All articles by Joseph Purnell – Page 2
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Financial & Performance
BT holds off on international B2B sale until division proves its worth
FY24–25: BT Group CEO Allison Kirkby says carved-out BT International must show its value, with ‘runway’ needed for Global Fabric to do the same, ahead of a prospective offload. UK M&A remains on the cards too as BT looks to capitalise on SMB opportunity…
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Financial & Performance
BT Consumer returns to multi-brand approach to ‘defend and win’ against altnet incursion
FY24–25: BT CEO Allison Kirkby has found an ally in new Consumer boss Claire Gillies as they work to undo ‘underweight investment’ in BT and Plusnet brands of recent years. U-turn on New EE strategy sees multi-brand approach ‘reactivated’, regional campaigns to beat local altnet competition…
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone Germany hits new lows as management tees up a turnaround
FY24–25: Group management insists that annual results were the nadir for its flailing German OpCo, as another fall in service revenue and earnings makes for an even lower baseline to which a future turnaround can be compared.
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone braces for UK merger impact, lines up €1.5bn investment for inaugural year
FY24–25: Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle teases imminent deal completion and rapid integration to follow.
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Financial & Performance
South Africa: energy challenges push rivals Vodacom and MTN to collaborate on power
Vodacom FY24–25: operators in early stages of infra-sharing under Energy Users regulation.
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: public cash, automated networks, and UK exceptionalism
Latest from BT, including reports of an overseas B2B carve-out; a new Chief Digital Officer incoming; Reza Rahnama’s evolving ‘Dark NOC’ vision; and a setback in Openreach’s attempt to reform MDU access rights…
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Products & Services
Rip & Restart: AllPoints launches aquila UK fibre wholesale platform
Days after Zen’s The Fibre Hub launch, Fern Trading outpost opens curtains on UK’s latest aggregator in effort to offer a simplified, stable route to ‘national’ ISP scale, with multiple FibreCos and B2B retailers already on board. Could this be the game-changer the altnet segment needs?
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Financial & Performance
Safaricom plots bolt-on M&A to strengthen Kenyan and Ethiopian core
FY24–25: CEO Peter Ndegwa indicates willingness to look further afield for growth opportunities once Ethiopian venture reaches self-sufficiency.
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Strategy & Change
BT to carve out International in next step of B2B grand plan — report
Reports cite an internal memo that tees up a spin-off of overseas B2B, headed by Bas Burger, as Group CEO Allison Kirkby puts her foot down on UK retrenchment aspirations.
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Financial & Performance
SpaceMobile ‘scales’ satellite production, readies for commercial D2D launch
Vodafone, Verizon, and AT&T-backed satellite startup nears commercial services launch after lengthy delays, with ‘meaningful revenue’ imminent…
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Network & Infrastructure
BT casts a Dark NOC vision for future network ops
Mobile Networks MD Reza Rahnama has cast a “vision” for BT’s Dark NOC future, with foundational work with AWS underway.
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Financial & Performance
Safaricom boasts Ethiopian maturity as ‘baby’ makes ‘confident steps’
FY24–25: CEO Peter Ndegwa says there is more to be done to reach commercial and infrastructure ‘scale’, but Safaricom’s Ethiopian venture is said to be nearing EBITDA positivity.
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People
BT raids DT for next Digital chief to drive transformation
Deutsche Telekom CIO Peter Leukert lined up as Chief Digital Officer and head of BT’s Digital function, a permanent replacement for Harmeen Mehta and relieving Howard Watson of his interim dual brief.
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: Dutch JV sets out ‘plan to win’
The latest from Vodafone and its interests, including VodafoneZiggo CEO van Rooyen’s strategic reset as it seeks to regain form in the Dutch market; Safaricom’s preparation for a cloud infra overhaul; a surprise change in Group CFO; and more IoT deals for Vodafone Business…
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Network & Infrastructure
VodafoneZiggo says ‘no’ to Dutch fibre, goes ‘all in’ on DOCSIS
Q1 FY25: With move to new strategic plan, Vodafone–Liberty Global joint venture commits to DOCSIS 4.0 upgrade over the next few years, turning down full-fibre prospect but keeping the door open to FibreCo partnerships…
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: legacy infra winds down; next-gen tech spins up
Latest from BT as it charges on with legacy network migrations, looks for new ways of monetising old assets, and prepares to build infra fit for an AI future; Better Workplace signed off with Manchester office opening; another multimillion-pound Project Gigabit subsidy secured, this time in Scotland; and a series of strategically significant personnel changes across the Group…
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Interview
A telco win-win: TXO adds ‘scale and breadth’ to network circularity proposition
In-depth: ‘A local business gone global’: Wales’ green dragon adds heft in US, following recent Europe and APAC expansion — extending bid to scale circular economy leadership and portfolio in global telco network supply and infrastructure value chain…
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People
BT Peoplewatch: all change in Tech finance, Business leadership
30+ senior and strategic movers across BT, including a wave of corporate affairs changes; a remit expansion for Technology CFO Ed Briggs; swaps at Media & Broadcast; more…
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: AI agents put to task
Latest from Vodafone as the Group’s AI strategy fills out; several Business deals in Europe, Africa, and further afield; and a view from the Group and its peers as geopolitics shake up the industry…
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Public Affairs
UK’s AI Growth Zone strategy — fit for purpose?
In-depth: As the UK government opens up its AI Growth Zone initiative for formal applications, industry leaders debate the value, variously describing it as everything from ‘ridiculous’ to ‘ambitious’, and running the risk of ‘fetishising’ location and creating a ‘real mess’, as well as presenting opportunity for the UK on a global stage. Includes reporting from Connected North…