Headlines – Page 225
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Products & Services
BT wants to be the Deliveroo of broadband
Group gets “re-imaginative” and fancies that AI can help it drastically reduce the wait customers face for broadband services. Exec admits current lag for broadband set up is “unacceptable”.
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone Idea down to third spot in Indian mobile
Airtel moves ahead of troubled joint venture, which has jettisoned more than a quarter of its wireless subscriber base since being formed.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone deepens engagement with UK 5G testbed
Vodafone UK positions itself to benefit from 5G-related opportunities around traffic management.
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Network & Infrastructure
O2 gives 4G a pre-tie-up top-up
UK operating business seeks to bolster “national champion” pitch ahead of Virgin Media merger. Focus is on eliminating 4G ‘not-spots’ and boosting 4G and 5G coverage at tourist attractions.
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Innovation (R&D)
BT opens DigiTech doors
BT and longstanding partner the University of Suffolk launched the DigiTech Centre, to train 145 apprentices and 500 students.
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People
Boddy to give Vodafone Ventures a pump?
Strategy Director’s addition to Vodafone Ventures board poses the question: what exactly is Vodafone’s strategy when it comes to technology VC?
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Network & Infrastructure
Germany makes Huawei wait
A decision on Chinese vendors’ involvement in German 5G deployment sees another delay, and is now (tentatively) expected for September 2020. Huawei security concerns remain central to opposition, with operators forced to make hedge their bets in the meantime.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT explores 5G core efficiencies with Mavenir
US software vendor claims “successful” lab testing of its “containerised” 5G core solution. Hints at support of standalone 5G New Radio.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica Tech crosses paths with ElevenPaths
Tech division to absorb in-house cybersecurity unit, say “industry sources”. ElevenPaths CEO Pedro Pablo Pérez not going anywhere, it seems.
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Strategy & Change
O2 seeks to benefit from post-COVID-19 era
O2 UK turns sell-to relationships on store technology into commercial partnerships. Operator creates new suite of digital solutions to resolve social distancing challenges, using technology from two startups originally incubated by Wayra UK.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone escorts Ford into 5G manufacturing
Vodafone UK leads government-funded 5GEM project to bring 5G networks to Ford’s R&D facility. Ericsson to provide hardware.
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M&A
Mzimba: Vodacom remains on lookout for B2B buys
South African group still on hunt for venturing possibilities; aims to become “end-to-end digital transformation partner”.
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Strategy & Change
DT to set Telekom Security free
T-Systems reboot takes on tangible form, with the legal separation of the Security and IoT units and the creation of an expanded B2B hub under Telekom Deutschland.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT gears up for LTE-M launch
Multi-territory debut is in pipeline, as DT seeks to extend into mid-territory beyond basic and industrial IoT applications. Move was originally planned for 2019.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone Idea to trial drone-based food delivery
VfI joins ClearSky consortium to test BVLOS drone operations with Airmap, Curl Analytics, TechEagle, and Zomato. Indian regulator targets commercialisation of drone flights with 13 POCs from cross-industry consortia.
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People
Vodafone’s Della Valle joins Reckitt Benckiser board
Vodafone’s CFO lines up against former boss Vittorio Colao after starting consumer brand side-hussle.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone pushes ahead with tower IPO
Vodafone has invited pitches for an IPO of its European towers, to be listed by 2021. €10bn–€20bn valuation, with €2bn+ targeted for minority stake.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT seeks to lean out with full-fibre platform
Capgemini, T-Systems Russia, and Red Hat help redesign OSS/BSS for more “agile” FTTP deployment. Target to cover all businesses in Stuttgart by 2025, and 90% of households by 2030.
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Network & Infrastructure
Scottish rural 4G scheme on pause
Government says limited work will resume, post shutdown, “in the coming weeks”.
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Public Affairs
Vodacom: 2019 arrests in Tanzania were “troubling”
Shockwaves have evidently not yet subsided from strikingly severe treatment of executives in April 2019 incident.