All Political articles
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Public Affairs
UK calls on Navy to protect subsea critical infrastructure
UK government wants military to take a bigger role in protecting critical national infrastructure, especially subsea cables, as part of new defence strategy that encourages deeper public-private cooperation for national resilience.
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Financial & Performance
Q1 FY25: Broadband glitch prompts DT to step up its tech game
Q1 FY25: DT results backdropped by rare reversal on German broadband user trends and signs of increased competitive pressure elsewhere in group’s footprint, adding to buildup of market and macro uncertainty amid management and stakeholders.
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone sees the bright side of global chaos
FY24–25: As Vodafone Business surpasses €8bn in revenue, driven by Digital Services, anticipated hikes in cybersecurity, defence, and sovereignty spending in politically uncertain times is expected to provide another boost.
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Public Affairs
UK’s AI Growth Zone strategy — fit for purpose?
In-depth: As the UK government opens up its AI Growth Zone initiative for formal applications, industry leaders debate the value, variously describing it as everything from ‘ridiculous’ to ‘ambitious’, and running the risk of ‘fetishising’ location and creating a ‘real mess’, as well as presenting opportunity for the UK on a global stage. Includes reporting from Connected North…
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Weekly Briefings
Telefónicawatch Briefing: Europe’s need for a fix
Telefónica and European telco rivals position themselves for an anticipated wave of spend on network and IT strengthening in Europe, in response to political flux. Read more…
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Public Affairs
OVHcloud says firms are seeking ‘alternative’ cloud solutions amid geopolitical ructions
The France‑based cloud services provider says “strategic autonomy” in cloud is becoming increasingly critical for enterprises as data sovereignty continues to rise up the agenda.
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Financial & Performance
FY24: GPS-less Telefónica leadership seek new path and identity
An in-depth look at Telefónica’s results presentation for FY24, as new Executive Chairman Marc Murtra initiates a strategic review to navigate the “drastic changes” taking place in Europe…
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Innovation (R&D)
Gov report predicts £15bn telco productivity boost by 2035
PwC research on emerging technologies sees AI as leading economic transformation, but future telecoms one of the five biggest contributors to GDP growth of 8% by 2035.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica’s Murtra wants to ‘go big’ after cementing exec chair job
Group’s new boss makes a call-to-action for strategic renewal at operator as his contentious appointment gains shareholder approval. Telefónica needs to adapt to “new era in US-European relations”, he says.
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Consumer (B2C)
Magyar Telekom, 4iG backtrack on price hikes amid state pressure
As Hungarian government puts the squeeze on national telcos in bid to control inflation, Magyar Telekom and 4iG agree to freeze prices until mid-2026, ostensibly after the national election.
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M&A
MásOrange CEO sees M&A bright side in tariff crisis
MásOrange Chief Executive Meinrad Spenger finds a silver lining for European telcos in disruptive US tariffs as a catalyst for lighter merger controls while Telefónica sees spark of regulatory relief in Europe’s “strategic autonomy” and defence ambitions.
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Suppliers & SCM
In-depth: UK grapples with ‘high dependency’ in network supply chain after security risk clampdown
Deep dive: supply chain watchdog addresses risk of over‑reliance on Ericsson and Nokia in access networks and warns of Ericsson dominance in mobile core. Multi-vendor environment remains a goal, but complexities come with it…
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Financial & Performance
Vodafone’s Vi stake diluted further as gov strengthens grip on Vi
Struggling operator Vi takes debt-to-equity conversion deal that will see the government’s stake near 50%, and Vodafone’s drop to a reported 16%.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Orange, Eutelsat widen satellite services partnership
European pair to combine for Middle East and African satellite services, filling rural gaps and bolstering terrestrial infra.
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Strategy & Change
‘Europe needs a DOGE’: Höttges looks to Musk for regulation blueprint
MWC 2025: Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges has led the usual calls for policy overhaul in Europe, this time offering a direct comparison between European MNOs’ challenges and T-Mobile’s ‘freedom’.
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Strategy & Change
New Telefónica boss plots strategy shift amid European ‘winds of change’
Strategic review to consider implications of “drastic changes” ahead in Europe, says new Group Executive Chairman Marc Murtra.
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Financial & Performance
Telefónica Tech on a growth tear as reorg pays off
Telefónica Tech revenue surpassed €2bn in FY24 and the B2B services unit could be further bolstered through M&A following Group strategy review this year.
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Network & Infrastructure
German spectrum fracas latest: regulator urged to revise rules
A new twist has emerged in Germany’s ongoing spectrum saga as the Federal Cartel Office criticises the telecoms regulator’s plans for licence extensions this year, leaving mobile operators in doubt about the shape of their future spectrum holdings.
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Strategy & Change
BT ‘remains committed’ to diversity despite dropping DEI calculator
BT’s decision to drop the diversity, equity, and inclusion targets from its management bonus scheme comes as the corporate world reassesses the benefits of DEI measures. BT claims to be ready to move on with DEI already embedded, but has it reneged on commitments without first meeting targets?
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Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica tops up on 5G spectrum in Venezuela
Telefónica Venezuela and Digitel acquired mid-band spectrum in the country’s 5G auction, but other frequencies on offer were left on the table.