Headlines – Page 156
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Operations
Restructuring and legacy write-down hurt T-Systems UK
Deutsche Telekom’s UK enterprise IT unit records a loss on revenue slowdown. Figures also blunted by impairment of Managed Infrastructure unit.
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Network & Infrastructure
Portugal 5G spectrum auction finally ends after 200 days
Vodafone Portugal is second-biggest spender after NOS. Auction ushers in Dixarobil and Nowo as new entrants.
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Operations
Unions eke out concessions on Vodafone Spain cuts
Operator firms up yet another business overhaul. Deal made to outsource remaining retail outlets rather than close them as part of job cull. Terms agreed for voluntary redundancies and retirements.
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Strategy & Change
BT picks advisors to patch takeover vulnerabilities
Robey Warshaw testing BT defences ahead of the end of restrictions on a full takeover bid from major shareholder Altice. Jansen’s ambitious strategy coupled with share price volatility may also be contributing to need for additional City counsellors.
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M&A
Telefónica’s El Salvador sale under review by regulator
$144m deal cannot go ahead without authorisation. SC has 90 business days to reach a decision.
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Financial & Performance
Hrvatski Telekom continues to eye regional M&A
Croatian operator sees an uptick in business during summer months, leading to raised forecasts. Management remains keen on building HT into a regional telco/IT business, saying dealmaking opportunities are being monitored.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT said to be closing in on partner for fibre JV
Report names Brookfield, CDPQ, and IFM as among potential investment partners. In the region of €6bn could be injected into Telekom Deutschland’s FTTP funding pot.
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Products & Services
Government considering BT’s emergency comms proposal
UK Home Office in discussions with BT over introduction of 888 emergency comms and tracking system. 888/Walk Me Home working titles for platform that could act as “deterrent to criminals”. £50m public funding required. Christmas 2021 launch possible.
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Public Affairs
UK government defends Ethiopian mobile investment
Vodafone and CDC investment in Ethiopian mobile operator crops up in parliamentary debate on Tigray humanitarian crisis. Investment deemed to be “right” and long term. CDC emphasises role as impact investor with a lot of patience. Vodacom agrees to fund Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia.
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Network & Infrastructure
“A tremendous task ahead”: DT continues post-flood rebuild
All mobile network and 93% of fixed lines now recovered. 35,000 new fibre connections to be built in worst-hit areas.
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Network & Infrastructure
Deutsche Telekom’s Choi sees open RAN deployments from 2023
Group’s tech boss likens RAN disaggregation complexity to landing a space rocket booster. Delayed SD-RAN trial one of many remaining legs on “journey” towards open RAN maturity. DT acknowledges geopolitical challenges around O-RAN ecosystem. Call-to-action made on collaboration.
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Public Affairs
Vodafone pursues UK government over lost contract
Vodafone loses Foreign Office contract to Fujitsu, claims process breached procurement rules. Preliminary issue trial set for January 2022.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone sees sales dip from international tie-ups
Revenue from Group’s Partner Markets federation falls back amid pandemic and footprint reduction. Vodafone’s flow of cash from Africa takes a drop following rework of M-PESA business.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in T-Mobile US: body cams added to Connecting Heroes
TMUS adds body cam hardware to Connecting Heroes offering; Ultra-capacity 5G makes consumer debut.
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Strategy & Change
DT looking to Russia to crack digital code
Group moots coming expansion of its St. Petersburg software development facility by two-thirds. Hiring plan aimed at supporting key IT challenges such as fibre roll out planning and management, customer experience improvement, and open RAN deployment.
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Venturing & Investments
DT’s RAN buddy Cellwize gets HPE investment
Automated RAN platform provider and Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners’ investment Cellwize takes cash injection from Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s Pathfinder venturing programme.
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Network & Infrastructure
Starlink a potential suitor in Vodafone’s 28GHz lease deal
Vodafone in conversation with satellite operators to lease 28GHz spectrum in the UK. Elon Musk’s Starlink touted as an option
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telekom Deutschland: Microsoft’s Operator Connect launched
Group launches Microsoft’s Operator Connect service in Germany, as an exclusive offering (for now).
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Public Affairs
Vodafone called upon for German emergency alerts
Bundestag amends legislature to pave the way for Cell Broadcast SMS-based early-warning system. July floods expedite political process, with politicians now laying out technical specifications before MNOs get to work.
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Network & Infrastructure
T-Mobile locks horns with Dish on CDMA, 12GHz
NatCo begrudgingly extends 3G CDMA network shutdown by three months. Fires criticism at Dish for not taking “responsibility” for migrating customers. Decision comes amid growing tension with satellite TV provider over 12GHz spectrum.