All Legal (compliance, regulatory) articles
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Network & InfraGerman low-band spectrum dispute: BNetzA proposes cash compensation for 1&1
Dispute enters a new phase as regulators propose compensation for 1&1 instead of forcing rival operators to share frequencies. Also, updates on 1&1’s 5G open RAN build (slow but steady) and financial outlook…
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Financial & PerformanceLeading by example: Vodafone CEO frames UK integration as blueprint for future market evolution
FY25–26: Margherita Della Valle pitches the instant impact of the VodafoneThree merger as a driver for UK growth, improved financial performance, and a route to win in a tough competitive environment — but a muted end to FY25–26 tempers optimism, as pre-merger headaches persist.
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Financial & PerformanceSafaricom Ethiopia moves ‘from startup to scale’ with breakeven in touching distance
Ethiopian operator is entering its scale-up phase, with rapid revenue growth, losses falling, and investment slowing to put EBITDA breakeven within sights…
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Network & InfraWill the FCC be forced to decide whether satellite counts toward spectrum buildout?
Satellite operators’ multi-billion dollar push to acquire wider airwave access, and a planned rights swap by T-Mobile, are creating question marks over the consistency and longevity of the FCC’s current spectrum policy framework.
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Partnerships & AlliancesProximus, Telenet firm up Belgian fibre-sharing pact
Belgian duo firm up long-awaited fibre collaboration to help accelerate rollout while dodging overbuild. Deal marks milestone in national telcos’ work to strengthen the country’s lagging FTTP coverage relative to European neighbours…
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Financial & PerformanceVi secures government dues breather as attention turns to infra investment
Vodafone-backed Indian operator confirms AGR liabilities slashed by a quarter to ease debt burden and offer some relief for the challenged MNO as it invests in significant 4G/5G expansion.
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Strategy & ChangeBT: UK’s regulatory ‘Wild West’ presents barrier to sovereignty investment
FutureNet World: Business CTO Colin Bannon makes rare call for greater regulation to remove sovereign platform investment barriers and warns that end-to-end technical sovereignty is unrealistic and misguided.
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InterviewChelot: wholesale scale is ‘mission impossible’ without nexfibre-Netomnia deal
Interview: “I have a wholesale platform, but I have no wholesale customers”. Jeremy Chelot’s Netomnia hit a structural ceiling, with bowing out the only way to progress the Openreach challenge. Firing back at nexfibre deal critics, he asks for alternatives to his Plan B, deeming consolidation the best route and reflecting on the challenge of leading a business through a sale.
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M&AOrange’s Heydemann is confident on new SFR takeover bid
CEO of French incumbent is hoping for a positive response to its second bid for assets from distressed rival SFR, alongside Bouygues and Iliad. As well as dangling a higher, €20bn+ offer in front of seller Altice, she notes a change to the deal’s structure would help the French trio mitigate some execution risk. She also remains confident of the case for consolidation.
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Strategy & ChangeDeutsche Telekom said to explore T-Mobile mega-meld
Group’s leadership said to be weighing a full combination between it and its American powerhouse, thus sorting out current disconnects that could complicate future deal-making and strategy. Shepherding any such deal through the corridors of Washington, Berlin, and Brussels would be highly challenging, however.
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M&AOrange gets Spanish green light to absorb MásOrange
Spanish government said to follow EC in allowing Orange to absorb local joint venture, ahead of June target for completion. Move sees French operator clear another barrier to consolidation of Spanish telco major and realisation of accompanying ambitions for growth.
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M&AFrench trio increases bid for SFR, starts exclusive talks
New offer gives SFR a total enterprise value of €20bn, with Bouygues still in the driving seat, Orange and Iliad onboard.
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M&AOrange nets EU clearance to absorb MásOrange
Regulatory approval of the €4.25bn deal was clearly a perfunctory affair, and will give back Orange full control of its Spanish operations.
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M&ATelefónica moves to exit Mexico in latest Hispam sell-off
Telefónica lands agreement to offload Mexican operations to Melisa Acquisition, marking the latest move in the operator’s accelerated Hispam retreat…
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Strategy & ChangeAge of outcomes: Gamma empowering SPs with global expansion, portfolio diversification
As turn-of-the-decade markets mature, communications platform provider Gamma is charting a new course for its service provider partners, leveraging strategic expansion into Asia-Pacific and promoting portfolio diversification to differentiate and unlock new revenue streams.
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Partnerships & AlliancesDT and EWE given fresh fibre build pass till 2030
Despite competitor qualms, German infra giants gain a renewed regulatory green light, with conditions, for fibre joint venture Glasfaser Nordwest.
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Network & InfraINWIT fights back as anchor tenants threaten to dismantle Italian towerco business model
In-depth: Towers showdown erupts in Italy as Fastweb + Vodafone looks to pull out of its INWIT MSA and is met by ‘conflict’ accusations and a legal response. With Vodafone still exposed indirectly, and peers observing with interest, Europe’s once-staid infra sector continues to reset…
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M&ALiberty’s Fries dismisses CityFibre ‘sour grapes’ over £2bn nexfibre bulk-up
UK altnet tensions continue to heighten over the competitive implications of planned acquisition of Substantial Group, as Liberty Global CEO hits back at CityFibre over calls for in-depth CMA inquiry.
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AnalysisCutting through the satellite hype: Starlink and LEO’s threat to global telecoms assessed — Strand Consult
Guest analysis: with D2D connectivity dominating discussions at MWC26, terrestrial operators must reassess their broadband and defence sector strategies. Strand Consult’s outspoken founder cuts through the hype to separate disruptive fact from industry fiction…
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InterviewIrrational and anti-competitive: CityFibre CEO urges CMA scrutiny of nexfibre-Netomnia-VM O2 consolidation play
Exclusive: In his first interview as CEO, Simon Holden unpacks Ofcom’s TAR framework and why the Competition and Markets Authority must intervene in the contentious £2bn nexfibre–Netomnia merger to protect infrastructure competition and prevent re-emergence of duopoly stagnation.