All articles by Ken Wieland – Page 11
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PremiumDT sets course for multi-CDN architecture
Bandeira senses “pieces are coming together” for implementation in 2022. Less optimistic about network readiness to deliver AR/VR apps and gaming, putting them in the “long-term horizon” of five years.
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Strategy & ChangeHöttges wants to ride black swans in Poland
Deutsche Telekom CEO urges T-Mobile Poland to be “agile and resilient” to black swan events. Warns of increasing unpredictability across all DT markets.
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Suppliers & SCMVM O2 puts Samsung in RAN frame
Longstanding suppliers Nokia, Ericsson put on alert as JV explores “vendor diversity”. VM O2 will put Samsung’s 4G and 5G RAN equipment through its paces. South Korean supplier maintains kit is open RAN-compliant (after some configuration changes).
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Strategy & ChangeSpain’s ‘big three’ agitate for consolidation
Top execs at Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone indicate ‘enough is enough’ in Spain’s hyper-competitive market. Telefónica Group COO says Spanish incumbent can play “facilitator role” for consolidation in a market that is “not sustainable”. Vodafone CEO’s patience running out on low returns from southern Europe; looking to “actively engage” ...
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PremiumO2 Germany pushes back on 5GC rollout
Operator “fully on track” to meet coverage targets, but stalls on 5GC. Will not roll out 5G SA on a large-scale until it offers “real added value for customers”. Puts Huawei base station antenna innovation through its paces at 5G Tech City project in Munich.
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Network & InfrastructureVodafone CEO open to fibre JVs in Germany
Read exploring off-balance sheet financing and infrastructure partnerships to meet FTTP demand. Retains the love for HFC, however; believes network upgrades across cable footprint will meet consumers’ broadband requirements for some time yet. Della Valle pointedly notes that mid-term capex fixed guidance does not include FTTP buildouts.
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Suppliers & SCMT-Mobile applies margin pressure on partner Assurant
Insurance services player bags multi-year extension deal with T-Mobile. Deal includes commitment to offer in-store same day device repairs at 500 T-Mobile stores across the USA. Assurant President expects margin squeeze from new arrangement, offset by higher volumes through addition of Sprint customers.
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Partnerships & AlliancesUK telcos face missing out on Horizon Europe funding
Political brinkmanship between London and Brussels threatens access to €95.5bn R&D pot. UK preps Discovery Fund as alternative, but unlikely to match largesse of Horizon Europe.
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Strategy & ChangeTelefónica cools on Spanish fibre sale (for now)
Vilá says domestic retail and wholesale FTTP operations “probably not reflected” in Group valuation. Repeats company line that Spanish fibre infrastructure is “strategic asset”, but doesn’t rule out monetisation in the future.
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Network & InfrastructureBT says 5G-VINNI paves way for E2E network slicing
Muschamp hails EU-funded project a success in laying groundwork to support “end-to-end” 5G network slicing across multiple sites and different vendors’ equipment. By exposing inadequacies of current industry standards, claims Muschamp, industry better placed to develop a standardised approach and avoid margin-squeezing headache of bespoke deployments. BT expects to ...
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Network & InfrastructureSIRO moves to phase two, helped by EU funding
Vodafone Ireland’s wholesale broadband JV gets €620m funding boost. Phase two envisages additional 320,000 homes and businesses passed with fibre, but no timeframes given for completion. Phase 1, at 400,000 premises passed, steadily nears 450,000 target.
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Venturing & InvestmentsVi can live long and prosper, insists CEO
Takkar welcomes government four-year moratorium on AGR dues and spectrum fees. Confident that relief package paves way for private investment. Vodafone rules out (again) cash injection into JV. Floor pricing issue still to be resolved.
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Network & InfrastructureEE says “delays elsewhere” have impacted ESN delivery
Mobile operator “committed to ESN contractual obligations” as Home Office announces revised timetable for the UK’s LTE-based emergency services network. Unveils ESN Coverage Extender prototype from Parallel Wireless as part of ongoing preparations for nationwide shutdown of Airwave.
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Network & InfrastructureStarlink 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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Network & InfrastructureT-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.
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PremiumBT pushes on quantum security with Lumenisity, Toshiba
QKD hook-up with Lumenisity’s hollow core fibre pitched as world first. Senior BT researchers optimistic about multiple use-cases for Lumenisity’s NANF HCF, but commercial timeframes unclear. Collaboration with Toshiba to build “quantum-secure” metro network in and around London.
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Venturing & InvestmentsAtlasEdge reels in more investment, new CEO
Liberty-backed European datacentre operation gets investment boost from Digital Realty. Giuliano Di Vitantonio to become CEO in January. Virgin Media O2 confirmed as AtlasEdge customer.
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PremiumTelefónica sets wheels in motion for UNICA Next
IBM, Juniper Networks, and Red Hat tasked with deploying cloud-native 5G core network platform as UNICA focus evolves from virtualisation to modularisation. First data centres slated for rollout in October 2021. Unclear how far initial division of UNICA Next labour is split between public and private cloud.
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PremiumTelefónica Deutschland wheels out voice-over-new radio
Voice calls over 5G SA available in Munich, Potsdam. No timeframes set for VoNR coverage expansion.
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M&AHrvatski Telekom’s Optima offload expected within “days”
Change in Electronic Media Act paves way for transaction with United Group. Regulatory chief “very satisfied” at the prospect of a “third major player” in the fixed market.