BTwatch News – Page 53
-
Premium
Elsewhere in BT Technology: BT, Telefónica plot edge pilot
BT and Telefónica prove edge compatibility; Ericsson and BT deliver 5G VR testing for Hyperbat.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: R100 gets prepped in Highlands & Islands
Openreach readies for Scottish R100 subsea surveys; wholesale price increases take effect.
-
Strategy & Change
Selley “driving two trains” as fibre provisioning speeds up
Increasing Openreach resources are being funnelled towards ensuring customers are connected to full fibre — and revenue keeps coming in — while the rollout builds momentum. No firm date set to reach 20 million homes target, but annual goals to be flagged. As competition builds among fibre altnets, Openreach ...
-
Innovation (R&D)
Machine safety startup nets grant to join BT-backed Belfast Smart Port
AI-powered safety startup Machine Eye wins £75,000 proof-of-concept competition from Techstart. Business wins grant for access to BT’s private 5G network at Belfast Harbour’s Smart Port development.
-
Suppliers & SCM
BT Sourced adopts Globality’s smart purchasing tech
Pourrat’s new ProcureCo leveraging AI to “transform” buying processes. Globality platform to enable simpler, speedier way of doing business. Tie-up of importance to ECG compliance strategy.
-
M&A
BT absorbs Local Business agent Fourfront
Reseller relationship brought in-house in small transaction. BT says no shift in strategy for SME go-to-market.
-
Premium
BT people moves: Karonis replacement named at Enterprise
Following the launch of BT Digital and BT Networks, Dave Matthews was appointed BT Enterprise CTIO to fill Karonis’ shoes. BT Non-Executive Director Cheshire takes a Chairman role at Spire Healthcare. BT Global SVP Roger Woodend departs for AWS.
-
Suppliers & SCM
BT Sourced embarks on buyside disruption
Low-key launch for BT’s “standalone” procurement company. Time will tell if greater reliance on digital tools will turn BT Sourced into “procurement disruptors and trailblazers”.
-
Operations
BT’s revamped Newcastle office set for re-opening
Operator to inaugurate opening of “one of first” upgraded offices under Better Workplace scheme. “First phase” of site redevelopment completed, with hybrid working practices helping maintain operations in meantime. Gosforth to prioritise employee welfare as a means to boost customer service.
-
Enterprise (B2B)
BT Enterprise eyes 2023 for 5G lift-off
Spencer says better performing 5G standalone networks needed to kick-start market. Operator inexperience in provisioning spectrum for private networks another brake on enterprise adoption. University Hospitals Birmingham and Belfast Harbour again hailed as BT’s main B2B 5G success stories.
-
Strategy & Change
Networks joins Digital division to replace BT Technology
BT Technology was shuttered and replaced by two new divisions: BT Digital and BT Networks. Harmeen Mehta and Howard Watson at the respective helms as BT seeks transformation and modernisation. Fotis Karonis replacement named at BT Enterprise.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Suppliers & SCM
Openreach taps Viavi for (another) FTTP leg-up
Long-time relationship expanded, with Openreach exploring all avenues in effort to improve efficiencies.
-
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 ...
-
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.
-
Enterprise (B2B)
Nevion upgrades BT’s FacilityLine
Longstanding media transport partner Nevion upgrades BT Media & Broadcast’s video exchange service with its VideoIPath solution.