All articles by Cameron Page – Page 5
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M&A
Telefónica ‘closes out’ digital-R&D merger, creating strategic digitalisation unit led by CDO
Hacker-in-chief Alonso to lead newly-formed Telefónica Innovación Digital, encompassing data, digital services and innovation functions. Part of Group-wide simplification drive, supporting strategic digital transformation. Learn more…
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Venturing & Investments
EC grants €1.2bn to fuel cloud computing push
4iG, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and TIM among IT and telecoms players collaborating on IPCEI-CIS project, seeking to produce a common, open-source architecture for European cloud deployments. First phase of industrial rollout expected to complete by 2031, with goal creating 1,000 jobs and “positive spill-over effects” in the process.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica puts O2 share-buying offer on the table
Shareholders able to tender their shares until mid-January 2024, with settlement expected before fiscal year dividend payment in May. Group has already upped its stake in German operating business, with full takeover and revised dividend policy intended to support new three-year strategic plan.
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Products & Services
O2 Germany pushes ahead with holo-comms VR bet; ‘targets’ 2026 debut
“Actively pushing ahead” to support mixed reality within 5G environment. First holographic call made from HQ, but obstacles to overcome…
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Premium
Telefónica|Vivo seeks B2B scale with merger of IT services units
Combination of IT units aimed at achieving scale efficiencies and helping drive growth of operator’s Brazilian B2B ecosystem.
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Products & Services
Telefónica promises speed boost by taking fibre in-house in Spain
Operator pledges to bring “contracted” speeds to every room with new Wi-Fi amplification solution. Commercial launch of FTTR continues push on fibre services signups as copper shutdown approaches, with potential to generate additional fixed-line revenue and user stickiness.
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Interview
Pulsant seeking altnets to ‘rebalance’ UK with regional edge computing
Interview: Tech Director Mike Hoy discusses edge data centre player’s ambition to help FibreCos and MNOs process data traffic locally, “rebalancing” UK digital infra by decreasing London-dependency.
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People
Telefónica Tech targets LatAm B2B growth with fresh hires
Operator’s B2B digital services arm brings in familiar faces to lead Brazilian and Mexican operations.
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M&A
Cellnex seals the deal on Nordics stake sale
TowerCo offloads 49% share in its Danish and Swedish units to Stonepeak, which operate around 4,600 towers. Proceeds to serve as fuel for its debt reduction drive.
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Products & Services
Brazil’s telco trio bring Open Gateway APIs online
Vivo, Claro, and TIM launch first three standardised open APIs through the GSMA’s initiative, with initial focus on strengthening anti-fraud and security for financial institutions.
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Public Affairs
Telefónica ‘switches gears’ on Spanish job cut scheme
Operator to implement ERE incentivised early-retirement plan for first time in eight years, with plan framed as necessary due to “functional excess” of workers. Unions already seeking protections for those affected. Move marks continuation of Spanish personnel cost-cutting drive.
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Venturing & Investments
IFM targets UK infra with £10bn capital injection
Australian investor plans to analyse “commercially viable” opportunities in collaboration with UK government, bolstering its existing commitments to fuel the nation’s infra expansion.
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Network & Infrastructure
Deutsche Funkturm, Vantage both lay claim to ‘first’ MIG tower deployment
MNO-affiliated TowerCos finish neck-and-neck in construction of first white spot towers funded by state-backed programme. Subsidy, collaboration deemed key to widening Germany’s rural coverage. Further projects in accelerating pipeline…
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Network & Infrastructure
VM O2 and Community Fibre net London school infra deals
Virgin Media O2 Business to provide and maintain dark fibre infrastructure for nearly 3,000 schools until 2038, via a tweak to LGfL deal. Education-focused broadband trust signs separate Community Fibre contract for added resilience.
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Network & Infrastructure
Austria’s Magenta Telekom chooses Mavenir for cloud-native voice
Austrian NatCo shifts to software-defined approach for voice, enabling LTE and Wi-Fi-based services now, and paving the way for voice-over-New Radio in future.
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Public Affairs
Telefónica to ‘firm up’ Spanish job cut plans with unions
Operator to negotiate new incentivised early-retirement plan with the UGT and CCOO, continuing its efforts to reduce personnel costs and simplify structurally.
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People
DT picks out new German finance chief
Telekom Deutschland makes a paired announcement of its new finance lead and MD of Sales and Service, while stressing its ongoing focus on digitalising the finance division (and others), improving customer satisfaction, and driving fibre deployment.
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M&A
Austria and Ireland ‘up next’ on Cellnex’s sale agenda
Tower group said to be weighing up options at another two subsidiaries, including part or full sales, following various transactions in last year. The report comes shortly after CEO Marco Patuano expressed his appetite for more outgoing M&A deals, to support leverage reduction.
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Products & Services
Telefónica SD-WAN upgrade blends partners in Spain
Telefónica Tech evolves FlexWAN security solution with network management tools. Partner roster expanded to Cisco, Fortinet, HPE Aruba, Nokia and Teldat.
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Premium
Telefónica network API charge commences in Brazil; Spain next
Early steps in building Group’s new 2026 strategic revenue stream with Open Gateway network open APIs. Hyperscalers to be given no value quarter, but Chema Alonso’s bookselling business model suboptimal…