All Mike Fries articles
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Weekly BriefingsVodafonewatch Weekly: Group rings changes in Luxembourg and HQ
Latest from Vodafone as Ninian Wilson takes charge of new Procure & Connect business; another boardroom rejig; news of change afoot in India; Dutch M&A on the cards; and a series of Business deals…
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Financial & PerformanceSpain and Brazil cement place in Telefónica core
Collectively, Telefónica’s core quad deliver on key Group ambitions in FY24, particularly around operating and capital efficiency.
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M&AVodafoneZiggo open to M&A as it edges into Dutch fibre space
Mike Fries, CEO of parent Liberty, indicates M&A may have a role to play as VodafoneZiggo strengthens its broadband infra platform.
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Weekly BriefingsVodafonewatch Weekly: positive moves for dealmaking Group
Latest from Vodafone as the Group faces the ups and downs of dealmaking; hype turns to more grounded optimism on small cells and 5G MPN solutions; several key changes to OpCo ExCos, and some new digs for former CEOs; more across the footprint…
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Strategy & Change‘Europe needs a DOGE’: Höttges looks to Musk for regulation blueprint
MWC 2025: Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges has led the usual calls for policy overhaul in Europe, this time offering a direct comparison between European MNOs’ challenges and T-Mobile’s ‘freedom’.
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Network & InfrastructureDeep dive: Virgin Media Ireland’s fibre switch-up enabling 5Gbps and faster launches
Virgin Media leaps ahead on path to 10G. Strategic move driven by customer demand and enabled by €200m IT/network transformation, positioning Ireland as pacesetter in Liberty Global’s NetCo-ServCo fibre (r)evolution. TelcoTitans talks to commercial chief Paul Higgins. Read more…
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M&ALiberty seeks strategic partner to fuel B2B services expansion plan
Execs lay out strategy to build out, and eventually monetise, outsourced services businesses Liberty Blume and Liberty Tech.
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Financial & PerformanceFixed-up VM O2 looks to bounce back in 2025
UK operator forecasts a return to growth in the current year after spending much of 2024 strengthening its foundations.
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Financial & PerformanceLiberty Global targets $200m+ in savings through AI
The European group has quantified how much it expects to save in operating costs from deploying artificial intelligence across its telecoms assets over the next three years.
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M&AVirgin Media O2 said to attract first offers in £1bn NetCo stake sale
Spanish media reports Virgin Media O2 owners Telefónica and Liberty Global have received non-binding offers from investors for a 40% stake in the planned NetCo carve out, with BlackRock and CPP Investments in the mixer.
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M&AVodafone–Three merger ‘releases the handbrake’ on UK telecoms, but at what cost?
Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle hails creation of a ‘new force’ as CMA grants regulatory go-ahead for Vodafone–Three merger, but questions remain about the impact on MVNOs, rivals, consumers, and the combined entity’s networks…
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PeopleTelefónica CEO to stay in GSMA chair for two more years
Álvarez-Pallete extends contract to serve in GSMA top spot until end of 2026. Appointment comes alongside overhaul of GSMA’s Board of Directors, which now includes representatives from BT, Liberty Global, and more…
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Weekly BriefingsVodafonewatch Weekly: ups and downs for Group M&A projects
Latest from Vodafone and its ecosystem, including: green light for Italian sale, news from wannabe acquisition Nowo, and TPG’s fibre assets still in the shop window; Fries weighs VodafoneZiggo future; Vi bags networks deal in latest turnaround attempt…
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Weekly BriefingsInfrawatch Weekly: telco politics across Europe, infra sell-offs, new UK fibre leader pops up
Latest from the digital infra scene in Europe and beyond, including: Draghi’s plans for Euro consolidation; One Touch Switch impact; another LEO constellation funded; $40bn data centre IPO looms; people moves; plenty more…
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Strategy & ChangeSeven years in, Liberty CEO says it’s time to ‘think about’ Vodafone JV’s future
Mike Fries suggests seven years of co-ownership with Vodafone may be long enough as internal discussions turn more acutely to Dutch JV’s future.
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M&AVirgin Media O2 gears up for £1bn NetCo stake sale — report
Operator reportedly aiming to offload at least 20% stake in fledgling NetCo, with several infrastructure, private equity, and pension funds taking interest.
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Weekly BriefingsTelefónicawatch Weekly: Spain puts more rural 5G cash on the table
Telefónica España among operators eligible for extra public funding to expand 5G SA services in rural parts of the country.
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PeopleVirgin Media O2’s Schüler takes a spot at Sunrise
VM O2 chief among big telecoms leaders appointed to newly-formed Board of Directors at Swiss operator.
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Weekly BriefingsBTwatch Weekly: CEO claims ‘solid start’ but warns of tumultuous year to come
Latest from BT and its interests, including: a Q1 report that tees up plenty of turbulence to come, but with a recovery scheduled within the next 18 months; a massive ESN contract in the works with BT despite equally substantial delays in recent years; and new digs for the former CEO…
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Weekly BriefingsInfrawatch Weekly: VM O2 readying NetCo, Spain’s InfraCo bonanza, UK altnets’ investment “bad rep”
Latest from digital infra scene, including: UK sector’s reaction to the new Labour government and hopes for continued investment; Vodafone returning once again to the Vantage Towers piggybank; plans for two new FibreCo JVs in Spain; and plenty more…