Telecoms Technology News
All the latest insight, news and analysis on telecoms technology inside and across BT, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone.
Operations
Telefónica turning Madrid HQ into digital skills factory
Group ups corporate social responsibility efforts by dedicating real estate to societal pursuit of digital adaption. Talent Hub aims to re-skill 100,000 people per year. Internal skills upgrade high on Group agenda.
Partnerships & Alliances
DT ties with China Mobile on international connectivity
Deutsche Telekom wholesale division ties with China Mobile International for connectivity services in Asia and Europe. Agreement launches point of presence at CMI’s German data centre. Ciena technology leveraged for access and transport services.
Strategy & Change
Jansen battle‑ready as competition grows on two fronts
BT CEO returns to pre‑pandemic promises of a more robust defence of BT’s market position, on price if necessary. Speculation on heightened wholesale competition comes as Openreach Equinox fibre pricing looks set to reinforce the Group’s strong position. Retail threats may be more pressing for the incumbent as Sky ...
Portugal’s auction pain continues as Spain shines on digital
Sale process now at 178 days and counting. Nick Read continues to sing praises of Spain’s example on digitisation. The CEO again warns that Europe is lagging on 5G and digital infrastructure.
DT: Open RAN not there yet, but developing fast
Deutsche Telekom’s view on open RAN state of play. Mixed bag: encouraging pace of development, but complexity reigns. Programmability capability is two to three years away. “Must have” automation needed to tackle integration challenge.
OVHcloud IPO to fuel Europe’s “cloud champion”
T-Systems’ Gaia‑X partner to go public this week. European cloud provider plans to take on US tech giants with data sovereignty credentials. Growth plans include bulking up through acquisitions.
BT protégé DoubleMe doubles down on 5G and MEC
3D image processing specialist highlights collaboration with BT, DT, Telefónica, Vodafone, and others to realise real‑time ‘metaverse’ ambitions using 5G.
Openreach names new fibre delivery guy
Change at top of Fibre & Network Delivery unit as Matthew Hemmings comes in for Kevin Murphy. Internal hire sees Hemmings take lead of team focused on expanding Openreach’s UK‑wide fibre network.
Froment-Curtil highlights TOBi’s expanding role amid digital focus
TOBi now present in 15 Vodafone markets, although maturity of deployments varies. Aim is for TOBi to take over 100% of inbound conversations and limited sales transactions. Froment‑Curtil sets out his stall as Group CCO.
Vodafone Spain CEO talks up transformation
Vodafone hones in-house IT skills and organises into squads. Share progress on building up platforms and scale. As transformation continues at pace, Vodafone Spain downsizes.
Vodafone Group’s Dutch and British tower partners look to cash in
Liberty CFO says group “not in love with” tower ownership and keen to unlock value in Belgium, Netherlands, and UK. Telefónica hands Goldman Sachs reins to examine prospective Cornerstone share sale.
DT hopes to get nuSIM on track after two‑year delay
Four chipset makers have started nuSIM security certification process. LTE‑M now deployed in four markets, with more to come in 2022.
BT ramps up security focus with Eagle-i launch
Platform takes “proactive approach” to cybersecurity. Slimmed‑down partner portfolio and Safe Security investment tagged as key enablers of new approach.
Rakuten acquires Telefónica open RAN investment
Rakuten to acquire Altiostar, Telefónica minority investment and “partner of choice”. Telefónica relationship with the US‑based open RAN specialist extends beyond stake holding, with collaboration in network development and deployment in Europe and Latin America.