
Neal Doran
Neal Doran is a Senior Analyst for TelcoTitans. Neal's industry knowledge and experience as a telecoms analyst and writer spans three decades, and he has been a key part of TelcoTitan's Editorial team since 2001.
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- Network & Infrastructure
Shared Rural Network expands reach as BDUK cutback rumours swirl
Weekend reports suggest operators are irked by possibility that their coverage investment and network optimisation improvements could see the government scale back financial commitments to rural coverage…
- Financial & Performance
In depth: Openreach line losses accelerate, fibre gaps widen as strategic vulnerability
Q3 FY24–25: BT’s wholesale division again reports strong financials and record fibre build, but a deeper look reveals a worrying trend of accelerating line losses. This analysis delves into the implications of altnet and Project Gigabit competition, eroding historic market dominance.
- Interview
CityFibre sees commercial promise, ‘moral obligation’ in Project Gigabit
CityFibre’s public sector lead Andy Nash talks to TelcoTitans on the altnet’s emergence as a strategic government supplier for Project Gigabit, answering “the big exam question” on going beyond initial goals, and the moral duty of delivering rural connectivity…
- Weekly Briefings
UK Infrawatch Briefing: data centre AI plans; Zzoomming up altnet tables; Freshwave deals
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including the latest on sector mergers; power challenges accompanying the government’s AI power play; people moves, and plenty more…
- Innovation (R&D)
Vodafone sees meaningful impact as AI hits CX and beyond
Operator’s AI director highlights significant improvements in CX for its chatbot users as multi-vendor AI raises standards and delivers consistency, also driving 20% lift in procurement efficiency. Ensuring usable and accessible data can be the biggest cost…
- Strategy & Change
Is UK’s AI Action Plan under-powered?
UK government unveils aspirational plan for growing the AI sector, with a partner sought for a new data centre in its first AI Growth Zone, but questions remain about the power capacity to underpin the impending data and AI explosion…
- Network & Infrastructure
Deep dive: international response to escalating subsea comms risk after Baltics disruption
Latest apparent act of network sabotage in the Baltics underlines heightened need for action to ensure resilience of critical global infrastructure, with UK, EU, and NATO looking to ramp security of increasingly vulnerable cables…
- Partnerships & Alliances
NCR Atleos: Operators need global partners matched to B2B digital ambition
Emerging as a stealth powerhouse within the telecom industry ecosystem, NCR Atleos discreetly offers unmatched global hub and field support underpinning operators’ rapid deployment, management and commercialisation of headline‑grabbing technologies, including AI infrastructure and security.
- Public Affairs
UK Home Office backs £650m class action against Motorola in latest Airwave twist
Emergency services network provider faces a claim that excessive pricing policies over a three year period cost up to 2,000 public safety organisations more than £600m.
- Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: fibre ups and downs; telcos lean into data centre deals
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including a DC sale in Ireland; UK fibre altnet plans from new INCA CEO Paddy Paddison; another Project Gigabit stumble; a world-first satellite claim from One NZ; plus strategic executive moves and plenty more…
- Strategy & Change
2024 vendor review: Telcos start feeling benefits of TechCo pivot
2024 may be the year telcos truly started to become TechCos, with GenAI, open RAN and cloud-native platforms reshaping CX, NetOpps and the industry landscape. Dive into how operators are overcoming transformation challenges, collaborating with vendors, and unlocking new revenue opportunities in this game-changing year. Available to all registered users…
- Strategy & Change
Snowflake’s telco manifesto: Making the leap from TechCo to BizCo
Snowflake’s approach to telco focuses on enabling data-driven transformation, underpinning the collaboration, consistency and clarity that deliver measurable financial reward. From energy management to GenAI integration, the AI data cloud provider is partnering telcos to drive greater operational efficiency and unlock new enterprise opportunities in the digital era. Read more…
- Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: infra multi-tasking, EU digital plans, new Voda space deal
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including European SatComms catch-up; leveraging InfraCo energy assets; Ofcom spectrum price cuts; people moves, and plenty more…
- Strategy & Change
Zzoomm: capital costs holding back build and consolidation
At INCA Summit Zzoomm’s CEO Matthew Hare predicted a bright future for the sector, but current cost of capital is impeding expansion plans and complicating the path to consolidation.
- Public Affairs
Vodafone hit with £120m enrichment claim as nearly half of retail footprint launches action
61 plaintiffs, who either previously operated or still run almost half of Vodafone’s UK retail franchises, are claiming that commission cuts and other commercial decisions were implemented in bad faith to favour the operator over its partners. Read more…
- Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: private networks under scrutiny, IoT’s defence role flagged
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including NIC consideration of network investment vulnerabilities; Europe backing for satellite defence role; iliad plots hyperscale data platform; people moves, and plenty more…
- Venturing & Investments
Sateliot secures €30m from EIB, defence merits flagged
Funding expected to help Spanish 5G‑IoT SatCo deliver a global LEO network by 2028.
- Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: Ofcom spectrum plans, open RAN wins, INCA treasure
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including Nokia wins DT open RAN deal; Ofcom weighs SatCom opportunities; altnets debate wireless options; and plenty more…
- People
Allera exits BT with ‘New EE’ story half-written, Gillies may turn the page
BT Consumer boss, and the face of the Group’s flagship New EE brand, set to depart at end of March 2025. Bell Canada’s Claire Gillies is to take his place. Move marks next management shake-up as Kirkby continues to implement new BT agenda…
- Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: new infra monetisation options, altnets partner up, DSIT on a roll
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including AI’s potential in heart of telecoms infrastructure; UK altnets exploring partnerships for enterprise reach; Cellnex reports on restructuring progress and consolidation hopes; people moves, and plenty more…