EMEA Telco Leaders – Page 158
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Premium
Safaricom builds up for Ethiopian launch
Ethiopian OpCo signs up VMware as telco cloud partner, and flags Huawei and Nokia as main network suppliers. Second data centre opened. Talks begin with rival Ethio on network access. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Finance anticipates service launch “sometime in April”.
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Elsewhere in Vodafone Associates & JVs: Vantage bags new infra partnerships
Vodafone Foundation Australia given makeover; Vantage flags two new infra partners; Vi welcomes Mobile Streams services.
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Elsewhere in Vodafone Europe: Spain overtakes Orange in retail
Spanish OpCo reclaims second spot from Orange in retail sector.
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Network & Infrastructure
Cellnex wins over BT and CMA to secure Hutchison UK tower merger
BT appeased by recent strengthening of its own Cellnex partnership. Cellnex to complete €10bn, six-country deal following approval of UK merger.
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Public Affairs
OneWeb cancels satellite launches on Russian rockets
Fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hits satellite comms operator. Decision could delay service launch and have knock-on effect on distribution partner BT’s rural coverage vision.
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Vodafone Q3 FY21–22 Guidance: Déjà vu as Group eyes “sustainable growth”
Top brass remains optimistic as COVID-19 recovery continues.
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Network & Infrastructure
Reliance Jio joins DT on network disaggregation journey
Wider rollout planned for Germany as DT CTO appeals for more partners on fixed network disaggregation. Signs of the operator’s Access 4.0 vision becoming a reality?
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M&A
Private equity fund offers to buy TIM’s INWIT stake
Telecom Italia looks set to further slim its interest in its towers JV with Vodafone. French fund Ardian leads the consortium of prospective buyers, with a majority share of TIM’s 15.4% stake on the table.
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Vodafone Q3 FY21–22 Spend: CPI+ a “necessary logic”
Price rises planned across Europe, in response to rising costs. Della Valle outlines strategy, but remains vague on details. CPI+ formula embedded in five markets, with more to follow.
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Elsewhere in Vodafone Group: operator boasts iSIM first
‘G’s’ need a rethink, suggests Group network architecture point man Tenorio; Vodafone tests iSIM with Qualcomm, Samsung, and Thales.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone halts partnership with Russia’s MTS
14-year Partner Markets agreement suspended in response to Ukraine war and Russian sanctions.
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Financial & Performance
Movistar Prosegur Alarmas revs customer growth
Telefónica’s home security joint venture partner Prosegur pleased with performance and value created from MPA in Spain. Good start for Telefónica partnership in Colombia, as Prosegur looks to replicate Spanish JV model in Latin America.
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach hits pause on community fibre programme
Fibre Community Partnership initiative now closed to new registrations as demand soars. Books will reopen once the backlog is cleared. Openreach claims “extreme” popularity as FCP reached 2,050 communities.
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Network & Infrastructure
High-flying DT partner pilots stratospheric 5G network
Stratospheric Platforms claims success in a demonstration of its High Altitude Platform System, beaming a 5G signal from a mast 45,000ft in the air. The DT investment and strategic partner ran the pilot above Saudi Arabia.
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People
Vodafone Spain names new Digital Director
Esther Colmenarejo replaces Bosco Aranguren, who leaves to head DAZN’s Spanish operations. Appointment continues management revamp at challenged Spanish unit.
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M&A? We’re on it, insists Vodafone CEO
Activist investor Cevian Capital reportedly wants Vodafone management to push harder on in-market consolidation. Read reiterates claim that “pragmatic” and “open-minded” M&A has always been the plan under his watch, with returns-focused deals in Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the UK in the crosshairs. Vodafone knocks back Iliad bid for ...
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Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica builds up metaverse momentum
Wayra unit seeks metaverse technology startups via Open2metaverse initiative. Spanish developers to get access to hub established in collaboration with Meta. Telefónica appoints Yaiza Rubio Viñuela as Chief Metaverse Officer.
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Vodafone Q3 FY21–22 Headlines: Germany struggles, Africa bubbles
Group service revenue growth for fifth successive quarter. German user experience blunder takes gloss off solid set of numbers. Read continues to blame COVID-19 for German struggles, despite rivals’ success. Vodacom makes “very good progress” as Vodafone Egypt deal nears.
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Operations
DT opts for second-choice Deloitte as new auditor
Deloitte given mandate to replace incumbent PwC. Proposal to be put to shareholders in April, and comes after disrupted, three-year selection process. DT drops one-off management bonus option after stockholder criticism.
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Vodafone responds to Ukraine crisis on multiple fronts
Suspends 14-year Partner Markets agreement with Russia’s MTS. Vodafone Foundation deploys portable base stations to support refugees in Hungary and donates humanitarian aid. OpCos offer free calls and texts to Ukraine, and free roaming for customers remaining in the country. Vodafone Ukraine blocks roamers from Russia and supports customers ...