All Political articles
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Strategy & ChangeColao and Niel join Draghi-led push for Europe’s competitive revival
Ex-Vodafone CEO and French telecoms mogul join Mario Draghi’s new think tank pushing for “urgent action” around European competitiveness, as the continent moves to reset telecoms regulation…
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Network & InfraCzech MNOs land spectrum boost with coverage caveat
New proposals lay out long-term spectrum extension for O2, T-Mobile, and Vodafone, in return for expanded obligations around network reach and resilience.
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Public AffairsHungary’s 4iG faces major probe into Orbán era state contracts
Hungary’s new government has opened a corporate investigation in the country’s recent history, placing telecoms, defence, and technology conglomerate 4iG under intense scrutiny as it reviews years of state-backed expansion.
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Analyst BriefingBTwatch: fibre dividend emerges, Ofcom bares teeth on promos
Analyst Briefing: stubborn numbers but signs of things to come as BT’s Q1s leave the Group on track for near- and mid-term guidance; Openreach knocked back as Ofcom moves to block pricing change; and TelcoTitans considers the implications for the Group of a new UK Prime Minister…
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M&ABouygues CEO says SFR review could stretch into 2028
Olivier Roussat appears less confident than his opposite at Orange that the deal will be completed before the end of next year, as originally hoped.
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Network & InfraItalian towers industry ‘stalled’ as INWIT–MNO contract dispute rumbles on
INWIT chief Diego Galli delivers a stark warning on the future of Italy’s telecoms infra market, arguing that contract disputes with key tenants and uncertainty over spectrum renewal are freezing investment at a critical moment for national connectivity.
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Deep DiveStarter for No 10: the key digital infra demands awaiting the UK’s new Prime Minister
Deep dive: Andy Burnham built his political reputation around regional growth in Manchester. Digital infra leaders now want to know whether those principles will translate into a coherent national strategy for fibre, mobile networks, data centres, and digital infrastructure investment, as the industry enters a pivotal moment…
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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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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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Public AffairsEU’s DNA faces pushback, with MVNOs wary of spectrum rule changes
MVNOs World: With the upcoming Digital Networks Act, the EC aims to create a fresh start for the region’s telecoms industry and provide a much-needed boost to the bloc’s competitiveness. But it seems few see the norms, as proposed, as likely to deliver the galvanising force the Commission intends, with challenger players remaining concerned they will have to take one for the team as the EU bids to shore up their incumbent network operator rivals.
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M&ACMA uprates Netomnia–nexfibre investigation to Phase 2 as altnets call for ‘urgency’
Altnet buyer nexfibre gets pragmatic and skips straight to the in-depth competition review, keeping hopes alive for completion before the end of the year. The UK’s fibre scene is set to change, but the CMA will now decide the extent.
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B2BVodafone chases defence opportunity with centralised German hub
European B2B chief Hagen Rickmann heads a move to consolidate and ‘bundle’ defence-related operations in Düsseldorf to target the sector “more strongly”, meet growing demand, and go head-to-head with rival telcos.
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Network & InfraBT joins exclusive telco cohort in Anthropic’s frontier AI security project
Telco is the first UK business to confirm Project Glasswing participation, and the first European telco on the list, gaining early access to a frontier AI model aimed at pre-empting next-gen cyber threats.
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M&Anexfibre’s Datta: ‘corner shop fibre’ is dead, the UK needs an infra megamart
Interview: proposed £2bn acquisition of Netomnia is sparking fierce debate across the UK broadband sector. With industry heavyweights trading blows over duopoly fears and infrastructure overlap, discover why CEO Rajiv Datta believes this consolidation is crucial to challenging Openreach.
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M&ATelcos welcome ‘long overdue’ EC draft merger guidelines
Telcos now have the opportunity to provide informed feedback as the long‑awaited draft on European Union merger guidelines is published.
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Financial & PerformanceVi secures government dues breather as attention turns to infra investment
Vodafone-backed Indian operator confirms AGR liabilities slashed by a quarter to ease debt burden and offer some relief for the challenged MNO as it invests in significant 4G/5G expansion.
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Strategy & ChangeBT: UK’s regulatory ‘Wild West’ presents barrier to sovereignty investment
FutureNet World: Business CTO Colin Bannon makes rare call for greater regulation to remove sovereign platform investment barriers and warns that end-to-end technical sovereignty is unrealistic and misguided.
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Financial & PerformanceEuropean fibrecos warned of ‘enormous’ 2027 debt crunch
Europe’s fibre industry is heading into a critical two-year period with half of all fibreco debt due, warns ING’s Jeroen Kleinjan. Rising geopolitical tensions and fears over inflation and competition from other digital infra asset classes could hinder altnets’ ability to overcome a looming ‘refinancing wall’.
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InterviewChelot: wholesale scale is ‘mission impossible’ without nexfibre-Netomnia deal
Interview: “I have a wholesale platform, but I have no wholesale customers”. Jeremy Chelot’s Netomnia hit a structural ceiling, with bowing out the only way to progress the Openreach challenge. Firing back at nexfibre deal critics, he asks for alternatives to his Plan B, deeming consolidation the best route and reflecting on the challenge of leading a business through a sale.
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M&AOrange’s Heydemann is confident on new SFR takeover bid
CEO of French incumbent is hoping for a positive response to its second bid for assets from distressed rival SFR, alongside Bouygues and Iliad. As well as dangling a higher, €20bn+ offer in front of seller Altice, she notes a change to the deal’s structure would help the French trio mitigate some execution risk. She also remains confident of the case for consolidation.