All articles by Ken Wieland – Page 9
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OperationsDT outlines ‘digital experts’ upskill target
2021 Annual Report sets 17% digital workforce target within three years. Places emphasis on in-house digital upskilling; recruiting outside digital talent seen as “challenging”. Overall FTE headcount drops 4% year-on-year, but Group still manages to hire more than 8,000 employees outside the USA with focus on IT and technical ...
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OperationsDeutsche Telekom puts tower business up for sale
Group said to be prepping auction of 40,600 masts with an €18 billion price tag attached. Cellnex and American Tower reportedly putting together offers.
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Partnerships & AlliancesDeutsche Telekom circles China’s 5G startup scene
Signs MoU with GSMA and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. Aim is to establish 5G Innovation Accelerator in Greater Bay Area and explore “commercial opportunities”.
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Partnerships & AlliancesT-Mobile US wheels in Amdocs for data management
Amdocs CEO flags “multi-year” deal on DataONE, the vendor’s cloud-based data management system. Closer BSS integration following Sprint merger, and gaining actionable insights from customer behaviour, appear key goals. DataONE contract follows last year’s adoption of amdocsONE to provide “next-generation” comms and media services.
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Network & InfrastructureHöttges gives OTE personal vote of confidence
Hails “growth prospects” of Greek operator on FTTP field visit to Athens. Says Greece is “very significant” to Deutsche Telekom.
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Partnerships & AlliancesTPG Telecom agrees regional RAN share with Telstra
Ten-year Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) network-sharing agreement signed off. TPG will gain access to 3,700 Telstra cell sites within a “defined coverage zone” across regional and “urban fringe” areas in Australia. Option to extend network-sharing deal by up to ten years. TPG intends to decommission 725 mobile sites within ...
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Partnerships & AlliancesTelekom Security fronts up to energy hackers
Reaffirms commitment to partnership with Hitachi Energy and Securitas. Self-styled ‘alliance’ aimed at protecting critical-infrastructure energy supplies against physical and cybersecurity attacks. Flags recent cyberattack on Vodafone Portugal to underline seriousness of hacker disruption to operational technology systems.
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Public AffairsEU operator heavyweights want media players to pay their way
Top brass at Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and Vodafone get shirty (again) over network investment “burden”. Sign off on open letter accusing video streaming, gaming, and social media groups of ‘piggybacking’ unfairly. Urgently call on European legislators to introduce rules for a “more proportionate” way of divvying up ...
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Partnerships & AlliancesTelefónica deepens Oracle on-prem cloud ties in Spain
Operator unveiled as host partner for Oracle Cloud Madrid Region. Highlights (again) importance of using in-country data centres to ensure compliance with national data sovereignty regs and help business continuity. Telefónica Tech to offer Oracle Cloud Infrastructure services and boost PaaS offering.
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M&AIliad makes move on Vodafone Italy
France-based Iliad Group said to have tabled an offer to Vodafone board last week. Vodafone share price gets short-lived bounce. Read’s self-styled “proactive” approach to M&A under the spotlight (again).
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M&AOi mobile sale hits another road bump
Brazil’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) representative at antitrust regulator CADE gives thumbs down to proposed sale of Oi Group’s mobile assets to Telefónica|Vivo, Claro Brasil, and TIM Brasil. Non-binding decision cites competition concerns and recommends “administrative proceedings” to investigate collusion among trio to exclude other interested companies. Oi says ...
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PremiumBT gives Rackspace thumbs-up for hybrid cloud
US firm scores breakthrough win with BT Global. Collaboration will see Rackspace tech integrated into BT data centres. Aim to bolster hybrid-cloud proposition to multinational customers.
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PremiumBT takes open RAN for a spin with Nokia
Hull trial puts Nokia’s near-real-time RIC and xApps through their paces. Goal is to optimise EE’s network performance. Open RAN Innovation Centre at Adastral Park facility slated for launch “later” in 2022.
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OperationsINWIT targets faster growth with management reshuffle
New Technology and Operations department created, headed temporarily by CEO Giovani Ferigo. Ferigo will relinquish the role once a CTO is appointed, expected “shortly”. Senior tech executives Massimo Giuseppe Scapini and Elisa Patrizi pushed out.
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PremiumT-Mobile US flies above 5G turbulence in C-Band
Ray happily explains that C-Band interference concerns raised by FAA and airlines do not impact TMUS. When NatCo’s C-band licences come into use in late-2023, Ray confident issues surrounding airline safety will have been resolved. Dispute causes mid-band 5G take-off delays for AT&T and Verizon.
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PremiumT-Mobile US adds more mid-band spectrum
NatCo acquires nearly 200 licences in FCC auction of 3.45GHz–3.55GHz airwaves. Ray not worried by growing mid-band arsenal of AT&T and Verizon.
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Financial & PerformanceVodafone under pressure from activist investor to boost shareholder returns
Bloomberg reports Cevian Capital has built up stake in Vodafone. Unnamed sources say Swedish investment firm putting pressure on Read and management team to move more aggressively on M&A. Accuses Vodafone board of lacking experience and strategic know-how in telecoms. Vodafone share price gets bounce after news breaks of ...
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Content & TVVodafoneZiggo, KPN vie for F1 pole position
Vodafone JV wheels out four-month discount for Viaplay, a streaming platform with F1 broadcasting rights. Rival KPN lifts flag on free twelve-month deal to entice new customers. F1 and ‘Max Verstappen factor’ seen as big lure for Dutch pay-TV subscribers.
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M&AVodafone under M&A spotlight in Italy, UK
Group reportedly in consolidation talks with Iliad in Italy. A potential merger with Three UK was also apparently explored. Vodafone keeps head down as rumours swirl. Read keen advocate of European in-market consolidation.
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OperationsSafaricom Ethiopia splashes out $100m on first data centre
Located in capital city Addis Ababa, the installation accounts for one third of a total $300m investment pegged for first year of operations. Data centre, which will house “core network infrastructure”, was built in China and transported to Ethiopia. Rabacal indicates the same business model will be used for ...