EMEA Telco Leaders – Page 202
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OperationsAST SpaceMobile sets up UK arm
High-profile US startup establishing tech team in Leicester space hub. Move eases collaboration with Vodafone ahead of joint launch in Africa.
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M&ABT quietly divests Boingo Wireless interest
Telco offloads small minority stake in Boingo. US wireless internet service provider recently subsumed by Digital Colony.
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Innovation (R&D)Vodafone picks Dresden and Málaga for R&D
Portugal may have lost out because of Group anger over the ongoing 5G auction process.
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Partnerships & AlliancesBT seeks South African alternatives after partner breakup
Group abruptly severs ties with longstanding partner Sekunjalo, but is under pressure to remain compliant with the country’s black economic empowerment agenda.
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Strategy & ChangeMovistar reboots investment unit for expansion
Telefónica’s audio-visual management company Contenidos has been repurposed as Telefónica España Filiales. New unit takes on a broader remit in apparent bid to grow its portfolio, moving away from multimedia focus. Holdings mapped out, with some recent changes.
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OperationsVodafone banks on the Nile for flow of efficiencies
Group Annual Report sheds light on shared services transformation under the _VOIS division. Egypt emerges as the Group’s largest territory by headcount. CFO Della Valle points to _VOIS “role efficiencies” as it de-siloes, standardises, and harmonises operations.
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Network & InfrastructureBT puzzles over end-to-end quantum security
Optical expert optimistic about upcoming commercial availability of QKD and “global” satellite distribution of crypto keys. How to protect the terrestrial “bit in the middle” against quantum-computing hacks still uncertain. Due diligence needed on Arqit’s QuantumCloud. Lord confident UK can tap into EU funding, despite Brexit.
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Network & InfrastructureTelefónica flags fixed access evolution with Open Broadband project
Operator aims to change the fixed access ‘paradigm’, with a new open ecosystem and architecture. Group “going further” on disaggregation. Brazil targeted first for deployment.
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M&ALiberty: VodafoneZiggo-Telenet merger not in pipeline
Group partner CEO rules out near-term merger. How Liberty and Vodafone’s Dutch JV will evolve remains unclear, with shareholders facing various M&A options. Liberty keen to pursue pathway that suits both parties.
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M&ATelxius completes European tower sale
Telefónica handed regulatory go-ahead for tower divestment, with German and Spanish sites handed to American Tower. Latin American portion to follow next year, pending approval. Submarine cables also up for grabs, with first bids reportedly received.
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Strategy & ChangeElsewhere in Telefónica Hispanoamérica: Internet para Todos hits milestone
IpT footprint breaks two million mark; Gilpérez to front bid for Telefónica Uruguay.
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Network & InfrastructureInternet Para Todos hits two million milestone
More than two million people now connected to ‘high-speed’ internet connectivity in Peru. 2020 target of reaching 13,000 rural communities pushed back a year. Network laying groundwork for the provision of new e-learning tech for Peruvian schoolchildren.
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PeopleFairhead added to BT Chair candidate list — report
Former International Trade Minister and HSBC Chair Rona Fairhead has emerged as a contender to replace the outgoing Jan du Plessis. Shortlist-creation reportedly still in its early stages.
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Public AffairsNational court backs Telefónica over Canal+ deal
Audiencia Nacional rejects claims made by Vodafone Spain and others that 2015 DTS acquisition impedes competition. Expresses confidence in regulator CMMC to monitor pay TV market.
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PremiumGreen light for Telefónica Costa Rica exit ‘take two’
Liberty Latin America purchase secures regulatory approval. Telefónica’s drawn-out Centroamérica exit takes another small step forward.
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Strategy & ChangeTelefónica brings insurance unit closer to home
Telefónica Seguros, the Group’s insurance subsidiary, moves from Luxembourg to Spain as its remit expands. Cybersecurity and digital insurance niche increasingly a focus.
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Partnerships & AlliancesVivo to build telemedicine presence with Teladoc
Teladoc Health partners with a second Telefónica core market to launch Vivo’s telemedicine and wellness platform. E-health proposition marks another step into a “digital ecosystem” for Vivo. Brazilian JV on the cards, if results go the right way.
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Network & InfrastructureO2 deal with Vodafone to supplement spectrum gains
Ofcom closes assignment stage of UK spectrum auction with O2 trading blocks with Vodafone, while BT opts to buy preferable positions outright. O2–Vodafone trade ensures contiguous spectrum blocks in 5G-ready bands.
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Venturing & InvestmentsTelefónica Venturing Roundup: Wayra reaches double figures
Wayra reaches double figures; Israeli startups sought for Rosetta use-cases; and Andalusian accelerator welcomes its latest cohort.
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Strategy & ChangeElsewhere in Telefónica Group: Spanish cyber defences strengthened
Telefónica bolsters Spain’s security defences; reskilling initiatives backed.