All articles by Neal Doran
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Suppliers & SCMBT serene, Vodafone slumps as UK public spending on telecoms slides
BT remains the dominant supplier to the UK public sector telecoms market, but Tussell research suggests traditional telecoms services are becoming a shrinking component of government technology spending as buyers increasingly prioritise newer digital capabilities.
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Network & InfraOvercoming the OSS/BSS bottleneck: telcos’ AI transformation needs an event driven architecture
Are decades of disjointed OSS/BSS investments stifling telecom’s AI ambitions? Industry leaders at The Data-Driven Telco Summit explored how innovations like EDA are bridging the gap between legacy platforms and real-time, agentic AI operations. Learn more…
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Analyst BriefingUK Infrawatch: Ofcom curbs Openreach as CityFibre prepares for M&A push
Analyst Briefing: Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including Andy Burnham’s “act of self‑harm” on connectivity infrastructure, Ofcom finally gets tough on Openreach promotions, CityFibre funders respond to nexfibre/Netomnia reverberations, and plenty more…
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Financial & PerformanceLiberty’s Fries foresees second Sunrise as Ziggo spinout races ahead
Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries sees tailwinds for European telecoms business, floats potential for fast completion of restructuring, and anticipates materially higher-than-expected synergies as VodafoneZiggo joins Telenet for Benelux grouping, replicating perceived successes of Sunrise spin-out in 2024.
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Analyst BriefingUK Infrawatch: clues emerge of improving altnet sector health
Analyst Briefing: Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including the latest in fibreco results season, Aberdeen investment going south, Grain embraces network growth, Project Gigabit gets a funding boost, and plenty more…
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TelcoTitans TVMavenir CEO eyes Snowflake playbook to power telcos’ AI charge
Interview: telcos possess the infrastructure driving the revolution but lack the technological stack to monetise it. Cloud-native software NEP’s Pardeep Kohli outlines a strategic toolkit to transform operators into central players within the enterprise AI ecosystem. Watch/read more…
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Products & ServicesUK fibre: TiVo’s Freely momentum unlocks altnet multiplay
Interview: As customer retention becomes paramount, UK fibre service providers are re-evaluating the strategic value of multiplay. Several altnets are at contract stage with streaming TV platform provider TiVo as sell-out success of the Freely-enabled Aero puck helps make the case for convergence…
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Network & InfraUK infra body sees Project Gigabit progress as DSIT ups budget
The government is signalling confidence in Project Gigabit, increasing funding and reaffirming delivery targets even as concerns persist over supplier finances, rollout delays, and the long-term viability of parts of the fibre market.
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Analyst BriefingUK Infrawatch: CMA weighs nexfibre–Netomnia options; CityFibre strengthens Vodafone ties
Analyst Briefing: Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including CMA priorities for Netomnia/nexfibre review, competition growing from multiservice propositions, CityFibre spins out a new wholesale aggregator, and plenty more…
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Network & InfraVodafone breaks out of PoC jail with autonomous networks ‘killer app’
DTW Ignite: Vodafone and Google Cloud are pushing beyond proof-of-concept theatre, setting out a ‘pragmatic’ blueprint for closed-loop operations where digital twins help build the trust required for real-world network autonomy.
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Strategy & ChangeUtility Warehouse eyes broadband and mobile opportunities as it chases convergence
In depth: Multi-play broadband and utilities provider unveils a five-year plan to drive up mobile, broadband, and insurance, while tapping an AI commercial opportunity. UW may be a litmus test as UK altnets develop retail strategies to go beyond connectivity…
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Analyst BriefingUK Infrawatch: DSIT pictures satellite success as AI snags Ofcom attention
Analyst Briefing: nexfibre looks beyond ‘cornershop’ fibre; Ofcom rethinks AI, mobile quality, and spectrum policy; more altnet sale rumours; plenty more…
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M&ALiberty Blume bulks up with rights management acquisition as it expands UK infra horizons
Liberty’s Blume is stepping into energy, water, and construction to add to its telecoms heartlands with CLM takeover, positioning itself to capture a larger share of the UK’s infrastructure investment boom.
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Strategy & ChangeCapita: rewired for agentic AI, and inviting telcos onboard
Interview: With hyperscaler alumni now at the helm and Snowflake Intelligence embedded in its AI Catalyst Stack, Capita is betting that agentic will redraw the economics of the contact centre. Chief AI & Product Officer Sameer Vuyyuru explains why telcos should be watching closely.
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Analyst BriefingUK Infrawatch: Digi lands; CityFibre dials back; BT targets regional altnets
Analyst Briefing: Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including: a European budget challenger emerges in UK, BDUK adjusts to a revised fibre market reality, more rumours of regional player consolidation, and plenty more…
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Strategy & ChangeFrom danger zone to digital powerhouse: Kearney maps Europe’s path to telecom recovery
Analysis: Europe’s telecoms sector has built extensively but failed to monetise, risking stagnation without urgent structural intervention. Kearney’s comprehensive diagnostic guides on how regionalisation, network resilience, strategic private finance partnerships, and other remedies can revitalise the sector’s finances and the continent’s digital economy.
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Financial & PerformanceFighting fibre with fibre: BT Consumer goes hyper-local in counter-attack against challengers
FY25–26: BT CEO Kirkby trumpets a marginal return to broadband customer growth as an early sign of a Consumer comeback.
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Network & InfraThe network autonomy dividend (when telcos replace tech milestones with business outcomes)
Are theoretical autonomy frameworks distracting telcos from real business results? Vodafone, Elisa, Telenor and Mavenir leaders are shifting the industry narrative from operational efficiency to scalable, intent-based revenue generation…
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Network & InfraFrom flying blind to found revenue: digital twins ‘digitise the handshake’ of complex telecom infra
“Time kills deals”: senior infra figures from SBA, Vertical Bridge, Singtel‑owned NCS and digital‑twin specialist vHive argue that the next productivity unlock for cell towers lies in closing the reality gap between site and system — and that the first movers will dictate how the new order works…
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Financial & PerformanceLeading by example: Vodafone CEO frames UK integration as blueprint for future market evolution
FY25–26: Margherita Della Valle pitches the instant impact of the VodafoneThree merger as a driver for UK growth, improved financial performance, and a route to win in a tough competitive environment — but a muted end to FY25–26 tempers optimism, as pre-merger headaches persist.