Latest from events
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Operations
Vodafone’s plan to keep up with AI through democratisation, value-hunting
DTW Ignite: Vodafone execs discuss AI adoption at scale, raising concerns that the technology is moving ‘too quickly’, but confident that the group’s overriding strategic direction will enable it to keep ahead of the curve.
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Network & Infrastructure
‘Fabulous’ ESN ‘back in delivery’, ticks off first milestones with EE, IBM leading the charge
CCW 2025: Home Office’s John Black, EE’s David Salam, and IBM’s Andy Doggett share a progress report on the UK’s Emergency Services Network, with optimism the prevailing mood. Early milestones checked off, infrastructure in progress, and EE looking for partners and suppliers…
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Network & Infrastructure
Airbus looks to MNOs, SatCos for added mission critical comms resilience
CCW 2025: after Airbus and Vodafone collaborate on mission critical comms in Europe, Airbus programme lead Thibaut Faivre talks future MNO partnerships in MEA, expanding the defence giant’s public safety footprint, and the role of SatCos in secure communications.
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Network & Infrastructure
Pragmatic Orange picks its way towards ‘high-value’ network autonomy
DTW Ignite 25: Sofrecom’s Roberto Kung highlights the need to assess the business case and ROI before investing in increased autonomy, noting that “we don’t want to be Level 4 everywhere”.
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Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica leads way on joint GSMA-TM Forum API validation scheme
DTW — Ignite 25: Operator set to launch the first APIs that have received certification through the GSMA and TM Forum’s newly launched joint validation process. Global CTIO Andrea Folgueiras said the initiative will reduce integration costs and create efficiencies, among other benefits…
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Eventwatch
Nokia Midsummer Launch 2025 - Watch Now
Nokia leaders share insights and product news spanning Advanced 5G, AI-RAN and 6G-ready microwave transport.
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Network & Infrastructure
Orange’s Javaid instils hyperscaler ethos to scale B2B service sales
FutureNet World: Orange Business has so far onboarded 13 vendors to its NaaS-based Evolution Platform to create a mix‑and‑match approach to services for enterprise customers…
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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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Eventwatch
Digital Voice: BT dials up VM O2, gov to help reboot ‘beyond painful’ migration
With POTS shutdown a strategic financial imperative, BT belatedly embraces collaboration to reach remaining two million (many vulnerable) analogue subscribers, as the already delayed digital landline switchover deadline looms…
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Network & Infrastructure
BT exploring Edge DC play via towers arm
With the decommissioning of copper networks and a focus on AI-ready infrastructure, BT is investigating edge data centres amongst new commercial models for its tower and exchange assets. Explore the strategic implications (including reporting from TowerXchange Europe)…
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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…
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Innovation (R&D)
Vodafone finds AI ROI in “rewiring” internal processes
As the Group sharpens focus on AI use cases that deliver value, the operator has notched up early wins in overhauling customer service and internal operations.
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Network & Infrastructure
Orange lays groundwork for ‘dark NOC’ as part of ‘platforming journey’
Laurent Leboucher hints at efforts to add “cognitive” abilities to Orange’s shared network operations centre in Europe to facilitate increased automation and faster response times.
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Enterprise (B2B)
One Touch Switching gathers momentum as attention turns to enterprise
Connected North: TOTSCo CEO Paul Bradbury talks up first several months of OTS in action, with lessons and technology now being put to use in enterprise switching trials.
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Financial & Performance
Cost leadership key as UK FibreCo Grain sows seeds of profitability
Connected North: Grain CEO Richard Cameron positions “cost leadership” as the key to long‑term success for a consolidating and converging altnet sector, following positive earnings in most recent quarter.
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Eventwatch
Kao Data looks north for UK data centre expansion
Connected North 2025: Kao commercial chief Spencer Lamb says it is assessing multiple sites in north-western England to expand its data centre estate, as London power and land bottlenecks persist…
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Eventwatch
Openreach and altnet ‘Gladiators’ trade blows on future costs of PIA
Connected North 2025: In robust exchanges at Connected North, Fibrus Chair warns regulator is on the verge of repeating mistakes of the past on PIA pricing, and too easily steered off course on policy.
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Technology
Vodafone forecasts ‘big bang’ as agentic AI starts to transform network ops
Vodafone’s hybrid GenAI strategy is unlocking new efficiencies in network management, with AI agents like VINA poised to improve productivity and support autonomous operations. Learn how Vodafone and partner Celfocus are addressing the complexities of data governance, security and organisational change…
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M&A
CityFibre’s Holden: altnets and backers must pull together for investment‑grade nirvana
In-depth from Eight Advisory’s London event: as UK fibre altnets face financing challenges, optimistic CityFibre COO reveals vision for consolidation, suggesting sector is “a very small number of M&A transactions away” from creating a sufficiently scaled platform to rival BT/Openreach and VM O2. Additional Greg Mesch and Rob Hamlin coverage from FTTH Conference in Amsterdam…
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Strategy & Change
Fresh from owner rejig, Onivia banks on open access to fill Spain’s rural fibre gap
Spanish FibreCo Onivia plans to augment pioneering open access model with value-added services for rural communities to bridge digital divide in the countryside.