Procurement
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Suppliers & SCM
Vendor rebellion: why major operators are ditching Oracle and VMware support contracts
BT and Telefónica are the first of numerous telcos to go on the record challenging software vendor dominance by shifting legacy IT support to third-party specialists. This analysis explores how Spinnaker Support is helping them slash costs, extend end-of-life IT, and reallocate resources…
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Suppliers & SCM
BT’s buying boss wants AI to move faster, looks to startups to lead the way
BT Sourced head Cyril Pourrat reflects on missed expectations around ‘speed of execution’ on AI deployments, but remains confident that the tech delivers when embraced by colleagues.
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Network & Infrastructure
‘Fabulous’ ESN ‘back in delivery’, ticks off first milestones with EE, IBM leading the charge
CCW 2025: Home Office’s John Black, EE’s David Salam, and IBM’s Andy Doggett share a progress report on the UK’s Emergency Services Network, with optimism the prevailing mood. Early milestones checked off, infrastructure in progress, and EE looking for partners and suppliers…
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People
Switch of leadership at Vodafone’s Luxembourg scaleup hothouse
Tomorrow Street appoints a new CEO, with Kenneth Graham exiting for a wider Vodafone Procure & Connect post.
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: UK merger complete, hard work begins now
Latest from Vodafone as VodafoneThree strategy laid out; Commscope named VodafoneZiggo’s DOCSIS upgrade vendor; group appoints CFO Luka Mucic replacement; Procure & Connect breaks ground at Luxembourg logistics hub…
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Interview
A telco win-win: TXO adds ‘scale and breadth’ to network circularity proposition
In-depth: ‘A local business gone global’: Wales’ green dragon adds heft in US, following recent Europe and APAC expansion — extending bid to scale circular economy leadership and portfolio in global telco network supply and infrastructure value chain…
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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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Suppliers & SCM
Nokia and Xantaro flag value of altnet supply deals
Kit vendor and solution provider sign contracts with Fibrus and Wildanet respectively as altnets emerge as increasingly significant to vendors…
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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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Strategy & Change
Vodafone’s latest B2T spin-up: €20bn+ Procure & Connect
In-depth: Unusual combination of procurement and roaming services marks another step in Vodafone’s ambitious Business to Telecoms strategy to commercialise its internal shared central functions to the wider industry, with efficiency also in the mix.
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Interview
Interview: telcos’ watchdog boss on efforts to keep suppliers in line on CSR
Vodafone’s Paras Shah, Chairman of CSR-focused telco association JAC, speaks to TelcoTitans about how its effort to monitor supply chain resilience and risk is going deeper and broader as signs emerge that operators’ supply chains are starting to diversify.
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Technology
Telefónica Hispam duo bring in Netcracker for BSS update
Telefónica’s units in Ecuador and Uruguay push transformation agenda with adoption of new tools within Netcracker’s Digital BSS suite.
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Innovation (R&D)
BT ‘needs more’ quantum tech suppliers and partners
Research & Networks Strategy lead Gabriela Styf Sjöman emphasises need for growth in the quantum supply chain and ecosystem as technology matures.
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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…
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People
Vodafone Peoplewatch: Italian migration, Balkans CxO swaps
20+ senior and strategic changes across the Vodafone Group footprint, including a wave of changes following creation of Fastweb + Vodafone in Italy; ExCo changes in Albania, Czechia, and Greece; a swift return for Vi’s CTSO; more in Africa, Group HQ, elsewhere…
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Network & Infrastructure
Orange moves to cash in on decommissioned copper
French operator is reportedly seeking a value assessment of the copper in its legacy network as it works towards switching off the public switched telephone network by 2030.
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Strategy & Change
Liberty gives European B2B services business a new name and mission
Shared services arm rebadged and given mandate to seek expansion in areas such as energy, fintech, and insurance.
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: Group closes out 2024 with more deals, partnerships
Latest from Vodafone and its associates, including business developments in the UK and IoT sector; European telcos’ frustration at regulatory standstill; and trouble with the Kenyan press…
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: Vi secures fresh funding, names another network partner
Latest from Vodafone, including the latest from Indian JV Vi; another Partner Markets deal, this time in Georgia; commercial agreement signed with AST SpaceMobile; allegations made and legal case launched against Vodafone UK; and more across the Group’s footprint…