Infra Event Coverage from Eventwatch
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Network & InfrastructureSpecial report: When UK fibre hits its limit, do altnets go wireless?
INCA Summit 2024: debate spills from panel to panel as altnet leaders target the last 2% of ultra-rural premises where fibre is too costly to deploy without massive subsidies. Wireless re-enters the room with new spectrum, enhanced technology…
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Public AffairsGreek incumbent ‘not happy’ over utility rival’s fibre power trip
OTE Group wants Greek telecoms watchdog to intervene to ensure a level playing field between it and utility PPC, as latter prepares a wide-scale (and less regulation-encumbered) fibre roll out programme.
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Network & InfrastructureVodafone Albania chief calls for quality control on shoddy altnets
Chief Executive Balazs Revesz wants the country’s 200-plus broadband providers held to higher operational standards to spur take-up and investment.
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Strategy & ChangeGenAI is ‘last chance’ for telcos, says DigitalBridge CEO Ganzi
Telecoms operators’ central office and fibre assets give them a chip in the generative AI game, but they need to play their cards right, says boss of digital infra giant.
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Network & InfrastructureOpenreach advances network architecture revamp with Nokia Altiplano deployment
Altiplano SDN toolkit being deployed as Openreach pursues “one network platform”.
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Venturing & InvestmentsDT targets data centre assets via new investment push
New ‘Project Xcalibur’ initiative to see DT plough investments into data centre specialists and tap into anticipated AI-led boom.
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Network & InfrastructureDT hits ceiling on German fibre build amid costs, red tape
Execs indicate operator will be unable to accelerate FTTH buildout over its next strategic cycle, citing planning hurdles, inflation, and sluggish uptake.
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M&AIQGeo: KKR’s latest tech buy adds geospatial smarts to sprawling infra portfolio
Private equity giant KKR is taking Cambridge-based geospatial software specialist IQGeo private in £333m deal, pledging to fuel new phase of growth. Log in to understand this hot specialist and what it provides network operators worldwide…
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Public AffairsDeep dive: What UK FibreCos want from Labour gov’t
Fibre builders share what they want from the new Labour government, with policy consistency and demand-side support topping wishlists, divergence on the detail. Read more…
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Products & ServicesIn depth: One Touch Switching launch day
UK’s ‘imperfect’ fixed broadband migration hub debuts to mixed altnet reviews, and incumbent ISP win-back loophole only spotted on launch day. OTS broadly seen by many challengers as open season on majors with poor customer satisfaction, mixed with fears of race to bottom and weakness on multi-play (Sky and VM O2 are both bullish, too). Register to read…
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EventwatchVirgin Media O2 and CityFibre question each other’s fibre maths
Connected Britain: VM O2 CEO Lutz Schüler argues operator is taking “challenger” approach in UK’s fibre market, with nexfibre spin-off and upcoming NetCo positioning operator to be a “long-term sustainable partner” to altnets.
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Network & InfrastructureProject Gigabit future: UK FibreCos say yes to expansion, but with caveats
Mooted bundling of Project Gigabit mega-contracts gets firm ‘no’ from altnet INCA gathering, but most on board for programme extension. New Labour government urged to protect and evolve rural fibre build to reach final few per cent of rural premises, learn from ‘zany’ Scotland, or risk missing FTTP targets. And then there’s that Type C elephant (not) in the room, Openreach…
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Venturing & InvestmentsInfracapital: UK FibreCo fundraisers must graft to overcome global ‘bad rep’, new gov showing ‘green shoots’
INCA event provides platform for investors and altnets including Octopus and Netomnia to review early weeks of Labour government, with broad optimism on show despite still rocky funding environment. The capital exists, but what will Downing Street do to bring it to the UK? Read more…
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Public Affairsnexfibre joins calls to tighten Openreach infra choker, ensure lasting UK fibre competition
UK fibre wholesaler calls for new and improved regulation to provide platform for altnet competition as attention turns to Ofcom’s next five-year framework. Echoes broad consensus among INCA members that more could be done to limit Openreach dominance, encourage altnet investment…
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M&AUK fibre M&A ‘easy’ (compared to challenges of compatibility, integration, compliance)
Challenger leaders at INCA gathering call out lack of industry standards as key obstacle to more M&A. Integration and migration are costly and complex, making compatibility a consideration for prospective buyers. Compliance also increasingly important in valuations. More positive is XGS-PON embrace, deemed a “damn fine standard for a starting place”, but beware legacy tech. Learn more…
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M&ALiberty mulls M&A opportunities for Virgin Media O2’s NetCo
Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries still “looking actively” at possible altnet acquisitions, noting potential for VM O2’s planned FibreCo spin-off to serve as a vehicle for consolidation in the UK’s fibre market.
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Strategy & ChangeTowerCos move to defend turf against ‘very aggressive’ land bankers
Real estate-poor European TowerCos brace for land bank predators. Not-a-TowerCo Cellnex taking initiative with creation of Celland LandCo. Yet another area where the US sets the pace. Read more…
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Weekly BriefingsInfrawatch Weekly: interesting infra times in Spain, a SatCo share drop lawsuit, and UK altnets’ ‘moment of peril’
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including consideration at Connected North of how altnets can balance urgent, and occasionally conflicting, priorities; Cellnex aiming to win as the Spanish mobile sector restructures, and exploring a new TowerCo paradigm in Poland; Phoenix Towers’ European expansion ambitions; legal woes compound setbacks at SpaceMobile; plus plenty more…
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M&ACellnex seeks co-investor to support Polish NetCo strategy
European tower group ‘actively working’ on plan for part-sale of Cellnex Poland, generating funds to fuel transformation of the business into a more fully-fledged NetCo, with both RAN assets and passive infra.
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M&APhoenix Tower remains ‘opportunistic’ on buyouts post-BlackRock deal
TowerXchange Meetup Europe: CEO of wireless infra group says it remains “ready to go” on Europe M&A despite many tower rivals looking cowed amid the tighter financing environment. March’s completion of fresh investment by asset management behemoth BlackRock has given confidence to pursue further deal-making opportunities. Claims edge on “carrier captive” rivals. Read more…