Public affairs – Page 40
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Public Affairs
Cellnex offers CMA deal to secure Hutchison UK tower merger
Spanish InfraCo willing to sell enough sites from its existing estate to enable a new UK tower player to emerge, and overcome CMA concerns on competition linked to its planned CKH infrastructure acquisition. Four companies have already stepped forward as potential buyers. CTIL objects to being positioned as a ...
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Network & Infrastructure
Submarine cable vulnerabilities surface
Malicious threats loom, but accidental damage more common. Russian aggression, underwater volcanoes, fishing and anchoring roil subsea cable networks. Difficult to prevent damage, resiliency is best protection.
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Public Affairs
DCMS told to get a grip on Project Gigabit
“Disappointed” accounts committee frustrated by lack of measurable progress and clear plans for reaching 2025 target of 85% ultrafast coverage. Department blasted for lack of meaningful legislation on removal of barriers to deployment. DCMS still seeking clarity from operators on national rollout plans.
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Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica’s PangeaCo begins operations in Peru
Telefónica appears to have failed to find an investor for the Peruvian FibreCo. Political situation may have complicated efforts to find a partner.
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Public Affairs
Ofcom details O2 UK ‘carelessness’ in billing investigation
Regulator publishes 74-page document highlighting the extent of O2 UK feet-dragging in its investigation as to why the operator overcharged customers during a seven-year period. Demands O2 UK review its processes and systems to ensure accuracy and completeness of responses to information requests in future. Restates view that £150,000 ...
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Premium
Elsewhere in Vodafone Group: Cisco & Vodafone selected as SFHA commercial associates
Vodafone’s M&A chaperone boosts takings; named commercial associate by Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, along with Cisco.
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People
Openreach’s McTighe emerges as frontrunner for Ofcom chair
Mike McTighe, Chairman at Openreach, reportedly on the shortlist to oversee regulator. Drawn-out search for Lord Burns’ successor sees another BT-affiliated name on the cards.
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Public Affairs
Vodacom, MTN pick sides in South African auction saga
Operators unite with South African regulator as rival Telkom requests further delays. Any success for Telkom would represent a sixth postponement of the auction, currently set to take place by the end of March.
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Premium
Openreach gets good marks for independence
Ofcom monitoring unit warns BT and Openreach to stay vigilant. Stakeholders raise concerns about PIA, defective poles, and lack of clarity on Openreach’s build plans. Equinox pricing offer deemed free from BT influence, as Ofcom defends its approval to Competition Appeal Tribunal in challenge brought by CityFibre.
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Public Affairs
Álvarez-Pallete warns of dangers of “digital slavery”
Telefónica Executive Chairman asserts that societal imbalance and data exploitation are risks that must be addressed as the world’s economies are digitised. Dire warnings of ‘slavery’ fit with Group commitments on creation of a digital rights framework that would see operators positioned as trusted partners.
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Public Affairs
Telco giants join iPhone encryption battle
Vodafone, Telefónica, and Orange add to voices calling for encryption technologies to be outlawed. EC asked to stop iPhones denying data access. Assertion comes amid wider controversy involving monitoring of illegal activity.
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Premium
Elsewhere in UK: VM O2 augments EV fleet
VM O2 augments EV fleet; becomes founding member of National Databank to provide free data to low-income households.
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Network & Infrastructure
CNMC backs Telefónica on ‘irregular’ duct occupation
New rules will see Telefónica able to cut off operators that install cables without permission. CNMC employs MARCo regulation to draw up three new procedures.
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Operations
Deutsche Telekom rocks with AC–DC to save power
DT’s Plasma energy-reduction initiative expected to save more than 90GWh with upgrade of rectifier systems.
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Premium
Elsewhere in Telefónica Group: operator in line for tax refund
Ecosystem building in quantum and cloud data; tax refund boost
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Public Affairs
Ethiopia presses pause on third licence contest
Regulator initiates another stoppage after interested parties request delay over RFP “concerns”. Move adds to sense of turbulence around Safaricom’s planned entrance into the country during 2022.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT making strides in flash flood recovery
About 97% of flood-damaged fixed lines to be repaired by the end of 2021. Construction of FTTP network in areas where lines cannot be restored.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica offers redundancy plan to almost 3,000 staff
Unions still not satisfied with latest redundancy offer. Group offers a higher pay increase of 1.5% for 2023.
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Public Affairs
Ericsson loses latest skirmish in Telefónica Avatar saga
Ericsson blocked from unilaterally changing working conditions for employees transferred from Telefónica in 2010 in conjunction with the AltamirA platform acquisition. A renewed deal linked to the platform removes Telefónica’s minimum spend commitment.