All articles by Joe Purnell – Page 72
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M&ABT to take full OnePhone ownership
Swedish technology partners to be bought out after nine years, bringing the mobile PBX proposition fully under BT umbrella. OnePhone previously flagged as a quiet success of Enterprise portfolio, and now seemingly turning a profit.
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Venturing & InvestmentsPayflow banks Wayra backing
Salary-on-demand startup Payflow added €400,000 to its Seed round via a strategic investor trio including Wayra. Wayra family grows but with scaleups now in the crosshairs.
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PeoplewatchDeutsche Telekom movers: T-Systems NL CFO exits
Departures include T-Systems Netherlands CFO and Group TV platform development lead. Deutsche Telekom bolsters EU policy efforts. Former Telekom Deutschland boss joins board of telco IT player LotusFlare.
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Venturing & InvestmentsWayra backed LinkApi lands a buyer
Telefónica’s Brazilian scale-up hothouse exits LinkApi through Semantix acquisition. Wayra continues transition to later-stage startups with fourth exit in just over a year.
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Innovation5G Create: UK MNOs left with bit parts
Another nine projects added to the state-backed funding call. BT/EE, O2, and Three support AR, broadcasting, and logistics use-cases. Emerging players take lead roles.
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M&AOi firms up mobile deal, Vivo reinforces its market lead
Oi finalises mobile asset sale to three-strong consortium of Claro, TIM Brasil, and Vivo. Oi CFO: regulatory approval expected within the year. Trifecta of assets now divested by in-administration Oi as it seeks route to recovery via fibre.
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Network & InfraO2 UK battles for 5G leadership
O2 UK flags 5G coverage expansion, matching rivals by some metrics. Apparent rollout successes come ahead of further delayed UK spectrum auction, now pushed back to March. 5G Create partnership indicates continued innovation effort.
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Partnerships & AlliancesAmdocs continues LatAm transformation
System services provider Amdocs further extended its Movistar Chile partnership to cover wireline and wireless services, mirroring Brazilian precedent set in 2019. eSIM management platform added on top.
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Venturing & InvestmentsSitetracker: DT backs Vodafone scale-up partner
High-volume project management platform provider Sitetracker raises $42m in latest funding round, with Deutsche Telekom-backed TIP fund in the mix. Sitetracker topped off 2020 with Vodafone Supplier Awards win.
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Strategy & ChangeBT slims down in Brussels: report
Reports emerge that BT Global Services Belgium is planning to cut its staff by 25%. Market changes and COVID-19 impact cited as key drivers. Asset-light strategy apparently reaching Belgian shores.
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PremiumTelefónica people moves: Goncharov, Mesloh to lead German sales
Alpha moonshot unit completes transition as CEO Williams begins new venture. Newly established internal-external venture unit Wayra Builder gets a head. Goncharov appointed to lead O2 Germany’s enterprise unit.
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OperationsVodafone’s Read: “pre-COVID office concept is gone”
Future Ready office pilots taking place in UK, Czechia, and Hungary. Nick Read outlines long-term policy changes implemented in response to the pandemic, with norms changed to support a “hybrid” work future. Distributed, regional model to promote diversity and inclusion.
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PeoplewatchBT’s Jansen set to add Sharp Shuter to evolving dream team
BT Enterprise successor Rob Shuter to land at the start of February. Shuter and Chief Digital & Innovation Officer Harmeen Mehta fill out Jansen’s A-Team, leading “furious” pursuit of transformation goals. New hires complement other Group rising stars, adding gusto to the Jansen manifesto.
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PremiumDeutsche Telekom people moves: Sourek to drive Magenta brand
UK Global Business Solutions unit gets a new Managing Director as part of planned succession. Magenta brand leadership changes in Austria. Lee and Roszatycki climb the T-Mobile US ladder.
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PeoplewatchCTO O’Reilly exits O2
Brendan O’Reilly appointed Global CTO at infrastructure provider BAI Communications, leaving a gap at the top of O2 UK ahead of its impending Virgin Media merger. BAI hoping to tap O’Reilly’s 5G and network sharing expertise.
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Network & InfraVodafone spectrum auctions to watch, 2021
Markets across Vodafone’s footprint have spectrum auctions planned in 2021. UK, India, Australia among the key bids to watch — though 2020 set a precedent for delays.
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M&AVodafone abandons Egypt exit talks
Long-awaited deal falls through, with STC apparently failing to reach an agreement with minority-owner Telecom Egypt. Vodafone Group CEO Nick Read remains philosophical after trekking to Egypt for talks with the President.
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M&ACredit Suisse to lead Hrvatski Telekom’s Optima exit
Investment bank brought in to lead stake sale for Hrvatski Telekom and ZABA, with deadline of mid-2021 looming. Contractual obligations satisfied, but divestment not yet complete.
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Partnerships & AlliancesOpenreach hits FTTP milestone in Cumbria
Connecting Cumbria programme completes Phase Two, nearing regional ‘superfast’ targets. Phase Three on the table to finish the job. Gigabit-capable coverage lags behind for rural premises.
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PremiumVodafone people moves: Deutsche Glasfaser taps Vodafone again
New MNC marketing head at Vodafone Business. Two more Vodafone Germany execs head to fibre altnet Deutsche Glasfaser. Vodafone Hungary appoints replacement Deputy CEO for pivoting Budai.