Europe
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Financial & Performance
Gains-hungry DT gives German business a fresh fibre sales goal
Telco’s home market business looking to break through upselling obstacles and add 450,000 new homes to FTTH plans by the end of 2024.
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Financial & Performance
Openreach to invade Project Gigabit, snap up altnet misfires
FY23–24: Closing in on infill Project Gigabit contracts, also eyeing altnet misfires. Line loss the new reality despite strong fibre build and take-up momentum. TelcoTitans BTwatch predicts altnets will step up, not roll over. New CEO Kirkby makes clear Openreach not for sale (yet). Read more…
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Financial & Performance
DT’s Höttges unworried by uptick in German mobile competition; lets rivals ‘do their shit’
Deutsche Telekom CEO sees increasingly intense battle for customers, sparked by strategy shift at Telefónica Deutschland, taking place outside of German NatCo’s higher-value ‘sweet spot’, and therefore not a cause for concern.
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Financial & Performance
BT Business gets UK exceptionalism vibe, with Global ops on chopping block
New CEO Allison Kirkby mulls further ‘optimisation’ opportunities in latest bid to turn around long-beleaguered B2B activities. Much-lauded new network-as-a-service proposition Global Fabric may be retained as partner play. Domestic rump not obviously a better bet, however…
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone CEO: “No remedies needed” for UK merger
FY23–24: Some done and more to come in Group CEO Margherita Della Valle’s reshaping of the European footprint. With approval for Spain sale, M&A focus turns to completing Italy and UK deals — with the latter looking likely to cause headaches despite the CEO’s optimism…
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Weekly Briefings
Telefónicawatch Weekly: Group focuses on key deals, initiatives in Q1 to keep GPS on track
Operator showcases modest growth in Q1 FY24 results publication, with plans for acceleration over rest of year, although uncertainty on critical initiatives remains. Meanwhile, mobile offerings strengthened in Germany, Spain, and the UK, both above and below the ground. Read more…
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: Kirkby gathers transformation troops, but can she convince investors?
Latest from BT and its ecosystem the day before the Group’s FY23–24 results hit the screens. CEO Allison Kirkby is corralling a new squadron of incomers to drive forward her flavour of transformation for BT, but investors so far appear unconvinced. Spectrum auctions may be imminent, as real estate redevelopment nears completion, and a revitalised Corporate & Public Sector team boast a West Country win. Read more…
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M&A
Vodafone earns regulatory go-ahead for Spanish retreat
Vodafone Spain sale to Zegona Communications to complete by the end of the month, with share buyback programme already underway.
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Financial & Performance
Telefónica Q1 FY24 Headlines: new strategy kicks off with ups and downs
Decent commercial performances in key markets, with Brazil again standout with cross-segment growth, and Hispam still in decline. Ramp-up predicted as FY advances. Read more…
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Financial & Performance
Telefónica Q1 FY24: modest growth to be boosted by core market catalysts, further efficiency
Group COO Vilá highlights “catalysts” in Brazil, Germany, Spain, and the UK, aiming to accelerate financial gains over the next quarter. Read more…
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Financial & Performance
Telefónica Q1 FY24 Guidance: Group maintains confidence
Controlled capital intensity ensures wriggle room. Read more…
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Financial & Performance
Telefónica Q1 FY24 Spend: investments made, efficiencies gained
Continued investment in AI, automation, and sustainability highlighted . Read more…
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Public Affairs
Union rejects Deutsche Telekom’s second ‘record’ pay offer
Talks between operator and worker representatives extended to end of the week after union rejects DT’s fresh proposals as “insufficient”.
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone Germany to lose half of TV customer base as new tenant laws take effect
Vodafone’s largest and last standalone European market braces for a slump in performance this year while revamping operations in an attempt to revive growth. Tenant bundling law change set to accelerate longer term trend of customer losses at misfiring major OpCo.
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Network & Infrastructure
German operators respond cautiously to BNetzA’s proposed spectrum auction compromise
Three existing MNOs, which have been loudly complaining over spectrum access cost burden, would pay just under €600m for five-year rights extension under new BNetzA proposals.
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M&A
Greece’s OTE says talk of tower sale ‘premature’
National telco reiterates interest in wireless infra spin-out, to trim down the costs of managing wireless infra and boost share price.
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: land grabs, power-sharing, and an AI tidal wave
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including: plans for InfraCos to both attack and defend against challenges in the market with new land acquisition and energy plays; data centre prep for building ‘AI tidal wave’; a busy time for vendors in the evolving German infrastructure market; people moves; and plenty more…
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Operations
Openreach opens ‘snazzy’ new City HQ
BT’s access services business has moved its HQ to a new site in London, closing out a tenure at ‘tired’ King’s Cross offices.
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Public Affairs
Deutsche Telekom workers stage strike ahead of ‘decisive’ pay talks
German union organises two days of industrial action to set scene for a fourth round of negotiations on wage increases.
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Innovation (R&D)
UKTIN: Why collaboration is key to driving investment in R&D for the telecoms sector
OpEd: Jon Hunt, Project Board Member at the UK Telecoms Innovation Network, sees potential easing of M&A regulation in Europe as opening a path for telcos to improve collaboration, R&D and funding efforts on an international scale, including with academia and Big Tech. Read more…