Innovation and R&D
All the latest news, insight and analysis regarding the latest innovations and research and development initiatives by BT, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone.
Sovereign ambition: Orange raises curtain on Unified Cloud Platform
UCP reveal commences: new unit consolidates 700 cloud specialists from Business, OINIS and Wholesale, driven by the Group’s Trust the Future strategy. Intent includes industrialising private cloud capabilities, expanding as-a-service propositions, and addressing surging enterprise demand for data sovereignty and AI…
Vodafone’s R&D chief urges infraco action as quantum threat presents ‘new normal’
DTW Ignite: Luke Ibbetson warns of post-quantum cryptography as a near-term priority for infracos, with a ground-up approach needed to ensure fixed, mobile, and satellite assets are protected…
Orange ties with French energy agency on AI networking
Operator kicks off five-year ‘semantic communications’ project with French government agency aimed at improving network efficiency, slashing energy costs, and laying the groundwork for AI-native networks.
BT gets in on sovereign frontier AI as gov pitches UK as ‘AI maker, not taker’
BT enters the sovereign AI breach as one of a cohort supporting Cosine’s Lumen Sovereign project to build and train a frontier AI model exclusively on UK soil. Government gets in on the action by providing crucial sovereign compute resource, along with a wave of parallel sovereign AI announcements…
BT joins exclusive telco cohort in Anthropic’s frontier AI security project
Telco is the first UK business to confirm Project Glasswing participation, and the first European telco on the list, gaining early access to a frontier AI model aimed at pre-empting next-gen cyber threats.
T-Systems taps Indian talent pool for new AI chief
Appointment of Ramesh Revuru as Chief AI Officer reflects parent Deutsche Telekom’s wider AI push and underscores growing role of Indian operations in T-Systems’ delivery of projects and products. The provider has been on a major AI recruitment push as it looks to generate €200m in revenue from the tech this year…
VM O2 says AI and digital twin are solving fixed network faults faster
UK operator is reducing its fixed network back‑office workload and speeding fault resolution through automated decisioning, having revamped its data architecture to support quicker insight and action…
Brazil’s Vivo calls on AI to aid fight with inflation
Chief Executive Christian Gebara surveys “vast number of opportunities” from AI tech, including an upcoming major customer support revamp, as operator seeks to restrict inflation impact on margin.
Vodafone puts AI-powered procurement engine on the road to autonomous buying
In-depth: Vodafone Procure & Connect updates on its two-year GenAI-led procurement overhaul, with a partner-powered platform adopted at scale and delivering tangible results. More to come, including a potential platform export, as telco buying settles into its ‘third wave’…
Telefónicawatch: widening telcos’ vocal range
Analyst Briefing: Round-up of developments at Spanish incumbent, including AI-focused innovation around voice services, and infrastructure developments in Spain, Germany, and the UK. Read more…
Telefónica tests out real-time call translation
Group is exploring a move into network-based translation and transcription as part of new-wave innovation programme centring on 5G SA and AI.