EMEA Telco Leaders – Page 246
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Strategy & Change
BT to shut blighted Lancashire ICT business
Scandal-hit venture that became the embodiment of BT’s troubled partnership approach to council contracts to finally fade away. Council insourcing set to leave a significant dent in BT’s public sector revenue stream.
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Public Affairs
Telefónica Argentina hit by Fernández decree
Presidential decree to freeze broadband, telephony, and pay-TV tariffs until end-2020 further weakens Argentina’s place in Telefónica world. Move seen as damaging enough to warrant cross-industry response. In subsequent dialogue with Enacom, operators show some willingness to play ball in return for assurances on “industry sustainability”.
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People
Vodafone movers: Australia settles in; Smart Tech gets a Head
Vodafone Smart Tech gets BizDev VP. Australia’s new telco TPG shifts its backroom.
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Enterprise (B2B)
Telefónica creates new unit to target UK security space
Operator is looking to build an international platform for new Telefónica Cibersecurity Tech division. Targeting markets inside and outside its footprint.
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M&A
BT readies itself to ward off unwanted advances
With its share price deflated, dividend suspended, and a series of financial challenges on the horizon, BT Group is consulting on the best way to shore its defences against unsolicited bids. Boutique banker and trusted Vodafone advisor Robey Warshaw may be added to BT defence team. KKR emerges as ...
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People
BT job was “brutal” says ex-CEO Patterson
Former CEO claims he did not feel criticism towards end of BT tenure. Prefers ‘can-do’ mindset of Silicon Valley. BT decision making presented as paper-based and sluggish by comparison.
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Premium
Spending: Capex peaks and operational efficiencies rise
Management assures infrastructure investment will be maintained, as key in post-COVID-19 world. Customer experience another priority area. Other projects being reined in to free up funds, though, with Abosolo stressing “strict screening” of spend plans
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Premium
Guidance: it’ll all be over by Christmas (2021)
Telefónica said it expects to meet its revised FY20 guidance, although even with the minimal targets it has set itself there is a challenge to be faced.
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Strategy & Change
Infra ambition to fibre up the world
Telefónica Infra-Tech Q2 FY20 analysis. Telxius set to expand its remit beyond tower management and subsea cables with ambitions to bring Group fibre deployment expertise to wholesale markets across Europe and Latin America. Investors may be sought to monetise new infrastructure. Telxius Q2 FY20 performance shows resilience in difficult ...
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Premium
Telefónica core markets: glimmers of a return to normality
Group’s key business engines report a mixed set of results, but with signs of recovery emerging over the course of Q2.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica Q2 FY20
Another social pact unveiled as COVID-19 and currency falls combine to wipe €1.5bn of reported revenue in second quarter and shred profitability. Cash generation a priority as strict — and seemingly permanent — spending and investment restrictions are put in place. “Resilience” the key quality attributed to the Group ...
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Premium
Financial highlights: generating cash and cutting costs
Telefónica’s numbers for the quarter to 30 June 2020 (Q2 FY20) made grim reading.
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Premium
Vodafone Q1 FY20–21
What ‘new normal’? Leadership pressing on with long-running efficiency and asset sale plans regardless of coronavirus disruption. Hints of bottlenecks owing to top duo’s workload. Group Finance’s €1bn cost-cutting plan “proceeding very well”. Footprint retrenchment not necessarily done, with some OpCos still appearing stuck on the margins. Currency weakness ...
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Premium
Vodafone Q1 FY20–21 spend: no obvious change of course, post-COVID-19
Any post-COVID-19 spend strategy changes appear to either be being kept under wraps, or subjugated by leadership focus on keeping the business on track.
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Premium
Vodafone Q1 FY20–21 headline performance: Germany and the rest
COVID-19 blow cushioned: strength in Germany and Portugal, with mixed performances elsewhere. Currency weakness turning Read’s focus on Africa sour.
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Premium
Vivo and co seek exclusivity as Oi measures up suitors
Vivo, TIM, and Claro back in the driving seat on Oi assets acquisition as exclusive talks resume. Oi rejects proposals from private equity-funded infrastructure provider Highline. Vivo could bolster its weak north-east base. TIM may have most at stake in bidding, with speculation it would take the lion’s share ...
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Premium
Safaricom puts Aviat and Nokia to work on 5G prep
Kenyan operator taps old friend Aviat Networks for 5G backhaul as the country preps for commercial 5G rollout. Nokia’s Gigabit Passive Optical Networking will be deployed to combat increased bandwidth demands in the country.
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M&A
DT half-way out of Romania (maybe)
Agreement “in principle” reportedly struck between Orange and Romania’s government to take over Telekom Romania’s fixed-line business. Mobile arm still up for sale, as DT struggles to find full escape velocity from underperforming market.
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M&A
Telefónica drops AxisMed
Group offloads care management specialist to Atrys Health. A pivot from ‘provider’ to ‘partner’ in Telefónica’s healthcare strategy.
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Premium
Vodafone starts (another) new slate in Australia
Radical new corporate set-up for CEO Berroeta. Teoh (and son Shane) join the board. Mobile and fixed network “synergies” a priority. Multi-brand strategy sees Vodafone sit alongside slew of TPG sub-brands.