers Harmeen Mehta and Rob Shuter are tag-teaming to bring their external perspectives to BT’s digital transformation plans. Enterprise unit set to become a route to market for emerging services, with a “fail fast” mindset. BT described as receptive to need for change, but Mehta calling for people to ...
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Network & InfrastructureBT says awareness of 2025 PSTN shutdown not high enough
Senior BT Enterprise exec highlights lack of forward all-IP planning among some critical national infrastructure organisations. Encourages all CPs to put CNI at the heart of their transformation programmes. Advocates a government-led campaign to raise PSTN shutdown awareness. Industry still grappling with how best to provide power backup and ...
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Public AffairsOpenreach gets Ofcom green light for new FTTP pricing
Cheaper “Equinox” wholesale pricing offer to start on 1 October. Ofcom confirms no action needed on Openreach offer. Fibre altnets strongly opposed and considering next steps.
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Strategy & ChangeBT eyes telco tie-ups following buying reboot
Newly inaugurated BT Sourced unit may branch out as a commercial player, selling services to other telcos and big companies. Function’s leadership open to partnerships in and outside industry, including DT and Orange’s BuyIn JV.
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OperationsOpenreach’s Selley slams “shambles” of UK EV charging market
UK’s second-biggest van owner buying electric vehicles from Spain because of lack of domestic commercial electric van manufacturing. Openreach CEO bemoans thin and unreliable charging network; says UK “behind game”. Just 600 of Openreach’s 28,000 commercial vans currently electric. CEO regards hydrogen as likely candidate for heavy vehicles.
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Strategy & ChangeBT establishes new digital health unit
Group recruiting for newly formed Digital Healthcare division. Unit to develop e-health startup ecosystem, with provision of path-to-market options. ‘BT Incubation’ revealed as working title for broader tech accelerator branch.
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Strategy & ChangeJansen wants YOU: BT pitches for tech talent in reinvention drive
BT CEO uses TM Forum event to pitch BT as a destination employer for digital talent as he seeks to move faster on digitalisation. Fundamental importance of network core underlined, but BT’s staff expected to be open to reskilling to meet the needs of a software-driven business. Partnerships and ...
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Innovation (R&D)BT likes NANF hollow core fibre, but work still to do
Senior BT researchers optimistic about multiple use-cases for Lumenisity’s hollow fibre, but commercial timeframes unclear. “Reams and reams of data” still need to be pored over as part of due diligence process. BT confident, however, that Lumenisity has reached the point of producing “duct-deployable” HCF cable.
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M&ADAZN targets Premier League with BT Sport bid — reports
Reports indicate BT is in “advanced” stage talks with DAZN to offload BT Sport, with a deal mooted “within weeks”. Broadcasting rights the big-ticket item for US streaming specialist, while BT looks to focus efforts on network expansion.
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Network & InfrastructureBT’s Watson highlights fibre’s central place in network ‘jigsaw’
CTO plays down fixed wireless’s role in meeting UK’s connectivity challenge. CityFibre and Hyperoptic welcome Ofcom’s WFTMR, but want Openreach to remain under strict scrutiny. Virgin Media O2 something of an elephant in the room as altnets pitch themselves as more agile rivals.
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Innovation (R&D)BT ties with Sweden’s Skydome on emergency response
VR leveraged by embryonic Skydome for incident monitoring purposes. Startup’s R&D partners include Intel. Potential for deployment at BT’s network of smart ports.