BTwatch News – Page 60
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PremiumElsewhere in Openreach: FTTP rollout quickens
Fibrus gets one over Openreach in Northern Ireland; FTTP rollout quickens pace; Openreach engineer hospitalised after attack in April 2020.
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PremiumElsewhere in BT Technology: EE joins in on 4G small-cell standards
EE joins peers to lay out 4G small-cell standards; BT flags potential commercial trials of Infinera XR Optics.
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PremiumElsewhere in BT Consumer: Northern Irish retail gets a boost
BT builds out high street presence in NI; EE dawdles in Ofcom’s automatic compensation scheme.
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Suppliers & SCMUK tightens screws on telcos over Huawei
Government plans to tackle lack of diversity in upcoming new 5G strategy.
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PremiumBT people moves: Consumer gets new Commercial MD; ex-CEO Patterson takes charity post
Consumer goes shopping at Sainsbury’s for new Commercial boss. Openreach looking to energise data strategy with appointment of new lead. Gavin Patterson takes responsible business chairmanship.
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PremiumBT Enterprise dials down on B2B costs
BT Enterprise flags more cost-cutting measures are being implemented as COVID-19 disruption adds to the broader challenges it faces in the digital era. As ever, partner and supplier consolidation and change is part of the plan. CEO Jansen presents enterprise 5G as bright spot amid gloom.
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Suppliers & SCMBT seeks instant purchasing power with Suplari
Procurement function seeking “relevance” by addressing “huge legacy” of aging IT, and reliance on Excel. Calculating spend with individual suppliers was long-winded. Quick-fire info seen as increasingly important amid COVID-19 and Brexit disruption.
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Strategy & ChangeJansen floats potential for Openreach stake sale
“Open-minded” Jansen may see an Openreach stake sale as a way to relieve pressure on investor demands for a quicker transformation. While CEO’s tone more positive on an asset sale, the challenges of extricating elements of the Group for a sell-off may limit options.
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Venturing & InvestmentsSeed investment planted in BT procurement partner Paid
Multi-source investment boosts fintech solutions provider. Clear upward trajectory since its infancy, as Group CPO waxes lyrical about Paid solutions, amid recent macroeconomic turmoil.
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Suppliers & SCMBT procurement relocating to Dublin
Group CPO Pourrat energising procurement transformation with a new standalone business. Move to Dublin officially linked to city’s Big Tech hub, but Brexit bridge may also prove useful. White-collar union Prospect “dismayed” by the plans.
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PremiumUK 5G innovation: the startups to watch
Five standout startups driving UK 5G innovation. UK government helping underwrite. Regional initiatives open floor to smaller operators (MNOs in the wings).
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Suppliers & SCMBT taps Qlik for data analytics prowess
BT aims to create a ‘data-literate workforce’ to improve how it exploits its vast troves of customer data for up-selling opportunities.
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PremiumBT people moves: former CEOs take roles elsewhere
Ex-CEOs at BT Germany, Global Solutions, and Ireland appointed in new positions. Leadership change at ex-BT Ventures units. New legal roles across the Group.
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Products & ServicesBT dials up Zoom
Global taps into growing popularity of the video conferencing service.
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Strategy & ChangeCWU plots against BT transformation plans
Union’s Bonfire Night declaration promises fireworks as BT attempts to simplify processes linked to redundancies. BT management under opposing pressure from investors to move more quickly to reduce headcount.
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PremiumUK 5G innovation: projects, testbeds and trials
Inaugural DCMS 5G funding established testbeds across the UK: hubs for future 5G-enabled innovation. £200m funding pledged by 2022.
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PremiumUK 5G innovation: Rural Connected Communities
5G set to be leverages to improve the connectivity in rural, underserved areas across the UK. Rural nature sees telco participation lacking; regional operators pick up the slack. Startups and SMEs in the picture.
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PremiumUK 5G innovation: Industrial 5G
Three projects to build next-generation connectivity into UK industry. O2 and Vodafone take the lead. Universities make up significant proportion of consortia.
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PremiumUK 5G innovation: 5G Create
DCMS-funded projects take £16m in grants for 5G use-cases. Automation, broadcasting, and XR among the technologies. BT, O2, and Three participate.
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PremiumUK 5G innovation: West Midlands 5G
WM5G was established by the West Midlands Combined Authority and DCMS, with the DCMS promising more than £20m of investment by March 2022.