Telecoms Deals

All the latest insight, news and analysis on telecoms deals involving BT, Deustsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone.

Latest Deals

Partnerships & Alliances
BT, Microshare smarten up London hospital
BT sticking with LoRa as a an LPWAN option as it promotes the onsite efficiency gains for organisations using IoT private networks. First known partnership between BT and Microsoft‑supported IoT startup Microshare.
Operations
BT–EE meld: more execs become part of the mothership
BT’s de‑duplication effort accelerates with more than two thirds of EE’s operations staff being swallowed up by its parent Group since April 2019.
Network & Infrastructure
BT takes charge of 5G factory floor
BT collaborates with Worcestershire 5G (W5G) testbed and Ericsson to install ‘live’ 5G factory. Runs and manages private 5G network for Worcester Bosch. Takes technology lead at W5G to accelerate UK adoption of smart-manufacturing.

Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone vets join T‑Mobile’s 5G innovation gang
Former Vodafone investment specialists linking up with T‑Mobile’s 5G innovation lab for twelve‑week springboard programme. 5G OI Lab also giving a leg‑up to FreedomFi, an enterprise networks specialist already making a name for itself through Facebook’s Telecom Infra Project.
Partnerships & Alliances
T-Systems puts GAIA-X to work
Planned Franco‑German public cloud offering tagged as ‘Cloud Act‑free’. T‑Sys says US hyperscalers are welcome to join.
Venturing & Investments
hubraum’s Mixed Reality Programme goes live
First six startups inducted as hubraum continues hunt for commercial MR market. Technologists Nreal and Qualcomm partnered. Mix of late‑stage and greenfield startups in a “diverse” line-up. Enterprise customers an apparent target for most.

Partnerships & Alliances
Telefónica aims to jump-start OpenRAN with Rakuten
Group taps Japanese operator’s know-how in virtualised networks through MoU. Implied suggestion that TIP collaboration not moving fast enough for commercial “end-to-end” deployment of OpenRAN architectures.
M&A
New Three boss snipes at O2–Virgin merger
Finnegan doubtful on merits of O2–Virgin Media deal, but bullish on leading further UK consolidation.
M&A
Telefónica bolts another M&A add onto security unit
Group reaching into partner base for acquisitions to support expansion plans of new Telefónica Cibersecurity Tech division.

Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone vets join T‑Mobile’s 5G innovation gang
Former Vodafone investment specialists linking up with T‑Mobile’s 5G innovation lab for twelve‑week springboard programme. 5G OI Lab also giving a leg‑up to FreedomFi, an enterprise networks specialist already making a name for itself through Facebook’s Telecom Infra Project.
M&A
Vodafone Egypt sale reaches impasse; adverse event or powerplay?
Vodafone said to remain committed to a market exit. stc and Vodafone keep the dialogue open as MoU expires. Telecom Egypt denies it has a role in enabling deal. Possibility of price cut, reflecting new realities.
M&A
Vodafone decries Italian broadband plan
Italy’s plan to create a single national broadband network moves closer, but deal still has some hurdles to overcome and Vodafone CEO Read signals he is opposed. Beyond broadband network, project might include 5G, edge computing, cloud and data centres, creating further strategic complexity for Vodafone’s Italian interests.