
Michelle Donegan
Michelle Donegan is an experienced telecoms writer and has been contributing as a reporter and news analyst for TelcoTitans since July 2020.
Contact info
- Strategy & Change
Orange outlines plan to simplify French operations
Orange France’s proposed reorganisation project, dubbed “Regain”, seeks to boost profitability and improve efficiency as competitive pressures intensify in its home market, but job cuts are not part of the plan.
- Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica leads Spain’s bid for EU-backed AI Gigafactory
Telefónica and MasOrange are part of a consortium hoping to win a concession for a large-scale AI data centre in Spain through a €20bn European Union programme aimed at building up the region’s AI infrastructure.
- Products & Services
T-Mobile preps Starlink direct-to-device service for launch next month
It’s all systems go for T-Mobile’s direct-to-device satellite service launch next month, as the operator doubles down on a new “best network” campaign and woos customers from rivals AT&T and Verizon.
- Network & Infrastructure
UK ‘lacks plan’ to defend subsea cable repair ships in a military conflict
A parliamentary inquiry on undersea cables security has heard that the UK does not have sufficient capabilities in place to protect specialist repair ships if infrastructure is attacked and the seas become a war zone.
- Venturing & Investments
DTCP eases liquidity crunch with Pinegrove $80m ‘continuation vehicle’
Digital Transformation Capital Partners can now free up cash sooner for investors, including Deutsche Telekom, thanks to $80m injection by Brookfield-backed special situation investor Pinegrove.
- People
T-Mobile US succession in spotlight as CEO Sievert said to eye early exit
Chief Executive Mike Sievert is reportedly keen to take a break from the top job at T-Mobile and could step down this year or next, according to Handelsblatt.
- Partnerships & Alliances
Deutsche Telekom to handle the land infra for EU’s IRIS2 satellite system
As Europe’s flagship satellite project gets underway, Deutsche Telekom shares initial plans to support the design of ground-based infrastructure for the space connectivity programme.
- Network & Infrastructure
T-Mobile US fires up fibre broadband offers
US fibre investment strategy takes shape as T-Mobile officially launches its own fibre broadband offers after the acquisition of Lumos and pending Metronet transaction.
- Public Affairs
UK calls on Navy to protect subsea critical infrastructure
UK government wants military to take a bigger role in protecting critical national infrastructure, especially subsea cables, as part of new defence strategy that encourages deeper public-private cooperation for national resilience.
- Products & Services
Mexican telco quad launch Open Gateway security APIs
Mexico’s four mobile operators have rolled out the first three network APIs in the country, expanding the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative in Latin America. As with other Open Gateway releases, the early focus is on fraud prevention tools.
- Partnerships & Alliances
Deutsche Telekom joins bid to build EU-backed mega AI data centre
Group is part a five-player consortium that hopes to win a piece of the EU’s €20bn budget to build an “AI Gigafactory” in Germany, as Europe unlocks funding for AI and digital infrastructure.
- Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica says adios to copper after completing switch-off
Spanish operator is officially in post-copper era after switching off its last legacy exchanges, putting it in pole position among European telcos to benefit from capex and opex savings.
- M&A
Orange set to check out of Anytime fintech subsidiary
Orange continues to wind down its retail banking business in Europe with exclusive negotiations now taking place over the sale of Orange Bank fintech subsidiary Anytime.
- M&A
Telefónica finalises another Hispam exit with €389m Uruguay sale
Telefónica to sell Uruguayan business to Millicom International Cellular for US$440m (€389m), as Hispam disposals are accelerated to fuel Group’s consolidation ambitions in Spanish and European markets.
- M&A
Telefónica said to eye bigger piece of Brazilian fibre JV
As Telefónica reviews its Group-wide strategy, discussions have reportedly started about increasing ownership in FiBrasil, the open access fibre joint venture with CDPQ.
- Partnerships & Alliances
Telefónica and CaixaBank rejig device finance tie-up
CaixaBank and Telefónica combine two separate financing joint ventures into their Telefónica Renting tie-up in Spain in latest development between the long-time partners.
- M&A
TAWAL is possible suitor for DT’s latest tower spin-outs
Acquisitive Saudi tower group TAWAL is still keen on M&A in central and eastern Europe and has Deutsche Telekom’s newly carved out masts in its sights.
- M&A
Virgin Media O2 still eyeing altnet buys despite pressing pause on NetCo plan
Virgin Media O2 remains hungry for fibre altnet M&A while its NetCo sale plans are put on ice and its own fibre build rate cools off this year.
- M&A
Cellnex closes in on French and Swiss asset sales
Cellnex continues its selling spree with talks underway to offload data centres in France and offers expected soon for its business in Switzerland, according to Chief Executive Marco Patuano.
- Network & Infrastructure
Lease aggregators defend role in telecoms infra as TowerCos call for regulation
As land access continues to be contentious for telecoms infrastructure, lease aggregators seek distance from bad actors that engage in speculative buying and opportunistic pricing.