Digital Transformation
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Network & Infrastructure
MTN cuts the ribbon on new Nigerian data centre
African and Middle Eastern telco opens the doors to its second Tier III data centre in Lagos, with plans in place for expansion going forward…
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Enterprise (B2B)
Brazil’s Vivo wants more joined-up tech thinking with B2B rejig
Operator mimics parent Telefónica by bringing all B2B activities under one roof and seeking to bring operational and commercial synergies in its enterprise growth push.
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Strategy & Change
Orange outlines plan to simplify French operations
Orange France’s proposed reorganisation project, dubbed “Regain”, seeks to boost profitability and improve efficiency as competitive pressures intensify in its home market, but job cuts are not part of the plan.
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Operations
Vodafone’s plan to keep up with AI through democratisation, value-hunting
DTW Ignite: Vodafone execs discuss AI adoption at scale, raising concerns that the technology is moving ‘too quickly’, but confident that the group’s overriding strategic direction will enable it to keep ahead of the curve.
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Network & Infrastructure
Pragmatic Orange picks its way towards ‘high-value’ network autonomy
DTW Ignite 25: Sofrecom’s Roberto Kung highlights the need to assess the business case and ROI before investing in increased autonomy, noting that “we don’t want to be Level 4 everywhere”.
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Network & Infrastructure
Ex-Nominet boss tasked with hitting UK government’s broadband infra goals
The agency leading key UK government-backed digital infra projects has appointed Lesley Cowley as Chair, tasked with overseeing the Shared Rural Network and (recently delayed) Project Gigabit initiatives…
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Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica leads way on joint GSMA-TM Forum API validation scheme
DTW — Ignite 25: Operator set to launch the first APIs that have received certification through the GSMA and TM Forum’s newly launched joint validation process. Global CTIO Andrea Folgueiras said the initiative will reduce integration costs and create efficiencies, among other benefits…
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Weekly Briefings
Deutsche Telekomwatch Briefing: standing firm amid macro aggro
A busy edition as we review DT’s Q1 FY25 results, major personnel changes in the group’s Technology & Innovation hierarchy, and numerous digital infra dealmaking possibilities around the group’s fibre, towers, and data centre assets. Read more…
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Weekly Briefings
Orangewatch Briefing: execs bang M&A drum; high hopes on IPCEI and AI
In this issue, we report on presentations by Orange’s leadership at the AGM, with Group CEO Christel Heydemann and new Orange France CEO Jérôme Hénique taking the floor.
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Financial & Performance
BT holds off on international B2B sale until division proves its worth
FY24–25: BT Group CEO Allison Kirkby says carved-out BT International must show its value, with ‘runway’ needed for Global Fabric to do the same, ahead of a prospective offload. UK M&A remains on the cards too as BT looks to capitalise on SMB opportunity…
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Financial & Performance
BT Consumer returns to multi-brand approach to ‘defend and win’ against altnet incursion
FY24–25: BT CEO Allison Kirkby has found an ally in new Consumer boss Claire Gillies as they work to undo ‘underweight investment’ in BT and Plusnet brands of recent years. U-turn on New EE strategy sees multi-brand approach ‘reactivated’, regional campaigns to beat local altnet competition…
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone Germany hits new lows as management tees up a turnaround
FY24–25: Group management insists that annual results were the nadir for its flailing German OpCo, as another fall in service revenue and earnings makes for an even lower baseline to which a future turnaround can be compared.
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Financial & Performance
Digi ‘adapting as we go’ after a testing start in Belgium
Closely-watched new entrant has already been forced to “resize” and “rescale” its business in the first few months of operation.
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Products & Services
Rip & Restart: AllPoints launches aquila UK fibre wholesale platform
Days after Zen’s The Fibre Hub launch, Fern Trading outpost opens curtains on UK’s latest aggregator in effort to offer a simplified, stable route to ‘national’ ISP scale, with multiple FibreCos and B2B retailers already on board. Could this be the game-changer the altnet segment needs?
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People
Ex-Vodafone chief Colao takes board seat at Wireless Logic
Vittorio Colao joins the Board of Directors at UK-based IoT connectivity provider (and MVNO using BT’s network), after the business agrees to sell a minority stake to General Atlantic.
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Strategy & Change
BT to carve out International in next step of B2B grand plan — report
Reports cite an internal memo that tees up a spin-off of overseas B2B, headed by Bas Burger, as Group CEO Allison Kirkby puts her foot down on UK retrenchment aspirations.
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People
Magenta Telekom picks Kicker to boot up tech shifts
Former exec Thomas Kicker returns to Magenta Telekom to fill CEO vacancy after a stint at security partner cyan.
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Technology
Cellnex recruits AI in fightback against dodgy landlords
CEO of Europe’s largest tower group highlights use of data analytics to identify strategic risks affecting its 120,000+ sites across region, amid ‘indecent’ moves by land aggregators.
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M&A
Virgin Media O2, Daisy combine in B2B in hunt for growth
Operator to merge enterprise and IT services segments with Daisy, creating a new joint venture to serve “hundreds of thousands” of UK administrations and businesses. VM O2 CEO Lutz Schüler says move marks a “big step forward” in improving B2B performance…
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Financial & Performance
Safaricom boasts Ethiopian maturity as ‘baby’ makes ‘confident steps’
FY24–25: CEO Peter Ndegwa says there is more to be done to reach commercial and infrastructure ‘scale’, but Safaricom’s Ethiopian venture is said to be nearing EBITDA positivity.