Headlines
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Special ReportThe ‘B2AI’ question: are telcos ready to sell trust to machines?
Special Report #4/4: Longer term, telcos believe AI agents could become a major new source of demand for network APIs, extending their business beyond user authentication and fraud prevention.
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M&ACMA flags substantial competition concerns as nexfibre/Netomnia dealt major blow
In-depth: The UK’s Competition & Markets Authority has delivered a significant setback to nexfibre’s proposed acquisition of Netomnia owner Substantial Group, arguing the deal would materially weaken competition in wholesale broadband markets.
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PeoplewatchOrange Belgium’s consumer chief departs to head up state broadcaster
Orange Belgium confirms departure of Chief Consumer Officer Christophe Dujardin, who is shifting to lead Belgian state broadcaster RTBF. AI, convergence, and customer experience are among key focus areas for his successor, in what is becoming an increasingly competitive telecoms market…
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B2BUK fibrecos gasping for air as Openreach discounts ‘take oxygen out of the system’
In-depth: Openreach’s wholesale discounting strategy has become the latest battleground in the UK fibre wars, with altnet leaders urging Ofcom to intervene more aggressively while the incumbent insists it is simply competing on price.
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M&AUK: industry braced as nexfibre–Netomnia deal becomes referendum for fibre’s future
In-depth: £2bn deal dominated the keynote stage at Connected Britain, with rival executives abandoning diplomatic language and openly clashing ahead of a competition ruling that could determine shape of UK fibre’s next phase.
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M&AVodafoneZiggo secures tower sale ahead of spin-off
Dutch towers offloaded to private investors as Liberty Global closes in on Benelux spin off, while DigitalBridge eyes creation of “new, independent” Benelux platform.
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NetworkAfrica’s fibre boom needs a commercial operating model — not just more network
Open-access analysis: Building fibre across Africa is only the first hurdle; monetising capacity is the commercial test. From prepaid township offers to carrier-neutral wholesale platforms, operators need scalable operating models to turn network investment into services and returns. Draws on market evidence and ZIRA Group’s fibre and wholesale experience…
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Venturing & InvestmentsLiberty gets creative in push into AI
Telco group’s corporate venturing arm adds content generation scaleup to its growing AI investment stable.
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Finance & StrategyVirgin Media O2 mulls cost cuts to protect cash flow and reduce leverage
As UK broadband competition continues to bite, Virgin Media O2 is considering enacting a major savings push as part of the next phase of its business turnaround strategy. Consideration of cutbacks follows recently announced cost-cutting programmes at sister businesses in Germany and Spain, accompanied by large-scale job losses.
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PeoplewatchOpenreach commercial exec joins nexfibre as CCO
Ex-Openreach commercial and wholesale leader Ses Indy recruited as Chief Commercial Officer at nexfibre. The altnet views the exec’s experience as valuable as it seeks to become a ‘scaled’ challenger to Openreach, and as it moves forward with proposed Substantial Group acquisition…
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M&ACMA uprates Netomnia–nexfibre investigation to Phase 2 as altnets call for ‘urgency’
Altnet buyer nexfibre gets pragmatic and skips straight to the in-depth competition review, keeping hopes alive for completion before the end of the year. The UK’s fibre scene is set to change, but the CMA will now decide the extent.
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NetworkVM O2 plans ‘extensive’ autonomous networks ramp-up
UK operator targets Level 4 network autonomy within a ‘couple of years’, with network planning and optimisation the key use-cases.
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M&ALiberty Blume bulks up with rights management acquisition as it expands UK infra horizons
Liberty’s Blume is stepping into energy, water, and construction to add to its telecoms heartlands with CLM takeover, positioning itself to capture a larger share of the UK’s infrastructure investment boom.
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Partnerships & AlliancesGermany’s O2 taps OQ to kick off direct-to-device trials
Operator lays out D2D testing plans with OQ, seeking to explore how non-terrestrial networks could help it to overcome tower rollout challenges in hard-to-reach areas. Tie-up adds OQ to Telefónica Group’s growing roster of “digitally sovereign” satellite partners …
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M&Anexfibre’s Datta: ‘corner shop fibre’ is dead, the UK needs an infra megamart
Interview: proposed £2bn acquisition of Netomnia is sparking fierce debate across the UK broadband sector. With industry heavyweights trading blows over duopoly fears and infrastructure overlap, discover why CEO Rajiv Datta believes this consolidation is crucial to challenging Openreach.
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PeoplewatchLiberty names Ziggo Group leadership ahead of Benelux spin-off
Stephen van Rooyen will step up to lead Ziggo Group after 18 months earning the respect of Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries through leadership of an in-progress VodafoneZiggo turnaround. Sunrise spin-off expertise also secured through new CFO Jany Fruytier.
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NetworkVM O2 says AI and digital twin are solving fixed network faults faster
UK operator is reducing its fixed network back‑office workload and speeding fault resolution through automated decisioning, having revamped its data architecture to support quicker insight and action…
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Partnerships & AlliancesProximus, Telenet firm up Belgian fibre-sharing pact
Belgian duo firm up long-awaited fibre collaboration to help accelerate rollout while dodging overbuild. Deal marks milestone in national telcos’ work to strengthen the country’s lagging FTTP coverage relative to European neighbours…
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Products & ServicesLiberty eyes ‘premium’ B2B connectivity play to monetise network slicing
FutureNet World: Liberty Global seeks to bring network slicing to market as part of ‘premium’ connectivity and managed service offerings, joining peers moving to commercialise the technology…
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InterviewChelot: wholesale scale is ‘mission impossible’ without nexfibre-Netomnia deal
Interview: “I have a wholesale platform, but I have no wholesale customers”. Jeremy Chelot’s Netomnia hit a structural ceiling, with bowing out the only way to progress the Openreach challenge. Firing back at nexfibre deal critics, he asks for alternatives to his Plan B, deeming consolidation the best route and reflecting on the challenge of leading a business through a sale.