Europe – Page 143
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vantage Towers on alert as Drillisch appears on 5G radar
National roaming deal between Drillisch and Telefónica Deutschland paves way for 5G rollout by Germany’s would-be fourth MNO. Vodafone’s TowerCo spinout vies with Deutsche Funkturm and Telxius for Drillisch business. Ericsson sales veteran Peter Zehetner joins Vantage Towers as Managing Director in Germany.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone Hungary stumps up €135m to extend licences
Secures 15-year extensions to 900MHz and 1800MHz concessions. Supreme Court rules NMHH acted “lawfully” in blocking Digi Communications from participating in 2020 multiband auction.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Partner Markets: A1 stable; NZ changes abound
Developments from around Vodafone’s soft-power network: results stability for A1; Elisa works Vodafone Business ties for SD-WAN delivery; changes afoot for Vodafone New Zealand.
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Innovation (R&D)
Vodafone ups the ante on drone innovation
Dutch, German, and UK trials flag recent progress in autonomous and unmanned flight. Ericsson emerges as important co-pilot.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Europe: Italian 3G sunset
End of road for Italian 3G network; 5G used to combat COVID-19 in Spain; Turkey enterprise unit digitises cement mix.
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Network & Infrastructure
MBNL embraces machine learning for predictive maintenance
JV working with Kortical, Blue Prism, and Greenhouse Intelligence. Algorithms predict mast cooling system failures to prevent overheating and outages.
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Network & Infrastructure
Magyar Telekom CEO rules out tower tie-ups
Tibor Rékasi anticipates no strategic activity in the “near future”. 5G coverage target met in Budapest.
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Strategy & Change
OTE: Romanian mobile remnant not on market, yet
Long subject of sale speculation, TRMC to focus on organic turnaround for now.
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Network & Infrastructure
Deutsche Telekom waiting in wings for TowerCo expansion
CFO Illek wants to see how Vantage Towers IPO pans out before making any big moves On prowl for investor partners through Digital Infrastructure Vehicle set up in collaboration with Cellnex. Flags Deutsche Funkturm’s “good price” and M&A possibilities. Selling tower assets to make a quick euro, à ...
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Operations
OTE hails completion of organisational revamp
Extraction of field and customer ops wrapped up as OTE seeks to bolster efficiency following challenging FY20. Early retirement programme continues to deliver savings.
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Network & Infrastructure
Obermann weighs in on sluggish Gaia-X cloud project
Is the European cloud project doomed before it gets going? Deutsche Telekom is strong supporter, says project has “long way to go”. Enterprises are wary and harbour memories of past failed efforts.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Group: BT Sourced gets hiring
New procurement team hiring; revamp of Plymouth office by 2022; BT hoping to go greener through PPAs.
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Venturing & Investments
Wayra levels up with co-operative gaming investment
Telefónica open innovation hub puts gaming and e-sports in its investment crosshairs, drawing together fellow venturers for “up to €2m” commitments. Fourteen funds participate in this year’s Coinvestment Day.
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Partnerships & Alliances
German startup MOWEA seeks tailwind for Vodafone network tie-up
Startup’s relationship with Vodafone lies in German UPLIFT scheme. Vendor aiming to branch out in Germany and form relationships with other in-country tower businesses.
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People
Telefónica moves: Oslé named Spain CEO; Almazor heads up Cloud
Newly-formed Unsere Grüne Glasfaser FTTH joint venture names a handful of team members ahead of anticipated approval. Movistar CEO rotates to lead Telefónica Tech’s Cloud unit, while Sergio Oslé takes the Spain spot. New strategic planning lead at Group-level.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT moves goalposts on German infrastructure mega-projects
Headline FTTH and cell site expansion roadmaps reworked. COVID-19 disruption, regulatory barriers, and bad weather cited as contributors. First signs emerge of the Group’s new, pandemic-influenced medium-term planning, due to be laid out later in 2021.
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Financial & Performance
Telefónica wobbles over 2020 finish line, targets stability
Revenue and OIBDA drop 11% as double-whammy of COVID-19 and currency fluctuations hit. Guidance on cash flow just about achieved, while FY21 focus will be on stabilisation. Dividend reduced by 25% as COVID-19 challenges continue, and 5G auctions loom. Telefónica Infra picking up minority stakes in Group infrastructure as ...
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Network & Infrastructure
Deutsche Funkturm CEO says three’s a crowd in Germany
Jacobfeuerborn hints at further expansion abroad as ‘crowded’ home market dims growth prospects. ‘Grey spot’ network-sharing among German MNOs a concern.
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Premium
Vodafone people moves: Italy’s commercial leadership confirmed
Veteran executive departures at the top of India’s Vi. Vodafone Hungary’s Enterprise Business Unit gets a new lead from Apple. Raimondi named Commercial Director in place of now-Chief Commercial Officer Duilio.
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Strategy & Change
Vodafone CZ confirms strategic talks with ČEZ
Czech OpCo declines to divulge what the talks are about, after a local news report suggests a possible sale of the business is on the table.