More on EMEA Telco Leaders – Page 169
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Premium
Telefónica Innovation & Venturing Roundup: Wayra buys into Sceenic
Wayra buys into watch together app developer, and expands Hispam portfolio with Mexican startup duo.
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Premium
Telefónica backs interoperability through new O-RAN lab
i14y Lab set to be tangible evidence of European operators and authorities collaborating to develop the open RAN ecosystem in wider pursuit of disaggregated networks. Telefónica highlights opportunity to reinforce the security of open RAN and assuage policymaker concerns.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone’s Omani partnership finally goes live
High-profile Partner Markets ally opens up services and stores. Debut comes followed prolonged setup process. Operator stresses “digital-first” credentials. Group executives welcome debut.
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Public Affairs
Ethiopia presses pause on third licence contest
Regulator initiates another stoppage after interested parties request delay over RFP “concerns”. Move adds to sense of turbulence around Safaricom’s planned entrance into the country during 2022.
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Suppliers & SCM
Deloitte ‘in line for Deutsche Telekom auditing role’
Report indicates operator is close to concluding a prolonged and politicised auditor selection process. Deloitte now seen as in pole position to replace incumbent PwC.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT making strides in flash flood recovery
About 97% of flood-damaged fixed lines to be repaired by the end of 2021. Construction of FTTP network in areas where lines cannot be restored.
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Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica Tech and Darwin collaborate on cybersecurity for CAVs
Deal continues Telefónica’s collaboration with Darwin on development of new CAV industry vertical.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone hails “technological milestone” with open RAN trial
Successful test completed in collaboration with long-term software partner Mavenir.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica offers redundancy plan to almost 3,000 staff
Unions still not satisfied with latest redundancy offer. Group offers a higher pay increase of 1.5% for 2023.
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M&A
Mastercard buys former DT investment Dynamic Yield
AI-based customer experience personalisation platform picked up by Mastercard from McDonalds. Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners first invested in 2017.
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People
Ex-BT chair teed up to lead UK audit regulator
Business Secretary Kwarteng puts Jan du Plessis forward for appointment to chair the FRC amid governance struggles on the audit watchdog’s “underweight” board. FRC in transition, and requires a chair able to partner with government.
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People
Former Telefónica exec takes Sky Mexico helm
Luis Malvido, ex-CEO at Telefónica businesses in Argentina, Brazil, Czech Republic, and Venezuela, takes the lead at Mexican rival.
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People
Appel pick for new chair creates controversy
Appel’s dual role at Deutsche Post and DT criticised as sending the “wrong signal”. Both Groups take steps to counter violation of German Corporate Governance Code.
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Financial & Performance
BT’s M&A chaperone boosts takings
Boutique advisory firm Robey Warshaw reports a 50% jump in sales from corporate deal-making tasks. Partner of BT and Vodafone appears primed to benefit from industry’s new wave of consolidation.
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Public Affairs
Ericsson loses latest skirmish in Telefónica Avatar saga
Ericsson blocked from unilaterally changing working conditions for employees transferred from Telefónica in 2010 in conjunction with the AltamirA platform acquisition. A renewed deal linked to the platform removes Telefónica’s minimum spend commitment.
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Network & Infrastructure
Movistar gets industrial with Chile 5G launch
Telefónica Chile’s 5G network goes live alongside peers Entel and WOM. Plans for “nationwide” availability in early-2022.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Telefonica targets health sector as digitalisation laggard
Healthcare sector viewed as an area with great digital potential, and slow take-up to date, with Telefónica focused on a collaborative approach. Across all sectors, innovation strategy remains focused on building not only networks, but platforms on top of them that will enable the Group to create new revenue ...
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M&A
VM O2 CEO happy as spectator to BT takeover saga
Lutz Schüler, CEO at Virgin Media O2, said he “thanks God” his business is not distracted by shareholder goings on. Comes after Patrick Drahi expanded his shareholding in VM O2 rival BT. Schüler’s attention fixed on customer experience improvements and fibre rollout.
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Products & Services
Safaricom to seed DigiFarm agri services in Ethiopia
Kenyan operator gives a hint of digital services that will form part of its line-up when it debuts in Ethiopia next year.
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Venturing & Investments
SignalWire secures investment from DT’s strategic fund
Telekom Innovation Pool gets involved following $30m (€27m) Series-B round in June.