More from TelcoFutures – Page 12
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Suppliers & SCM
DT to judge suppliers on their climate ambition
German operator looking for early win as it turns attention to vast — and growing — problem of supply chain emissions. Hardware vendors will be first to come under environmental spotlight as DT tweaks its RFP scoring system. Move comes following joint project with buying partner Orange.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone continues 5G drive with German standalone launch
Vodafone Germany first to launch SA network in country. Claims more than ten million customers can already access services from home. Partners with DAZN to test 5G mobile streaming of the German Bundesliga. Moves continue notable European 5G ramp-up for Vodafone in 2022.
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Network & Infrastructure
Liberty Global’s Fries hints at UK fibre consolidation
CEO outlines plan to create a separate ‘light NatCo’ for new fibre JV. Liberty Global and Vodafone at inflection point over VodafoneZiggo. Despite fibre plans, Fries says HFC technology will be around for a long time yet.
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Products & Services
M-PESA not threatened by talk of central Kenyan e-money
A central digital currency would not step on M-PESA toes, says MD Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, but cooperation key to finding efficiencies in a market dominated by Safaricom’s e-money offering. M-PESA at 15: 51 million users in seven markets; Kenyan strength; Super App prospects on the horizon, as is competition.
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Operations
DT outlines ‘digital experts’ upskill target
2021 Annual Report sets 17% digital workforce target within three years. Places emphasis on in-house digital upskilling; recruiting outside digital talent seen as “challenging”. Overall FTE headcount drops 4% year-on-year, but Group still manages to hire more than 8,000 employees outside the USA with focus on IT and technical ...
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Strategy & Change
Mehta puts BT Digital “on steroids” to power transformation
Chief Digital & Innovation Officer Harmeen Mehta relishes opportunity for dramatic change at BT, as she sets about untangling digital architecture. Google-powered Digital Brain to bolster AI and data platform. Digital jumps on cost savings bandwagon, with £500m contribution expected. Talent and recruitment drive incoming.
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Suppliers & SCM
TelcoX research finds hyperscalers ascendant but not entrenched at Vodafone
TelcoX ‘voice of the customer’ insight into how Vodafone employees perceive Techverse and Dataverse suppliers. Vodafone remains work in progress for AWS and Google. Opportunities for vendors to sharpen their differentiation. Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE retain significance despite tough externalities. Vodafone executives aligned on value of data, held ...
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Partnerships & Alliances
SpaceMobile steps up commercialisation plans
Confirmation of multi-launch agreement demonstrates building momentum for space-based cellular connectivity solution, despite earlier prototype delays. Satellite operators jostling for launch spots as Russian rockets are frozen out in response to Ukraine invasion. Partner and investor Vodafone set to offer seamless SpaceMobile integration, with Group CTO framing the technology ...
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Innovation (R&D)
BT ‘leaning in’ on UK’s science superpower bid, says R&D chief Whitley
Exec backs government’s research ambitions, with added emphasis on private sector adoption. BT, as a top-five UK R&D player, brings real-world experience blending academia and down-streaming outcomes. Pragmatism over future engagement with Horizon, EU’s politicised R&D programme.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Deutsche Telekom circles China’s 5G startup scene
Signs MoU with GSMA and Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. Aim is to establish 5G Innovation Accelerator in Greater Bay Area and explore “commercial opportunities”.
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Network & Infrastructure
Reliance Jio joins DT on network disaggregation journey
Wider rollout planned for Germany as DT CTO appeals for more partners on fixed network disaggregation. Signs of the operator’s Access 4.0 vision becoming a reality?
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Network & Infrastructure
High-flying DT partner pilots stratospheric 5G network
Stratospheric Platforms claims success in a demonstration of its High Altitude Platform System, beaming a 5G signal from a mast 45,000ft in the air. The DT investment and strategic partner ran the pilot above Saudi Arabia.
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Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica builds up metaverse momentum
Wayra unit seeks metaverse technology startups via Open2metaverse initiative. Spanish developers to get access to hub established in collaboration with Meta. Telefónica appoints Yaiza Rubio Viñuela as Chief Metaverse Officer.
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Products & Services
Telefónica ponders crypto payment integration
Spanish operator will not be a “mere spectator” on Web 3 and cryptocurrencies, with possibility of accepting token-based payments considered. Chief Digital Officer Chema Alonso describes Group “reflections” on potential role of the operator in decentralised technology developments.
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Products & Services
1NCE, Cisco on board as DT and T-Mobile meld IoT platforms
DT and T-Mobile US harmonising IoT management platforms as operators come together on transatlantic IoT play. 1NCE and Cisco among chosen enablers. Group’s stake in startup increases after 2021 funding round.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone Spain ups its 5G and open RAN game
Spanish OpCo puts 700MHz spectrum into action to expand 5G coverage. Launches fibre alternative with 5G fixed-wireless access service. Advances open RAN with the country’s first call and an additional test lab.
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Innovation (R&D)
Vodafone fosters bot-to-bot transactions with DAB trial
Digital Asset Broker platform enables connected devices to complete transactions “without human intervention”. Electric vehicle trial goes live at Vodafone UK’s technology centre in collaboration with Energy Web and Mastercard.
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Partnerships & Alliances
E.ON taps Vodafone for IoT-backed water meters
Vodafone Germany set to deploy 1,000 “intelligent” meters to detect pipe damage and conserve resources. Plug and play technology aims to hasten deployment and meet anticipated future demand.
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Partnerships & Alliances
T-Mobile US wheels in Amdocs for data management
Amdocs CEO flags “multi-year” deal on DataONE, the vendor’s cloud-based data management system. Closer BSS integration following Sprint merger, and gaining actionable insights from customer behaviour, appear key goals. DataONE contract follows last year’s adoption of amdocsONE to provide “next-generation” comms and media services.
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M&A
Telefónica preps new vehicle for digital M&A in Brazil
Local operating business Vivo indicates it may channel deals through a new platform as it seeks to build out its digital services ecosystem. Move would extend Vivo’s control over M&A and provide an alternative route to Telefónica’s central Wayra and Tech divisions.