More Latest Insight – Page 286
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M&A
Vodafone Turkey buys into enterprise IT specialist FGS
OpCo takes 50% share of business services provider and frames deal as reflecting Vodafone’s march into “TechCo” territory. FGS products to be launched in Vodafone markets outside Turkey.
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Suppliers & SCM
NPS revival makes for happy shopping at Vodafone’s VPC
Digital transformation at Vodafone’s procurement unit said to have driven positive Net Promoter Scores for user experience. VPC says it is now faster, more efficient, and has “happy” purchase orders. Process mining and machine learning driving further efficiencies.
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M&A
Deutsche Telekom smart-buildings partner snapped up
2017 “strategic” investment offloaded by Group. Netherlands’ Planon to subsume Axonize’s IoT platform into wider facilities management product and services suite.
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Operations
AST SpaceMobile sets up UK arm
High-profile US startup establishing tech team in Leicester space hub. Move eases collaboration with Vodafone ahead of joint launch in Africa.
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M&A
BT quietly divests Boingo Wireless interest
Telco offloads small minority stake in Boingo. US wireless internet service provider recently subsumed by Digital Colony.
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B2B
Sims to head up new BT SoHo unit
Enterprise launches new iteration of Halo for Business with added support for micro-businesses. One of first major moves by Enterprise division following entrance of new CEO Rob Shuter in February.
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Venturing & Investments
DTCP’s monetary fuel fires up One Store expansion plan
Fund joins venture funding round in business owned by close partner SK Telecom. One Store aiming to reach lofty heights of market competitors Apple and Google.
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Network & Infra
DT drives mobility data space in Germany
T-Systems and DT IoT get mobility industry cloud on the road. Government-backed project unlocks data for safer, greener transportation. Data Intelligence Hub supports industry cloud initiatives. DT’s data sharing projects span automotive, logistics, and mobility sectors.
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Innovation
Vodafone picks Dresden and Málaga for R&D
Portugal may have lost out because of Group anger over the ongoing 5G auction process.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT seeks South African alternatives after partner breakup
Group abruptly severs ties with longstanding partner Sekunjalo, but is under pressure to remain compliant with the country’s black economic empowerment agenda.
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Strategy & Change
Movistar reboots investment unit for expansion
Telefónica’s audio-visual management company Contenidos has been repurposed as Telefónica España Filiales. New unit takes on a broader remit in apparent bid to grow its portfolio, moving away from multimedia focus. Holdings mapped out, with some recent changes.
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Operations
Vodafone banks on the Nile for flow of efficiencies
Group Annual Report sheds light on shared services transformation under the _VOIS division. Egypt emerges as the Group’s largest territory by headcount. CFO Della Valle points to _VOIS “role efficiencies” as it de-siloes, standardises, and harmonises operations.
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Network & Infra
BT puzzles over end-to-end quantum security
Optical expert optimistic about upcoming commercial availability of QKD and “global” satellite distribution of crypto keys. How to protect the terrestrial “bit in the middle” against quantum-computing hacks still uncertain. Due diligence needed on Arqit’s QuantumCloud. Lord confident UK can tap into EU funding, despite Brexit.
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Network & Infra
Telefónica flags fixed access evolution with Open Broadband project
Operator aims to change the fixed access ‘paradigm’, with a new open ecosystem and architecture. Group “going further” on disaggregation. Brazil targeted first for deployment.
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M&A
Liberty: VodafoneZiggo-Telenet merger not in pipeline
Group partner CEO rules out near-term merger. How Liberty and Vodafone’s Dutch JV will evolve remains unclear, with shareholders facing various M&A options. Liberty keen to pursue pathway that suits both parties.
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M&A
Telxius completes European tower sale
Telefónica handed regulatory go-ahead for tower divestment, with German and Spanish sites handed to American Tower. Latin American portion to follow next year, pending approval. Submarine cables also up for grabs, with first bids reportedly received.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica Hispanoamérica: Internet para Todos hits milestone
IpT footprint breaks two million mark; Gilpérez to front bid for Telefónica Uruguay.
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Network & Infra
Internet Para Todos hits two million milestone
More than two million people now connected to ‘high-speed’ internet connectivity in Peru. 2020 target of reaching 13,000 rural communities pushed back a year. Network laying groundwork for the provision of new e-learning tech for Peruvian schoolchildren.
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People
Fairhead added to BT Chair candidate list — report
Former International Trade Minister and HSBC Chair Rona Fairhead has emerged as a contender to replace the outgoing Jan du Plessis. Shortlist-creation reportedly still in its early stages.
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Products & Services
MediaKind trumpets role in Movistar+ VoD upgrade
Media technology specialist builds on long-term partnership that began in its former incarnation as Ericsson Media Solutions.