All European Commission (EC) articles
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Analyst BriefingEMEA Infrawatch: Europe’s fibre re-fi ‘wall’ looms
Analyst Briefing: ING warns of “enormous refinancing wall” coming for fibrecos in 2027; Deutsche Glasfaser completes long-awaited debt raise; Proximus and Telenet finalise Belgian fibre rollout tie-up; INWIT said to eye data centre play as tower competition heats up; and more…
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M&ATelcos welcome ‘long overdue’ EC draft merger guidelines
Telcos now have the opportunity to provide informed feedback as the long‑awaited draft on European Union merger guidelines is published.
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Partnerships & AlliancesTelefónica forges Spanish defence ties with Sateliot
State-backed providers agree to integrate their terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks to develop new defence and security solutions, adding to Spanish government’s web of sovereign technology interests…
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M&AOrange’s Heydemann is confident on new SFR takeover bid
CEO of French incumbent is hoping for a positive response to its second bid for assets from distressed rival SFR, alongside Bouygues and Iliad. As well as dangling a higher, €20bn+ offer in front of seller Altice, she notes a change to the deal’s structure would help the French trio mitigate some execution risk. She also remains confident of the case for consolidation.
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M&AFrench trio increases bid for SFR, starts exclusive talks
New offer gives SFR a total enterprise value of €20bn, with Bouygues still in the driving seat, Orange and Iliad onboard.
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M&AOrange nets EU clearance to absorb MásOrange
Regulatory approval of the €4.25bn deal was clearly a perfunctory affair, and will give back Orange full control of its Spanish operations.
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B2B‘This isn’t MWC slideware’: European telco group demos federated edge platform
MWC26: Telco partners flag expansion and progression of European Edge Continuum project, aimed at enabling cross-operator deployment of applications.
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M&A‘Loosen the leash’: Telefónica’s Murtra repeats call for telco M&A rethink
MWC26: Spanish group’s Executive Chairman Marc Murtra again urges European regulators to loosen the shackles on telco deal-making.
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Analyst BriefingEMEA Infrawatch: MTN’s tower take-back; Eutelsat puts LEO front and centre
Analyst Briefing: MTN plots IHS Towers buy; Eutelsat doubles down on LEO as it calls off Flexsat GEO project; Ardian said to mull Brookfield tie-up for INWIT takeover; more…
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M&AEC cites need for ‘European champions’ as merger guidelines review looms
In depth: Anticipation builds as first sighting of revised EU merger guidelines is slated for April, and telcos are busy lobbying for an M&A rule change…
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Strategy & ChangeTransformation-focused Nokia gears up for AI ‘supercycle’
While telcos remain important customers for the Finnish tech vendor, it is transitioning from a “very telco‑centric” base and embracing the “AI supercycle”.
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Network & InfraAfter fibre tie-ups, Vodafone Spain sounds out MásOrange and Telefónica on RANco idea
Zegona CEO indicates he is discussing shifting Vodafone Spain’s mobile network to a shared grid with either Telefónica or MásOrange, as part of aggressive transformation of the MNO since 2024 buyout. Eamonn O’Hare said it is fully focused on RANco discussions as two fibreco deals near completion, and addresses Vodafone Spain sale speculation and its fraught historical relationship with Vantage Towers…
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Analyst BriefingVodafonewatch: rewiring Europe’s digital landscape
Analyst Briefing: Vodafone and European telco peers weigh up the implications the overhauled Cybersecurity Act and the all-new Digital Networks Act, reworking how the industry operates. Elsewhere, M&A in Europe and Africa; SpaceMobile ‘validated’ by gov contract win; and Turkey expands fibre reach with wholesale deal…
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Public AffairsGerman fibre players cautiously welcome BNetzA’s copper switch-off plans
German telcos and industry bodies issue guarded welcomes of German regulator’s latest regulatory plans to enforce copper shutdown in parts of the country, although timeline for the switch-off still not firmed up…
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Public AffairsThe EU’s DNA has landed, but receives lukewarm industry response
While telco groups have welcomed the prospect of spectrum reform to provide greater investment certainty, copper switch-off plans and a new approach to ‘fair share’ earn a far more mixed reception…
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Suppliers & SCMTelcos face multibillion-euro rip-and-replace project as Brussels moves to ban high-risk vendors
In depth: European Commissioner Henna Virkkunen considers the time is now to take network supply chain security “seriously”, laying out proposals to ban vendors deemed ‘high-risk’. Network operators stand to foot a multibillion-euro rip-and-replace bill, with some only recently signing kit deals with Chinese suppliers…
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MarketingDT to bring ‘T-Satellite’ brand to Europe
German group applies to register T-Satellite brand, already used for direct-to-device services in the USA, as a trademark in Europe.
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Analyst BriefingFrancewatch: SFR looks to the cloud as sales speculation continues
Analyst Briefing: more questions than answers on the future of SFR; Iliad sees new sovereign cloud, data centre opportunities; Orange Business goes Bleu…
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Analyst BriefingEMEA Infrawatch: data centre financing surge; investors hesitant on Euro telco infra
Latest on EMEA digital infra: investors’ data centre appetites in spotlight with wave of new European deals; EQT and Omers reportedly firming up €1.7bn Deutsche Glasfaser financing deal; EC pushes back AI Gigafactory tender launch; more…
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Strategy & ChangeTelefónica aims slap bang in middle in bid for revival
FY25–FY30 Transform & Grow strategy deep dive: Group’s new leadership goes more aggressive and old school with new five-year agenda, targeting corporate centre for billions of euros of savings.