All Mike Fries articles
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M&AVodafone ‘not well managed’ suggests disgruntled Xavier Niel
Vodafone minority shareholder Xavier Niel has cast doubt on Vodafone management’s strategic vision in a Sunday Times profile that followed the sale to Swisscom of the Vodafone Italy business he has long coveted.
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Weekly BriefingsVodafonewatch Weekly: Oz modernisation mix step, Indian rejuvenation?
Latest from Vodafone, including TPG transformation stunted by failed asset offloads; Vi’s funding update raises more questions than answers; and a €1bn Berlin fibre build. More from across the Group’s footprint, from Cape Town to Canberra, Berlin to London…
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Weekly BriefingsInfrawatch Weekly: net-sharing, consolidation and deal-making in UK and Europe
Latest from the UK and Europe’s digital infra scene, including interviews and OpEds from Fibrus and nexfibre; big talk from Liberty’s CEO; and DigitalBridge’s Marc Ganzi teasing M&A to come. Plus much more from altnets, European infra players, and investors…
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Network & InfrastructureLiberty eyes network-sharing deals in a “couple of markets”
MWC: Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries says network-sharing holds potential as part of broader need for telcos to up their partnering game and “return to profitable growth”.
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Weekly BriefingsVodafonewatch Weekly: M&A, network milestones, and what next for VodafoneZiggo?
Latest in Vodafone: Liberty goes Dutch to prompt Vodafone review; a problem, a solution, and a proposal for M&A in UK, Portugal, and Italy respectively; Turkish DCs set for big investment through new JV; and much more across Europe, Africa, India…
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Strategy & ChangeLiberty builds Benelux HoldCo in pursuit of VodafoneZiggo−Telenet synergies
Liberty Global continues to dance around an unblinking Vodafone, which is said to be considering strategic implications of new Benelux holding company established to optimise stakes (adding potential tax efficiencies, management synergies and financial freedoms)… move also features fixed-mobile convergence, opportunistic infra monetisation, regional and other investor bait…
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Weekly BriefingsDeutsche Telekomwatch Weekly: T-Mo seeks ways to keep Big Mo
Deutsche Telekomwatch Weekly Briefing: T-Mobile US kicks off FY23 reporting from around the Deutsche Telekom world, and shrugs off handset sales slowdown to post further big growth in earnings and cash flow. And much more…
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Weekly BriefingsTelefónicawatch Weekly: Group spending spree goes on shares, spectrum, and sports…
Telefónicawatch Weekly Briefing includes: laying out nearly €3bn on O2 Germany stake increase and Spain sports streaming rights. Chile’s upcoming 5G auction set to see more cash splashed.
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Weekly BriefingsInfrawatch Weekly: NetCo-ServCo splits, fresh SatCo investment, tower M&A among hot topics
Liberty Global mulls over European NetCo-ServCo split; AST SpaceMobile secures big MNO/Google investment; Actis expands tower portfolio; CityFibre could now be preeminent UK fibre challenger in possible tipping point for fibre NetCo/wholesale business models. 20+ stories condensed in one weekly update…
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Strategy & ChangeLiberty eyes infra ‘gold’ through NetCo-ServCo split
February strategy update could see group pave way towards separation of European businesses along lines of infra and retail, says CEO Mike Fries. Liberty envisaging a “series of transactions, structures, and strategies” for next phase of business, following recent years’ portfolio strengthening.
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Public AffairsTelefónica’s Álvarez-Pallete takes soapbox to Davos, repeats call for EU refresh
Telefónica’s CEO says deregulation and investment “agenda” needed to drive innovation and increase EU telcos’ competitiveness. Comments come hot on the heels of similar messaging from other industry execs. Entrance of SEPI and stc as Group shareholders not a distraction from new three-year strategy…
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Network & InfrastructureDella Valle defends cable’s customer potential against FTTP’s economics advantage
Vodafone chief downplays lower costs linked to FTTP, stressing that HFC-based networks can meet customer needs and support positive customer experience.
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M&AVirgin Media O2 has ‘six or seven’ UK altnets on M&A radar
Operator looking at several altnets as acquisition targets, says parent Liberty’s CEO Mike Fries, who predicts UK will end up with “just two networks”.
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Strategy & ChangeLiberty plans ‘to be active’ as Vodafone shareholder; holds ‘more strategic’ discussions
Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries says group “intends to be active” as a 5% Vodafone shareholder, taking advantage of Margherita Della Valle’s “more strategic” management at Vodafone HQ.
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Network & Infrastructurenexfibre reiterates wholesale fibre ambitions, shares UK-wide build plans
VM O2 wholesale fibre cousin discloses 2024 footprint pipeline; confirms more than half a million premises RFS in year-one. Wholesale remains firmly on agenda, with M&A also on table…
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Public AffairsHöttges sounds alarm over EU telco vulnerability to foreign takeovers
Sharing dais with Orange and LGI, DTAG chief rails at litany of EU failings. Inflexibility and inertia dashing innovation and investment, with Vodafone and others now targeted for ”slaughter” by PE, oligarchs. Read more…
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Network & Infrastructurenexfibre maintains M&A appetite after Upp buy
Mike Fries, CEO of joint venture’s co-parent Liberty Global says fibre builder still “aggressively” focused on M&A.
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M&AVM O2 in exclusive talks to shed Cornerstone stake morsel — report
Price looks low, albeit for a minority stake, but sellers may be playing control premium long game with likes of Vantage Towers.
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M&ALiberty confirms Cornerstone stake up for grabs
Liberty Global says it is exploring sale of Cornerstone holding after months of media speculation.
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PremiumTelefónica people moves: Virgin Media O2 names new network build-out leaders
VM O2 recruits new delivery directors to oversee network expansion programme.